A Nanny Who's Always on Vacation

When Lisa Molvar headed to the Cayman Islands last year with her husband and then 3-year-old daughter, Mia, she knew she wanted some grown-up-only time, too. But she didn't feel comfortable handing Mia off to one of the resort's baby sitters. And she didn't have a regular nanny who could come along on the trip. So Ms. Molvar hired a travel nanny.

In exchange for all travel expenses and a daily or hourly rate, a travel nanny can parachute into a family trip and turn it into an actual vacation for parents, too. Unlike with most hotel baby sitters, parents can personally vet—and try out—a travel nanny in advance, easing anxieties about leaving a child with an unfamiliar sitter. Some travel nannies offer vacation-specific skills: an ace skier or swimmer, perhaps. Flexibility is a major upside. When child-care is literally in the room next door, parents don't have to say no to that impromptu spa treatment or sunset cocktail.

"We were able to go golfing and spend time with friends who don't have kids," says Ms. Molvar, a 34-year-old real estate developer from Boston. "We just preferred to pay the added expense and to have the peace of mind that [our daughter] was with someone we really trusted." Indeed, Ms. Molvar's travel nanny, Tiffany Chapman, had occasionally baby-sat for Mia since she was a newborn.

As more families choose to bring young children to luxury hotels and resorts, a growing number of services are being unrolled to make it easier to have adult-time. Elaborate daytime children's program are nearly de rigueur, but now, hotels are expanding evening programs for kids, responding to demand from parents who want to sneak out for a romantic dinner. About a year ago, after seeing a growing number of families traveling with nannies, the Four Seasons Resort Vail extended its "Angel" program for families to nannies. Upon check-in, the "angel" (one of the hotel's managers) contacts the nanny to arrange for any needed baby gear (bathtubs, toddler beds, etc.) and to plan activities.

Sensible Sitters Inc., a New York-based firm, specializes in referring college students and recent college graduates to families looking for travel nannies or temporary baby sitters. The company charges $250 per day for up to two children for the services of a travel nanny and $300 for three children. Families also pay all travel expenses, food and lodging. (Nannies usually end up sharing a room with the kids). Nannies are supposed to work no more than 12 hours in a day. Vanessa Wauchope, Sensible Sitters' founder and chief executive, recommends first having a potential travel nanny do a few short baby sitting stints before a big trip to make sure of a good fit.

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