Celebrate 10

That's what the luxurious and child-friendly Cape Grace hotel in Cape Town is calling their celebration of 10 years of excellent service. Rather than merely offering special rates, they've whipped up a menu of 10 sensory experiences, any of which can be booked (some at additional cost) to make an already exceptional stay even more memorable. Here they are, directly from their website:

Number One for Taste
Bold flavours and culinary flair await as you sample dishes from the onewaterfront menu, paired with fine South African wines.

Divine Duo
Create your wedding registry online at www.capegrace.com/registry and receive a free 30 minute back massage each. Book a couple's massage and not only will you have unlimited access to the Hot Spa, but you'll also receive a complimentary hair wash & blow dry in the Vanilla Salon.

A Truly South African Trio
Tantalise your taste buds as you enjoy a selection of three red and three white wines, accompanied by an array of superb cheeses.

Something 4 the Whole Family
'Build' your own picnic basket filled with your favourite treats and let our chauffeurs whisk you off to Cape Town's most beautiful beaches.

Rejuvenate All Five Senses
Enjoy our signature African Cape Massage, followed by a 'mini' Comfort Zone facial or, a full facial followed by a half hour back massage. All whilst taking in magnificent views of Table Mountain and the Mother City.

Six of the Best
Join our Whisky Sommelier in sampling 6 malts from around the world for a private tasting - selected from our extensive range of over 460 whiskies.

Seventh Heaven
Indulge in an array of decadent dessert canapés paired with fine South African sparkling and dessert wines.

Eight Bells at Sunset
Watch the sunset aboard one of Cape Town's historic yachts before enjoying fresh Walvis Bay oysters and bubbly in Bascule bar.

Head for Cloud Number Nine
Hop aboard a helicopter and experience the scenic beauty of the Cape Peninsula before returning to Cape Town via majestic Table Mountain.

Top 10 Thrill
Experience the rush of a Harley Davidson Motorcycle ride to the Constantia Winelands where you'll enjoy lunch at Constantia Uitsig, before your 'chariot' returns you to Cape Grace.



Cape Grace pool


Furthermore, Cape Grace does a superb job of welcoming children: their website's Family Stays page opens with "Our younger guests are important to us," a statement they follow up on with the detailed attention they pay to the offspring. Children receive a welcome gift upon arrival, and are treated to storytime in the library every day. The hotel offers a selection of videos and DVDs for kids, with free players for each media available upon request. They've also you covered in emergencies, keeping diapers, bibs, thermometers and even pacifiers in stock. And should you not wish to schlep your carseat with you, you'll be covered here. They even have small toilet seats (which we love, because we carry ours everywhere so that dear daughter can have her 15-minute potty visits without being us being held hostage in the bathroom.)

Cape Grace is offering a special Family Time package through December 19 2007. The package includes:
-children's welcome gift upon arrival
-4 hours of complimentary babysitting
-full breakfast daily in the waterfront restaurant or in your room


Cape Grace coloring book, offered upon arrival


Both children and adults can enjoy such additional complimentary features as:
-African storytelling in the library every evening
-Daily turndown of homemade gingerbread men and flavoured milk
-"Things to do for Kids in Cape Town" list of family activities
-Heated outdoor swimming pool
-Luxury private transfers to town and nearby beaches, subject to availability
-Cape history and wine presentation at 18h00 every evening
-Use of hot spa with sauna, steam room, mineral spa bath, rain shower and body shower
-24-hour Internet access in the Communication Centre
-Port and sherry every evening from 17h00 to 23h00 in the library
-Tea and coffee delivered to your room with your wake-up call

Ahhh...it all sounds lovely.



Cape Grace room
www.capegrace.com
The Family Time package starts at approximately $621 a night (based on current conversion rates) for a superior room in low season (May 1 - August 31) and go up to approximately $727 a night for the same accommodation in high season (January 6 - April 30 & September 1 - December 19). Contact the hotel at reservations@capegrace.com or at +27 21 410 7100 for exact rates and other accommodation options, including 2 and 3-bedroom suites.

Babymoon Biweekly - Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa, Sausalito California

Many babymoon packages are just romantic packages for couples that have been rebranded. Not all of the babymoons we see boast baby-specific features, and while we agree that a romantic dinner and breakfast for two can be a wonderful treat, (particularly since once you have the baby it will feel like an unattainable dream), to us there are a few hallmarks of a real babymoon package:

-there should be a maternity massage involved, since pregnant women can't take advantage of "regular" massages
-Mommy should definitely get special treatment, but partners should get something special as well
-ideally, the package should include a baby gift; this is, after all, about his or her impending arrival, and a onesie or baby album makes a great memento.

Casa Madrona Hotel & Spa in upscale Sausalito, California clearly thinks along the same lines we do. They have what they're calling America's first destination maternity spa (not to be confused with Destination Maternity the store). The spa, lovingly called Barefoot & Pregnant, has an entire menu of massages, facials and spa packages just for pregnant women, with a few Daddy and post-partum treatments thrown in for good measure. Several of these have been packaged with hotel accommodations to create a variety of babymoons for expecting couples. There's even a package for two pregnant mommies on a girls getaway.

We particularly like the 5-day/4-night And Baby Makes Three package, which includes transportation to and from the airport, accommodation for two, in-room continental breakfast each morning, a romantic picnic lunch, dinner for two on two nights, a gift basket, a prenatal spa package for Mom and two spa services for Dad, and a private birthing session to prepare you for baby's debut. With all that to take in, it's no wonder it's a 5-day package!

Nearby San Francisco has its own charms worth exploring, although we won't blame you if you're too busy being pampered to get out much. The hotel's winding walkways and lovely bay views can be hard to pull away from, and with rooms sporting private decks and fireplaces, it might be hard just to get yourself to the spa. The good thing? You can always go back after baby is born: San Francisco is notoriously child-friendly, and we'll be making recommendations for your family vacation there in upcoming posts.


The "And Baby Makes Three" package is $2700; there is also an Expecting the Best package which can be customized for an accompanying Dad or Mommy's pregnant friend. The hotel also offers several package add-ons for an additional fee, including maternity photography. To book your babymoon, call Casa Madrona at 800.288.0502.

Wine Without Whine

You read Wine Enthusiast, albeit occasionally. You enjoy the sharp, witty and unpretentious columns of Food & Wine Editor Lettie Teague. You're no wine expert, but you love tasting and learning about wine and would love to tour a vineyard or two. The only problem is, you have young children, and the closest thing to a wine tour you've experienced in recent memory is following a trail of Welch's Grape Juice spattered on the floor by your four-year old.

We're happy to tell you that you don't have to wait until darling Sydney is in college to visit a tasting room. Napa Valley has several child-friendly vineyards that will cheerfully accommodate your little ones as you learn more about their wines. Mind you, they're not running a babysitting service while you stroll through the vineyard becoming one with the terroir - you'll still need to keep an eye on your offspring. But little touches can make the trip feasible and even enjoyable for all ages; you might even be able to learn a thing or two with the younger set engaged for a few minutes.

The following wineries identify themselves as family-friendly places:


Alpha Omega: Releasing their first wine in July 2006, this winery features picnic areas and a pond with ducks and geese to keep little ones entertained. They are open to the public and do not make appointments.
707.963.9999


Dutch Henry: This family-owned and operated winery in Calistoga allows not just children, but also well-behaved dogs, perhaps to romp with the playful canines in residence. Children can also pick vegetables and fruit while visiting. They're open daily from 10:00 to 4:30, but their website suggests calling to set up a visit.
888.224.5879


St. Supery Vineyards & Winery: This winery welcomes children with coloring books and a winery quiz sheet, the answers to which can be found in the boards of the winery's exhibit. No appointments are necessary and they're open seven days a week.
707.963.4507


Tres Abores: Although you'll need to set an appointment to tour this winery, the warm welcome you'll receive is well worth the small effort. Sheep, goats, Golden Retrievers and a cat named Violet are all on hand to play with. And despite our warning above about no babysitting, here you can even inquire about having one of the family's teens watch your youngster should you wish to hike through their vineyards.
707.967.8027

If you're planning to be in Napa for several days, check the Napa Valley Vintners website: this link takes you straight to the page where several other family-friendly wineries are listed.