Puppy Sleep Training- Advice Please

[yoomoo]

We got our French bulldog puppy 5 weeks ago (he's now 15 weeks old) and started off with intentions that he would sleep in the kitchen in his crate with door open so he can roam about if he wants to. But then we found out that the breeder had been letting him sleep in their bed (as he was the last pup left for a couple of weeks) so we tried to get him to sleep in kitchen first night and he just cried and cried so we relented and bought his crate up to our bedroom where he immediately settled and slept all night.
Now we should have tried again the next day but as I've recently had knee surgery we've been a bit rubbish and have gone for the easy option of letting him continue to sleep in our bedroom in the crate.
Now he's a bit older and settled in the house we really want to get him downstairs sleeping alone, I'd love him to stay upstairs forever but the reality is if we go away on holiday I don't want whoever is looking after him to have to have him sleep in their room!
So what should our plan of action be? I appreciate we've kinda screwed it up so far but thinking of getting him to sleep outside our bedroom on the hallway tonight and then if ok move him downstairs tomorrow night? We have invested in a puppy cam for the kitchen so we can see/hear what he's doing (our bedroom is 2 floors up from kitchen so wouldn't hear him)
Any advice or thoughts welcome thank you!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

I think "gradual retreat" is the best solution usually!

My dogs have always slept on my bed in our bedroom. We mostly holiday with them (at dog agility competitions), but when we do go away without them they have to sleep in the kitchen at my mum's. They don't seem bothered at all! But of course we usually have 2 (lost our boy in January but looking to adopt again soon) and they keep each other company.