The paradox of “family”; creating a family environment without children in luxury accommodation in New Zealand

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to explore innovative solutions to the challenge of creating a family environment without children in luxury lodges in New Zealand.

Design/methodology/approach

In-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with guests, staff and managers in a luxury lodge that excludes children. An interpretivist analysis of interviewees’ comments was undertaken.

Findings

Guests at the childless lodge talked about the serenity and peace they experienced during their stay, and particularly the meal experiences. They thought that not having children on the premises is an advantage for this experience. Lodge managers said that not admitting children is their point of difference for the market that they are targeting.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to the emerging research theme of family tourism and extends the concept of family tourism to include family units without children.

Practical implications

There are significant practical implications in terms of industry approaches to creating a family atmosphere in luxury accommodation without children.

Social implications

That a family atmosphere does not need to include children and enables luxury accommodation to cater to a diverse range of family units. There are also implications for social diversity beyond the traditional assumptions of the nuclear family.

Originality/value

The exclusion of children from luxury lodges is certainly not new, but the concept of maintaining a family environment without children is innovative and worth investigating to consider the wider implications of the paradox of family without children.

Citation

Harkison, T., Hemmington, N. and Hyde, K. (2019), "The paradox of “family”; creating a family environment without children in luxury accommodation in New Zealand", Worldwide Hospitality and Tourism Themes, Vol. 11 No. 2, pp. 226-234. https://doi.org/10.1108/WHATT-11-2018-0074