I've been told that it would be tough in a kids bathroom...which is what ours essentially is (we only have one upstairs and one downstairs bath in this old farmhouse).

I'm not sure if mine is considered travertine or crema marfil (marble), but whatever it is, I'm sure it's going to etch. I will seal it as directed, but a bit of a patina doesn't bother me. I'm pretty sure travertine is one of those materials that does etch with citrus/acidic stuff (feel free to correct me if I'm wrong!).

I'm sure others will weigh in with more opinions...

:)
Sarah

You can use it if you like, but expect it to get stained, no matter how much you seal it. Some people think of it as adding "personality" to the stone. Others see it as ruined. You need to decide on your point of view before you use it for your kids.

I don't think it is the best choice for a kids bathroom counter.

I have travertine all downstairs and it is easy to keep clean but it has lost its luster. I called for quotes to refinish it and well I could just lay more tiles down and come out ahead of the game. So I have learned to like it as is. I really don't have a problem with it staining. The only problem I see is you can only clean it with a dab of dish soap and water. You can't use any heavy chemicals on it cause it is calcium based and will disapear. I don't know maybe they use a different sealer on counter tops, I only have it on the floor but cleaning/chemicals is the only issue I see.

If you really like the look, you could use a large format porcelain tile in a similar look, like Daltile's 'Buenos Aires Mood' series.

A 24x24 format tile would only leave you with 2 grout lines in a 6ft vanity. The lines could be narrow since this sort of tile is almost always rectified, and the grout is no harder to clean than travertine, while the porcelain is about the lowest maintenence material ever created.