Best Family Spring Break Hotels in Miami

The centerpiece of this on-the-beach hotel may be its grotto-style pool, but the accommodating, genuine service truly adds to a stay here. And families will feel right at home: The large, family-size rooms all have kitchenettes, and many suites also include washer/dryers. Plus, unlike at other Miami hotels, the kids club at the Trump is free. Globie -- the hotel mascot -- entertains kids around the pool.

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of Miami with your kids at the Acqualina. Since more than two-thirds of the Acqualina is dedicated to family residences -- not hotel rooms -- the hotel comes with a relaxed, kid-focused air. And with one of Miami's quietest and cleanest beaches, kids can enjoy fun in the sun as much as adults. All standard rooms come with elegant sofas that pull out to queen beds. The hotel's kids program, AcquaMarine -- open Wednesday through Sunday for children ages four to 12 -- focuses on all things oceanic, from the Coast Guard to science projects about waves. The kids room features a complete computer gaming center. After they work up an appetite playing in the ocean and at the kids club, indulge in either of the resort restaurants -- both have a kids menu!

In a central part of South Beach and directly on the beach, the extravagant Loews boasts one of the area's biggest, best pools and a restaurant from Emeril Lagasse (plus three other eateries). Families will love it here: Enthusiastic counselors host beach tours and Nintendo Wii competitions at the Kids Camp, the Toy Library loans out beach shovels, and the hotel can even send DVDs and PlayStation games up to your room.

The Newport is the perfect for a family vacation because it has a little something for everyone. Kids will never be bored with the number of activities it offers, from jumbo cookie decorating and board games to poolside limbo contests and horse racing. Not to mention the pools which form the epicenter of activity at the Newport. The splash pool, larger than most in Miami, is great for children, but so is the main pool, which hosts more pool toys and splashing tykes than piña colada-cradling grown-ups. The apartment-style rooms make staying with your family more comfortable; most even have pull-down beds in the living areas for kids. Also, there are many fast food chains nearby (like McDonald's) for kids needing a familiar and easy meal.

We love the Marriott Doral for families, despite the fact that it's a 30-minute drive from the beach. Luckily, its pool complex helps make up for the lack of beach: its biggest selling point has to be the one-of-a-kind pool system with a lazy-river pool, four waterslides, a rope swing, and a water elevator at the center of a faux volcano. Children will have a great time participating in the http://www.doralresort.com/About/CampDoral.asp kids club or sliding down the 125-foot Blue Monster Slide. Kids menus are available at most restaurants, which is crucial, because all your meals will be eaten at the resort (the hotel is not only far from the beach, it's far from everything else). Adolescents, or anyone under 15 who can play 18 holes, can even partake in the resort's famous golf courses for free after 3 p.m., as long as they're accompanied by an adult.

The Fairmont Turnberry provides a luxury retreat while welcoming kids with its great amenities. With a newly renovated pool and a serpentine waterslide, the Fairmont is an excellent place for families -- especially considering its large, comfortable {/miami/hotels/fairmont-turnberry-isle-resort-and-club/photos/deluxe-room/ |rooms]] and bathrooms. Well-lit tennis courts with coaches on hand are great for older children, and the supervised Kids Connection club -- available with 24 hours advance notice -- offers younger kids everything from arts and crafts to karate classes. It'll even take them to the resort's kid-friendly beach (a free 10-minute shuttle ride away).

The Fountainebleau resort may advertise itself as a swanky sexy getaway, but in reality it's also a wonderful destination for families. Because it is away from South Beach and in a more residential area, the beach isn't crowded, and you can always find a place to lay your towel -- a rarity in Miami. But you still get the excitement of Miami during a trek on the lively boardwalk. People of all ages can enjoy the main pool or smaller dipping pools, and kiddos can have fun in the kids club. The restaurants don't advertise kids menus, but they will make kid-friendly options upon request. The only pitfall when staying with your family is the small standard and superior room size.

Try out the Biltmore, an iconic hotel built in 1926, for a historical but luxurious stay the kiddies will love. The hotel makes up for not offering a kids club by offering many kid-friendly amenities. Most exciting is the 22,000-square-foot pool where actor Johnny Weissmuller, better known as Tarzan, used to be a swimming instructor. Children can also learn how to play golf on the freshly restored Donald Ross 18-hole par 71 course. But the Bitlmore's most unique feature is its culinary class where kids receive training from the hotel's award-winning chefs. Younger children can enjoy water shows with synchronized swimmers doing vintage routines at the hotel's historic pool. The Biltmore also has free cribs for infants.