We used KNO 4 days ( and over 10 hrs each day) during our last trip in August 2017. We had 6 month old twins, so we had to have 2 sitters at all times per their rules
. IIRC we gave each sitter $20 to get dinner and a $20 tip each time (might have been $10, but I am thinking it was $20). I kind of felt obligated on the tip. We are generally very good tippers but that on top of the 2 sitters' hourly fee and food made for some pretty expensive days. We did find it still worth it, though, because despite all of that it was still much cheaper to use them than to bring a nanny or sitter with us and pay for their room, transportation, food, and pay. We had originally planned to use them more, given that it was very hot and we could do more with the older kids if one of us didn't always have to stay with the twins, but once we found about their one sitter per each non walking child rule we decided to cut back.
Overall we had a good experience. They typically sent a grandmotherly type sitter, a couple of times one of the sitters was more a motherly type. That worked great for the babies, the one time we also tried to leave the 4 and 7 year old (still with only 2 sitters needed) they did not like it. The sitters didn't really have anything particular planned for the older kids, I think one might have brought some coloring books or something. I feel younger sitters would have been better in this case. They do need to work on their communication between management and the actual sitters. I believe on either 3 or all 4 of the days at least one sitter had not been aware that we needed them for many hours, and not just the 4 or 5 hour minimum. Luckily they were all able to stay. The one day we did have a bit of a fiasco. They sent the only lady I ever would have questioned leaving my kids with. She was an hour late (luckily we only had pool plans and poolside patio rented, not an ADR or something). She made some very odd comments about not being healthy enough to do long shifts. We had a 13 hr shift scheduled. When I said that, she thought I was kidding. When she realized it was true she made it pretty clear she hadn't known, wouldn't have agreed, couldn't do it, etc. I immediately called their main number and after a couple of calls they sent someone else 4 hours later, and the original lady only stayed 4 hours and we didn't pay for that portion. I would have never left the kids with her had their not been 2 sitters, and the second one was one we were familiar and comfortable with. But it messed up over 90 min of our resort day, and definitely pointed out the communication issues the company appears to have.
We do plan to use them again for our upcoming trip, we should only need one sitter now that they are over a year old. The things I am going to do differently is to make sure I check and double check the hours I have booked them for and somehow make sure I ask them if they have told the sitters the correct hours. I might try calling the night before to double check again, or the morning of if it isn't first thing. Also, if we would decide to leave the older kids for an evening, I will request a more college age sitter for that night if possible.
One way we could have saved a little money would have been to do dinner differently than $20 each. We just didn't plan ahead enough and did what was easy. I know I read about people arranging a pizza delivery from offsite or buying prepackaged sandwiches for the room, etc. We were also staying club level, so they were able to get snacks and drinks in the lounge while we were gone also, so if we had done something with food left in the room for meals they would have had that in addition.
If you have any other questions feel free to ask
