Upcoming Hotel Openings for Families to Watch in 2019
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
New hotels are popping up all the time, which is great for those who have a stack of hotel points just waiting for the right opportunity. Whether you have a favorite family-friendly hotel chain or not, you are probably already dreaming about your 2019 vacation plans. If you are looking to plan out your family's trips over the next year (or more), here are some hotels — broken down by chain — that recently opened or are set to debut soon.
If you aren't worried about bringing the kiddos, then here is a new 2019 hotels list that isn't focused on families.
Hilton
Hilton Honors will welcome many properties to the fold in 2019, so be sure to plump up your points account. There are a number of credit card options like the Hilton Honors American Express Ascend Card that offers 125,000 points after spending $2,000 in the first three months — and the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card which offers 150k points after spending $4,000 in the first three months. (Find out whether the Hilton Ascend or Hilton Aspire is the right card for your family.)
The information for the Hilton Aspire Amex card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Embassy Suites by Hilton Sarasota
The brand-new Embassy Suites by Hilton Sarasota is an all-suites property in downtown Sarasota. You're within walking distance to many restaurants, shops, playgrounds, the waterfront and only a short drive to Siesta Key beach (one of my favorite beaches I've ever been to with my family).
Since this is an Embassy Suites property, you'll enjoy complimentary breakfast (think made-to-order omelets) and an evening reception with snacks and adult beverages. Being an all-suites property, your family will have some separation from one another and can sleep in comfort. This property opened in December 2018 and a standard room costs 50,000 points at night — a pretty good redemption for a property right in the heart of everything.
Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort
Typically, my favorite family-friendly vacations include ones where the beach is right outside of my hotel. So I was thrilled to see another oceanfront resort pop up, especially in Florida. The Embassy Suites by Hilton St. Augustine Beach Oceanfront Resort just opened in late 2018. While being right on the beach is great, you are also only a 10-minute drive from downtown St. Augustine. The hotel features a resort-style pool with cabanas, resort activities, water sports, bike rentals and daily yoga classes.
The room setup is perfect for families, where some standard accommodations offer a two-room suite with a separate living room (with a sofa bed) — privacy from the kids! Be aware that this property also has king studio suites that are not true two-room suites. You'll also find a refrigerator and microwave, which is sometimes a necessity when traveling with little ones. (Need tips for booking hotel rooms for large families?)
The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton Hotel
This just-opened Hilton resort on the Gulf Coast of Alabama is as family friendly as you can get -- some rooms even offering bunk beds. The Lodge at Gulf State Park is a beachfront location with access to 6,150 acres of Gulf State Park — the perfect family vacation for those looking to do some hiking, biking, fishing and even some relaxing in the infinity pool. Every room overlooks either the beach or the park with rates starting at just 30,000 points for an award night.
DoubleTree by Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront
Ocean City, Maryland, is a great place for families, and now you'll have an opportunity to redeem your points at the DoubleTree by Hilton Ocean City Oceanfront. This hotel is just steps to the beach and just a short walk to the boardwalk. The Jolly Rogers Amusement park, which is perfect for families, is also right across the street. The hotel boasts a beachfront pool, an outdoor pool on the fourth floor, as well as an indoor pool, whirlpool and sauna.
During peak summer months, this hotel can cost around $400/night or 70,000 Hilton points, but if you are able to find a warm weekend in the spring, you can get a great deal at just $150/night.
DoubleTree by Hilton La Torre Golf & Spa Resort
The DoubleTree by Hilton La Torre Golf & Spa Resort is the perfect opportunity for those looking to take a trip to Spain with the family. Tack this relaxing resort onto a few days in Madrid or Barcelona and you'll have the best of both worlds. The resort features a golf course, lake, an indoor heated pool, an outdoor infinity pool, a kids' pool, a playground and a kids club.
The new property has room rates that are incredibly low during the winter months and into shoulder season at less than $100/night or just 18,000 Hilton points. Or, you can currently opt for a suite for a low as $125/night. The real appeal of this property is probably during the summer months, but even then you are still looking at as low as $150/night or 26,000+ Hilton points for a standard room in high season.
Hyatt
Start stocking up your Hyatt points now with either the World of Hyatt Credit Card or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve, where you can then transfer your Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Hyatt at a 1:1 ratio.
Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana, Punta Cana
The all-inclusive Hyatt Ziva and Zilara Cap Cana resorts are already taking reservations (using cash) for stays beginning Nov. 1. These will be the first Hyatt properties in all of the Dominican Republic and, if anything like all of the other Hyatt all-inclusive properties, place them on the top of your "hotels to visit" list. (If you happen to be traveling without the kids, check out the adults-only Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana, which is right next door to the family-friendly Ziva.)
We will keep you updated on this and hope to review as soon as it opens its doors in 2019!
Hyatt Place Ocean City
The Hyatt Place Ocean City / Oceanfront in Maryland is a Category 4 property making it the perfect opportunity to redeem your free night certificate from your World of Hyatt credit card — especially since this hotel can cost a whopping $500 in the peak of the summer!
While this hotel is not as "resort-y" as some others, it does feature an outdoor pool, an indoor pool and you are only a half-block away from the beach. World of Hyatt members also receive free breakfast if they book direct.
Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin
Hyatt is set to open its first ever property in Dublin in May 2019. The Hyatt Centric The Liberties Dublin will offer 234 rooms in the Dublin 8 neighborhood, where you'll find many other new hotels and restaurants.
Hyatt Centric properties are more of your "lifestyle" brands where you'll see local foods and local decor — meaning your teens should find some cool Instagram worthy spots in the property. While this hotel appears on the Hyatt site, it is not yet taking reservations so the category is still unknown.
Hyatt Centric Carlisle Bay Barbados
I love Hyatt properties, but there are far too few of them in the Caribbean. However, by 2020, we should see the Hyatt Centric Carlisle Bay Barbados right in Bridgetown. Since this property is smack in the middle of the city center, it may be less of a resort than some of the other Hyatt properties in the Caribbean, such as the Hyatt St. Kitts and Hyatt Aruba. The upsides is the location should give travelers easy access to many restaurants in walking distance.
Barbados has beautiful beaches and is one of the islands where you can rent a car (or a moke mini car — I highly recommend it!) and explore the entire island. The beaches are beautiful and the island is very safe and clean.
Andaz Turks & Caicos at Grace Bay
Sadly this property is still a couple of years out (likely no sooner than 2021), but Turks and Caicos needs an award-friendly option so badly that this spot is already high on our list of places to watch.
Marriott/Starwood
W Aspen
The W Aspen is skipping this ski season, but should be ready for guests in June 2019. While typically W properties aren't my go-to for families due to the swanky atmosphere and showers that look right into the bedrooms, having another option in addition to the St. Regis Aspen to redeem your points is needed in this area. The W Aspen will be a Category 8 property.
According to the Aspen Daily News, this 88-room chalet will have a "apres-ski party scene" with a 30-foot firepit on the deck and enough space for a DJ. Don't expect the hotel to cater directly to young families, but the room design is certainly unique and could work for families looking to stay in Aspen.
Solaz, a Luxury Collection Resort, Los Cabos
This high-end resort in San Jose del Cabo just opened this past September with every room offering either a balcony or patio — some rooms even offer a private plunge pool, private hammock and an outdoor rain shower. The Solaz Resort will fit every family size as you can book everything from a 704-square-foot room to a two-bedroom suite.
A regular room at this property will cost you around $600/night during peak nights, but be cautious of the taxes and fees as they will run you an additional 34% of the room rate. While this is a high-end Category 7 property costing 60,000 Marriott Rewards points a night, it is definitely worth using your points to ensure you are not hit with some of the ridiculously high fees.
Fairfield Inn & Suites Key West at The Keys Collection
The Fairfield Inn & Suites Key West at The Keys Collection might not have the same resort feel as many other properties in Key West, but it will be one of your more economical options. This Category 6 property will cost 50,000 points per night.
Although the location of the resort is not on the beach or right in Old Town, there is a complimentary hotel shuttle that will take you to Old Town every 30 minutes to an hour (depending on the time of day). The shuttle runs from 8am to 10pm, so they make it very accommodating to get to where you need to go.
St. Regis Bermuda
Looking out into the future, the 120-room St. Regis Bermuda is scheduled to open in spring 2021, and will feature a kids' room, teen room and casino. In other words, there will be something for everyone. Start saving up those Marriott Rewards points as this one will be pricy -- but likely amazing.
InterContinental Hotels Group
Staybridge Suites Orlando at SeaWorld
The Staybridge Suites Orlando at SeaWorld is an all-suites hotel that is perfect for families. This property is right at SeaWorld and just a short drive from Universal, Walt Disney World and Disney Springs. The best part of this property is that it is an "Official SeaWorld Hotel," which means you'll receive extra benefits such as free FastPasses, special discounts and more.
At just 25,000 points a night, you'll be able to redeem your free night certificate that comes with the IHG Rewards Premier Credit Card. And remember, one of the best benefits of this card is that when you use your points to book a free night stay, you'll receive your fourth night for free!
Wyndham
Wyndham Greece
Wyndham is entering the Greek islands market and, come summer 2019, it's slated to open a hotel in Crete. According to this news article, Wyndham will take over the Mirabello Beach & Village Hotel and launch a massive renovation. As of right now, the property includes 176 rooms and 115 bungalows.
Since Wyndham properties all cost a fixed 15,000 points per night, this will make for a great usage of points. Let's just hope this property actually does open in 2019. As of right now, the property is not yet taking reservations, nor does it even show up on Wyndham's website.
Wyndham Nevis
While it won't open in 2019, the Wyndham Grand Nevis, a 30-acre beachfront property that will be comprised of 170 two- and three-bedroom suites, condominiums and villas should be under construction during 2019 and it will bring another much-needed award option to Nevis.
Bottom Line...
If you have yet to plan out your 2019 vacation schedule, these are some neat, new properties to look into that might not have been on your radar previously. It is also a great opportunity to look at your hotel accounts and see which program you'll need to focus on during the New Year to earn more points for some great family vacations. Here are some tips to help boost your miles and points agenda for next year.