1am start time - should we stay overnight instead?

[Gingerbear]

We are taking DD (2) on holiday next week, but with a 6am flight from Manchester and a 2 hour check-in, 1 hour to get to the airport after booking in the car at the security park and a 1.5 - 2 hour drive, it looks like we will be setting off at 1am.
Would it be better to book a hotel and stay overnight? We would still have to check in at 4am though.
Or would DD fall asleep in the car and catch up when we got there?

some airports do a night before check in - so you may be able to check your luggage in then stay at the hotel till 5.00am the more sleep the better i say

Just rang the holiday company, no they don't do a night before check-in.

I am tempted to go for a hotel, put DD to bed as early as poss, and we go to bed at 8pm!

No question, I would DEFINITELY stay at the hotel the night before. You didn't say howlong your flight is, but you'd be really super exhausted by the time you arrive at your destination if you've already been on the road for five hours before you even take off! If you could stay really close to the airport, perhaps you could run over to check in and then go back to hotel for some breakfast. I don't know if it's any good, but I found this: airport hotel site Hope you have a great holiday!

I'm not sure how much extra sleep you gain by being in a hotel tbh, isn't it just the ihr driving time? And anyway, you have to cope with DD excited in a new place (hotel), packing up overnight things the next morning, getting the mini-bus or whatever to check-in.

We set off at 1 or 2am with Ds (then 2) this year - I had assumed we could get him out of bed and into car and he would fall back to sleep, and then sleep again on the plane. Not a bit of it - he stayed wide awake and excited until 9pm that night! But I don't think the extra £? for a hotel would have given us enough extra sleep to be worth it.

we vowed never again to check into a hotel the night before!
We were going to Texas last Xmas with DD 2 and me pg. We booked into Gatwick Hilton and DD was terrified of the room and over excited to be somewhere new. She kept climbing out of the travel cot and jumping on us. In the end DH and I walked her in her pushchair until she fell asleep sometime around 1 in the morning. Then I couldn't sleep as the room was too warm and I felt claustrophobic being in the same room as DD and in a too small bed with DH (ours is super super king sized at home!!)
In the end at 6am we felt so awful (flu like)that we decided we couldn't face a 10hr flight to Texas, packed our bags and went back home.
Of course, you might have a very chilled time in the hotel and feel up for the journey.

We have always stayed overnight before early flights as it usually works out cheaper than just parking. We usually book with somebody like ABC holiday extras. If we have time we arrive early afternoon at the hotel and use any facilities eg pool. Sorry i cant do links but if you decide to do it ring one of these agancies and ask if they have any deals on or any hotels have toddler pools. We stayed at the Hilton at manchester airport. Very child friendly but I cant remember if there was a toddler pool

I took a quick look at the website, and the Radisson is not just near the airport, but integrated into the airport so it's a two minute walk from the hotel. Seems like that could not only save some time, but you could even go and check in for the flight at 4am (!!!) and then go back to the room for showers or at least some room service breakfast. It seems they have weekend specials for a room at just under 100 pounds with children free and breakfast included (though doubt restaurant will be open at that hour ... maybe you could negotiate some free room service?) They have a pool, which is a good idea if you arrive early enough the day before to check in and have a nice swim, early dinner and turn in! Sorry to be such a busy-body about all this, but I do think a night-before check-in would be a good idea, especially considering your 2 hour drive! They have parking at the hotel - wonder if you could arrange to leave the car at the hotel while you're on holiday and avoid the far away off site parking ...?

Gingerbear, I think that it's fine provided you can take turns to sleep at the plane, travelling at night has the added advantage of travelling with a sleeping child. We used to put sleeping Ds in his pijamas in the carseat and head off, we used to change his pijamas at the airport and no problem whatsoever. How come you will take one hour to get from the car park to the airport? (I'm flying out from Manchester in Dec so, if you have got a nice car park price please share the info :))

Chandra, we usually use Autostrong in Altrincham, 67 pounds for 15 days parking (you can get it for 50 in Stockport, but it is a pain to get to). It is 15mins drive by transfer minibus to the airport but we like to leave an hour for parking the car and transfer to the airport, just in case of any traffic problems. (not likely at that early hour though).
Holidayextras.co.uk is a good website I have found for other airport parking.

Tartgnin, I like the sound of a swim and relaxing evening before we fly out, and going back to the hotel instead of 'roughing it' in the overpriced terminal cafes or spending too much in the shops (not much will be open though at 5 am though).
We have a 4.5 hour flight, so not a long haul, but long enough with a toddler though.