Nothing rankles like paying top dollar for a hot dog and carrot sticks when staying at a resort, so the promise of free kids' meals is always tempting. Through the Marriott’s Escape! Family package, the Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Miami is offering free kids' meals for most of this year.

The 650-acre resort has plenty of family-friendly features, such as a waterpark with three pools and a 125-foot waterslide, Nickelodeon character breakfasts on weekends, and five championship golf courses. Golf may not seem like an obvious kid magnet, but here kids ages 6 to 15 can golf for free after 3 pm with a paying adult. 

The Doral's Escape package—starting at $199 on weeknights and $279 on weekends during this winter and spring—includes a room and three free kids meals a day for up to three kids 12 and under. (Note: most Marriott properties offering the Escape package let up to four kids eat free.)  To find out if this is a good deal for families, we priced out a three-night, Friday-Monday stay for a family of four in late February:

• accommodations in a garden-view room (using Marriott’s beginning “leisure rate” of $259/night x 3 nights =$777)
• free kids’ menu meals ($25/child x 2 kids x 3 nights = $150)

Deal or no deal? Bring on the chicken fingers. For these—and most—dates we checked, the leisure rate was virtually the same as the Escape rate, meaning that those kids' meals are indeed free, as advertised. For a three-night stay, it works out to a savings of about $150. The deal beat even the advance-purchase, no-refund rate, which was typically only $20 cheaper and did not include the free kids' meals.

Escape! Family package rates are available for stays through October 24. Use promotional code MAJ when booking online, or mention the Escape! Family deal when calling 800/713-6725.