- My family and I love high-end luxury travel, but my sister and her family are not used to it.
- We went on a big group trip and I chose to go to a luxury resort that was right up my alley.
- My sister’s family seemed bored and out of their comfort zones at times, but we all bonded.
I am known in my family for my love of high end luxury travel.
Although I used to in my earlier years, these days you’ll rarely find me staying anywhere that isn’t at least on par with a Four Seasons.
My sister has the opposite inclination: Her last trip involved building community centers in rural Mexico with my niece.
However, we tried to take a joint family vacation this summer. We hoped it would help deepen the bond between our children, who are five first cousins between the ages of 9 and 17.
She let me take the reins of travel, so I gathered our families for a vacation at the ultra-luxurious Four Seasons at Cabo del Sol in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
The elegant trip was a wonderful bonding experience although I don’t think my sister and her family were completely sold on it.
The luxury accommodations were excellent and we never really left the resort
We experienced a lot of luxury on our trip. Alessandra Dubin
My branch of the family was excited as soon as we arrived at our resort.
We had no problem settling into our massive suite with a private pool overlooking the ocean and a closet as big as our kitchen at home.
It took my sister’s family much longer to settle into their similar accommodations—much longer than when they had slept under wool blankets on plywood platforms on their last trip to Mexico.
Together, we enjoyed the property’s expansive pool—the kind where you never have to fight for a sun lounger, and two types of resort-made sunscreen are available at the tap of a button.
The five cousins (and us moms) spent hours in the game room, playing friendly games of pool, ping pong and pinball.
Our kids had fun playing in the game room during the trip. Alessandra Dubin
However, we didn’t leave the property or do much exploring. I didn’t mind, but I could tell my sister and her family weren’t that thrilled.
Since there were multiple restaurants at the resort, it was easier to eat almost all of our meals there without leaving.
Even though the resort had tons of kayaks, boogie boards and snorkel gear lined up on the beach, it wasn’t possible to take them out for a spin on the rugged shoreline in the area.
The children were disappointed that the sea felt like a tease – a hint of the possibility of more adventurous days that were not.
I didn’t win my sister over, but the relaxing trip helped us bond
For me, the slow pace, comfort, and luxury make resort-style accommodations like these great options for a great family vacation.
But the truth is, I could tell that my sister’s family was a little upset. Her offspring are more used to engaging in deep cultural immersion or vigorous physical activity than sitting around being petted.
Meanwhile, my kids grew up on this chic style of travel and eat it up, eating it up as a relaxing counterpart to the more energetic trips we also take as a family.
In the end, maybe I didn’t win my sister’s family branch in my way of traveling like I secretly hoped. But the trip was still a huge success because it allowed us to bond and bond as a family.
The resort provided a slower backdrop for just being together. We didn’t have to worry about running to different places while making a packed itinerary.
And I suspect my sister’s family will remember her this way, too—with a deep fondness for the memories she helped create—even if they’re unlikely to make a habit of this style of travel.