Would you stay in the cellar or in a hotel room

sorry I've just seen that you are looking at hotels. Good idea. I also think factoring in the cost of going back and forth might outweigh a slightly more expensive but nearby hotel.

As your DH really wants his 11 days with GF... I think this is one occasion where you have to bite the bullet and ensure that wherever you eventually stay is safe, suitable and makes your lives easier. Even if you do have to pay.

A steep narrow "very slippery" marble staircase into a cold cellar that's really a workshop, not a guest room...
Husband won't wear grip shoes and could be carrying a new born baby down that?
Sorry but that does not sounds suitable accommodation. That's why holiday homes have to state if a place has steep staircases etc.

For heavens sake. Say no. Book a hotel and shorten the holiday.
Keep your baby safe.

If you are determined to go, it won't make that much of a dent in your already substantial savings. You already have so many misgivings about the cellar. Why put yourselves through that to save a bit of money. Getting used to a newborn is hard enough. It's your time to enjoy and get used to your baby.

The cellar is impractical for a newborn. I think you could end up regretting it if you stay there.
Also, its not like his selfish family give a crap about your comfort and being bottled up with them for a ridiculously long 11 days is nuts, you may be longing to escape for a bit, and therefore you might be a lot better off in a comfy hotel, getting what sleep and rest you can and breastfeeding in private.

So you've found 2 hotels: 1 for £650 (which for 11 nights is ridiculously cheap) that I presume is close by, and one for about £100 less that would involve a 2 hour round trip, plus the cost of transport?

Going for the cheaper hotel is definitely a false economy.

You're making an assumption what have you got to lose by DH asking his sister directly? It's nothing to do with MIL if they agree between them to swap

Or get him to talk to her like a normal person.

Get
Your
Husband
To
Text
His
Sister
And
Ask

I wouldn't go. Can your DH go on his own? None of them are making you and your baby welcome so I'm not sure why you are spending all this money to be really uncomfortable for 11 days, worrying whether your baby is warm enough and trying not to fall down a lot of steep stone or marble stairs. None of this sounds very Christmassy.

Take slippers and extra blankets. Unless the heated celler is excessively cold it will be absolutely fine.

Is there a compromise so you stay 1-2 nights at the house at the start and end, or just for a part of it ? Means you cut down on accommodation costs, particularly if you can avoid very expensive hotel nights, reduce transport times and costs for the time spent with relatives and have a good excuse to do your own thing on the other days.

So why do you keep bleating on about the cost?

Does the cellar have a window that would be accessible as a fire exit? If not I would not sleep down there and definitely not with a child. Such a room would not be building reg compliant in the UK for use as a bedroom. If a fire broke out above you would be trapped.

Aside from that I don't think it's a good idea for a baby to sleep in a cold damp room. And the slippery steep stairs (especially while carrying a baby) sound like a hazard.

I would push again for the upstairs bedroom and if the answer is still no them say you'll consider a hotel but I'd it's not affordable you won't be able to accompany DH and neither will baby.

I really don't think sleeping in the living room or a cold, damp cellar are viable options though.

I would just suck up the cost of somewhere else to stay for the visit, and if the family don't like it then tough. They aren't exactly making the OP and her family feel welcome.

@Cellarorhotel have you looked at Airbnb or other self catering options?

I’d stay in the cellar (as long as it isn’t mouldy) but have a refundable hotel booking for the last week or so of the stay. That way, you can go and try it out. If it’s horrid, you can always move to the hotel for the rest of your stay and you will only have a few nights to endure. If it’s fine, however, you can cancel the hotel booking and save yourself some £££.

I’d also recommend you bring 3x hot water bottles: one for each of you and one to pre-warm the baby’s bed during the evening to remove any chill (but remove it at least 15 mins before the baby goes to bed so it doesn’t overheat them). That’s what I used to do when visiting family who lived in a farmhouse - it was ALWAYS cold!

Cut it down to 3 days and book a hotel. The cost will be worth it to set up a new norm. Imagine you're doing this still in two years time and have a toddler bouncing around in the cellar for 11 days! No chance.

Let your DH go for the full 11 days if he wants. You just go for 3. When you've gone home he can move to the cellar 😃

Your DH says the cellar is heated, and has stayed there much more often than you have. It’s easy to keep a baby warm unless it’s way below a reasonable temperature in there - extra warm sleeping bags, blanket etc. Take warm slippers for you to wear if you generally go barefoot - that’s going to feel cold on stone floors.

I think the steep steps are more of an issue. I'd say we need that other room. Otherwise I'd go for just a few days and stay in a hotel.

Well if a nice hotel is £650 for 11 nights I'd pick that option, I was imaging it would be thousands.

Is it somewhere you can make the trip into a holiday and go for nice walks, beach etc? You don't have to spend all 11 days with family.

@Cellarorhotel I think book a hotel, do it soon as prices will go up. Try and get a flexible booking. Reward flights are also amendable for a fee so you could consider a shorter trio. I know it’s another dent to your savings but go this time in comfort with baby and enjoy having your own space to retreat to.

£650 for a hotel for 11 days is a good deal. If I was you and he £37k savings, I’d do that.

And in future I’d only go for a few days! You can’t be expected to use all your annual leave.

You would be mad to put a small baby in a cellar over Winter.i would just book the hotel. Also what kind of horrible people put a baby in a cellar and take the comfy rooms. Op do the hotel, 11 days with this family in one house sounds like hell. At least at the hotel you can even make up something to not see them all the time.

£650 for 11 nights in a hotel seems reasonable to me tbh. I wouldn't give it a second thought if I had £37k in savings.

Why you'd want your baby around an apparent alcoholic is a different matter.

You say that you would be happy to travel the hour by public transport, but how good/frequent/expensive is it? Would the £100 you'd save with the hotel in the other town be wiped out in travel (and what is your time worth)? Think about carrying the baby things, presents etc on the public transport (I know that you'll have already brought them by plane). All worth taking into consideration.

Get an Airbnb