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Original poster

Does booking an adult only hotel make me a 'child hater'? I don't think so?

85 replies

RockingMyFiftiesNot · 26/03/2022 18:36

DH and I have booked a hotel, chosen only based on location and facilities. Just so happens it's an adult only hotel, which I only noticed after we had booked. I was telling a friend today about it and said that it was an added bonus that it is adults only. Now I love children, have several of my own, all adults and an like point forward to the day when we have family holidays which include grandchildren. . But my friend was horrified that I found child free hotels a bonus, she didn't have me down as a 'child hater' (her words). I am far from a child hater, didn't book the hotel because it was adults only, but actually think it will be quite nice sitting around the pool/going to breakfast without pre-schoolers around. Our conversation moved on but she kept coming back to her being horrified that I found child free a bonus. (She has adult children, no grandchildren yet either, same as us).
Not sure what I want out of this thread other than to help me process her reaction. I don't think I'm a bad person for thinking that child free hotels is a bonus? Or am I?

OP posts:
Iamkmackered1979 · 26/03/2022 19:13

I’d wonder about the thinking of someone who thought like that. I have 4 kids and a few years ago my 3 youngest were away with their dad and partner and I went to Mexico for a week. I work with kids and having 4 is full on so we chose child free. Was amazing I loved it.
Children are great but adults are allowed to have time without them. Enjoy your hols op

Movinghouseatlast · 26/03/2022 19:13

She sounds like a knob.

Why would anyone want noisy kids around if you haven't got small children yourself?

lunar1 · 26/03/2022 19:16

If I was going away without my children I would book child free hotels. Why on earth would I want to listen to other peoples!

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Holidays
Aroundtheworldin80moves · 26/03/2022 19:17

DH and I once had a weekend away and were upgraded to the sister adult only hotel. It was a completely different environment... drinks served in glasses around the pool, you ordered specific food not buffet, quieter. We enjoyed it. And had lovely photo updates from grandparents of the fun they were having with DDs, then aged 3&5.
Weve also stayed in an adult only camping field that didn't allow children for safety reasons (I.e. the 10ft vertical drop into the river metres from the tents).
We love our kids, and our nieces, nephews and godchildren. We both volunteer with youth groups. We also like peace and quiet sometimes.

Enjoy your trip.

Original poster
RockingMyFiftiesNot · 26/03/2022 19:18

DH and I have just been discussing this. He's as surprised as I am at friend's reaction as neither of us would have expected it from her. We were saying we've had some lovely moments with children when we've holidayed without ours (we helped a child learn to swim, and we had children sit with us for breakfast as it was their parents' anniversary so gave them a break.) But we've also had some less than pleasant experiences, so will be interesting to see whether we miss the lovely side of having children around or appreciate the less pleasant side.

OP posts:
Eastie77Returns · 26/03/2022 19:18

Mine are 6 & 8 and I would love to stay in a child free hotel. I can’t wait until they are older and I can go on a break without themGrin or with them when they are adults.

We stayed in a very expensive resort when they were 1 & 3 (waste of money as you can’t enjoy a lot of the nice high end hotel experiences when you have two fractious kids but you live and learn) and it had one child free area called the ‘Oasis’ with a bar, restaurant and relaxing pool. I left DP with the kids one evening and went for a drink only to find a couple of families had brought their noisy children into the area. People complained and the parents protested loudly when asked to leave, calling the staff and other guests child hatersHmm

hellcatspangle · 26/03/2022 19:20

We booked an adult only hotel once....it was full of OAPs and they were more of a PITA than kids. DH had to go and tell them off for making a racket outside our hotel room at 2am 😂

elenacampana · 26/03/2022 19:20

She probably thinks child free weddings are a crime as well!

Nothing wrong with it. I love my kid and my sister’s kids, choose to spend a massive amount of time with them all… but it’s fine to love adult only stuff too. I know I do!

InTheNightWeWillWish · 26/03/2022 19:23

Our hotel for our honeymoon was adults only. It was a few days in to the honeymoon and we were sat by the pool and trying to work out why it was so lovely (beyond the obvious), then it hit us… no kids!

I have a 4 month old baby so clearly not a child hater. This next stage of my life will be about child friendly hotels, noise and chaos. There will come a point though that we go back to childfree places. We just enjoy phase as we’re in it.

Violinist64 · 26/03/2022 19:26

I love children and work as a private music teacher but now our own children have grown up we deliberately choose to have our holiday in the first week of September. We also prefer to stay in establishments that cater more for adults than families. It has nothing to do with disliking children but it is lovely to have a quiet adult time. I hope you have a lovely holiday.

ClariceQuiff · 26/03/2022 19:32

I've chosen an adult-only life but I don't 'hate' children.

Russell19 · 26/03/2022 19:35

Before I had dc, me and dh would only choose adult only. I have no shame in this.

LowlandLucky · 26/03/2022 19:42

Spent years working in EY, now that my children are adults i only ever book child free hotels unless of course the grandchildren in tow.

Waxonwaxoff0 · 26/03/2022 19:58

YANBU. I've got an 8yo and I dream of the days when I can go to adult only hotels again!

LaraDeSalle · 26/03/2022 20:04

I loved the sound of my own children when they were young but couldn’t stand to hear other children and even more so now that my children are adults.

We walked past a pub garden earlier and the sight of children laughing and playing and climbing on a frame was lovely but the noise they made, the shrieking and yelling was not what I enjoy hearing if we want to sit outside and relax.

Child free hotels are great.

cansu · 26/03/2022 20:07

She is clearly jealous. I once had a holiday in an adults only holiday complex. It was bliss around the pool so calm and relaxing.

vickyc90 · 26/03/2022 21:04

[quote mdh2020]I like an adult only hotel because I worry about other people’s children when they are ignoring them. For example -
Three year olds playing on their own in the foyer when the hotel opens onto the street
Children unsupervised in the pool in the dark
Young children sent off to the play scheme after dinner on their own.
Also, why do people think it is alright for their children to play football in the dining room or run round the nightclub at 10.00pm?[/quote]
Can agree with most of them but I don't mind kids in the nightclub it's not like it pacchas closing party!

As a parent I have no problem with adult only hotels. What drives me bonkers is when something is marketed as a family hotel then you arrive and kids can't go to XYZ! To me it's family friendly or adults only not adults sections to a holiday village etc.

Luredbyapomegranate · 26/03/2022 21:05

She’s a looper

Herejustforthisone · 27/03/2022 08:29

Well isn’t your friend a drama Queen? Child hater?! Christ on a bike. Hmm

I don’t mind kids. Like them, almost. I even have one of my own. He’s pretty swell. But other people’s kids? Naaaaah. You’re alright mate.

sueelleker · 27/03/2022 09:03

My SIL was a primary school teacher-by holiday time the last thing she wanted was kids around her.

bellac11 · 27/03/2022 09:06

Given the choice I would book adult only everything.

She sounds like she has 'issues'

Woeismethischristmas · 27/03/2022 09:12

I think it sounds lovely and I like children. More grown up choices at the buffet, a general lack of screeching round the pool.

HardyBuckette · 27/03/2022 09:16

Hotel sounds fine.

Lulu1919 · 27/03/2022 09:20

I have two now adult children
I work in a school so can only do school holiday holidays...
ALWAYS go adult only !!!!!!

KimWexlersPonyTail · 27/03/2022 09:24

I have noticed an adults only caravan park on the coast in this country, when I first saw it I thought it was for swingers! Looks great though, so peaceful.

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