Hotel stay with a toddler

[Abouttimemum]

Hi!

DS is aged 2 and although we’ve stayed in hotels with him when he was a baby we’ve not since lockdown (Just cottage stays where he’s had his own room)

So essentially, any tips?
He’s a good sleeper, generally shattered by 7ish and up at 6.30. He likes it dark (we have a travel blackout) and he struggles with noise when he’s going to sleep.

He’s not your typical on the move sleeper and wouldn’t just fall asleep in the bed with us when he’s tired.

He’s still in a travel cot for info.

I wouldn’t be fussed about late nights / lie in etc for a couple of nights but it’s an active holiday so we’ll need to be up and out early and if he does go to bed late he’s usually still up at the same time, and he’ll have to nap on the move (so he’d have half an hour ish rather than up to 2 hours) and this will all add up to crankiness.

Basically, I’m keen for him to get a reasonable amount of sleep still. He’s adaptable of course but not massively, if you know what I mean!

DH said we just put him to bed as normal and wait until he’s gone to sleep before whacking the TV on (which would be fine once he’s off and would only take 15 mins) / reading etc, but I feel a bit weird lying on the bed in the dark like a couple of stiffs until he’s asleep 😂 is that normal? Plus I’d probably fall asleep ha.

Any tips most welcome!

For those leaving their kids alone in the room - just be aware if there's a fire you won't be allowed to go and get them.

@walkoflifewoohoo

Pmsl that the distance from restaurant to room at Wooley Grange is the same as being at home in the kitchen.

Nice hotels but ok love 😂

Err ok then

I'd be more concerned about what you do at 6.30am tbh. Breakfast can be from 8am onwards, leaving you a gap to fill without disturbing other guests.

@PineappleWilson

I'd be more concerned about what you do at 6.30am tbh. Breakfast can be from 8am onwards, leaving you a gap to fill without disturbing other guests.

Most hotels will do room service but if not, cup of tea in bed while reading story books/watching the iPad..?

The fire thing is an interesting point. I knew I would be aware of a fire and be able to get there fast but I did not expect they would actually stop you!

These days if we have to stay in a hotel we have early dinner all together and like pp I try to book a suite with separate bedroom so the baby can get some rest while DS, DH and I play games in the main room. Then DS has the sofa bed and DH and I sneak in to share with DD. (DC are 5 and 1).

But normally I book Airbnb with two bedrooms.

The fire thing is an interesting point. I knew I would be aware of a fire and be able to get there fast but I did not expect they would actually stop you!

Absolutely they would - and so they should.

Fire "policy" is generally to get people straight outside as soon as possible, and allowing guests to against the flow of traffic to go back into their rooms goes directly against that.

I once stayed in a hotel when the fire alarm went off. Staff immediately went to the stairs (lifts were out of action) and corridors towards the rooms and marshalled people out of the building - going back to your room was simply not an option.

Some people panicked and tried to go back (presumably to get things like phones, money, passports) and were told "no - you need to get outside now".

Of course, if it's safe, staff will go and check rooms and get people out if you tell them "x is missing and should be in room 10" but it would go against their evacuation policy to allow guests to go back inside towards the fire and smoke.

Is there a balcony or anything? Or could you put his travel cot in the bathroom then move it back into the room when you want to sleep.

Would hotel staff really stop you going back for kids if there was a fire? That's insane. I don't see how they'd actually stop people tbh. Passports and phones I understand but not kids!

@SW1amp what chain is this?

We’ve managed to get the travel cot in hotel bathrooms before so we can sit and watch tv in the room.

Would hotel staff really stop you going back for kids if there was a fire? That's insane. I don't see how they'd actually stop people tbh.

Of course they would. The only people permitted to roam around a building that is on fire, are the fire services. Any individual trying to go against the evacuation procedure puts far more lives at risk in the process.

Thanks everyone! These are great suggestions.

We do usually preference somewhere with 2 rooms but it just wasn’t possible for this one so we have to suck it up for a few days.

There’s no balcony which would have been ideal, but so far either we’ll take a bath and drink wine, or keep him up slightly later and have an early night ourselves as the days are going to be super busy anyway.

I’m not worried about him on the morning, he’s no bother and will probably do books or watch some tv / play with cars and we’ll be off for breakfast at 7.30 /8 anyway. We can always take him out for a walk if he’s chaotic or noisy.

We won’t be leaving him in the hotel room on his own. That’s not for us.

Thanks everyone!

We have sometimes gone to sit just outside our hotel room while the toddler goes to sleep - e.g. sometimes there is a small seating area on a landing or whatnot. Also recommend reading in bed on a tablet or Kindle with night light

Would hotel staff really stop you going back for kids if there was a fire? That's insane. I don't see how they'd actually stop people tbh. Passports and phones I understand but not kids!

Absolutely @Kinsters. It goes against every single evacuation process - you just cannot allow guests to venture further into a burning or smoke-filled building. It's not insane at all. If a hotel allows you to go back to your room and you subsequently get injured, they're at fault.

Hotels have to get everyone out as soon as possible. Allowing parents to faff around going back to their room goes directly agains that. It will trained staff who are allowed (if it's safe) to go inside and find your kids. You'd be made to wait outside.

Also, what if the fire breaks out in between the bar and the hotel room? You wouldn't physically be able to go back, even if staff allowed you to.

Also, what if the fire breaks out in between the bar and the hotel room? You wouldn't physically be able to go back, even if staff allowed you to.

But 'what if' a fire broke out between your kid's bedroom and your living room on a normal night sat at home?

There are many many more domestic house fires every year than hotel fires, so there is a statistically bigger risk of your child being in a fire at home than a hotel

There is a lot of whataboutery on this thread, based on an almost immeasurably small risk.
There is almost certainly a greater chance of a child dying on the journey to the hotel in a crash than from being in a room while the parents have a drink

If a fire broke out at home I would walk upstairs and get my child. There wouldnt be someone stopping me like there would be at a hotel.

Considering all the options and possibilities isnt always "whataboutery". Sometimes is due diligence.

The chance of it happening is minimal. The results however mean it's a no go for me.

Just get adjoining rooms

@mamaoffourdc

Just get adjoining rooms

How do you actually do this? I find it really hard to tell what hotels even have them and / or identity them when booking online.

Any tips welcome!

@BernadetteRostankowskiWolowitz

If a fire broke out at home I would walk upstairs and get my child. There wouldnt be someone stopping me like there would be at a hotel.

Considering all the options and possibilities isnt always "whataboutery". Sometimes is due diligence.

The chance of it happening is minimal. The results however mean it's a no go for me.

You'd walk through a fire? The same fire that would prevent someone walking through it if it happened in a hotel?

There is due diligence, and there is catastrophising. A lot of this thread has been straying into the latter

How do you actually do this? I find it really hard to tell what hotels even have them and / or identity them when booking online.

Any tips welcome!

Step 1: Find a hotel you like
Step 2: Phone hotel and ask if you can book 2 rooms with interconnecting doors

Given that there is nothing in my stairwell or upstairs hallway that could cause a fire, I'd be walking through smoke. Which, yes, I would do fo my child. The fire may be in their room. I woildnt leave them in it without at least trying

@sparechange

Also, what if the fire breaks out in between the bar and the hotel room? You wouldn't physically be able to go back, even if staff allowed you to.

But 'what if' a fire broke out between your kid's bedroom and your living room on a normal night sat at home?

There are many many more domestic house fires every year than hotel fires, so there is a statistically bigger risk of your child being in a fire at home than a hotel

There is a lot of whataboutery on this thread, based on an almost immeasurably small risk.
There is almost certainly a greater chance of a child dying on the journey to the hotel in a crash than from being in a room while the parents have a drink

You really cannot compare the two. Hotels are much more dangerous - mainly because there are far more people, and guests don't know the layout of a hotel like they do their own homes.

Also, in your home, you only have your family to worry about. In hotels, staff are in charge of potentially thousands of people.

Other things to think about:

• do you know the most direct route to the room that doesn't involve using the lifts?
• what would you do if that route was blocked due to smoke, fire or injury?
• walking back towards the fire or the danger is a hazard in itself - it's just not safe to have guests wandering around a hotel that's burning to the ground.
• hotel policy is to get you out ASAP. If there are children unattended, trained fire marshalls will be able to and get them (assuming it's safe) - if not, firemen will try and do it.

Yes, the risk is small but is it worth it? Not for me.

I've been in a hotel that caught on fire (luckily it was quickly contained) and staff were exceptionally professional and exceptionally strict on getting everyone out. Going back inside or upstairs just wasn't an option - guests were physically removed if necessary.

I don’t want to pay for 2 hotel rooms. One is expensive enough!

But yes nice if you can do it and would consider for a less expensive stay.

@SW1amp

How do you actually do this? I find it really hard to tell what hotels even have them and / or identity them when booking online.

Any tips welcome!

Step 1: Find a hotel you like
Step 2: Phone hotel and ask if you can book 2 rooms with interconnecting doors

Lol ok

Most hotels don't though, right?

@sparechange

Also, what if the fire breaks out in between the bar and the hotel room? You wouldn't physically be able to go back, even if staff allowed you to.

But 'what if' a fire broke out between your kid's bedroom and your living room on a normal night sat at home?

There are many many more domestic house fires every year than hotel fires, so there is a statistically bigger risk of your child being in a fire at home than a hotel

There is a lot of whataboutery on this thread, based on an almost immeasurably small risk.
There is almost certainly a greater chance of a child dying on the journey to the hotel in a crash than from being in a room while the parents have a drink

But it seems you're doing the whatabouttery. The distance between a living room and a bedroom is much smaller than a hotel bar and bedroom. There's also much more noise/atmosphere in a hotel than someone's house and there's no one in house that would usher you outside and prevent you going to a room.

In any case, it's up to every individual to risk assess about whether they're happy to leave their child in a room.

I would guess that every single purpose built chain hotel has interconnecting rooms
Ones converted from big old houses might do, or might not, so you would have to phone them
But anywhere I would want to stay with kids is somewhere that has 'family rooms' of some description. Either interconnecting, or a suite with a separate living area where they can put a travel cot

If the hotel has got zero family room provision, its almost certainly got zero family facilities provision, so is probably not somewhere to go for a holiday with DCs in tow

We used to make the DC nap in the day then all eat together and go to bed earlyish. We would get going early but maybe once a week let them have lie in. Balconies are good for a glass of wine while DC are sleeping.