Sharing hotel room with children

[fuffapster]

Hi, I hope someone has more knowledge about this than me.

We are planning to go to Amsterdam in August for 4-5 nights. Me, OH, DD1 (5 yrs) and DS2 (4yrs).

Does anyone know if hotels normally accept, for example, us booking a twin/double room and co-sleeping with the children? Paying two adults and getting free space for children in effect?

Also, another point.

It's a business trip so the hotel can be paid for me. The rules are it can be a 3 or 4* hotel. My manager said he's not bothered if I include the family, however for paperwork reasons, the receipt should not say something like 'family room', 'triple room', etc. So this also rules out AirBnB unfortunately as the receipt would say 'House/Apartment' (for a suitably sized option).

Which leads to question 2, How much detail goes on the receipt? Does it include e.g. items like an extra pull out bed and so on?

Any pointers are welcome thanks.

Would all four of you fit in a double bed?

Sure we could manage. We do it at home sometimes.

The hotel won't allow this as over-occupancy would void their insurance, licence etc.

I would imagine the detail printed on the receipt varies by hotel, but I'm sure you could ask them to bill you for the pull-out bed or whatever in a separate transaction (that would mean you paying for it though).

Thanks. So at what point do hotels start charging for children? I've searched using two adults and two children and the price goes up a lot - it shows me 'Quadruple rooms'. Seems overkill for small children ...

We usually book a family room

You could get a triple room and a cot

The age at which a hotel charges for children will vary by hotel but normally once they stop being a baby and needing a cot.
beds for 4 people when you have 4 people is not overkill. Some of those beds will be a bed settee or temporary bed.
What do you plan to do for breakfast? If you book a double room and sneak 2 kids in, will you be going out for breakfast? Do you really want to all cram into a double bed for 4-5 nights? Very squashed!

Make sure you book a 4 in Amsterdam, 3 are not the same as 3* here if your central by any shake of the stick.. Big big difference between the two in Amsterdam.

The Dutch are very family friendly, I would just call up the hotel/email the hotel explain and they will do all they can to accommodate. As they are tiny could they top and tail in a single?

I used to travel every week to Amsterdam, but more on the outskirts, where the hotels are larger and often had two doubles in a room, most hotels can "tweak" receipts if needed or arrange for you to pay separately for any extras. There is a lovely hotel called the college hotel in the artist quarter, it's where staff train to go on to work in 5* or used to be but it's lovely thecollegehotel.com/en/

Hope you have a lovely time!! I just love Amsterdam :) it's so much more than the red light district.

Wow Penguinepenguins that is a great recommendation.
"Under the age of 12, no extra costs (and 1/2 price for breakfast)."

mouldycheesefan you're right about not wanting to sneak about with breakfast. I wasn't intending to sneak them in though, just that in some countries they don't mind extra small kids in the room.

Really I would prefer AirBnB - you can get a full flat for a similar price, self-catering and all. But paperwork and finance departments don't always make sense...

Your so welcome, and it really is a very lovely hotel!

It's also close to all the nice museums and things.

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