AMPM Newsletter: 5 Hotels Worth Skipping Summer Camp For

Edition | April 2025 

Why settle for standard summer camp when a world of extraordinary edu-cations awaits? Some of the world’s most creative hotels can transform traditional family getaways into unforgettable group adventures thanks to such hands-on experiences as Gaelic lessons in an Irish castle, chocolate-making in the Costa Rican rainforest and wakeboarding on Lake Geneva.

Here are 5 renowned properties for turning travel into the ultimate—and fun!—classroom.

The Setting: A sprawling 500-acre estate set around a lake and with gorgeous grounds, Dromoland Castle (the ancestral home of Ireland’s royal O’Brien family) offers action-packed days, both on and off-property, especially for families and children of all ages.

The Accommodations: Families can stay in the original 16th-century castle or book Dromoland Lodge, a private five-bedroom residence that comes with a personal assistant, airport transfers, and two golf carts for zipping around the grounds.

The Camp-Worthy Activities: Budding linguists can enroll in Gaelic lessons every Monday morning (March through September), while outdoorsy types can take archery lessons or perfect their swing at the Dromoland Golf Academy, home to an 18-hole championship course.

The Setting: Birdwatching, lava fields, rainforest trails suspended high above the jungle—it’s easy to see why families flock to Arenal Volcano National Park where Nayara’s trio of luxury lodges has raised the bar on sustainable and regenerative travel since inception.

The Accommodations: Within this lush landscape lies Nayara Reserve, a 4,500-acre wonderland home to three distinct stays. Nayara Tented Camp offers 39 spacious tented residences—ranging from one to four bedrooms—some with thermal-fed plunge pools, outdoor dining areas with fire pits, and fully equipped kitchens. Nayara Springs, the adults-only option, is perfect for families with grown kids, thanks to its 35 villas tucked amid private gardens, each with a secluded plunge pool. And Nayara Gardens, recently revamped and reopened in 2024, now channels a breezy, tropical vibe, with stylish new casitas and their own pools.

The Camp-Worthy Activities: Days here are packed with hands-on cultural experiences, from tortilla-making classes with local chefs to tours of the organic, family-run agricultural farm, Don Juan, where guests can learn about coffee, sugarcane, or chocolate cultivation — with plenty of tastings and hands-on activities (think: manually juicing sugarcane stalks) along the way!

The Setting: Just three miles from downtown Geneva, La Réserve Genève (part of Michel Reybier Hospitality) sits in a 10-acre park on the lake’s right bank with views of the Jura mountains. French interior designer-par-excellence Jacques Garcia conceived of the property’s chic-sleek interiors that exude serenity. The piece-de-résistence is the 20,000-square-foot Nescens Spa—the city’s largest wellness destination. Both the hotel and Geneva are slam-dunk destinations for families.

The Accommodations: Occupying a prime location within the hotel’s lakefront estate, Villa au Lac is a contemporary, glass-walled retreat with views of the Alps and Mont Blanc. Spanning more than 4,100 square-feet across two floors, the southeast-facing villa was designed by cabinet-maker-turned-luxury-yacht-designer Rémi Tessier and includes three light-filled bedrooms.

The Camp-Worthy Activities: Children of all ages can participate in surfing, swimming, diving and squash lessons, in partnership with Country Club Geneva, while parents unwind at Spa Nescens, Geneva’s largest wellness sanctuary, offering cutting-edge treatments like Oxylight and pulsotherapy. During the summer, kids can also be enrolled in Collège du Léman Summer Camps, where activities range from French classes and science labs to pastry-making, horseback riding, and wakeboarding on Lake Geneva with a two-time World Wakesurf champion.

The Setting: Ditch the summer crowds of Italy and Spain and discover the pristine, lesser-known shores of the Moroccan Riviera instead. Set on 25 lush acres with 2,300 feet of powder-soft sand, the newly opened Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay—the latest jewel in the Royal Mansour Collection—delivers an intimate, ultra-luxurious seaside retreat that’s ideal for families wanting to spread out.

The Accommodations: Each of the 55 suites and villas exude easy, breezy Mediterranean living. Families will love the spacious options with connecting rooms, a separate living area, terrace, a private pool, and direct beach access—plus dedicated butler and concierge services to make every stay effortless.

The Camp-Worthy Activities: At the dedicated kids’ club, young guests are kept engaged with treasure hunts, crêpe-making workshops, mosaic crafts, calligraphy lessons, supervised pedalo rides in the sea, and pizza-making class at Coccinella. Meanwhile, parents can join in on a family-friendly wellness day at the spa (Morocco’s first Medi Spa, spanning 46,000 square feet!), where kid-friendly treatments like “Bubble of Youth” and “Magic Fingers” introduce little ones to the art of relaxation.

The Setting: The Fife Arms is one of the art world’s most renowned destination hotels, but the property, located in the charming Aberdeenshire village of Braemar, also excels at keeping the entire family entertained with a host of activities.

The Accommodations: Each room is thoughtfully one-of-a-kind, but families will especially love the whimsical Artist’s Studio—an airy, 300-square-foot suite with sweeping views of Cairngorms National Park and hand-painted walls inspired by British artist (and Bloomsbury Group rebel) Duncan Grant. It’s kitted out with kid-approved extras like a backpack and a Scotland-themed coloring book, making it as primed for little travelers as it is for grown-ups. Bonus: many accommodations are pet-friendly, too.

The Camp-Worthy Activities: For the creative souls, there’s sketching and writing workshops, while outdoorsy types will be drawn into Cairngorms National Park (the largest National Park in the U.K.) to forage for delicacies like edible plants and flowers. In spring, the park comes to life with the return of migrating birds like the mighty Osprey and the Black Grouse Lek. Back on property, young connoisseurs can hone their tastes by sampling from a menu of 350+ whiskies or opt for a complimentary guided art tour with one of the knowledgeable team members who can speak to the property’s most famous works by names like Picasso and Lucien Freud. And for some “me” time, the Fife Spa features sauna and power shower facilities as well as acupressure massages, facials with Methode Physiodermie products, nail treatments, and more.