Winner:EDITOR'S CHOICE Best Unique Stay for Families
Who:IDLIQ Hotels & Resorts - Kind Holidays Initiative - selected locations worldwide
What:Kind Holidays Initiative Charity offering free holidays to vulnerable families
Why:
The Junior Travel Awards panel was deeply moved by the Kind Holidays initiative, founded by IDILIQ Hotels & Resorts in 2012. Kind Holidays offers free stays to families facing profound challenges, including illness, disability, bereavement, military service, or unpaid caregiving. The initiative provides respite and comfort at Wyndham resorts across Europe and IDILIQ properties in Orlando, Florida, and has gifted over 2,000 stays to date.
In 2025, Kind Holidays expanded with new charity partners, including Dreams & Wishes, which grants lifelong wishes to families of seriously ill children, and Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice, supporting bereaved families. Other partners include Give Us Time, Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice, and Carers Trust, with 195 weeks of free accommodation donated in 2025 alone. The initiative also launched in Spain and is set to expand to Wyndham franchisees across the UK, Germany, India, Turkey, and Romania in 2026.
The judges all agreed that this was a brilliant model for supporting those who truly need kindness and compassion and felt it set an example to everyone in the hospitality industry and beyond.
This Editor’s choice award reflects IDILIQ Hotels & Resorts’ commitment to kindness and community, inspiring positive change and offering families the gift of precious and restorative time together.
"Every stay is crafted with incredible care - an approach that more destinations should take note of. The commitment to giving families who might not otherwise have the chance a holiday is truly commendable. It’s a beautiful initiative, one that the entire hospitality industry could learn from!"
"Something you hope as a parent you’d never need - as I’ll we all want is happy and healthy children - but should you find yourself in this situation what ray of light this would bring. Being able to step away from the day to day routines and having someone else care for the cooking, cleaning and everyday tasks so you can focus on family enjoyment would be the ultimate luxury to those facing an otherwise difficult time."
"I think this is such a wonderful offering - going through family troubles and challenges places so much stress on everyone involved, so for a resort to create holidays with built in relief from this is invaluable. This is the first holiday initiative I have heard of that takes care of troubled families so holistically and kindly- a category stand-out for sure."
"The entire Junior team felt this entry truly deserved an Outstanding Editor’s Choice Award. For some, a family holiday is a given; for others, it’s an out of reach luxury - and for the recipients of these holidays, it can offer much needed respite and nurture. Junior fully supports this initiative and hopes this award shines some light on something the entire travel industry can get behind.
"The most amazing initiative that will provide such joy and comfort to so many families. I really hope that other holiday brands follow suit."
"The supporters and ambassadors reflect the incredible work Kind Holidays has achieved and continues to offer to those who truly deserve a special break. It’s an amazing company providing an important opportunity for anyone in need—a holiday that offers space, distraction, and cherished memories. Truly, a remarkable initiative delivering exactly what families deserve."
What makes it Special...
Kind Holidays: Inspiring Change Beyond the Resort
Kind Holidays goes further than providing stays — it aims to inspire positive change across the hospitality industry. Beyond offering accommodation and support for families in need, the initiative provides a step-by-step guide and all necessary resources for other hoteliers to open their doors and hearts. The long-term vision is for Kind Holidays to grow into a global network where hotels, airlines, and cruise operators can donate services and spaces to families facing hardship.
The initiative impacts not just the families who benefit, but also the staff involved, boosting retention, productivity, and giving teams a meaningful sense of purpose. IDILIQ Hotels & Resorts’ experience shows that social responsibility and profitability can coexist. Kind Holidays has become a defining feature of the brand, appealing to conscious travellers while setting a benchmark for purpose-driven operations in the hospitality industry.
Kind Holidays: Holidays That Transform
Kind Holidays provides free stays to vulnerable children and families — from young carers to those facing terminal illness, bereavement, or military service — offering much-needed respite at IDILIQ Hotels & Resorts. By combining the comforts of home with the service and convenience of a luxury hotel, the resorts give families the flexibility, privacy, and space to truly reconnect. Spacious suites with fully equipped kitchens ensure comfort without compromise.
At its heart, Kind Holidays embodies IDILIQ Hotels & Resorts’ mission: to demonstrate the transformative power of kindness for both recipients and donors. Serving as a blueprint for other hoteliers, the initiative envisions a future where the entire hospitality industry contributes — from hotel stays to flights, cruises, rental cars, and meals — helping families in their most challenging moments. Together, every holiday can become a chance to make the world a little kinder.
“We are hoping that other hotels will join in and open their doors and offer a bit of free accommodation. Holidaymakers, please forward this to your favourite hotels.” Jennie Bond, Journalist & Former BBC Royal Correspondent and Kind Holidays Ambassodor
"Kind Holidays aims to make generosity standard in the hospitality industry, showing the transformative power of kindness to both recipients and donors. Serving as a blueprint for others, the hope is that one day the entire industry will donate not just stays, but flights, cruises, meals, and more—making the world a kinder place, one holiday at a time."
