How it all began ….
As parents, we always looked for a hotel where we could truly experience our children, spend time together with them, and enjoy fun activities where we could discover their skills and rediscover our own children within. However, we never really found what we were looking for, and either had to behave ourselves and dress smartly in classic 5-star luxury hotels, or opt for mini-club hotels where children as young as 3 months old could be dropped off for daycare so that the parents could enjoy their freedom. We were horrified by these prospects, as we actually wanted to spend our precious time with our children. Our kids were on the shy side, and never wanted to go to the mini clubs in the first few days. And when they worked up their courage and went, they were lost to us. We felt bereft as parents. It may sound strange, but it was true. The daycare centres and clubs provided action and entertainment all day long and – a particularly sharp thorn in our sides – sooner or later, the kids would always disappear off to play video games. At home, we always tried to keep screen time to a minimum, while on club holidays it seemed to make its way to the forefront of the entertainment programme at time; irritatingly, this always led to arguments when we got back home. The thing that surprised us most on our returns, however, was the completely different stories of our holidays: the kids remembered the club experiences, and we parents recalled our solitary hikes. Although we had been on a family break together, everyone, effectively, had a different holiday. Something wasn’t right…
After all of these experiences, we began to wonder whether there might be a hotel concept which would provide both parents and children with everything they wanted, and give them a fabulous holiday together as a family. A holiday that would create shared experiences rather than, as in our case, four separate breaks. We pondered the question of how we could meet all of these many requirements in a new style of hotel. And finally, we condensed our proposal to encompass the spirit of our plan into just three words: I HAVE TIME. When we added an explanatory description of the “missing” two hours in our clock logo, as a relatable illustration of missed moments with one’s children, we analysed all of our architectural and service decisions by asking ourselves what brings added value to families in terms of time, and spending time together. How can we generate time together while eating? By streamlining the buffet options, or having children’s drinks served to the table. How can we make time together in the pool a true shared experience? By building a wide slide for the whole family, and providing family loungers rather than individual deck chairs. How can be bring the skills of both adults and children to the fore? By making a wooden sword with our own hands, painting it in bright colours, adding precious gems, and creating a work of art together.
The words “I HAVE TIME” should not be interpreted as a self-centred, self-serving perception of leisure activities, but rather a shared awareness of the needs of all members of the family – I take the time for this.
Hosts Karin & Arnold
