4 people in one hotel room

[MuffinFace]

I'm trying to book a night in a hotel near Manchester airport and am baffled to find that the only way for our family of 4 (2 adults, an 8 year old and a 4 year old) to do this seems to be to get a room with 2 double beds. It's sometimes a proper double bed and a double sofa bed on offer, sometimes 2 full double beds. I don't understand how we're supposed to arrange ourselves - I get that there are technically 4 spaces in the beds but who wants it as two doubles rather than a double and two singles?! I had similar problems before booking in Edinburgh and in Germany. AIBU to think that most people booking 4 people in a room would want 1 double and 2 singles instead of 2 doubles or am I missing something?

My kids wouldn't share a bed but they will share with us. I shared a king size bed with my ds 16 last year. He would not share with his brother

It's actually pretty simple @MuffinFace. Either you take the room for 4 with two and compromise on the basis that It's more comfy than the departure lounge, or you pay for two interconnecting rooms.or two separate twin rooms and take a child each.

Don't have a third child op...Thea would take you to a whole new level!

They’re trying to discourage single people from booking these rooms in groups.

So a single person is likely to share with 3 friends if only 2 double beds are on offer. Whereas more singles would book a double and 2 single beds.

It’s crap, I know.

Hotel chains are in the business of making money. If "double double" rooms sell better than double plus twins, that is what they will provide.

You are all in one room. It doesn’t matter who goes to bed at what time. Once the first person goes to bed it’s quiet time! It’s one night.

Yeah I can see that, I'm really just wondering who it is who prefers "double double". I'd have thought double plus twins would be more flexible and it'd therefore be easier to fill them but then again I don't work in hotels so what do I know!

@DowntonShabbie

My thoughts too

Oh that's an interesting point. I'm surprised if it's that much of an issue that it outweighs the benefits (at least the ones I can see) but I can certainly see how it would discourage non-family groups which you might want to do.

@MuffinFace

When I meet up with my dd we prefer two doubles as singles seem too small!

Tip for you - don't ever go o holiday to America. That's how all their family hotel rooms are. Wasn't an issue for us when our kids were the ages of yours but now we have a 15 year old daughter and 12 year old son it is more difficult, so I share with daughter and husband shares with son.

@SALaw the beds tend to be much bigger though.

I don't understand how we're supposed to arrange ourselves

Eh? There are 4 available spaces to sleep in, and 4 of you? So you each take a space and sleep in it, surely 😂 How is this a conundrum?

I think hotels are massively geared to only two people sharing a room. And offer a cot style bed for children like Premier Inn, but they need to be under 18.

Some hotels make exceptions and have family rooms but they’re getting rarer as they want to force you to book additional rooms.

I don't understand the issue about them going to bed at different times - you're all going to be in one room so surely that is the same whether they are in the same bed or with an adult each?

I'd have thought double plus twins would be more flexible and it'd therefore be easier to fill them but then again I don't work in hotels so what do I know!

2 singles are the size of a super king bed, then you have to have the space to separate them. So it requires a lot more space, which means fewer rooms and less income. If most of the market are providing double double in a certain price point, they can maximise their profit providing the most cost efficient set up.

At least in Germany you each get single duvets on the double bed which makes it a bit easier

Well this is it, I can get the double plus sofa bed, or double/single/trundle as then you don't have to use beds if you don't need them (the usual option in family rooms where I am is double plus fold down single bunks). It's the two full, permanent double beds in one room that is more confusing to me because it doesn't seem like it'd be anyone's optimal configuration and is less flexible. I suppose it gives more floor space than double plus two full singles which you might want.

We had a very similar set up a few years back when 4 of us stayed in an airport hotel before we went on holiday. We had eldest teen DD and me sharing a bed, and DH and youngest DD (only 2 at the time) in a pull out sofa bed next the wall, with DD2 nearest the wall so she didn't roll off. It was easy to sort. It's not the most practical or comfiest nights sleep we've ever had but it's one night before a holiday so it was a relatively minor inconvenience 🤷‍♀️

Not my experience in Florida or New York.

Fair point about 2 singles taking up more space than a double. But it's more the higher end ones that seem to have two full doubles, rather than say double and bed sofa which I would have thought would be better if genuinely concerned about space and you've decided families can just share.

This seems to be pretty much the norm now and I don’t understand it either - how many couples share a room vs families? Even if couples want to share I’m guessing singles would be ok as unlikely to be getting physical whilst sharing.

I think it’s daft but probably cheaper for hotels who can offer the same headcount with cheaper beds and fewer to change. It is a massive pain especially as DC get older. Of course we can all manage but I really wish the set up were better - we ended up asking for a cot bed or mattress on the floor so 14 yr old DS could sleep rather than space and duvet wars with 11 yr old DS2. It’s completely arse!

If kids wouldn't sleep well together then you'd have to do 1 adult 1 child per bed. Or 2 rooms and 1 adult in each. It's easy.

Hilton often use zip lock beds, and you can now book interconnecting in advance. So you could book a double & twin with interconnecting door. You also get 2 bathrooms (of course!) that way.

I've never seen a room with a double and 2 singles. What you describe is normal.