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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think hotels and restaurant meals are not suitable for DC?

238 replies

FirstTimeLucky · 04/01/2018 21:12

Me, DH and our two DC, aged 5 and 3, are being forced to stay in a hotel for two nights with MIL, FIL and SIL for FIL’s milestone birthday. We are staying in a family room which MIL has booked. I have no desire to take all the chaos of Home and put us all in one room. On top of this, they have booked a 6.30pm meal for us all in the hotel restaurant. AIBU to think this is totally unsuitable for a 5 and 3 year old?? And then what will we do? Sit in the dark in our family room while they go to sleep? We’ve never stayed in a hotel with DC before. Added to this, neither DC are great sleepers and so will inevitably be difficult to get to sleep and up early. AIBU to really not want to go, or should we just suck it up for FIL’s bday?

OP posts:
Hullabaloo31 · 05/01/2018 16:02

Mine are just 6, and 2 and love staying in a hotel, particularly the novelty of the breakfast!

All sleeping together isn't ideal, but we usually turn the lights right down and read or play on the internet while they go off to sleep, then get a drink, watch something on the ipad with headphones etc and take advantage of an early night ourselves.

Staying in a hotel with grandparents/aunts/uncles/ and especially cousins just makes it even more exciting for them!

PrimalLass · 05/01/2018 16:04

Actually I lie. We did it a couple of other times with DS, as he slept like a log. But DD was/is such a light sleeper that just breathing heavily would wake her up. Not fun.

LEELULUMPKIN · 05/01/2018 16:07

Not read the whole thread but as someone who has carted DS all around the world since age 6months I am guessing that you really just don't want to go. If not, just say so. I don't like my IL's and stay away, DH & DS see them without me. You don't HAVE to do anything.

OuchLegoHurts · 05/01/2018 16:09

Where the hell is the OP?

Figgygal · 05/01/2018 16:11

Yes hotel rooms with 2 young ones is not fun for the adults but you are being a bit precious about it all

irregularegular · 05/01/2018 16:12

PrimalLass but you have done it. Twice. You tried it and it wasn't for you so you have chosen alternatives since. Very different from never having done it at all.

(and if your ILs wanted you to do it again for a night or two then maybe you would, to be nice, though not necessarily grateful!)

irregularegular · 05/01/2018 16:14

And having read your later post PrimalLass it seems it was more than twice actually!!

I prefer self catering with kids too, certainly if it is more than a couple of nights, but if it is a family event then I'll go along with it.

irregularegular · 05/01/2018 16:14

....and my eldest daughter was a god awful sleeper. One of the worst!

Oblomov18 · 05/01/2018 16:17

Vamoosh.
And the OP is gone.

PeapodBurgundy · 05/01/2018 16:17

I am also laughing at those incredibly privileged posters who assume that we're all swanning off to hotels with our babies and children from the moment they're born

We're far from 'privileged'. I'm a SAMP, DP earns 20p over minimum wage. We use offers/discounts/coupons/trade in loyelty points etc. It's a holiday for us, which we otherwise wouldn't get.

ToffeeUp · 05/01/2018 16:18

I can't see a problem at all, it all seems to be catered for the children. If you don't like the family room, why not change it to 2 adjoining rooms. At least you can keep the light on in one room.

irregularegular · 05/01/2018 16:21

I am also laughing at those incredibly privileged posters who assume that we're all swanning off to hotels with our babies and children from the moment they're born

Huh? An odd night here or there sharing a family room in a Premier Inn before they are 5 doesn't really equate to "incredibly privileged" does it?

zzzzz · 05/01/2018 16:21

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

EB123 · 05/01/2018 16:26

Our children have always come away and stayed in hotels with us.
We did a very similar stay with mil and fill plus other family members in a very naice hotel for a special birthday and it was great. The children (2 and 4 at the time) had a great time, ate everything put in front of them and stayed up with us in the evenings until 10-11pm.

Ellisandra · 05/01/2018 16:28

I'm really disappointed OP hasn't come back, cos I have no idea what the problem is!

Was the 18:30 dinner a typo?

ProfYaffle · 05/01/2018 16:32

Same as a million pp, our dc would stay up a bit past their bedtime, then we'd have lights off, telly on low, bottle of wine for dh and I. Everyone asleep by 10pm ish.

2 nights is the max I'd have us all in one room like that though, longer stays were always cottages/airbandb.

chicken2015 · 05/01/2018 16:39

Im reading this being amused as im sitting in hotel now as having mini break away with my husband and 1 year old daughter 😁, we are loving it we have brought some toys even thou they have toys here and she will eat whatever we have as we have done BLW its nice to get away and the hotel has beautiful grounds which we will explore after breakfast Tomorrow 😁

Mixedupmummy · 05/01/2018 16:57

I know I'm in the minority but I agree with the op. Taking small children out for dinner near their bed time and to a hotel/all staying in one room sounds like my idea of hell. I have 2 dc aged 5, 2 and one on the way. We have avoided doing this. I might consider doing it now with with the 5 year old but not with smaller ones.

Blondeshavemorefun · 05/01/2018 17:06

its two nights not forever and its a special birthday for inlaws

fwiw ilove a routine,dd has been in one since born,she has set sleep and meal times BUT will do them wherever

i taught her that,i didnt want her to only sleep at home in a cot in the dark

so yes we have stayed at hotels, gone abroad to tenerife for 10days and slept in our room

we have meals out in evening, dhr will join us/snack and fall asleep in the buggy

EvilDoctorHogmanayDuck · 05/01/2018 17:07

Mixedup DS2 (sometimes DD if she's at home) eat out late once a year, and have done since DD was born. I put them to bed an hour later the night before so they wake up later, give them a sandwich at their normal suppertime, we have dinner at 8 and get home at 11. No problem.

PrimalLass · 05/01/2018 17:07

And having read your later post PrimalLass it seems it was more than twice actually!!

Yes but only once with DD until she was 5. Plus DS, while a good sleeper, has a phobia of something very common in hotels and restaurants and that also makes these things v difficult.

My ILs were quite obsessed with hotel stays. That was lovely for them as it was perfect for their retirement but it really didn't work for us. A 'weekend away for a break' is not a break if it makes things worse for weeks afterwards.

It's like the long long all inclusive v self catering thread from the summer. Each side could just not understand the other's point.

PrimalLass · 05/01/2018 17:09

I was really very easy-osey about everything else. I just hated nights away. Now they are 9 and 12 and we jump at the chance, but I still don't like sharing with them.

Oly5 · 05/01/2018 17:14

My kids have stayed in hotels and stayed up “late” since they were born! A 6.30pm dinner is not late.
I think your in laws sound lovely.. and you sound hard work

PrimalLass · 05/01/2018 17:15

Im reading this being amused as im sitting in hotel now as having mini break away with my husband and 1 year old daughter

I might have been amused too when I only had one baby. It was child 2 that stopped us doing these things.

Barbie222 · 05/01/2018 17:16

It’s not really supposed to be a break for you though, is it? It’s supposed to be a way for you to attend a milestone birthday which it would not be appropriate for you to miss.

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