Best type of accommodation with toddler and newborn?

[Chocolateheaven123]

DP and I were chatting earlier about going for a few days break next summer. We will have a 2.5 year old plus a new born/very young baby (I'm expecting second baby at end of November).

What would be better in these circumstances?
A caravan
Hotel
A resort such as Bluestone in Wales.

We haven't decided where yet, but somewhere near the seaside.

What do you think our best option is with two very young children?

Somewhere that you have two bedrooms and a living space and kitchenette. A hotel room is hell - you want to be able to put them to bed and have some adult time, plus one person gets up in the morning and entertains/feeds them while the other sleeps in peace.

Baby due end of May, not November

Im a bit confused about how you’re expecting it’s the end of this month yet are planning a holiday for next summer with a newborn... won’t your baby be 8-9 months by then?

Regardless, with 2 young kids I’d go for holiday cottage/apartment. So from your list Bluestone would fit the bill. That way you’ll have plenty of space, a kitchen to sort food (and bottles for baby if necessary) and crucially separate living space so you don’t have to sit in the dark after the children go to bed!

Ah x posted, May baby makes more sense! My advice would still be the same though

Josella, yeah total baby brain

That's my thoughts. We had to go away for a couple of nights with ILs for a gala thing earlier this year. Ended up me being stuck in a hotel room with a 12 month old and it was he'll. When he was sleeping, I had to order room service and eat in the dark. Not fun.

DP thinks a hotel would be better. Not sure why. I'll have to explain the logistics about a hotel room. I'd rather a more 'home' environment with young children so we can shut toddler away in a separate room when he's asleep.

I'll speak to DP again.

Hotels are hell with young children, as soon as they go to sleep you're stuck in the dark whispering and tiptoeing around. Plus the lack of space for play and general baby/toddler gubbins.

Cottage, flat, house, somewhere with a separate living space and kitchen.

There are some lovely holiday farms in Devon which are fully catered to children and babies, and not far from the sea.

Not an hotel room or caravan. Somewhere self catering with a kitchen and separate sleeping area(s).

A hotel room would be a living hell with a toddler and a newborn unless you’re able to afford a penthouse suite

Rosie, Devon is top of our list for 2020. Can't go next year as we live in Wales so too far to have a newborn in the car (baby will only be approx 6-10 weeks old) bit good to know for future reference 👍

We recently stayed in both an apartment & a hotel when dd was a few months old and the apartment was the better option by far. We had our own kitchen & lounge we could use when dd went to bed & had much more space for the million unneccesary things you take when travelling with a newborn

Okay this is probably a stupid question but when I've had a quick look at caravans, some are advertised to hire as being 2/3 bedroom. Are they actually seperate bedrooms and is it more likely to just have 2 beds in the main room? Pics don't really show, and we never did caravan holidays as a child so I've no idea.

Yeah if advertising 2 bedrooms it should have 2 separate bedrooms. Holiday lodges are also a good option, we went in a group of 10 to one a few years ago and it was gorgeous and had absolutely everything we needed in it. The one we went to was in Scotland so too far for you with a newborn but I'm sure there will be lovely ones near to you too

Check your travel cot for the baby will fit in the caravan bedroom if you go that route!

Airbnb has some great options if you look for Whole house as a filter. We even found one that normally had 2 kids living there so had toys, kids steps, high chair etc it was amazing!

Definitely not a hotel. Cottage style accommodation best. We have mainly used Airbnb when away with ours.

If you are in Wales check out swallow tree in Saundersfoot. The pine lodges there are amazing.

Another vote for cottage or Airbnb. Caravan will be cold and unless it's huge, very close quarters, and a resort/hotel has all the problems you now already know about!
We now have 4dcs and do Airbnb, only book places with a dishwasher and washing machine, and come with some dishwasher powder, some washing liquid and organise an online shopping delivery to arrive soon after we do. Or otherwise we go the full opposite and camping can be fun... But nowhere in between, because that's just like home but with fewer conveniences.

I wouldn't do a hotel, being in a room with a toddler and baby of unknown temperament is asking for trouble. Caravan... well unknown baby again. I dont know bluestone though.

Somewhere with access to a washing machine and a place to escape/enjoy time yourself is essential.

We did a caravan in tenby and cornwall (haven) when ours were younger. My son had his own room and the baby slept with us in the Moses basket, the only problem is we woke him when we went to bed but he was a bit older, with a newborn you can time it with a feed maybe so you get some sleep (hopefully lol)

We went to Bluestone with a 3 year old and a baby - hands down the best holiday we've had with the children, it was so relaxed. I actually cried when we left .

Anywhere you can go where you have your own kitchen and some living space, a swimming pool and some nice activities for your older one will make for a lovely holiday.

Also the caravan ones usually tell you 2/3 bedrooms sleeps 6/8 

Having done hotel & resort & relatives with a (quite) tiny baby, definitely resort. Bluestone would be fab - proper bedroom to put toddler into for bedtime & you can shut door, space to cook/prepare bottles if you need to, a comfy sitting area. I wouldn’t dream of a caravan with a tiny baby AND a toddler - and I speak as someone who camps a lot! Just no space in a caravan and no privacy- think you’d wake the 2.5 year old and wouldn’t fit a lot of the baby stuff in. Hotel was do-able but we only had the 6 week old with us. My brother & sister in law found themselves hiding from their 4 & 2 yr old in the hotel bathroom with the lights off to try to get them to sleep...it didn’t work and they just had no space and grumpy children.
Bluestone sounds a great idea!

Hotel all the way for me. I hate self catering - I do that for the other 51 weeks of the year! Just make sure it's a decent size room (sizes are usually on the website), or a two room suite (holiday inn and Hilton have them as we've stayed in them). Kids usually eat free at the big hotels and someone cleans up after you each day. We did a 2500 mile road trip with a 5 month old and a 2 year old - they are so adaptable at that age, hoteliers were all so helpful too (I love independent family run motels best), finding milk if there wasn't a shop locally etc.

Ps we did a mini road trip when dd2 was 4 weeks, only 600 miles - don't worry!