Yoto Partners with Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises to Elevate Family Getaways

Igniting Imaginations Through Screen-Free Entertainment, Yoto Joins New "Sonesta Kids Crew" Program

NEWTON, Mass., June 12, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sonesta International Hotels (Sonesta) is proud to announce an exciting and dynamic partnership with Yoto, the award-winning children's audio platform designed to ignite kids' imaginations through screen-free entertainment, at its Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises (SHR&C) brand.

In keeping with SHR&C's commitment to creating family-friendly mindful stays, Yoto Players are now available at select SHR&C properties across the country!

• How It Works: Each pilot hotel will have five Yoto Players – carefully-connected, screen-free audio devices – available for Sonesta Travel Pass members traveling with children to borrow. Each device comes with headphones, a card case and a pack of Yoto Originals audio cards that include a range of stories and activities aligned with Sonesta Hotels' brand values of self-care, discovery and fun. Each player kit must be returned to the front desk upon check-out. Visit www.sonesta.com/yoto.
• Who Can Use It: This program is exclusively available to Sonesta Travel Pass members traveling with children. Those who are not yet Sonesta Travel Pass members but wish to use a Yoto Player during their stay can quickly and easily sign up.
• Summer Promotion: When returning the device, members who complete a survey about their Yoto Player experience will be offered a 15% discount on a future Yoto Player purchase. In addition, there will be a special social media giveaway this summer, offering a chance for guests to win their very own Yoto Mini, a travel-friendly audio player perfect for on-the-go listening.
• Participating hotels currently include Sonesta Anaheim Resort Area, Sonesta Columbus Downtown, Sonesta Denver Downtown, Sonesta Fort Lauderdale Beach, Sonesta Miami Airport, Sonesta Irvine, Sonesta Los Angeles Airport LAX, Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island, and Sonesta White Plains Downtown.

SHR&C's partnership with Yoto reflects the new Sonesta Kids Crew program's strong focus on fun, self-care, and discovery, all designed to engage our youngest guests and spark their imaginations. Guided by the tagline "Big Adventures for Little Travelers!", SHR&C's Sonesta Kids Crew offers thoughtfully curated activities that inspire connection, curiosity and creativity, ensuring families enjoy a memorable stay. Paired with Sonesta's hands-on experiences and kid-friendly wellness activities, Yoto will bring a new dimension to the program by offering unique audio experiences for children ages 3 to 12+. With a library full of bestselling audiobooks, music and educational content, Yoto helps kids confidently lead their own audio adventures on a device free from screens, ads and microphones.

"At Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises, we believe that a successful vacation means every member of the family – no matter their age – has experiences that make for an unforgettable trip," said Elizabeth Harlow, Sonesta's Chief Brand Officer. "The goal of Sonesta Kids Crew and this new partnership with Yoto is to offer a way for children to have explorative adventures, so their parents can enjoy downtime knowing their little travelers are making the absolute most of their trip."

"As parents, we all know how tough it can be to keep little ones happily entertained while traveling," said Sarah Natchez, Yoto's Managing Director, North America. "That's why we're so excited to team up with Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises! Together, Sonesta Kids Crew and Yoto are making vacations a little easier for families. With Yoto, kids can dive into their own audio adventures independently and safely, giving parents a moment to actually sit back and relax."

About Yoto
Yoto is an interactive audio platform for kids. Yoto offers a catalog of stories, songs, activities and more to inspire creative play and learning without a screen. The carefully connected audio players – the Yoto Player and the Yoto Mini - put kids safely in control. No cameras. No microphones. No ads.

Inspired by Montessori principles, Ben Drury and Filip Denker founded Yoto in 2017. The very first Yoto Player launched on Kickstarter, then promptly sold out in 2019. The second generation Yoto Player was designed with renowned design agency, Pentagram, and launched in early 2020. Yoto Mini - the portable audio player - launched in late 2021.

Now available worldwide, Yoto has won awards and accolades from critics, parents and children alike. Yoto Mini was named as a winner in Good Housekeeping's 2022 Parenting Awards, TIME Magazine named Yoto Player one of the Best Inventions of 2020, and Yoto Mini won a prestigious D&AD Pencil in 2024.

Yoto's platform features both award-winning original content and audio that has been licensed or co-created with partners. These partners include Penguin Random House, Macmillan, Sony, Disney, Sesame Workshop, HarperCollins, Hachette, Paramount, Bonnier and Scholastic.

About Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises
Sonesta Hotels, Resorts & Cruises understands that travel presents an opportunity for inspiring experiences and for guests to reconnect with themselves and what matters most, which is why it designed the entire experience to bring the guest's focus inward. Its inspiring yet uncluttered modern decor sets the mind free and lets guests truly appreciate those around them. Its considered details enhance the way guests rest, recharge and reconnect. Guests are invited to embrace the endless possibilities that open simply from being somewhere else.

About Sonesta International Hotels
Sonesta is the 8th largest hotel company in the U.S. according to Smith Travel Research (STR) with approximately 1,100 properties totaling 100,000 guest rooms across 13 brands worldwide. Sonesta owns, manages and/or franchises under The Royal Sonesta; The James, Classico Collection by Sonesta, Sonesta Hotels & Resorts; MOD Collection by Sonesta, Sonesta Select Hotels; Sonesta Essential Hotels, Sonesta ES Suites, Sonesta Simply Suites, Red Lion Hotels, Inns & Suites by Sonesta; Signature Inn by Sonesta; Americas Best Value Inn by Sonesta and Canada's Best Value Inn by Sonesta. Redefining hospitality through its award-winning Sonesta Travel Pass loyalty program, Sonesta offers guests the opportunity to earn and redeem points for unparalleled value and personalized experiences. Sonesta Travel Pass members receive the best rates, earn immediate points towards free nights, and accelerated status progression based on stays. Join now at https://www.sonesta.com/join-travel-pass. For more information about Sonesta visit Sonesta.com.

SOURCE Yoto Inc.