Would you book a hotel in my shoes?

[FettleOfKish]

To cut a long story fairly short, our home was badly damaged in Storm Ciaran in 2023 to the extent that we had to move out for a year while it was basically rebuilt from the floorboards up. At the time I was quite stoic but I think it’s left some lasting trauma as I feel very anxious in extreme weather.

Although it’s now on the market we’re currently back in the same top floor, top of hill, coastal apartment and now with toddler DS.

We’re expecting another storm tomorrow night, hopefully not to the same level but there are weather warnings and could be winds of 90mph+

I’m considering booking a local hotel for me & DS (DH would stay home in case there is any damage and to be with the cat). One hotel has rooms that only look onto an internal atrium so no external windows, another is a new build in the centre of town so not exposed to the coast.

Part of me wants to just do it and part of me thinks I’m being a wimp as we now have a brand new roof with a 25 year guarantee, but it’s the noise of the wind that makes me really stressed. I know I’ll feel silly if it’s not as bad as some models suggest it might be but at the same time I’m dreading the thought of being in this flat with the wind howling round us again.

WWYD?

That sounds awful. Spend your money on counselling.

I would book a hotel, it will give you peace of mind. If you weren’t selling then I would suggest just staying at home as you need work through the fear.

Yeah, I’d do it.

Are you in the amber zone for wind?

I’d do it. I know how you feel, we had a huge hole torn in our roof above our bedroom in that storm, luckily we were away at the time. Since then I need white noise or earplugs to sleep every time it’s windy.

I live in Ireland in a coastal area off the Atlantic Ocean so I fully appreciate your hatred of wild windy weather and the constant risk of property damage. It’s the noise that bothers me the most.

We live in a modern house with triple glazing so I think that helps a bit. However, at night I wear those wax type ear plugs in bed so I can get some sleep. Obviously, you can’t really do that when you’re keeping an ear out for your toddler.

I think in your shoes, I’d go to the hotel this time so you can get some decent rest but it might also be worth looking into hypnosis in the future to help you feel less anxious when there’s a bad storm.

After all, your fear won’t actually change the outcome and if you don’t deal with your fear, you’re always going to feel anxious during stormy weather, wherever you live.

Oh goodness absolutely.

we had a power cut again on Saturday for no weather reason, just a silly pheasant shooter.

anyway, I was panic attack stage. DH couldn't believe the state of me.

when storm Arwen hit, we had no power for 16 days, and at that point I had four under 4, including a newborn.

the damage, destruction and sheer fear broke me.

i remember the Scottish Power lady calling on the old plug in landline (they have now cut this off) every few hours because she was so worried about me.

Prior to that I have lived through many a storm and power cut but Arwen caused so much damage I will never forget it. It was four days before I could even open the door. No water. Nothing.

Our rented wee cottage was ok in the end but the fear has never left.

go to a hotel, keep safe and look after yourself and your baby.

Go to the hotel. We lived in a rented flat and returned home to find 3 fire engines in the car park, and the whole building smelling of smoke. They couldn’t find the start, but thought kids had probably put lit paper in a hole from a missing brick, or something. So they left.

I couldn’t have slept with my toddler at home, so we went to a hotel and came back the next day.

Worth every penny for the peace of mind.

Thank you for the kind responses. Honestly my heart has been racing this evening just checking the weather updates.

I think largely it’s something I can live with, when we moved out we rented a ground floor apartment and I felt safe there even when we had a couple of howling storms, so we will definitely be factoring that into our next purchase. I’ll never live on the top floor again, or exposed to the coast despite how nice the views are.

@NeedForSpeedyGonzalesWe’re in Jersey.

I have very tall trees in my garden and hate the noise when it's very windy and find it impossible to sleep.

If there is an amber or red warning for wind( as there was in December 2024) I book myself into the local Premier Inn, last year I stayed 3 or 4 times. It means I can sleep and if a tree should fall I won't be there.

I say book the hotel.

Would you spend all the time in the hotel worrying about what's happening at home? I think that would be worse than being at home

I think I’ll be ok. I don’t really think anything will happen at home now it’s all been renovated with a new roof but I’m worried about being taken back to the night it did. DH will keep in regular touch anyway, and can sleep through anything (he slept through storm ciaran until the point that I woke him up because I was terrified).

I’ve booked us into a new hotel in town, sheltered with higher buildings all around, and we’ll go straight after work/nursery and hide out there until lunchtime Friday when DH finishes work. Hopefully I’ll get a room with a bath and can try and relax with my book and a glass of wine once DS is asleep.

Updating to say that encouraged by you, I made the right choice. DS and I are holed up in a solid sheltered building with triple glazing, and it’s still a bit scary. DH is at home and is glad that we’re not there, he just sent a video of the fern on the shelf in our lounge shaking as the building shakes. I don’t think I’ll be getting an awful lot of sleep, no chance I can drift off yet but DS has peacefully snoozing with white noise on since 8 so will no doubt have me up with the larks! No work, no nursery and no plans tomorrow though.