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?

There are 2 premier inns at Manchester airport north and south? They are basically in the same place so just check the photo of which one you booked! They are the perfect location for the airport as they are the airport hotels?

2 doubles for 1 night not a problem surely

There is a significant gap between the age at which it would be appropriate for DC to have separate hotel rooms (even if interconnecting, because there would still be a door into the interconnected room directly from the corridor) and when it becomes inappropriate/ uncomfortable for opposite sex siblings to share a bed.

Or you don't book hotels, but rather a holiday cottage or similar with options for separate rooms.
I also think "don't borrow trouble from the future" (or whatever the saying is) - Your DC may well not want to sleep in the one bed when they're older, and your DS is unlikely to want to share with you. Cross that bridge when you come to it, for now keep going as you are.

As an aside, I had no option but to share a double bed with DS aged 16 last year... I was squashed up against the wall as far as possible, and he was at the other edge. Not the best night's sleep, but needs must... and all that.

There's one less than 2 miles from Manchester airport - we've stayed in it.

Your children are young enough to share. Or one adult & one child per bed. when i’ve booked 1 adult and 2 children (5 of us so need 2 rooms) i get a double & a single usually so someone still shares. It’s not a big deal & your kids are still young.

if need be for one night i’d share with my teen - can’t see the problem (i generally don’t sleep well anyway when in a hotel)

Such a weird comment. I liked my holidays. Why are you telling me what holidays I should and should have?!

Premier inn family rooms are usually a double and 2 singles. The one near the airport is an 8 minute taxi ride.

If I'm going away with my daughter we try to get two doubles as then the room is bigger and we both have plenty of space- just personal preference! I'd rather a double than single

8 and 4 year old to share or one parent with each child - surely that has to be hyperbole that you’re unable to figure it out? You’re presumably staying a night, not planning on moving in permanently?!

You book something that suits your needs. It's as simple as that. At the moment though, OP has young DC so sharing is fine.

We no longer use hotels (haven't for the last 5 years as covid lockdown then 3rd child) as virtually non have family rooms for 5.

I find it strange that are set up as double bed and 2 single/bunks max. purely because having 3 kids is not remotely unusual, in fact most families I know have one & done or only passed 2 kids temporarily on their way to 3 or 4 (not including child free people in this as it doesn't apply).

Off the top of my head I only know TWO families with the nuclear family of mam, dad and 2 kids that remained that way so why its taken as the be all and end all of a standard 'family unit' is weird.

Or you don't book hotels, but rather a holiday cottage or similar with options for separate rooms.

Yes, however, as a lone parent running myself ragged throughout the year I have no desire whatsoever to go and do cooking and cleaning just in a different building (probably worse-equipped, less spacious and less comfortable than my own house). The entire point of a holiday is that I actually get to relax and have a break from all of that as well and have other people clear up, do the laundry, bring me food and drinks etc!

Many hotels are woeful for provision of appropriate and comfortable family accommodation even when they specifically market themselves as family hotels.

Mine love sharing a bed when we go away. The “sleepover” part of it is very exciting for them.
I’d much rather two doubles and have the extra floor space.

If you’re a family I see no issue. Four colleagues? Yes odd. But in this instance your young children would share. What’s the biggie?

We have done a few times with our children up to early teens, short stays, they share a bed. It is not ideal as not privacy and yes different sleeping routines; but we all have to turn lights at same time. We have good memories though.

However the best trip that involved hotel stay was when they have their own room, 2 teens and one for DH and me. DD1 was 17 though.

We normally do airbnb/ self catering as like having more space and hate being crowded.

2 adults in one bed, 2 children in the other
1 adult and 1 child each in each bed

why is it such a big issue? adjoining rooms, separate rooms, there are lots of options when they are older

Assuming you are wanting to stay near the airport as you are going on holiday the next day, I think you are massively overthinking it anyway. Regardless of configuration the kids won’t sleep very well because of the excitement

because most adults even when they sleep alone prefer double beds to single beds? So two friends sharing get a double bed each?
If your kids won't sleep together - have they never slept with you? One adult and one child per bed for a night or two kids in a bed would be OK for most families.

There are things called restaurants, take away delivery, deli selling ready made food..

I do just as little in a rental than in a hotel, with added bonus of separate rooms, plenty of space for the kids, and a proper kitchen with fridges etc to store snacks and drinks

We've always had a double and a sofa bed generally eg when we go abroad too or sometimes two doubles. The kids share and we share. Has worked for the last ten years and often we can be away for a couple of weeks like this and is fine ,

I am genuinely surprised by the amount of kids who do have double beds in their own bedroom at home because "it's more comfortable".

some people will have a shock when they go to Uni

Non issue.

Of course they can share a bed. Or you can each share with a child. There's no real difference between two kids in a double with pillows down the middle and two kids in single beds right next to each other.

It's one night, keep them up.late and all go bed together. Don't be so precious.

Is this one of those Mumsnet "I have no idea how to do easy things" posts?