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Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

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Original poster

Holidaying Abroad With a Two Year Old?

9 replies

brookeberry · 17/10/2018 15:51

DH and I want to plan our first trip abroad in Dec/Jan with our LO who is 2.5 years old. The two of us used to always go to the Canaries at this time of year. Ahh bliss . . .

So what happens at LO's bedtime in a hotel room - do we sit in silence?! Would you recommend a villa?

We would be grateful to hear from anyone with any successful holiday experience.

OP posts:

Nellyelora · 17/10/2018 16:00

Our first holiday with dd was when she was one. We booked an all inclusive but specifically chose a hotel with one bedroom apartments. She slept in the 'living' room and DP and I slept in the bedroom. We put her to bed at 8.30ish then sat and watched films/read/chat in our room/balcony drinking the free cocktails - it was bliss!

We went all Inc again when dd was 2. Again booked a one bedroom apartment (different hotel). Dd this time had the bedroom and we slept in the living room (on a proper Kings size bed). It didn't work out so well this time. We stayed up late watching the kids entertainment (which dd absolutely adored) but she became very scared about being in a strange room by herself, very reluctant to go to bed so I ended up sleeping in the spare bed in her room for 5 of the 7 nights. We didn't watch any of the films we had downloaded because by the time we'd got her to sleep we were too tired.

We went away again just after she turned 3. Did all Inc again. Due to the previous year we just booked a studio room (which gave us a lot more choice of hotels and price), watched the kids, and sometimes the adults entertainment every night and just all went to bed together. We were all wiped out by 10pm .

My brother's dd is happy sleeping in her pushchair and they go out for the evening so that may be another option. That doesn't work for us though.

JosellaPlayton · 17/10/2018 17:05

Get a villa, apartment or a suite in a hotel. Nothing worse than sitting in the dark of an evening; I will admit to putting the travel cot in the walk in wardrobe one ski trip out of sheer desperation! Even better if you can get a balcony as well to enjoy some al fresco drinks. We also do a lot of early-ish family dinners out then put DD to sleep in the pushchair whilst we enjoy desert and/or some more drinks. Not every toddler is happy with that though!

mummytooneprincess · 17/10/2018 17:22

We have just returned from our first holiday abroad with our 2 year old. We stayed in one hotel room but if you were able to stay in a suite or apartment that would be better. Having said that once we got into a routine being in one room worked fine for us. We booked a room with a sea view so once our daughter was in bed we sat on the balcony with a drink and a book.
We went to an all inclusive hotel - the suites were very expensive, we just couldn't justify the additional expense

librarylover53 · 17/10/2018 17:42

First hol abroad with two year old we camped in France, large mobile home - we could sit out with a drink etc every evening on our own terrace and just keep door open to hear him. Now I wouldn't have it any other way - we only stay in villas! So much better than hotel rooms with young children, in my opinion.

PaulMorel · 18/10/2018 06:21

I would suggest the villa. It's much more comfortable since you are traveling with a child. I can also give you some travel tips if you want. :) Feel free to ask!

SooticaTheWitchesCat · 18/10/2018 13:00

Definitely go for a villa or private apartment. You can then sit in the lounge and your lo can sleep nicely in the bedroom. We always kept ours on British time too meaning they would stay up and hour nor so later and get up a bit later.

Nomad86 · 18/10/2018 13:33

We usually do Airbnb for that reason but for a resort, I'd suggest a room with a balcony where you can sit in the evenings.

Original poster

brookeberry · 19/10/2018 14:20

Thanks all, I really appreciate the advice. I'll worry about the flight nearer the time!

OP posts:

LittleSwede · 21/10/2018 19:22

We are off on our fifth holiday abroad next week with DD, just turned 4.

Things we've learnt so far (and all kids are individual of course so this might be irrelevant to another child...), here goes:

Always book a one bed apartment with a travel cot, at night you can put DC to bed in the main bedroom and once asleep you then can enjoy drinks, watch a film/read etc in living area. Most places have balconies or a terrace. Have a lovely memory of eating a delicious pizza on our apartment's terrace in Paphos, Cyprus, last Oct whilst watching some spectacular lightening over the sea in the distance. DD was sound asleep in bedroom.

Go Self catering, we go for SC but will eat out at lunch time if possible, the have a snacky tapas dinner and drinks in the evening/or a take out in apartment. DD has SN so doesn't cope well with dinner out anyway so we have just adapted out way to what works for everyone.

Bring a load of unopened CBeebies/Peppa Pig magazines with free toys to be distributed in the apartment in the afternoon (when the sun is too hot for kiddos) which will buy you some time to chill out in apartment for a couple of hours. This is when we would take it in turns to have an hour each of child free time by the pool.

Some kids will happily eat out late or sleep in stroller but this is not an option with DD, doesn't bother me as happy to chill in apartment but might work for you. A lot of places have mini disco which might be fun too.

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