Screeching kids in bar

[HandbagsnGladrags]

We are on holiday at a 5 star well known luxury brand of hotels. No kids with us. Hotel is known for being child friendly - no problem, there are adult only areas. Except on an evening where there is only one bar. Last night (and most nights) there were around 10 kids running around the bar, chasing each other, running through people's tables, almost knocking waitresses over. AIBU to think it's not acceptable to sit getting pissed while your kids bother other guests?

Yes I know we could have gone to an adults only hotel, but just because we didn't, it doesn't mean we should have to put up with unruly kids.

I sat in bars on holiday, with our kids. They were not allowed to play chase round other people or shout or screech.

Sometimes we sat in village squares where the adults sat round the edge at tables and kids played happily in the middle, sometimes on a prom with the beach directly in front, or by the playground. Or the kids sat at our table and chatted or read etc. This is common in many Mediterranean cultures.

It is possible for everyone to have a good time without disturbing everyone else’s evening.

yanbu OP. I use to work for a well known international hotel chain 20-25yrs (admittely I was not in a customer facing role) and there was rarely kids running rampant in the restuarant or by the pool. Ive stayed in hotels since and it is seems to be a common occurance, obviously many parents do behave kids but a few dont seem to care that they are disturbing other guests.

SN aside, I fail to see why a child cant sit at the table for about an hour or so quietly with their family. My dd managed perfectly fine, she just sat there drawing whilst waiting for food.

So the parents of one of the kids tried to get into the adults only breakfast restaurant (with the kids) this morning. Obviously they were turned away. But I heard the dad say 'oh it's ok the kids can just run around outside the restaurant while we have breakfast.' Unbelievable.

This is why I will only book private rentals if I'm anywhere for more than a couple of nights now.
Unfortunately 5 star accommodation doesn't equate to 5 star guests, I hate the sinking feeling you get when you realise 'that' family from the plane are staying in the same hotel as you.

That’s hilarious!!!

People often complain about the UK being intolerant of children and families, but frankly is it any wonder when so many British parents think it’s fine to let their kids behave like this? Countries such as Spain and Italy may worship children, but children are expected to behave and engage with the adults at their table. Not running around other tables and throwing food.

Adults only breakfast, I'm up for that!! How late was it when they were in there???? Not that time makes a difference, some kids will screech regsrdless, but I don't think children should be in bars late anyway if that's the case. I think when kids get together, as a group, they tend to be a bit more......boisterous,shall we say, and parents seem to think it's OK as they're playing with other kids and having a good time. I tend to be the one that always ends up watching other peoples kids as the parents are to engrossed on themselves. It's why I try and take my DD to soft play at quiter times. And as for the little girl by herself, anything could have happened to her, it's so dangerous.

YANBU

It pisses me off no end as someone that has to navigate through this with hot plates and drinks and glasses.
Saying something always results in me being the kiddie hater or an argument about how you're child friendly and they're just playing and they have the right to relax yada yada yada. We're not a soft play or nursery and your kids aren't my responsibility!

I once had someone attending a party dump their baby in the reception area of the restaurant in a pram, without saying anything, while they partied in a separate room upstairs! I'd been to the kitchen with plates, came back down and the pram was there, gave it no heed as we often get prams and pushchairs left there by guests, it was only half an hour later when said baby started to cry that I realised it was occupied, I had to ask everyone in the restaurant and bar and then get the party DJ to announce it to find the parents! They'd thought it would be fine because someone was there and it was quieter downstairs for the baby to sleep and as proven correctly, if the baby cried someone would come and find them, I'm not a bloody nanny!

I'm angry for you OP!

DH and I only book adults only resorts these days, sheer bliss.

Yes its lazy parenting , i have never let mine do that
Time and place and all that

@ComtesseDeSpair yes that is so true
Different parenting styles in uk for many. Who can't possibly tell dc off as it may traumatise them later in life

It was after 11. We gave up and went to bed as I didn't want to put up with the screeching. We've asked for our minibar to be well stocked later so that we can enjoy a quiet drink on our balcony instead of going to the bar. Maybe the man at breakfast will try and drop his toddler off with us given he's clearly too important to watch his own kids.

I'd disagree a bit tbh. I used to love running around the bar with other kids when I was little and on holiday. I wasn't bored at all 😂

That's why we only go adults only.

This.

Honestly who is gonna say it’s ok to let their kids behave like this?!

I wish this hotel brand had am adults only option, as it's truly superb in every other way.

There are always people who do defend it though, whether that’s indirectly - “well, if you don’t like it you should go and sit in the adults-only bar / book childfree hotels” or by excusing it entirely - “children should be free to be children, my DS has ADHD and really struggles to sit still, stop being so ableist, unless the bar staff tell them otherwise then it’s only you who had the problem.” (See also same responses when people complain about customers who’ve brought dogs to the pub / restaurant and allow them to bark incessantly or approach other tables to beg for food.)

Unacceptable. Resorts like this have plenty of places where children can let off steam without annoying other guests. Kid's club? Park area? They don't need to be racing about the bar areas.

and they should be in school anyway

Our DC used to think that we were terrible parents because we wouldn't let them run around in hotels and restaurants when they were little! We used to take an activity bag with sticker books, colouring stuff and some kind of screen such as a Gameboy. DC always knew what behaviours were expected so we rarely had any issues but we would compromise on agreeing to take them to somewhere with a play area if possible. Two of our DC also have ADHD.
What used to really irritate us was the filthy looks from the parents who let their kids run around. Quite often we had comments of how we were posh, stuck up, cruel (yes, really) and had no sense of fun. One very drunk couple said that our kids were obviously being abused because they were so 'perfect' - their kids were causing chaos and bullying other kids off play equipment in the restaurant garden and climbing on other diner's tables while they were eating meals!!!

We've all seen it many times and it seems to be getting worse, year on year.

I really wish that hotel/bar/restaurant /venue managers would actively start to clamp down on this.

Bars are bars , not soft play crèches.

Well I've seen it all now. Sat having lunch in restaurant. Parent whips out a portable potty for his kid to piss in. In the middle of the fucking restaurant.

It is frightening how people don't supervise kids on holidays. Small children wandering near to the pool in the evenings and running up and down hotel corridors late at night , no parents in sight . They wouldn't do this back home in the UK

That is truly disgusting. They would not do this back home .