In the bustling world of hospitality, where competition and profit margins often dominate the conversation, one initiative offers a refreshing focus on compassion, kindness, and making a difference. That initiative is Kind Holidays, a groundbreaking programme led by Grant Peires, Communications Director at IDILIQ Group. Since its inception, Kind Holidays has provided hotel stays for families experiencing unimaginable hardships, giving them a much-needed respite and the chance to create cherished memories during difficult times.
“I’ve been working for IDILIQ for a good part of my adult life,” Peires begins. “But Kind Holidays has been pretty much all-consuming since 2016. It’s hard not to be completely dedicated to something that touches so many lives.”
Kind Holidays, however, began even earlier, in 2012. The initiative started when IDILIQ’s founder, Roy Peires, became one of the first donors to the former UK Secretary of State for Defence Sir Liam Fox’s military charity, Give Us Time, which provides rest and recuperation for military personnel and their families, many of whom are suffering from PTSD or severe physical injuries. This initial partnership set the stage for what Kind Holidays would eventually become: a movement dedicated to offering families facing significant health or emotional challenges the chance to escape, relax, and bond in a beautiful and healing environment.
A Lifeline for Families in Need
At its heart, Kind Holidays operates on a simple but profound idea: that families who are navigating the most difficult challenges life throws up should have the chance to experience joy and create lasting memories together. “We give people the opportunity to make memories when they’re facing unimaginable challenges,” Peires explains. “In many cases, this might be their last holiday together, and those memories are often all they have left.”
“In some cases, the price of insurance alone makes the holiday impossible. We need more companies to step up and help with that.”
One of the many families touched by Kind Holidays is that of Sarah Sea, whose son, Phoenix, suffered from a degenerative condition that left him unable to walk. By the time the family stayed at an IDILIQ property, Phoenix had lost most of his motor skills and was confined to a specially adapted wheelchair. Despite this, the family was able to have a magical experience. Peires recounts how one of the hotel’s porters, moved by the family’s situation, voluntarily helped Phoenix enjoy a sunrise on the beach. “The porter wheeled Phoenix out at 5:30 a.m. so he could watch the sunrise with his family,” says Peires. “It’s moments like these that show how deeply this initiative impacts not just the families but also our staff.”
The emotional connection that families and staff alike experience through Kind Holidays is unparalleled. “You’ll never meet more grateful guests than the ones on this initiative,” Peires adds. “And the boost it gives to our staff, knowing they are part of something so meaningful, is phenomenal.”
A Vision of Kindness and Growth
Although Kind Holidays began as a relatively small initiative, it has grown significantly under Peires’s stewardship. His vision for the future is expansive: “I would love to see Kind Holidays evolve into a fully-fledged charity where hotels, airlines, car rental companies, and restaurants all contribute. It could become a one-stop shop for families in need of a break.”
“It’s a profound impact on our employees’ sense of purpose. When they see firsthand how much this means to the families, it strengthens the bond within our team.”
One of the key challenges Peires faces in growing the initiative is the logistical difficulty of securing travel arrangements, especially for families dealing with serious medical conditions. “The cost of travel insurance for very ill people is astronomical,” Peires notes. “In some cases, the price of insurance alone makes the holiday impossible. We need more companies to step up and help with that.”
This desire for broader industry involvement is central to Peires’s strategy for expanding Kind Holidays. “Imagine if just 10% of major hotel chains like Hilton, Marriott, or Wyndham offered something similar,” he says. “The impact would be staggering. We could change thousands of lives.”
Despite these challenges, Peires remains optimistic about the future of the program. He is particularly focused on spreading the word to other hoteliers, encouraging them to donate unused space in their hotels to families in need. “We have so much unused inventory as an industry, and if we gave away even 0.1% of that space, we could change so many lives. That unused space could make all the difference to a family who might not otherwise have the chance to take a holiday.”
The Ripple Effect: Impact on Staff and Company Culture
Peires is keen to highlight that the benefits of Kind Holidays extend far beyond the families who participate. “Forget the PR—it’s about staff morale and retention,” he says. “When our team sees the impact this program has on families, it makes them proud to work here. It also makes them more dedicated to their jobs. We’ve seen improved productivity and job retention across the board.”
In fact, the emotional reward for staff members is something that Peires emphasizes as one of the most significant aspects of the program. “You can’t put a price on the feeling of knowing that you’ve helped give a family in need a truly unforgettable experience,” he says. “It’s a profound impact on our employees’ sense of purpose. When they see firsthand how much this means to the families, it strengthens the bond within our team.”
One memorable example Peires shares is from a speech he gave to a group of hotel owners and managers in Prague. He read a letter from Alastair Witham, whose daughter Katie, suffering from cystic fibrosis and chronic kidney disease, had been given a holiday through Kind Holidays. “He wrote about how Katie transformed from sadness to joy during their time together. She went from feeling like she couldn’t cope to fearlessly going on rides and having the time of her life,” Peires recalls. “For a family like that, the holiday wasn’t just a break—it was a turning point. That’s the kind of impact we want to have.”
“It’s incredibly simple, and the rewards—for the families, for your staff, and for your business—are beyond measure.”
The letter moved many in the room to tears, including a senior hotel executive who approached Peires afterward to share his own story. “This man, who manages 50 hotels, told me he had lost his 17-year-old to cerebral palsy. He said, ‘For me, this is a no-brainer. Any hoteliers out there who’ve experienced anything like this should absolutely get involved.'”
Expanding the Reach of Kind Holidays
Although Kind Holidays has primarily focused on families with terminally ill children and military personnel, Peires sees endless possibilities for the initiative’s growth. “We’ve also worked with organizations like Carers Trust and Shared Care Scotland, offering breaks to unpaid carers who spend their lives looking after others. It’s a massive group—about 10 million people in the UK alone. And many of them never get a break.”
Peires explains how the initiative has adapted to serve families in the UK, particularly those who may find it difficult to travel abroad. “The UK properties we manage have been invaluable for families who can’t fly due to health reasons or because the cost of insurance is prohibitive. We’ve worked with several Scottish carers, giving them the opportunity to take a break or bring the loved ones they care for with them.”
Beyond families dealing with illness, Kind Holidays has also begun collaborating with Caldwell Children, an organization supporting young adults with autism. “We’ve allocated space for them at our resort on the Costa del Sol,” Peires shares. “The idea is to give these young adults the chance to work in different departments—housekeeping, reception, restaurants—so they can experience the hospitality industry firsthand. It’s not just about the holiday; it’s about helping them build skills for the future.”
The Road Ahead
As World Kindness Day approaches on November 13th, Peires is more determined than ever to grow Kind Holidays into a global movement. “Right now, we’re doing everything we can with the resources we have,” he says. “But I believe we can go further. I want to see more companies, not just in hospitality but across all sectors, get involved in creating these life-changing experiences for families in need.”
For Peires, the future of Kind Holidays lies in its potential to inspire others. “We’re just one medium-sized operator, but we’ve managed to make a difference. Imagine what the entire industry could do if everyone got involved.”
His message to other hoteliers is simple: “Don’t be put off by the logistics. We have a step-by-step guide on our website that makes it easy for you to allocate space and get involved. It’s incredibly simple, and the rewards—for the families, for your staff, and for your business—are beyond measure.”
