If GOSH don't have a room for me and Ds2 when DS1 has his operation next month, I will have to book into a hotel

[SparklyGothKat]

Are all hotels in london expensive? I have been looking here and even the travelodge is expensive..

Have a look on hostelbookers . com or yha . com - there is a new hostel in london that is supposed to be £25 per night (in a dorm) which might be suitable if it's just you. I suspect if there's more than one and you need a private room it may be rather more!

I will have Ds2 with me, he is 6 month old and fully BF.

I will have Ds2 with me, he is 6 month old and fully BF.

Also it will be for 4-5 days. This is going to cost me, god know where I will find the money.. I just hope that GOSH will be able to accomadate us for that long.

Depends how choosy you are really - Etap and F1 hotels are very very basic but you don't get much niceness for your money (plastic loos etc) .

Hotels.com might be worth a look - I got a fairly decent hotel, breakfast included in Bethnal Green (probably too further from GOSH than you'd want to be though) for £20 pppn just over a year ago.

If you are on a low income you can apply to the NHS fund for stuff like that, I'm sure.

I am on benifits. I just tried to phone our local chartity to see if they will help (it says they do) but they closed at 3pm.

Telephone a few on the list and ask sweetly "what deal" will you do for me on a single room - with travel cot for 4-5 nights. Don't ask them if they will do a deal just ask WHAT deal they will do.

All buisness rooms get good deals and dont pay rack rate - so don't feel you are trying it on as if multinational million £ companies will barter over the price why shouldn't you?

So if they say thats the price just sweetly say but you can do me a deal on that.

Don't GOSH have a deal with the nearest hotels ? Most hospitals do.

Will ask my colleague what she did when her DT2 was in for surgery as I know she stayed up there.

Do you know anyone who might be able to get you a discount on a hotel room? Sometimes a union membership or membership of a professional body is all you need to access good deals.

My brother works for Ocado and I know they get discounts on things, I ask him.

Have you explained your position to GOSH? I would think that a mum with a fully BF baby, who is on income-support, would rank pretty high up the list of parents who need rooms.

easy hotels are £25 a night for a room. They are run by Stelios who runs Easy Jet etc. There is one at Victoria which is not that close to GOSH but not far on the tube/bus.

SparklyGothKat, I've just booked a room for friends who are coming over from Greece to have an op at GOSH - have you got the full list that the hospital gives out?

But I'm afraid that they are about £55/night, although some of the hotels nearby give discounts for GOSH patients - only 10%, but still something.

Also, GOSH is a charity, so perhaps they can help you further if they can't put you up?

On their website, it says here that theres a Sick Childrens Trust house where you and other children can stay - also you get food vouchers as abf mum

www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Illorinjured/DG_10018959

I saw that, not sure where the sick children's trust is. Also Ds21 will be 8 months then so won't be allowed the food vouchers as they are for Bf mother with 6 month olds and under...

hi sparkly. I live about about 30 mins from gosh. You can always come and stay with me if you need somewhere.

I live about 45 minutes (on the fast train) from GOSH but I don't fancy doing that jounery every day with a buggy and trying to get around on the tube. Also I want to be with Ds1.

the offer is there if you need it. I live on two buses away. If you need any help at all whilst you are there. Please let me know

Thank you, I will keep you in mind. I am dreading this operation. We have been waiting months for it and they phoned me yesterday and said its next month. Its the day after we return from our holiday so at least Ds1 can enjoy it before the op.

you poor thing. I worried myself sick before ds operation and it was nowhere as near as stressful as yours. Gosh is a fab hospital btw. Ds was there last year. They still gave me vouchers as i still bf ds and he is two. I mean it please contact me i can come over with food a shoulder. Childcare anything you need.< whispers. Just name changed btw i use to be mehdismummy>

If you CAT me your mobile number I will defo. be in touch. I will need some friendly faces I think..

Ok, just spoken to the sick children trust hotel too, they can't book me into there, the hospital has to refer me to them.. I know that GOSH is a huge hospital and will have limited rooms for parents. I am so worried now. What if they can't accodamate us? What if I have to book into a hotel.. I can't afford that!? I am nearly in tears about this.. I don;t know what to do..

the hospital may have a room for you yet. How old is the dc that is having the operation. Ring gosh and speak to them they might be able to refer you to sick children place. We will sort something out. Do not worry. Even if worse comes to worse stay with me and i will help you every day.

Please call GOSH first thing tomorrow and ask them:

a) whether or not they can accommodate you - they should have a good idea by now whether they'll have rooms free

b) if they can't, whether they can refer you to the Sick Children's Trust Hotel

c) if neither, whether they can offer you any financial support to stay at a hotel in London

Don't worry - we'll work something out between us