I thought having a butler on our vacation would be awkward, but it saved my whole trip
- Although seemingly extravagant, a butler can be particularly helpful for solo parents traveling with children.
- Beyond convenience, a butler can be invaluable in unexpected situations, such as when a child requires medical attention.
I often travel with my kids as a solo parent. It’s fun and rewarding, but it can also be exhausting. Caring for children away from home means I’m responsible for ensuring they stay safe, entertained, and fed without the benefit of a break. Taking my kids to an all-inclusive resort helps with that (every family should try it at least once), yet even at all-inclusive resorts, I'm bombarded with requests for snacks, drinks and entertainment. Then there's the hunt for beach chairs, the scramble for dinner reservations and so much more.
I wouldn’t trade my adventures with the kids for the world, but it often feels as if the only option is to return home feeling exhausted. That changed after we stayed in a suite with butler service at Beaches Negril in Jamaica, one of three Beaches resorts in the Caribbean. I'd seen butlers at work on a previous visit to a Beaches resort in the Turks and Caicos, and while I was a little envious, I also wondered if a butler was worth the extra cost – to say nothing of whether it would be, well, awkward?
But as it turns out, our butler saved my vacation.
Our butler made our trip nearly stress-free
A trip to Beaches is already relaxing, but our butler made the vacation even more stress-free. Every morning, he asked us whether we wanted our lounge chairs reserved by a pool or on the beach and what kind of drinks we wanted waiting for us when we arrived. Most people who have stayed at resorts know that finding a free chair, even first thing in the morning can be a challenge. Not having to worry about finding a prime spot was an absolute gift.
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Our butler was available all day and all night to grab snacks and drinks, including some from a secret menu available only to guests with butler service. When he overheard my son complaining about a bug bite, he appeared with bug spray. When my daughter heard another guest talking about a telescope and said that she would like to gaze at the stars, our butler made sure a telescope was waiting for us when we returned to our room. Just in case we needed something when our butler wasn’t within earshot, we had a "butler phone” we could use to call him at any time. Hard-to-get reservations for dinner were ours for the taking.
We spent our days swimming, walking on the beach, riding on the banana boat, and snorkeling – all without a care in the world.
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I expected having a butler to be awkward
The butler service took our trip to the next level and gave me a real break. Instead of having to make runs for pizza and frozen yogurt constantly, my kids could politely ask the butler for anything their hearts desired, and it would appear as if by magic.
Although I worried having a butler at our beck-and-call would be awkward, we never felt like we were a bother or imposing. Instead, our butler was warm and friendly, available while not hovering or making us feel as though we were losing any privacy. That would have been enough, but having a butler really saved the day when my son unexpectedly got sick.
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Our butler unexpectedly saved our trip
A few days into our trip, my son started feeling sick. At first, I chalked it up to my poor judgment in letting him indulge in too many desserts and sugary drinks. But when he asked to go back to the room for a nap in the middle of the day, I knew something was wrong. He developed a fever and passed out in bed.
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I was in a foreign country, alone with three kids. Unsure what to do, I called our butler, who swiftly called for the resort’s on-site nurse to examine my son in our room and arrange for a doctor to see him. While I stayed with my son, I was beyond grateful to have a butler to help make sure my family remained fed and comfortable, especially because I had two other healthy and energetic kids to look after.
After a round of antibiotics, my son started to feel better. I was relieved that we could finish our trip healthy and happy, and I was immensely grateful for the assistance I had while dealing with a sick kid away from home.
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Butlers are worth the splurge for stressed-out parents
Despite my initial hesitation, I came away from the experience of having a butler, convinced it’s a worthy investment for any stressed-out parent. Butlers are especially useful for parents traveling solo with kids, but every parent deserves the experience of being pampered at least once.
Thanks to our butler, I knew my kids could get what they needed to stay happy, even while I lounged by the pool. This allowed me to completely unwind and relax in a way I hadn’t realized was possible with kids around. I loved that I never needed to interrupt playing with my kids or reading my book. Plus, as a mom who's used to constantly waiting on others, even on vacation, having someone ask me what I needed was a revelation.
The only downside? Returning home to a house without a butler was a bit rough.
How a butler saved my family vacation in the Caribbean originally appeared on FamilyVacationist.com.
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The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect those of Paste BN. FamilyVacationist.com and TourScoop.com are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology, we review and select family vacation ideas, family vacation spots, all-inclusive family resorts, and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators, tour operator reviews, tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations. If you buy an item through a link in our content, we may earn a commission.