To want a UK hotel room which sleeps a family of five

[Dishwashersaurous]

So, thinking about having a break in another UK city for a couple of days over half term just to have a break.

We're a family of five, three children primary age.

I envisaged a hotel room with two double beds, like those you get in US motels. Kids more than happy to share a bed.

We've only camped or cottages in UK before.

Now, despite searching and searching it seems that it is impossible to get a hotel room to sleep five. Which means two rooms, which obviously is much more expensive, when literally going to just be sleeping. We all happily sleep in one room in a tent.

So, good people of mumsnet, AIBU to hope someone can help me find a hotel room which sleeps five. Or don't they exist

The Ickworth in Suffolk will also accommodate 5 in one room by adding additional beds to their larger rooms.

@OliviaBond would you share the place you stayed near the Harry Potter studio?

This is from the IHG website for the voco hotel mentioned. You can search on there by area for where has rooms for 5 and the group has loads of chains

Have you phoned up any hotels to ask or are you just trying to book online?

I work as a receptionist in a small hotel and there's a couple of rooms that would fit a family of 5, we'd just need to know in advance so we could pop a cot/z-bed in there for the third child. Depending on hotel policy there may be a small extra charge for it.

If you phone the hotel up directly and get them to make the booking for you the receptionist should be able to override any messages that come up about exceeding the maximum occupancy

How about somewhere like this?
www.pgl.co.uk/en-gb/family-adventures/centres/barton-hall?utm_source=website&utm_medium=banner&utm_campaign=FA_englishriviera_barton

Marriot hotels will give you a second room half price if
Booking with kids so that could work
All merlin hotels (legoland, chessington, Alton towers) have five bed rooms

[quote Notoironing]@OliviaBond would you share the place you stayed near the Harry Potter studio?[/quote]
It was this one. It's only 3 star and the bathroom had a leak when we were there, but the room was nice, toasty and warm and breakfast was fine. It was just so relaxing to all be in one room so everyone actually slept!

We stayed in one room in the Celtic Manor before Christmas. We are a family of 5. Room had 2 double beds and a sofa bed. Nice big room too. It’s a resort hotel, so a fair few things to do onsite and nearby, facilitated by the hotel. It’s not cheap, but a lovely treat.

We have found the same issues, can really be a struggle to find somewhere. Reading some of the suggestions and hopefully can find something for when the weather's better. Thanks all

Mount Stuart hotel Bournemouth. Stayed in their family room Sept 2021, booked a room for 4 , there was a double, bunk beds and a single. En-suite bathroom, living room and good breakfast. Lots to do in the area.

Marriott hotels have large rooms with two double beds. I'd search to see if there's one in the city you'd like to go to, then contact them directly to book. You'll probably have more look that way than any online system.

Unlikely as it might be that all occupants were rendered unconscious in a serious fire, rescue services would only look for the number listed. An extra child hiding under the bed or the duvet in fear could very easily be missed in chaos

No they wouldn't , they would search each room properly regardless of stated occupancy until they were happy it was clear. It makes sense to search only the rooms booked out.

What about bed and breakfasts? When I was growing up we always stayed in places that had a double and some rooms had 3 additional beds. Disclaimer, this was about 25 years ago.

Also check out Alistair Sawdays special places. He has all sorts on there.

We are 2 adults and 3 primary aged DC

We have stayed in the yha in Ambleside, Lake District - we book the dorm and a hostel near the Seal Sanctusry in Cornwall, again booked the whole dorm.

I haven’t read through, but we’ve stayed at the Faviere Guest house in Stratford upon avon a few times. They have a family room for 5. Its lovely

In London. meiningerhydepark.en-london.com/en/

Of course firemen wouldn't just look for the number of people listed on the booking. Many people make a single booking & go out ending up bringing someone back - very common.

Also, how would reception "know" you've snuck in a child. I very much doubt they can even remember who you are, how many rooms you booked and so on. Further to this, people are allowed to visit your hotel room so whose to say whether they're just popping up for a cup of tea before going back out or staying in for the night ? No one.

When my kids were small we used to phone hotels and ask if we could fit the 5 of us in. It had a reasonable, though not 100%, success rate - both with premier inns and independent hotels. You had to phone them though, as websites would never let you book with 3 kids.

Nowadays we have to pay for two rooms, and generally need a family room and a double. Like everything with 3 teenagers, it's expensive!

Thanks helpful links.

Have you looked at stay play explore deals? They are 4* hotels in Leicestershire or Warwickshire and the desk is for up to a family of 5.
www.stayplayexplore.co.uk/Leicestershire/

It's very dangerous to sneak a child in as hotels know who's in the room and the event of a fire will not search for the sneaked in child. It's hard to find a room for five. My sister does two rooms

Deal not desk

I’d also recommend the YHA you can book a 6 person room with en-suite shower room. Losehill Hall in the Peak District is fab.

We arrived one day earlier to our holiday by mistake and stayed in a "moon hotel" (can't remember the proper name, that's what DD calls it, you know which one)

Oldest kids is 5 and it was a double room with double beds. It was fine. The littlest one was still 10 months so she slept with us but they could fit all together in the double this next summer