Answer:
Erika, you'll find more detailed information on the various 'Marble' and 'Countertop Comparison' pages on this site, but basically in a high traffic bathroom used by young kids Silestone is much less likely to give you a maintenance problem.
Of course, Silestone will not look as nice or elegant as White Carrara.
And marble is durable... it will last forever. How it looks in 20 years will depend on how you take care of it. Now marble may be a bit more sensitive than other surfaces, but the above is true for ALL surfaces.
Staining is not the issue. It's a bit of a myth that marble stains easy. Raw or honed marble will stain, but polished marble is a different story.
Polishing marble (or any stone) changes the surface tension and makes it much less absorbent. Polished marble can stain if you leave something on it for a few hours, but generally it is not a problem.
Etching is the main problem. Polished marble will corrode upon contact with acids (many foods and some bath products) and alkaline cleaning chemicals.
Etching causes dull light spots on the countertop. They are not very noticeable with White Carrara, but you may get them.
I have White Carrara in a bathroom that gets used heavily during parties and by guests. Haven't had a problem yet, but many products can etch marble, which doesn't happen with Silestone or granite.
Most mild etch marks can be removed using a marble polishing powder, but if the damage is severe then you may need a pro.
Cleaning is also more particular with marble. You can use just about any normal household cleaning product on Silestone, but you should use only hot water and/or products specifically formulated for marble to clean a marble bathroom countertop.
This is not a big deal... get the right product and clean it, but with a busy family sometimes things get confused and using the wrong product could damage (etch) the marble.
Source:http://www.granite-marbles.com/Granite-Marbles/bs_news.asp?Action=Co
