Tots in tow?

March 13, 2024 - Yes. Traveling with children can be a breeze, even a tropical island escape, or buzzy city break. Six Senses Kanuhura and Six Senses Rome offer their top tips on family-friendly travel experiences, including accommodation, kids' clubs, gladiators, and sea creatures.

Six Senses Kanuhura: Where small feet leave big footprints in our hearts

We want our little VIP guests and their families to have a fun, memorable, and relaxing Maldives family holiday so here are a few tips and highlights from the team.

Book early

The earlier you book your trip, the more you can take advantage of availability and offers, especially during peak times.

The following family-friendly accommodations – all with pools – offer multiple rooms and a dining space for extended family groups to come together and enjoy a private dinner and games.

Benefiting from iconic sunset views, our 12 new retreats provide the utmost sense of exclusivity in a prime beachfront location for families and groups. Beachfront accommodations are perfect for families with smaller children.

If the kids wake early, there’s nothing quite like the magic of the dawn breaking over the blue hues of our tranquil lagoon. Perched on stilts, our overwater villas are crafted from local and sustainable materials for the ultimate tropical island feel.

Arrive refreshed

Our Six Senses Spa experts recommend that our little VIPs are kept well hydrated during long flights or airport waiting times, that they have light, balanced meals, and that they remain active. To boost the immune system when travelling, pack a fresh fruit juice such as pineapple, mango, or orange or alternatively a vegetable juice or cooled mint tea.

Once on the island, everyone is invited to enjoy complimentary homemade ice cream at Scoops, a popular meeting point, which also offers an array of freshly pressed fruit and vegetable juices, healthy smoothies, cakes, and cookies.

Enjoy life on the water

The Turtle Airport is a short boat trip away from the shores of Six Senses Kanuhura. It is a natural cleaning and feeding station where the reef’s resident green and hawksbill turtles gather for meals and rest. Swimmers of all ages can join an experienced guide on a family snorkeling tour to explore the reefs together.

Spotting dolphins is always an adventure in the Maldives, and we recommend a cruise on the Lhaviyani atoll as the sun slips below the horizon. During the sunset, dolphins like to come out to play and if you are fortunate, you can watch them leap and dive alongside the boat.

To prepare your budding marine scientists before they arrive in the Maldives, why not join our online Junior Marine Biology adventure? Produced by our sister property Six Senses Laamu, it covers the fascinating world of mangroves, sea grass, coral reefs, and the creatures who depend on them, including mantas and turtle-y awesome hawksbills.

Become castaways

Our neighboring islet Jehunuhura is uninhabited (not counting the odd hermit crab). Paddle in the shallows of the lagoon, write your name in the sand, and then gather at Drift, an all-time favorite lunch spot, to enjoy freshly grilled catch of the day, crispy salads, and light bites under the shadow of the coconut trees. Reserve a cabana for a snooze in the shade before hopping on the boat for the 10-minute ride back to the resort.

Dive right in

If you’re the kind of family that finds it hard to sit still, why not get scuba certified together through Deep Blue Divers? For youngsters aged 8 and older who have never dived before, the PADI Bubblemaker program is a safe and fun introduction to diving and can be completed in just a few hours. For those aged 10 or older who love the water, the PADI Seal Team is an action-packed program of aqua missions.

Back on dry land, Earth Lab activities include papermaking, DIY beeswax wrap making, and Junior Botanist sessions, where children can plant their own microgreens in coconut husks in our hydroponic garden.

Work up an appetite

With a huge range of dining options, menus can be fully customized at Six Senses Kanuhura. From pancakes at breakfast to a pool-side lunch or a private barbecue dinner prepared as the sun sets, followed by popcorn during a Cinema Under the Stars screening, everything can be adapted if needed. However, we’re confident we can entice even the fussiest eaters to try out some new tastes and textures (and you’re safe in the knowledge everything is as nutritious as it is delicious).

Enjoy a little “me” time

If you’d like to linger over lunch, relax in the spa, or finally finish the novel you haven’t actually started, our Grow With Six Senses club offers an array of fun and educational activities for children between three and 11 years old. From beach treasure hunts, creative art sessions, cookie or pizza making to specially curated theme nights and movies, along with short sessions in the Earth Lab and with our marine biologist, we encourage our little VIPs to have fun and learn at the same time. Babysitting services are also available.

With so much to do, why not extend your stay? Enjoy savings of 30 percent when you stay for four nights or more, or 35 percent for seven nights or more when booking our Extended Stay – Half Board offer.

Six Senses Rome – Where starting young opens hearts and minds to ancient Roman culture

It’s true. You’re never too young to appreciate magnificent landmarks and glorious works of art. Explore buzzing Rome with our family-friendly tours and then return to our urban oasis for engaging activities once little (and long) legs get tired. Did we mention, we have the best gelato too!

Family Time Offers

Throughout 2024, we’re offering savings, extra inclusions, and interconnecting rooms for little ones or adjacent rooms for older children in our generously sized and contemporary bedrooms. For example, when booking a Deluxe Junior Suite, enjoy more than 50 percent off the Best Flexible Rate on a connecting or adjacent Deluxe Room. If you book a Deluxe Suite, we’ll offer a complimentary connecting or adjacent Deluxe Room to give you all extra space to relax and rejuvenate after a busy day soaking up the sights.

Adorned with local art and Travertine elements throughout, our guest bedrooms come with comfy sitting and reading areas, and divine beds topped with handmade organic mattresses and pillow menus for an easy slumber. Some have bathtubs and there are cots and extra beds on request.

Extra fun

Our family offer also includes a host of extras for your little ones, from welcome amenities to daily gelato and mocktails, Earth Lab sessions, and our signature Roman Baths experience at Six Senses Spa for those aged 16 or over.

Yoga for youngsters

Our children’s activities incorporate the six dimensions of wellness (social, environmental, physical, spiritual, emotional, and intellectual) while focusing on fun. For example, introducing children to yoga at an early age can help set the foundation for the future to cope with living in our “hurry-up” world.

Yoga encourages self-esteem and body awareness while enhancing flexibility, strength, and coordination. Mentally, it improves concentration and serenity. Where else in life can you face down like a dog, flex your spine like a cat, open your chest like a cobra, and take a breath like a lion?

Our yoga instructors offer specially designed yoga classes to teach families and children aged five and up some basic yoga poses.

When in Rome, roam free!

With children, everything can be made into a fun and quirky game. That’s why our specially curated kids’ tours and experiences are the perfect way to ensure the whole family can take to the streets and make the most of this superb open-air museum.

Before you set off, the team will share their top-tips to make it easy for you to discover the city with youngsters in tow.

• Make sure everyone has comfy shoes because your step count is going to be off the chart!
• Mind strollers on the cobblestones; it can be a bumpy ride
• Keep everyone hydrated
• Stop regularly for gelato
• Opt for skip-the-line tickets to visit the most popular landmarks and museums
• Try sightseeing by golf cart – an adventure in itself and less tiring on little legs
• Let our chefs pack a picnic so you can relax in one of the city’s verdant parks and green spaces

Our knowledgeable hotel team is always on hand to book tickets and can offer expert advice and guidance based on what you’d like to do and see. Or you can try our specialist tours and activities for little ones and their grown-ups:

• VatiKids

  • This tour brings the Vatican Museums and St. Peter’s to life through an iPad game, while our guide explains the points of interest to the parents. All participants will receive a gift and papyrus attesting they have become Vatican experts!

• Little Caesar Game

  • Turn your trip to timeless Rome into a delightful experience as your children discover stories and fun facts. They’ll learn about the Colosseum, Roman Forum, and Palatine Hill through a playful app with interactive content.

• Castle Hunt

  • Originally a mausoleum, then a fortress, a papal residence, and eventually a museum ... discover the secrets and stories of Castel Sant'Angelo. Your children will be kept engaged and amused, and we have a hunch you’ll quite enjoy it too!

• Rome’s Riddles Game

  • Explore some of the Eternal City’s main attractions including the Piazza Navona, Spanish Steps, Pantheon, and Trevi Fountain while becoming a bona fide Roman. Answer the trivia correctly and receive the city’s seal of approval – a digital certificate with your child’s photo.

• The Little Gladiator

  • For little ones aged 7 years and over, discover what a gladiator’s life was really like by attending gladiator school. A passionate and knowledgeable teacher will teach your kids about the history and let them try on the armor and weaponry worn in fights. We’re assured the swords are safe …

• Back to Earth Lab and our Roman Baths experience

  • In the heart of the hotel, Earth Lab is our space dedicated to sustainability projects, community engagement, and eco-activities. While you’re here, make sure to look down through the glass floor panels at one of Rome’s oldest known baptism sanctuaries, dating back to the 4th century, part of the next-door church, San Marcello al Corso. The church hides a wonderous secret, an original Antony van Dyck painting. Hidden away in a back room and not on display to the public, it can be viewed on request by hotel guests.

While you relax with a well-deserved Aperol spritz in our light and airy BIVIUM Restaurant-Café-Bar, or during our signature Roman Baths experience, we can entertain the kids with Earth Lab activities. From candle making to recycled paper making, and natural pigment painting to beeswax wraps, there’s something here for all ages.

Food for thought

BIVIUM Restaurant-Café-Bar serves relaxed all-day dining menus suitable for the whole family. Everyone from fussy eaters to hungry teenagers can be accommodated and catered for. Our team of skilled chefs is always happy to adapt and customize dishes to ensure everyone is well-fueled for another busy day.