To not get where everyone sleeps on a package holiday hotel family room?

[FlexibleWorkingDenied]

What with Covid, I’m just now tentatively looking at holidays abroad and we are now a family of 4. We’ve done holidays as a couple and then with one toddler who slept in a travel cot in same room but we now have us, DD1 who will be 7 and DD2 who will be 18 months. The 18 month old will sleep in a travel cot, but where does the 7 year old sleep?! We’ve stayed in premier inn in the U.K. where we had a family took which had a double bed, a single bed and a travel cot so I was expecting similar (I didn’t dare to dream that separate bedrooms would be an option ). We are happy to all sleep in the same room. But what’s coming up on my searches on sites like Tui and Jet2holidays is either a hotel room or studio or one bed apartment which have either a double bed or two single (twin) beds. In the studio or one bedroom apartment type ones; I have an inkling that the couch converts to a bed? (But can’t find any actual photos of the couches as beds) So do the adults sleep there after putting the kids to bed in the bedroom (less comfortable?!) or does the kid sleep there and everyone goes to bed at same time/adults hang out in bedroom after kid asleep on couch? All these hotels are billed as “family choice” and “family friendly” and have kids pools etc and the rooms come up as “family room”.
Any experience and insight welcome!

In a one bedroom apartment the couch/couches will almost always convert to single beds and the idea is that the kids sleep there (they're sometimes not full size singles).

Otherwise some hotel family rooms have 2 double beds in the one room, but these are less likely to also have space for a travel cot.

Some family rooms have a double bed and either a single or double sofa bed that folds out. These are also less likely to also have space for a cot.

We're going away this year to a one bed apartment. 2 adults, 5yo and 1yo.
Toddler will be in a travel cot and 5yo on couch which pulls down as a bed.
We just let the kids stay up late on holidays, we don't go back to our room until between 10pm and midnight. Toddler can sleep in his buggy and 5yo will be fine. They go to bed at 7pm the ret of the year.
If they seem particularly tired one day then we'll stay in that night and they can have an early night. We'll just put them to bed in the bedroom then move 5yo out when it's time for us to go to bed or dh will sleep on couch and I'll sleep with the kids.

@shouldistop

We're going away this year to a one bed apartment. 2 adults, 5yo and 1yo. Toddler will be in a travel cot and 5yo on couch which pulls down as a bed. We just let the kids stay up late on holidays, we don't go back to our room until between 10pm and midnight. Toddler can sleep in his buggy and 5yo will be fine. They go to bed at 7pm the ret of the year. If they seem particularly tired one day then we'll stay in that night and they can have an early night. We'll just put them to bed in the bedroom then move 5yo out when it's time for us to go to bed or dh will sleep on couch and I'll sleep with the kids.

That sounds like a good option and similar set up to what we’ll need! Should I assume that couches in one bed apartments always pull out to a bed, or would I need to look for it specifically being mentioned? What area are you going to, just out of interest? (Don’t have to share specific hotel… but if you want to I’m all ears!). I’m looking At Tenerife and Gran Canaria. Keen to get away while DD2 is still under 2 for the infant prices!

We had an apartment style room, picked ground floor as it had swim up room and terrace.

So we put kids to sleep in thr lounge area, then we could get out through our bedroom onto patio, so with baby monitors we could continue our evening.

We went with friends and had the rokms next to eachother

When we have had similar holidays we have booked junior suites or one bedroom apartments and the kids sleep on the sofa bed in the living room area and we sleep in the bedroom. But, we don't put our kids to bed at a normal time when we're on holiday, we usually go out for a walk around the resort or town in the evenings after dinner and they go to bed when we get back( say around 10). When the youngest was a toddler she just fell asleep in the buggy when we were out and I'd put her in the bed when we got back (you can ask room service to set the bed up when you're out for dinner). We then sit out on the balcony or in the bedroom if we want to watch tv.

I know lots of people like to keep to their usual routine on holiday though, so I guess in that case you just have to accept you'll be sat on the balcony or in bed for a good few hours!

I'd assume it converts into a bed if they're saying the room is suitable for 4.

We're going here, we've booked the superior 1 bed apartment just for a bit more space.

https://www.jet2holidays.com/balearics/majorca/cala-dor/cala-dor-playa-apartments

So excited as our last 2 abroad holidays were cancelled

Just seen you're looking at Gran Canaria, we've stayed at the Lopesan Baobab three times with kids and loved it. The standard rooms there also have large doubles and a sofa bed in them so you could just all be in one room. That only works well if your kids are going to bed late though.

@givememarmite

When we have had similar holidays we have booked junior suites or one bedroom apartments and the kids sleep on the sofa bed in the living room area and we sleep in the bedroom. But, we don't put our kids to bed at a normal time when we're on holiday, we usually go out for a walk around the resort or town in the evenings after dinner and they go to bed when we get back( say around 10). When the youngest was a toddler she just fell asleep in the buggy when we were out and I'd put her in the bed when we got back (you can ask room service to set the bed up when you're out for dinner). We then sit out on the balcony or in the bedroom if we want to watch tv.

I know lots of people like to keep to their usual routine on holiday though, so I guess in that case you just have to accept you'll be sat on the balcony or in bed for a good few hours!

Happy to mix up the routine on holiday. Have been away many times with older DD when she was baby/toddler, and many happy memories of all having a siesta together in the afternoon then her staying up til 10pm and beyond enjoying the atmosphere etc. Happy to do that now she’s 7yo too and with now DD2 but couldn’t find where she would physically sleep! The photos all show either a double or two singles (for me and DP) and then there’d be a travel cot but I couldn’t work out where DD1 would be! Would you say it’s pretty much a given that the couch will pull out to a bed everywhere? As I haven’t seen it mentioned or photos of it included.

I've stayed in the same place 4 times with dd because the apartment had access to the balcony via the bedroom. Kids stay up later on holiday so we would put her to bed between 9-10 put drinks/snacks in our room then relax on the balcony. It worked well for us.

@givememarmite

Just seen you're looking at Gran Canaria, we've stayed at the Lopesan Baobab three times with kids and loved it. The standard rooms there also have large doubles and a sofa bed in them so you could just all be in one room. That only works well if your kids are going to bed late though.

I’m only really looking at Gran Canaria as it came up in my searches with a few options that looked good, I’ve never been there before and I know Tenerife better and have been to mainland Spain too. Happy to look at Balaerics too so will check it out!

If your searching with the correct amount of people then it will only offer rooms that suit so yes the couch will become a bed.
Most say how many they sleep in the room info, usually say sleeps 2-3 or 2-4 or 2 plus child etc. You don’t need to count the travel cot in that number unless they are 3.

This is the reason I don't like holidays , you are either all squashed in one room or you have to pay twice for two .
Weird when you pay to stay in such cramped conditions especially when our house is big and everyone has their own space . I wish they would make more rooms with desperate bedrooms . Some of the rooms are so tiny and children have to sleep on uncomfortable sofas ! 🙄

@givememarmite
Ooh both of those, the one in Gran Canaria and the one you’re going to in Majorca are both lovely! There’s just so much choice, my head is spinning with it all! DD2 is currently 10mo and I go back to work from mat leave next month so I really want something to look forward to for the summer

@gunnersgold

This is the reason I don't like holidays , you are either all squashed in one room or you have to pay twice for two . Weird when you pay to stay in such cramped conditions especially when our house is big and everyone has their own space . I wish they would make more rooms with desperate bedrooms . Some of the rooms are so tiny and children have to sleep on uncomfortable sofas ! 🙄

That’s what I think about holidays here in the U.K… you’re paying to stay somewhere that is basically worse than your own house with the same weather. The big draw with going abroad is the weather and the pools/beach so I can just about tolerate the cramped room for that… well this would be our first time as a family of 4 so I’ll get back to you afterwards

Surely though you're including your kids in the numbers when searching? So the rooms will be plenty big enough with a sleep space for everyone

Kids sleep on the sofa which often doubles up as a single bed.
In some places this is all in one room and others they're in the living room area.

When we've dint this type of holiday we've all stayed up until the end of the entertainment (which is always family friendly) then all gone to bed at the same time.

I'd highly recommend TUI blue/family life resorts

@gunnersgold

This is the reason I don't like holidays , you are either all squashed in one room or you have to pay twice for two . Weird when you pay to stay in such cramped conditions especially when our house is big and everyone has their own space . I wish they would make more rooms with desperate bedrooms . Some of the rooms are so tiny and children have to sleep on uncomfortable sofas ! 🙄

Weather, pools, beach, different culture, food........ It's worth it.

@Lazypuppy

We had an apartment style room, picked ground floor as it had swim up room and terrace.

So we put kids to sleep in thr lounge area, then we could get out through our bedroom onto patio, so with baby monitors we could continue our evening.

We went with friends and had the rokms next to eachother

I specifically never choose a room with a swim up pool- young child wander around. Ground floor also makes me uneasy. www.google.co.uk/amp/s/news.sky.com/story/amp/boy-5-dies-during-family-holiday-on-greek-island-of-kos-11744169

I remember this story as we were holidaying at the sister hotel in Rhodes that time.

When we go abroad, we never actually use the living room, we always sit on the balcony or terrace in the evening so if you were putting DC to bed and staying up afterwards, you could use the sofa bed for DC and just leave it made up as their bed and sit outside (I always check the photographs and description before booking to make sure a decent sized outside space is included).

If you want them to have their own proper bedroom, you either want a larger hotel room or an apartment or small villa. With hotels, this could put the cost up substantially if you want two rooms and AI for example.

Or you could self cater and eat out/have easy food.

I think if you look at the filter options in Jet2 holidays, you might be able to select a larger room/suite with 2 proper bedrooms if that's what you want.

And not all rooms are cramped! We've stayed in some very spacious rooms/apartments at TUI resorts.

@givememarmite

Just seen you're looking at Gran Canaria, we've stayed at the Lopesan Baobab three times with kids and loved it. The standard rooms there also have large doubles and a sofa bed in them so you could just all be in one room. That only works well if your kids are going to bed late though.

Literally coming to say Baobab. Stayed there 5 times... Amazing, swim up rooms etc and loads of room in bedrooms!

@ThatDreamSheep Boabab looks amazing! Might have to book for next year so I’ve longer to spread out the monthly payments Damn, DD2 will be 2yo by then so cost even more! These kids, eh!

We either choose somewhere with 2 bedrooms or pay extra for two joining rooms. We have once done a one bed room so DH and I on the sofa and kids in the bedroom.

We have just booked inter connecting rooms, we will leave the door open at all times and in the evening when the children are asleep we will just hang about on the balcony. You could always go in a self catering two bed apartment , I personally don’t fancy sofa beds and the palaver that goes will all that.

Not sure what your budget is but have a look at the family suites here
www.princesayaiza.com/en/hotel/family-suite/