Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa, St. Maarten, Fine Tunes Family Offerings

When choosing your perfect vacation getaway, parents often look for properties with children’s clubs, but it’s important to read the fine print. Not all kids clubs are created equal, especially if your children are several years apart in age. Enter the all-inclusive Sonesta Maho Beach Resort, Casino & Spa in St. Maarten

, reopened this year with a new Beach House Kids Club and Teen Zone.

Maho Beach. Photo: Sonesta Resort St. Maarten

The 10-acre, 420-room beachfront property, damaged by Hurricane Irma, underwent an 18-month rebuild following the storm and now is back with a new design, new accommodations and entertainment programs for all ages.

The Beach House, for example, added a new cast of live action characters: Iggy Iguana, a self-styled pop star who sings and poses with kids for selfies; Penelope Pelican, a bookworm with a love of local history and culture, and Maarten Roots, described as the first palm shoot to emerge after the hurricane who loves to read aloud the best letters from junior guests. The characters host supervised activities for children during the day and at night, such as junior fitness and an interactive, kids show called Beach House Live.

Point Promenade. Photo: Sonesta Resort St. Maarten

The dedicated children-only Beach House Kids Club, designed for young guests aged 3 to 12, features 1,000 square feet of indoor space and a 2,500-square-foot outdoor area with a playground, as well as 24-hour babysitting services upon request. Next to the Club is the 4,000-square-foot Aqua Park with a 1.6-foot-deep kid’s pool featuring three water slides — two are new and were designed for kids aged 10 to 15 — and a pool deck with loungers and umbrellas.

Older kids are not forgotten at the new, high-tech Teen Zone, designed to function as a state-of-the-art, media-equipped crash pad. Decked out with the latest entertainment and games, the Zone offers air hockey; foosball; table tennis/Ping-Pong; crazy golf; a cinema-style TV media room with PlayStation, Wii and Xbox; and a Social Suite where teens can snap, tag and share all of their experiences virtually.

Kids Club. Photo: Sonesta Resort St. Maarten

The Teen Zone also offers DJ decks where kids can mix their own tracks or sing their favorite tunes during karaoke sessions. There’s also a chill-out area with couches for teens who just want to lounge and enjoy the space.

The dedicated Teen Zone events program also includes GoPro sessions, Shake Night, BBQ beach parties roasting marshmallows under the stars, movie nights and backstage passes to VIP parties. Teens can also enjoy sports events and spa treatments, while the whole family can get together to take in live music, unique aerial and cirque performances, SunFit sessions, BBQ parties under the stars and a Carnival parade.

Room- All Double Bedded rooms. Photo: Sonesta Resort St. Maarten

As part of its renovation, the property now offers redone guestrooms, including the new family-friendly Loft Suites, featuring ocean views, balconies, an elevated bedroom with a king bed and a sitting area located beneath with a pullout sofa. Or families can opt for connecting rooms, one-bedroom suites with separate living rooms and pullout sofas and complimentary cribs.