This is a trend that is increasingly gaining ground in the hotel landscape. Many establishments display the words “only for adults” or persons over that age without any complex. A movement that the French government intends to combat.
No baby crying in the restaurant, no screaming at the edge of the pool, no chasing races between siblings in the hallways… On paper, hotels that refuse children can seduce a certain clientele in search of peace and romance, whether one is a parent or not.
A trend that seduces
The trend has spread as a tiresome response for some and a search for calm for others. Parents want a few days without their children and without those of others, couples do not want a family atmosphere during their romantic getaway in duo, Friends want to enjoy their stay without complexes and reservations, and solo travellers prefer to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and focus on their well-being or work. Finally, it is also not pleasant for parents to have to limit their children in their games or prevent them from making noise in very exclusive places where serenity is required. In short: all the reasons are good to allow adults to take a break from children.
Faced with this phenomenon, there are many booking platforms and guides to display a tab dedicated to children-free boxes. On the prestigious Relais & Châteaux website, you can read on the page “Hotels adult only”: “Reserved for adults and teenagers over 16 years of age, these houses are a perfect stopover for travelers looking for an intimate stay. As a couple, with friends or alone, enjoy the luxury of tranquility and fully enjoy the present moment in complete freedom.”
In France, we can cite the Villa Fabulite, the Hotel Tiara Yaktsa, the Villa Saint Marie, the Saint-Delis, the Saint-Paul or the Aquabella Hôtel & Spa. In the world, the magnificent Mii Amo in the United States, the Blue House in Egypt and the Clos Apalta Residence in Chile also stand out for their ultra-luxury and confidential offer reserved for grown-ups or adults, far from the proposal of pro-giantsfamily Belambra, Center Parcs and other Pierre et Vacances.
While the hotel landscape is large enough to include all proposals, the government does not seem to agree…
Towards stronger legislation?
Although these hotels attract a certain clientele without encroaching on the business of their competitors by representing only 3% of the offer, they also attract ethical critics. “The message is clear: we must stop excluding children,” said Sarah El Haïry at a roundtable held in late May. The High Commissioner for Children brought together several federations in the tourism and transport sector to discuss this no-kids trend.
There were representatives of the Fédération nationale de l’hôtellerie de plein air (FNHPA), the Fédération nationale des résidences de Tourisme (FNRT) and the Association nationale des élus des territoires touristiques (Anett), the National Union for the Promotion of Vacation Rentals (UNPLV) or the Airbnb platform.
Sarah El Haïry describes this trend as “brutal” and calls for “not to let this model take root in France”, whereas this movement would be much more developed in other countries in Europe and Asia. “To think that a child is above all a nuisance is not acceptable” and this is not “our philosophy.” The High Commissioner for Children has also indicated that she “has engaged the legal services of our departments to study our current law”.
Indeed, the legal framework of this offer is rather vague. Article 225-1 of the Criminal Code does prohibit “any distinction based on age or family status”, but hotels are presented rather as “adults only” addresses and not “children prohibited”. With the actions taken by Sarah El Haïry, legislation could therefore change.
It remains to choose which restriction we prefer to impose: the “no kids”, which deprives families of certain places or a contrario, the prohibition of the “no kids” that limits travellers’ freedom in choosing their holiday style, and this, in the name of inclusion.
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Featured photo : © Getty Images
