About WhichFamilyVacation

WhichFamilyVacation.com is an independent guide to family hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals. We built it because every existing "best family hotel" listicle on the internet looks identical: the same five chains, the same generic descriptions, no real evaluation of whether a property actually works for a family with a 4-year-old and a 9-year-old.

What makes us different

We score every property on FamilyFactor, a transparent 0–100 rating across six weighted categories: Kid Amenities (25%), Family Room Fit (20%), Location (20%), Pricing Value (15%), Family Safety (10%), and Parent Recovery (10%). The methodology is public, the data points are documented, and a property cannot pay to improve its score. Affiliate commissions help us pay for the site — they do not influence what we publish.

How we score properties

We use a two-tier approach. A curated set of featured properties is hand-graded by editors against the six-category FamilyFactor rubric using official property documentation, verified guest reviews (TripAdvisor, Booking.com, Google, Reddit travel communities), industry rate sheets, brand loyalty program documentation, and where useful, direct contact with property guest services for amenity verification.

The broader catalog of 520+ catalogued properties is scored algorithmically against the same six-category rubric — using brand reputation, property type, location facts, price tier, and amenity signals — then editorial copy is written and refined to match the property's actual positioning. These pages are honest about what they are: structured comparative data rather than first-person reviews. When a property has been hand-graded by an editor, that distinction is reflected in how confidently we recommend it.

For destination guides, trip-timing strategy, and our /answers series, we draw on published industry data (crowd levels, weather patterns, hurricane risk, seasonal pricing) plus parent-traveler experience to produce first-person editorial recommendations.

Who's behind it

Our editorial team is parent-led and focuses on building decision tools for the family-purchase categories where existing "best of" content is dominated by marketing-driven or pay-for-placement listings.

We update property reviews and destination guides on a rolling basis as new information becomes available — typically quarterly for active destinations and annually for properties without significant changes.

How we make money

When you book a property through one of our affiliate links, we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We do not accept paid placements, sponsored reviews, or pay-for-inclusion fees. Brands cannot improve their FamilyFactor score by spending money with us. Full details on our affiliate disclosure page.

Editorial standards

We do not publish anonymous "X best Y" listicles where the ranking is based on whichever brand pays the most. We do not republish press releases. We do not accept free hotel stays in exchange for coverage. When we recommend a specific property over another, we explain why, including the trade-offs. When a property scores poorly on FamilyFactor, we say so directly — even if it's a brand we have an affiliate relationship with.

Get in touch

Have a property we should review, or feedback on our scoring? Email hello@whichfamilyvacation.com.