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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To book airport hotel for 0720 flight

91 replies

Twistertea · 26/03/2019 19:31

First world problems I know

2 DDs (4yo and 6mo) .. holiday booked but flight is at 0720- be at airport for 0520-

Airport an hour's drive from us... Then will need to factor in parking/transfer time.... So assuming would have to leave at 4am. Means getting DDs up at 3.45ish and straight into car...

Alternative is to book airport hotel which would save about an hour in bed so not getting them up until 430/445 but being in hotel could mean bedtime becomes later due to unfamiliar environment therefore losing sleep anyway.....

WWYD?

OP posts:
HappyDinosaur · 27/03/2019 07:12

I agree with @Destinesia book valet parking instead if you can. We travelled recently at a similar time with a 9 month old and it was so handy. I think staying at a hotel would be more faff overall; lugging the bags to and from cars, transfers, packing everything then unpacking bits for the night, finding something to eat etc.

spritesandunicorns · 27/03/2019 07:17

With 2 young dc we always book valet parking. Cheaper than a hotel and saves waiting for a transfer. Also at the end of holiday when you just want your car. We also book taxis sometimes if it’s long haul and cba to drive. I’d persobally go for one of those. Did a hotel once and we didn’t save as much time as we thought, wasn’t worth it for us.

sailorsdelight · 27/03/2019 07:20

Hotel! Unless your the type of family who can get up early with suitcases in the car the night before and out the door. We aren’t! Grumpy kids, last minute grabbing of tooth brushed, bits and bobs, did we turn the heat off? Did we lock the doors properly? Did we empty the bin?? The good thing about the hotel is all of that is done and it’s a LOT less stressful.

reluctantbrit · 27/03/2019 07:22

We did it several times, esp when DD was young. In some cases premier inn actually do a deal, 2 weeks parking plus night in the hotel for the same price as cab or just parking.

Make sure you also book valet parking, I found that such a relief of not dragging child. Buggy, car seat and suitcases from some remote car park to the terminal and back after arriving late in the evening.

DD is now 12 and we are booked to fly a similar early time later the year, I am still thinking to do this again I stead of getting out at ungodly o’clock.

shiveringtimber · 27/03/2019 07:22

Book a hotel near/at the airport. So worth it!

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/03/2019 07:23

I say no hotel. With the unpacking for a night, unfamiliar room/beds and general faff, it's not worth it.

shiveringtimber · 27/03/2019 07:23

Also, check in the night before.

Princessmushroom · 27/03/2019 07:25

Even if I fly in the afternoon I get the hotel. It’s so stressful

Crockof · 27/03/2019 07:31

Depends how your kids sleep in strange rooms.

shiveringtimber · 27/03/2019 07:33

As for "unpacking" in the hotel, it's totally unnecessary. All you need is a change of knickers, a toothbrush (and a teddy!)

Yogagirl123 · 27/03/2019 07:37

We take an similar time flight once a year, and have tried both options.

Personally, for us we prefer to say at home and leave early, as we sleep better, one airport hotel we booked before was noisy all night long, none of us got any sleep. Then it’s packing up again, toiletries, over night things etc.

Have a lovely holiday, whatever option you choose.

StarlightLady · 27/03/2019 07:38

Anything can go rong en route to the airport. Delays, holdups, l once had trouble locking the front door due to a lock jam as I was about to leave.

In my book it’s a no brainer. Hotel. Nice meal, a couple of glasses of wine and bed. Wake up and you are there.

Another time it might be worth weighing up to see whether there is a better timed flight which does not leave at silly o’clock in the morning so hotel is not in the equation. In real terms the cost difference (when factoring in the hotel) could be minimal.

Have a lovely holiday!

reluctantbrit · 27/03/2019 07:40

Not sure what people unpack? We take a small separate bag with pj, fresh underwear and top for the next day. Separate set of mini toiletteries, normally taken from the last hotel we stayed. All done. Luggage for the holiday stays intact.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/03/2019 07:43

As for "unpacking" in the hotel, it's totally unnecessary. All you need is a change of knickers, a toothbrush (and a teddy!)

Chargers, new clothes, toiletries, PJs, hairbrush, make up, flip flops (I'm a slob but hotel floors, yuk), all the stuff for the flight (that I put in my bag for the flight but not all the time), book, anything else...

Baxdream · 27/03/2019 07:44

We do this plus you can bag drop the night before so you only have carry on in the morning. Premier inn at Gatwick is ridiculously close too

CurlyWurlyTwirly · 27/03/2019 07:53

God definitely book a hotel.
You can check in online. Get yourself up and dressed. Wake the kids at about 5.30am and just drop off your bags.
No brainer

Acis · 27/03/2019 07:57

Gawd, who puts on make-up to get on a holiday flight at 7 a.m.?

maggienolia · 27/03/2019 07:57

Hotel every time.
One point - if you are bag dropping the night before may be worth checking that it is actually working before trekking to the terminal
(Bitter emoticon )

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/03/2019 08:00

@Acis you haven't seen my face without.

MrsTerryPratchett · 27/03/2019 08:01

At the very least moisturizer, which is a big tub therefore needing to be repacked.

ssd · 27/03/2019 08:01

We stayed in a hotel last year it was a nightmare, the room was too hot and the window hardly opened, no one slept well

Glittertwins · 27/03/2019 08:05

Hotel all the way, especially if also had long term parking as part of the deal.
The cost of the hotel room was not hugely different to the cost of long term parking. That, coupled with a Monday morning flight from Gatwick sealed it!

m0therofdragons · 27/03/2019 08:05

We've stopped doing this and instead book an airport transfer (posh taxi) to take us there and back at whatever time. So much easier imo. It's a 3hour drive for us so not cheap but comparable to a hotel and lovely being driven home after a flight.

Mummadeeze · 27/03/2019 08:06

I have done the hotel thing a couple of times for an early flight but I actually have decided I prefer to order a taxi on the morning and take a taxi home from the airport instead as it is still a bit cheaper than a hotel and it takes the stress out of each journey. I didn’t sleep too well either in the hotels so also felt like a bit of a waste of money.

postiepostie · 27/03/2019 08:06

Completely shocked at the amount of people who would book a hotel for this.

You'll be excited for holiday, the kids will be fine and an airport hotel is such a faff.

My kids absolutely love getting up and going to the airport in the night