Happy Birthday Maxwell and Olivia!

This year, in lieu of a big birthday party for Max and Olivia, my husband and I decided to take them on a family vacation.  The criteria for our trip were that it had to be  something kid friendly without being too kiddy, and the flight needed to be under 4 hours.  Max is old enough to handle a long flight (thank you iPad), but I wasn’t sure how well Olivia would do.  We decided on the St. Regis Bahia Beach located in Puerto Rico.  Flights – 3 hours 30 minutes (direct from New York to San Juan), and the hotel was amazing.  Criteria met, and the trip pleasantly exceeded our expectations.

When booking our reservation, I noted that we were traveling for a special occasion.  About a week before our trip, the concierge contacted me to ask if Max or Olivia had any food allergies, as they wanted to have a birthday cake for them in our room when we arrived.  Not even on vacation yet and the hotel was already plus one.

Despite my worries, Olivia was well behaved on the plane.   We rented a car, thinking we might want to explore other areas around the hotel, but never needed to leave.  The hotel was beautiful, the staff was very helpful and attentive, and the amenities were perfect for both children and adults.

Since this blog is dedicated to dining options for children, that is where I will focus the rest of my review.  Being a Starwood Preferred Guest® member we were offered the Kids Pass Program.  It is an all-inclusive dining program.   I wasn’t 100% sure we would benefit from the program, so we decided to pass; however, in hindsight, at a $25 daily rate, we should have taken advantage of the program for Max.  The hotel features two dining options (this is an area the resort may want to consider expanding).  Because we were visiting during a holiday weekend, the hotel’s poolside restaurant, normally only serving lunch was also open for a breakfast buffet (which alone would’ve made the Kid Pass worth it – oh well, next time).  Fern (a Jean-Georges Vongerichten restaurant) is their formal dining option, and it doesn’t disappoint.  We had breakfast and dinner there twice.  The cuisine, according to the website, is Regional/International.  There is both indoor and outdoor seating available, and the views of the beach are amazing.  One night Max and Olivia shared the salmon and green bean entrée and LOVED it.  To be honest, I had the same entree and there wasn’t much not to like.   The second dining option, Molasses, was located at the golf clubhouse and is the slightly more casual dining option.  I believe they also begin serving dinner earlier, so it becomes a go-to for families with little ones.  The outdoor patio also features beautiful views of the ocean, but don’t forget to bring the bug spray.  As for the children’s menu, Molasses offers Caribbean food, including one of our favorites, the chicken mofongo.  Olivia loved the side plantains.

Overall, the trip was a success, and Max and Olivia enjoyed their birthday vacations.   Max claims his favorite part of the trip was riding in the front seat of the golf cart to dinner, and Olivia claims her favorite part of the trip was swimming with the iguanas (yes – they actually get in the pool).   I would highly recommend staying at the St. Regis Bahia Beach.  However, don’t make the same mistake we did – take the Kids Pass.