Let's start with the kids. As part of the Loews Loves Little Kids program, presented in partnership with Fisher-Price, all of this chain's properties keep baby swings and playpens on hand, plus welcome children under ten with a Fisher-Price gift. Each hotel's Kids Kloset is conveniently stashed with Fisher-Price toys and games geared to ages six months through six years, as well as car seats, strollers, night lights, potty chairs, baby bathtubs, and books. Some Loews properties offer additional kids' activities during summer, spring break, and holidays. At Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spas, for example, ages four to 12 enjoy marshmallow roasts, jazz, funk and hip-hop dance lessons, dive-in movies, as well as family cooking classes.

Meanwhile, Loews' warm welcome extends to the one family member often left behind: your dog or cat. Unlike many chains, Loews accepts more than one pet and doesn't forbid four-legged pals over a certain weight, a blessing for big-dog lovers. The pet pampering starts with a bag of treats and a toy, and continues with special bedding, dog-walking areas, and, yes, room-service meals such as grilled lamb with rice for dogs or grilled salmon with rice for cats. The properties' "Did You Forget Closet" stocks litter boxes and pooper-scoopers (after all, who wants to pack those?). The newest addition to the Loews Loves Pets program is the "Puppy Pager" service. Leave your cell-phone number with staff so you can be reached in case of emergency. Many Loews' properties don't charge an additional fee for pets, although some do. Take it to the next level by getting Fido a Nashville recording studio, a two-hour guided hike with a personal trainer in Denver, or surf lessons in San Diego. The only problem now is your kids might get jealous of all that attention...