The Ritz-Carlton chain is particularly accommodating to genteel youngsters, offering everything from children’s suites with youth-size furniture (in Orlando) to kids’ driver’s licenses (in Wolfsburg, Germany, near Volkswagen’s Autostadt theme park). Some of its properties feature site-specific pursuits, like traditional Balinese dance lessons at its Jimbaran resort, while others include classes with more general appeal, like kids’ etiquette lessons in its hotel in Half Moon Bay, California.

High-end hotels are tweaking their culinary offerings for kids as well. The Little Nell in Aspen just revamped its children’s menu; choices now include free-range roast chicken and fresh pasta with cheese made in-house. With 25 percent of its dining room regularly comprised of families, improving its junior culinary options was a key mission for executive chef Ryan Hardy when he joined the property two years ago. Next month, Grace Bay Club is adding new dishes to its kids’ menu, including vegetable crudités with Mediterranean dips.

Beyond satisfied kids, the upside for parents is that they can enjoy a family vacation without sacrificing their own tastes and interests. “For these families, there’s a synergy of both the parents and children,” observes Lyss Stern, the founder of Divalysscious Moms, a group for stylish families in the New York area. “These parents and their children expect to be pampered; they’re more likely to stay at hotels where they know they will be well taken care of.”