Hotels roll out the red carpet for kids, becoming play zones for family fun

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Hotels roll out the red carpet for kids, becoming play zones for family fun

Published: 07 Aug. 2025, 07:00 Updated: 11 Aug. 2025, 09:29

WOO JI-WON
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Kids play with toys at a kids’ lounge at DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo. [DOUBLETREE BY HILTON SEOUL PANGYO]

Korea is famous for many things — K-pop, kimchi and flawless skin among them. But there is another far less glamorous statistic that’s just as defining. The country has the world’s lowest birthrate.

But one industry isn’t giving up on its youngest customers. Hotels are turning stays into mini adventures for families with children, offering everything from kids’ lounges to workshops.

From boardrooms to ball pits

Korea’s fertility rate hit 0.75 last year, according to Statistics Korea — meaning the average Korean woman is expected to have fewer than one child in her lifetime, resulting in the lowest fertility rate in the world.

In a country where children are becoming increasingly rare, investing in young hotel guests might seem counterintuitive. But while they may not be having many children, a growing number of parents are investing more time and money into a single child — a trend known as the “VIB” (Very Important Baby) phenomenon.

According to a report released in April by accounting and consulting firm Samjong KPMG, Korea’s kids’ industry is projected to grow from approximately 40 trillion won ($28.8 billion) in 2022 to nearly 100 trillion won by 2030, making it one of the few sectors benefiting from the country’s low fertility rate. Notably, spending is expanding beyond basic necessities to include fashion, lifestyle and leisure.

Likewise, many hotels are stepping up their game, actively creating spaces and programs tailored to kids — creating stronger emotional connections, brand loyalty and even repeat business.

DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo in May repurposed its spacious executive lounge into a kids’ lounge. What originally served as a business lounge for executive room guests has now been completely transformed into a space where children can run freely and let their imaginations roam.

Kids play around at DoubleTree by Hilton Pangyo's kids' lounge. [DOUBLETREE BY HILTON]

Designed around the hotel’s bee mascot and created in collaboration with art education school Little Davinchi's CEO, Yoon Seon-woo, the “Honeycomb Kids' Lounge” caters to both babies and toddlers with a jungle gym, ball pit, play kitchens and wooden learning toy sets. A large adjacent seating section allows parents to sip coffee and relax while keeping an eye on their children.

Though new, the lounge is already winning over families. The space welcomed more than an average of 100 daily guests in July, while internal satisfaction surveys show that it’s contributing to higher rates of repeat visits and family referrals, according to hotel representatives.

Some hotels are investing big. Beyond simply offering complimentary access to kids’ lounges as part of package products, hotels like Paradise Hotel Busan have multiple facilities dedicated to young kids. Its expansive Kids Village features a driving zone for toy cars, a video game area and an indoor playground.

They are also committing significant human resources and time to creating unique experiences, beyond just providing basic facilities.

Kids play soccer with Seoul E-land FC players as part of Kensington Resort Gapyeong's one-day soccer program [KENSINGTON RESORT GAPYEONG]

A mother and child are playing with bubbles at a bubble show at Hanhwa Resort’s Geoje Belvedere. [HANHWA RESORT]

Kensington Resort Gapyeong offers a “Soccer King” package for kids, a one-day football class with players from Seoul E-Land FC. Participants can take photos, receive autographs and go home with personalized uniforms printed with their names.

Jeju Shinhwa World launched a 12-week kids’ golf program this week, offering lessons led by certified instructors and a KPGA professional. Hanwha Resort’s Geoje Belvedere is hosting the "Kids Bubble Show Day” pool party every Saturday through Aug. 30, with bubble shows, EDM dance time and water play zones separated by age groups.

Convenience is king

The hotels' efforts are part of a broader shift sweeping through Korea’s hospitality industry.

“The number of family guests at hotels is increasing,” said Han Hee-sup, professor of the College of Hospitality and Tourism Management at Sejong University. "The core of tourism trends has shifted toward families and older travelers. Weekend outings with the whole family are now a big trend." Visit nearly any major hotel on a weekend, and you will find families with kids filling lobbies and pools.

Convenience is often the deciding factor for these guests when choosing a hotel — which is why family-friendly amenities and programs are becoming essential, and why hotels are actively launching such spaces and services tailored to young children.

“The reason for choosing a hotel is simple: convenience,” said Kim Ji-eun, 37, a mother of two children aged 6 and 8. “People are willing to pay high prices for a hotel in Seoul because you can eat, swim and shop all in one place. Any mom knows how exhausting it is to get in and out of the car, find restaurants and deal with parking, especially with kids.”

Kim's family has also visited one of Korea's standout kid-friendly hotels, Kensington Hotel Pyeongchang, where families with parents in their 30s and 40s make up the majority of the guests.

A petting zoo at Kensington Hotel Pyeongchang [KENSINGTON]

"We went to Kensington [Hotel] Pyeongchang because we could do everything at once — swim, enjoy good food, take walks and visit the kids’ cafe," she said. The Pyeongchang property offers a 67,000-square-meter (721,000 square feet) French garden, an animal farm where children can feed sheep and rabbits, a 347-square-meter kids’ cafe and an indoor pool.

"We could just go back to the room and rest if we grew tired," she added. Although her family sometimes visits pensions, she still prefers hotels. “They’re clean and offer various facilities in their large grounds."

According to Professor Han, this desire for ease and comfort has made family-friendly amenities like kids’ lounges and pools must-have features at hotels.

“Guests traveling with children now look for a kids’ lounge or swimming pool as the first thing when searching for hotels, as they greatly enhance convenience,” said Han, adding that these facilities have become much like "convenience stores" — which are almost universally found in or near major hotels.

Good value for families, good business for hotels

These family-friendly features offered at hotels are cost-effective too.

AC Hotel in southern Seoul’s Gangnam District — nestled among the high-rise offices of global corporations and frequented by business travelers — has partnered with playground design firm Little Champion to create a kids’ lounge that feels like a mini amusement park, featuring over 22 games and obstacles, including a trampoline, ball darts and a wobbly bridge.

The kids' lounge at AC Hotel [AC HOTEL]

Access to the kids’ lounge is free for all hotel guests, including those dining at the hotel buffet. Similarly, many other hotels with kids’ lounges provide complimentary access when guests book family packages. At DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo, entry to the lounge is included in family packages or available for 5,000 won per child to other guests.

With some indoor play cafes demanding high entrance fees — Champion the Black Belt, operated by Playtime Central, for example, charges 26,000 won per child for two hours, plus 6,000 won per accompanying adult — hotels can often be the better deal, especially since many are already equipped with kid-friendly amenities.

This increasing preference for kid-friendly spaces reflects the “BOLO” mindset, short for “Babies Open Life Opportunities.” According to Professor Kim Soo-young of Hotel & Tourism management at Sejong Cyber University, this concept, particularly embraced by younger parents, sees children not as obstacles to travel or meaningful experiences, but as ways to enhance them.

"Hotels are shifting away from their traditional focus on luxury or romance and are instead embracing the idea of creating multifaceted, memorable experiences for both parents and children, offering weekend getaways to young families seeking staycations in urban areas," she said.

The kids' play lounge at Pheonix Island on Jeju Island [PHEONIX ISLAND]

And this shift is not just good for families with young guests — it’s good for business. Families with young children now account for nearly 50 percent of Kensington Hotel Pyeongchang's total annual revenue, according to a hotel representative.

DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo is also seeing similar effects. Family room packages that include kids' lounge access have also sold 300, increasing occupancy rates, hotel data showed.

These additional kid-friendly amenities are also having a positive effect on hotels’ food and beverage businesses. Some kids' cafes even offer kids' menus. The Lahan Select Gyeongju, for example, serves bulgogi pizza for 11,000 won and hot dogs for 8,000 won, along with ice cream and snacks. DoubleTree by Hilton Seoul Pangyo has chicken and tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes) on its kids' menu, and coffee and tea for parents at the kids' lounge. According to a hotel representative, sales of children’s meals have helped boost average food and beverage spending at the property.

The earnings are expected to grow. According to a survey by Booking.com, 46 percent of Korean parents said that they plan to spend more on travel this year than last. Of respondents, 93 percent said that they are willing to spend more when it comes to their children, and 49 percent said that they would even go over budget to ensure the best possible experience for their kids.

BY WOO JI-WON [[email protected]]