How to compare resorts for three generations

To compare resorts for three generations, go through the trip one generation at a time and ask each resort the same written questions. The oldest travellers need the shortest walks, the clearest boat boarding and a bed they can use.

The youngest need shallow water and food they will eat. The resort that fits all three is usually the better choice than the best resort for one.

Never accept a place as suitable without details. Our hub guide on how to choose an island resort sets the wider order, and the jetty connection planner shows how long the journey is before you ask about rooms.

What does each generation need to check?

Write the needs of each generation down before you open any resort page. This table shows what to ask, and the answer must come in writing.

Generation	Check first	Ask the resort
Grandparents	Steps, distances, boat boarding, bed and bathroom	How many steps from jetty to room, and is help available?
Parents	Sleep, meals, a break from child duty	Are there quiet spaces and flexible meal times?
Children	Shallow water, food they eat, space to run	Where is the safest swimming area, and what do children eat?
Everyone	Medical help, weather plan, cancellation	What is the nearest help, and what if the boat cannot sail?

The practical point: if one generation’s needs cannot be met in writing, treat that need as unconfirmed and plan around it.

Which rooms keep a family together?

Some resorts offer rooms made for families. Berjaya Langkawi Resort lists a Family Chalet made of two interconnecting chalets ^[1], and Shangri-La Rasa Sayang lists Family and connecting rooms among its 304 rooms and suites ^[2]. These show that connected rooms exist, though each resort sets its own rules for who can stay.

Compare connecting rooms with adjacent rooms, which sit side by side without a door between them. Our guide on interconnecting vs adjacent rooms for multigenerational groups explains the difference. Ask both options to be quoted with the same meals.

What should you ask about the journey and the walk?

The journey is the part older travellers feel most. Gaya Island Resort, for example, uses a speedboat from its lounge at Jesselton Point Ferry Terminal, with a transfer option ^[3]. Ask the same of any resort:

• How do guests step from the jetty onto the boat, and is there help?
• What is the surface and the slope from the jetty to the room?
• How many steps are there to the exact room, and to the restaurant?
• Is a buggy or luggage cart available, and when?
• Is the room on the ground floor?

See also our guides on ground-floor rooms and stairs and medical help on islands.

A better fit if…

A resort with connecting rooms may be a better fit if:

• the grandparents need help at night.
• the children are young and sleep near their parents.
• the rooms are on the ground floor, confirmed in writing.

A resort with separate rooms may be a better fit if:

• each generation has a different sleep schedule.
• the oldest guests want quiet in the afternoon.
• the walking distances between rooms are short and confirmed.

What is the next step?

Write the ages and needs of your group, then send the same questions to two or three resorts. When the answers arrive, line them up with the resort inclusion comparator and see which resort has the fewest unanswered lines.