Long known as a pet-friendly resort, Kimpton Vero Beach Hotel & Spa has made itself more welcoming to parents and grandparents traveling with kids – an effort recognized nationally by Forbes, which named the oceanfront property one of 2024’s 15 Best Affordable Family Resorts in Florida.

The article says that with off-peak nightly rates around $200, “families who want to watch their budget but still have a great beach vacation” will love it. Kids will enjoy the Micro Kickboard scooters that are available to use for free, the magazine says.

The Ocean Drive hotel was also ranked 78 among U.S. News & World Report’s top 100 hotels in Florida, and 640 among the 35,000 hotels in North America, Europe and the Caribbean which were analyzed for the ranking, putting Kimpton’s Vero resort in the top 2 percent internationally.

The hotel has been ranked high in U.S. News & World Report before, but the Forbes recognition is a first, said general manager Awet Sium. “We’re incredibly honored to receive this award,” Sium said. “It’s a testament to everyone involved.”

Sium began actively courting families to visit the hotel when he took the helm as general manager in 2017. One of the first things he added was a 1980s-themed game room with Xbox and PlayStation consoles, a foosball table, a large-screen TV for movies, LEGOs, board games, and other fun items.

Staff from the Environmental Learning Center on the island bring kid-friendly interactive pop-up events to the Kimpton every Friday. Private river cruises with a star talk by a local astronomer are marketed to families as the Stargazing on the Sea Package.