Leaving kids in a hotel room, while we go to dinner.

[Confuzzeled]

We are going away for a night this weekend, it's a small hotel with 10 rooms. The dining room is on the ground floor and our room will be above it. The hotel owner tells us that the family room is close enough for monitors to work should we wish to use one.

Now I just don't know how I feel about leaving my 3.9 yo and a 16 mo in a hotel room while we jolly off downstairs for dinner, it doesn't seem right. DH likes the idea but I don't know if I'm being a paranoid mummy or not.

My parents think it's fine and told me they used to leave us in a room with the phone off the hook and every 15 mins they'd go and listen at the reception phone.

Has anyone else done this?

I personally couldn't do it. I'd rather have the kids eat with us, anything could happen. My first thought on reading the title was 'the Mcanns' too. I'd never have done it before that anyway as would have been too worried about something happening.

As someone who works in a hotel I would give you the following advice:

1. If you leave the room locked what happens if there is a fire - noone will be able to get to the children apart from you and if you cannot get up there for whatever reason noone from the hotel staff is allowed to attempt to rescue your children they have to wait for fire response.

1. If you leave the door unlocked ANYBODY can get into the room.

1. Even if you lock the room you'd be surprised who can get into the rooms - the opportunity to copy a master key is rife for numerous hotel staff even in the most conscientious of hotels - most people probably wouldn't leave your passport/laptop in the hotel room out of the safe as it may get nicked by staff yet people are happy to leave their kids in the room alone.

Sorry to be a bit melodramatic however I deal with parents bringing baby monitors down to dinner without thinking of the real consequences of doing so. They think that they can hear their child so their child is safe - this is far from the case.

Only came on to see how long it took till someone mentioned the McCanns.

Second reply. Is that a record?

Fwiw, I did it when DD was a baby and could not relax and enjoy my meal, but it does depend on the layout of the hotel.

I wouldn't do it. You are basically leaving your 3.9 child as the babysitter to the 16 month old. She might decide to get him up, dress him, wash him, take him to find you...
I would not find a slap up dinner very enjoyable if I was craning to listen to a monitor all the way through.
Get a babysitter or go for a child friendly weekend somewhere.

I realise that this thread is a few weeks out now, but I wonder if people would consider it if they had a video monitor and could see the child asleep in real-time, with sound as well?

This based on the concept that it's a small pub/inn style place, and not anywhere that would take more than 10-15 seconds to reach.

Not sure what I would do, but as video monitors are becoming more popular, I wondered if it would sway the argument...

I have done this, but when my kids were a bit older - 7 and 5. Mind you, they didn't get any sleep while we were out, just laid in their beds acting like they were having a giggly sleepover.

No, I would never, ever do this.

It has nothing to do with Maddie McCann. It is just a very stupid idea.

Either eat out with the kids, get a babysitter or get room service.

I meant to add that life is about risk and there doesn't seem like there is much risk in what you're proposing - there's not going to be a fire any more or less than there might be one at home. You have taken sensible precautions (ie you are staying in the same building and you have a baby monitor). Your case is nothing like the McCanns They left their kids and went half a block away for dinner and 'apparently' went back every half hour or so to check. You're going to be able to hear the kids the second they wake or are distressed. Just like at home.

I think people tend to do things on holiday that they wouldn't do at home.

If you were at home would you leave your children in doors and go eat dinner at a neighbours?