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AIBU?

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Original poster

4 people in one hotel room

220 replies

MuffinFace · 05/01/2025 10:19

I'm trying to book a night in a hotel near Manchester airport and am baffled to find that the only way for our family of 4 (2 adults, an 8 year old and a 4 year old) to do this seems to be to get a room with 2 double beds. It's sometimes a proper double bed and a double sofa bed on offer, sometimes 2 full double beds. I don't understand how we're supposed to arrange ourselves - I get that there are technically 4 spaces in the beds but who wants it as two doubles rather than a double and two singles?! I had similar problems before booking in Edinburgh and in Germany. AIBU to think that most people booking 4 people in a room would want 1 double and 2 singles instead of 2 doubles or am I missing something?

OP posts:
nopdhhd · 05/01/2025 13:16

There is a significant gap between the age at which it would be appropriate for DC to have separate hotel rooms (even if interconnecting, because there would still be a door into the interconnected room directly from the corridor) and when it becomes inappropriate/ uncomfortable for opposite sex siblings to share a bed.

Disagree. If the kids are of an age where their sex is an issue requiring separate rooms, they are now likely now mature enough to occupy separate rooms. But I don't subscribe to the view opposite sex siblings must be kept separate like kittens.

nopdhhd · 05/01/2025 13:13

Such a weird comment. I liked my holidays. Why are you telling me what holidays I should and should have?!

Eh?! How did you get that from what I wrote, I've been to both so why would I be judging lol? My point was you can't dismiss my statement that beds are generally bigger in US hotels based on 2 locations in a country with 50 states, particularly when one is a very populated city!

DowntonShabbie · 05/01/2025 13:12

PeppyGreenFinch · 05/01/2025 13:11

A bit unfair, OP has explained the 4yo moves around which wakes the 8yo.

Show quote history

So you put pillows etc down the middle. Or you do one adult one child.
It's not difficult. Ask the four year old, they'll manage it

PeppyGreenFinch · 05/01/2025 13:11

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the poster's request.

A bit unfair, OP has explained the 4yo moves around which wakes the 8yo.

Cornettoninja · 05/01/2025 13:10

TooManyChristmasCards · 05/01/2025 12:38

I am genuinely surprised by the amount of kids who do have double beds in their own bedroom at home because "it's more comfortable".

some people will have a shock when they go to Uni

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Dd has had a double since about four. It took till then to lever her out of my bed reliably and she moves so much in her sleep I wasn’t risking a fear of falling out of bed/fights with the wall triggering a step backwards!

she’s nine now and tbh it’s mostly a place to keep the ridiculous number of stuffed toys she has. I think she’ll be fine with a single if needed and if not she’ll be too old for it to be my problem!

MumonabikeE5 · 05/01/2025 13:09

Premier inn: one double and two singles.
I’ve stayed at PI at about 70 locations in the uk as a family of four.

HateLongCovid · 05/01/2025 13:07

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at the poster's request.

🤣🤣🤣

TooManyChristmasCards · 05/01/2025 13:02

DowntonShabbie · 05/01/2025 12:48

I don't get why people think it's inappropriate for siblings of opposite sexes to share as an occasional thing.
If you seriously think there is anything to worry about there, you've got much bigger problems and shouldn't be thinking about hotels at all, but your family life.

well said

And if it's such a weird moral issue about the "opposite sexes", it's not like mum could share a bed with daughter and leave other bed to son. Oh, wait...

Hankunamatata · 05/01/2025 13:01

Pretty standard. Usually me and dh share with a child each and 3rd child gets futon bed.

snowmichael · 05/01/2025 12:58

Why is there a problem with the two children sharing a bed?

Silvers11 · 05/01/2025 12:52

@MuffinFace Have you tried contacting the Premier Inn you are interested in directly and asking what they have? Some of the Family rooms DO have a double, a sofa bed made into a single plus a pull out bed which given the ages of your children would be fine?

Hollietree · 05/01/2025 12:49

If it bothers you enough, just pay the extra for two interconnecting rooms - a double and a twin.

MrsSlocombesCat · 05/01/2025 12:49

JessicafelloffTheKnappett · 05/01/2025 12:28

Or you don't book hotels, but rather a holiday cottage or similar with options for separate rooms.
I also think "don't borrow trouble from the future" (or whatever the saying is) - Your DC may well not want to sleep in the one bed when they're older, and your DS is unlikely to want to share with you. Cross that bridge when you come to it, for now keep going as you are.

As an aside, I had no option but to share a double bed with DS aged 16 last year... I was squashed up against the wall as far as possible, and he was at the other edge. Not the best night's sleep, but needs must... and all that.

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My adult son has autism and when he's poorly he sleeps with me. He struggles with feeling ill and it comforts him.

HisNibs · 05/01/2025 12:49

Quite often stay at one of the Premier Inns (Runger Lane North & South) if flying from Manchester. If you book a family room...
"Standard family
Our family rooms include a double or kingsize bed, plus a sofa bed and pull-out bed depending on the number of guests staying in the room"
Sorted.

BeachHutsAndDeckchairs · 05/01/2025 12:48

A double, a single and a pull-out single/futon type thing

DowntonShabbie · 05/01/2025 12:48

I don't get why people think it's inappropriate for siblings of opposite sexes to share as an occasional thing.
If you seriously think there is anything to worry about there, you've got much bigger problems and shouldn't be thinking about hotels at all, but your family life.

MrsSlocombesCat · 05/01/2025 12:45

I have a spare room with bunk beds for my granddaughters but they always choose to sleep in the double sofa bed in the living room.

EasterIssland · 05/01/2025 12:45

Check premier inn if any in the area

Drfosters · 05/01/2025 12:45

Topsyturvy78 · 05/01/2025 12:21

Those saying the DC share. I'm a single mum I stayed in one with a double and single. The DC ended up sharing the double because they both got jealous of me sharing with one of them.. Boy and girl but they were about 5 and 7 then. What do you do when the DC sre opposite sex when they are older? Mine have severe autism they would be happy to share. But I just don't think it's appropriate.

We asked for an extra duvet. One sleeps under the first duvet and the other sleeps on top of that on their side with an extra duvet on top

VimesandhisCardboardBoots · 05/01/2025 12:42

Hotels like this are often mostly used by travelling business people, who (unfortunately) often have to share a room.

That's who the rooms with two doubles are aimed at. No adult wants to sleep in a single bed, so they offer two separate double beds.

CurlewKate · 05/01/2025 12:41

Is this one of those Mumsnet "I have no idea how to do easy things" posts?

DowntonShabbie · 05/01/2025 12:41

MuffinFace · 05/01/2025 11:06

Part of the issue here probably comes from that fact that both of my children are terrible sleepers, go to bed at pretty different times and absolutely couldn't share a bed, but if we can't find something else one of us will have to share with each child. The main thing though is that I don't understand who would choose this over a double and two singles. Those of you saying your children share, surely it would still be better if they each had a single bed rather than sharing a double? And to the person who mentioned two adults sharing a room who want separate beds, isn't that what a twin room is for? What I'm struggling with is who would actively choose two doubles to the point where so many hotels have it as the only option for 4 people in one room!

Of course they can share a bed. Or you can each share with a child. There's no real difference between two kids in a double with pillows down the middle and two kids in single beds right next to each other.

It's one night, keep them up.late and all go bed together. Don't be so precious.

BellaVita · 05/01/2025 12:41

Non issue.

TooManyChristmasCards · 05/01/2025 12:38

justthatreallyagain · 05/01/2025 12:35

because most adults even when they sleep alone prefer double beds to single beds? So two friends sharing get a double bed each?
If your kids won't sleep together - have they never slept with you? One adult and one child per bed for a night or two kids in a bed would be OK for most families.

I am genuinely surprised by the amount of kids who do have double beds in their own bedroom at home because "it's more comfortable".

some people will have a shock when they go to Uni

ineedtowomanup · 05/01/2025 12:38

We've always had a double and a sofa bed generally eg when we go abroad too or sometimes two doubles. The kids share and we share. Has worked for the last ten years and often we can be away for a couple of weeks like this and is fine ,