Laughing out loud, grinning from ear to ear, the kid is exuding joy from head to toe.  Wait a minute that's no kid, that's my reflection.  This is the real genius and success of Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn ( 800/972-2590) -- being able to bring out the kid in every guest that enters their slime-splattered walls. 

Don't let the name fool you, this is not just a hotel, but a destination in itself; a wonderful blend of hospitality, entertainment, adventure and fantasy.   Much like a cruise ship, the self-contained fun will make you look at the surrounding theme parks as ports-of-call that are fine for a quick day trip, but not essential to a terrific time in Orlando.

Checking in is a breeze as the lobby houses a TV nook painted in the style of SpongeBob's Bikini Bottom complete with beanbag "Jellyfish" seats where the children can wait in comfort for their VIP bracelets; wearable symbols of Nickhotel's hallmark hospitality and security. The brightly-colored bracelets make you immediately recognizable as a welcomed guest.  With all the fun the hotel has to offer, it has become quite a draw for Orlando visitors, but its facilities are only available to guests of the hotel.

Waterplay and More

The Nickhotel is home to two huge pools and water-play areas with the Oasis being the quieter of the two.  The Lagoon, the more boisterous and active, has a zero entry pool allowing kids to enter slowly with no sudden drop offs.  The depths are clearly marked all along the way and the number of on-duty lifeguards is more than reassuring.  The Lagoon water park includes a four-story water play-structure with slides, flumes, rope bridges, and a 400 gallon dump tank (which is the site of the 4:45pm mass "sliming"!)

Nearby, the Lagoon also has a 5-years and under splash pad and diminutive flume and slide set for the wee ones.  There is a basketball area with multi-level baskets for multi level people. My daughter (unable to make the height chart for her age) still managed to get nothin' but net!  There is a pool table, located conveniently near the two large whirlpool spas, allowing you to relax your muscles while junior shoots a little nine-ball. 

Last but not least, a super fun free-form miniature golf course, a draw for all from diapers to dentures.  And when you get a hungry, the pool-side bar and grill has a nice selection of munchies and refreshing adult and child drink specials like the "Nickelodeon Colada” topped with slime.

A Unique Mall

Between the Oasis and the Lagoon is the mall where you'll find the Nicktoons Café.  Here you'll enjoy a varied breakfast with your favorite Nick characters. The buffet has a bit of everything from lox and grits to a choose-your-own-omelet station.  The restaurant also offers full-service dining and kids under 5 eat free, although the program is not offered with the Character Breakfast.  Other eating options include the more familiar Pizza Hut and Subway. 

The mall also offers kid spa manicures, pedicures, hair braiding and wrapping, and airbrushed tattoos (the best deal around since they offer free touch ups during your stay).   Scattered throughout the mall are booths offering face painting, caricatures, and balloon animals with a Nicktoon twist.  Next up is Nick Pix and this is where you can buy photos of your family taken by the ubiquitous shutterbugs who wander around snapping off candid shots of you and the kids.

For large gatherings in the mall, the "Big Room" can expand from 1200- to 3600-square-feet to accommodate an anniversary party, family reunions, birthday parties and even weddings.

And what would a mall be without shops!  Nick Stuff has a souvenir for everyone on your list, from SpongeBob golf balls to Dora goggles.  In addition, there's a 24-hour convenience store, a 3,000 square-feet arcade complete with air hockey, Pac-man, skee-ball, skill games, luck games, and a dancing game that's a bit of both.  While playing, you earn tickets for Nick-themed toys and novelties.

You'll All Want to Move In

There is a second guest services desk located here where you can request a firmer pillow, make reservations for a show, and pick up the day's Script -- an indispensable tool for planning. Your day should definitely include the evening show, Studio Nick-Nickelodeon Live! Family Style.  The funny and charming hosts manage to get grown men to volunteer to dress up in diapers and have pies thrown at them.  Two families picked earlier in the day compete to get slimed by the massive Slimelator. "Who Knows Best” pits parent against child to see who knows the other better and you're going to have a whole new batch of dinner topics when you realize how much you have to learn about your kid.  The theater is state of the art and the entertainers are top notch.

The fun only continues in your room.   After surveying our two bedroom kid-suite, my daughter turned to me and asked, "Could we live here?”  The family room has a flat screen TV, a pull-out sleeper sofa, Internet access, and a mini-kitchen, but you can always order from the eclectic room service menu.  The semi-private kids' room is a party parlor.  Our's was decorated with a mural of Bikini Bottom complete with SpongeBob and all his friends, and our kids had bunk beds, each with its own light and speaker. All of the kids' spaces include a TV game system, CD player and table.

The private adult room has a king-sized bed, TV, and vanity.  There are also three-bedroom suites with two master bedrooms, a kids' room, two bathrooms, a family room, and a full kitchen.  These rooms can accommodate up to nine people. The newly-designed Dora Suites are a higher-end option with two plasma TVs, marble bath, and a contemporary decor.

And for the parents?  If you're looking for a night away from your kids (or vice versa), there's "Nick After Dark.”  Two days a week for ages 5-12, Nick After Dark is a supervised evening camp for the kids that includes dinner, stories, crafts, VIP seats and backstage passes to a Nick Studio show.  And while the kids are entertained, the parents are free to sneak away for an evening alone.

Nickelodeon Family Suites by Holiday Inn has a different theme every month, like Nick Jr. preschool fun as well as many packages, such as the shopping package at the Mall at Millenia, the Holiday package (complete with decorations of your choice and gift delivery to your room), and the Nicktastic Birthday Celebration.  Nick birthdays mix all the joy and fun the hotel has to offer: costumed characters, kid fun menus including birthday cake and make-your-own-sundaes, any of the spa amenities, and Nick-themed goody bags.  What really makes a birthday at Nick unforgettable is that you can pick you favorite host from any "Nick Live” show and have them as your party's own entertainer. It's Birthday Live! Nick Style.

So, whether your celebrating a birthday, park hopping or having it be your main destination, you're in luck. 

Nickhotel is a blast!