Babysitting at Hotels

[nannynick]

I have never babysat at a hotel, so I was wondering how it worked.

For example, if the family has one room and the children are asleep, the babysitter can't really watch TV, or even read a book as that would require a light.

Has anyone done babysitting at a hotel?
How did it work? Did the baby/child/children have to sleep with the light on? Could you watch TV? Did you have to sit in the dark?

I have only babysat once in a hotel and the couple had a suite, so they had a bedroom, bathroom and lounge area. The child was asleep when I got there and I sat in the lounge area.
Sorry!

Could you ask the parents about your concern? Depends on the age of the child as well I suppose.

I haven't done babysitting, but I have had a babysitter at a few hotels. Usually I make a point of asking for interconnecting rooms and then the sitter will be in our room with the children sleeping next door. When ds1 was just a baby then the babysitter sat on a chair outside the room (ie in the corridor) reading.

Recently we used a sitter in a Disney hotel in Florida (our children were 4 and 6), and on that occasion the sitter stayed int he room with the children. She read by a bedside lamp whilst the boys were asleep.

We've never had a sitter in the dark! But TV isn't always an option either. No harm in taking a portable DVD though (with headphones!)

Hi I babysit for our local hotel most weekends. They have my business cards on their front desk and whenever anyone with children book they are asked if they require a sitter for the evening while they go down to dinner or out. Sometimes they are in suites which is great and no different to sitting at someones house as you can either sit in parents bedroom if they are on sofa bed or in lounge if they are in bedroom. I have also sat in the same room as children and always take a monitor with me then give the parents the choice of sitting outside the bedroom door listening on monitor if they are light sleepers or sitting in room with a small light to read by. If you are going to start babysitting in hotels take a book and be prepared for the fact you may spend the evening sitting on the bathroom floor reading!!! I love going to the hotel usually it is really easy money (last week £120 for 7 hours work) and the children are so tired from their busy day they don't always know you are there they are asleep when you arrive and stay that way if you are lucky

Thanks for the tips. What do you do about insurance? My insurer will only cover me in a private family home, not a commercial premises.

Only once while our children were small did we use a babysitter at a hotel. She totally ripped us off at the minibar, without mentioning anything to us!

I have public liability that covers me for childcare in public places as I also run an event creche for weddings, parties etc.

Interesting as my Nanny Insurance only covers me when providing care in a family home, or while out with that family, such as on outings.

I'm sure there are better insurance policies around, though I expect they also cost more.

Does all cm public liability cover us for that O.O. or did you ask for it on your policy? Good idea, may look into this in my area - wouln't get away with charging that tho!

No mine is completely separate policy covering for my mobile creche and that way it covers hotel babysitting as it is booked throughthe creche. I have separate cm insurance policy all together. So yes costs more in long run but can earn back cost in a good couple weeks at the hotel

How do you get babysitting at hotels? I would be interested in doing that....... at least it sounds like it would pay more than sitters

Hi I just rang round a few of my local hotels and asked if they would be interested in offering the service. Then I dropped in some business cards to those that were. Now whenever anyone with children books into the hotel they are offered babysitting services. Its great money and usually they are asleep