Why do people stay in hotels on family holidays?

PollyBell · 19/08/2025 08:04

Because we like hotels? I presume people book accommodation they want to stay at?

TomeTome · 19/08/2025 08:04

Lots of people’s children don’t sleep in in the morning. I’d say that was fairly unusual.

Gymmum82 · 19/08/2025 08:05

We don’t usually stay in hotels but my kids wake up at 6am regardless what time they go to bed so I assume others are the same.
Maybe adults also sleep in if their kids sleep in, some people deliberately keep their kids up late so they get a lie in.
Hotels are usually cheaper than other options

Spirallingdownwards · 19/08/2025 08:05

Lucky you having children that sleep longer than adults. I would say that's actually unusual and many families are woken by early rising kids.

Ours didn't sleep later than us until they were old enough to be in a hotel room alone as teens.

FancyCatSlave · 19/08/2025 08:07

We have generally had a villa or apartment as needed multiple bedrooms, but now it’s just DD and I (almost 6) we love a hotel stay. We sleep about the same so she’s good company.

I have to go to bed slightly earlier than my norm but she and I need about 9hrs which is fine.
But I am very happy to do zero exercise when away, and wouldn’t ever go for a run so I expect that aspect isn’t something everyone is doing.

TheCurious0range · 19/08/2025 08:07

We usually book suite type hotel accommodation with separate bedrooms/living space and a terrace or balcony. If you're staying in a tower type hotel in a city that's different. I wouldn't do that with DC I'd book an airbnb

FrenchandSaunders · 19/08/2025 08:08

A lot of people on hols are quite happy to read in bed in the mornings or watch a bit of TV, rather than be up and about at the crack of dawn. I have enough of that at home with work and also school when kids were young. Holidays are a chance to chill, esp first thing.

Upsetbetty · 19/08/2025 08:08

I stay in a hotel because to be honest staying in a villa where I have to cook meals and clean the place entirely down before leaving does not constitute a holiday. I mean I’ll tidy a hotel when I leave but I’m not scrubbing the place.

Lookingforwardto2025 · 19/08/2025 08:08

DS doesn't sleep in and I quite like chilling out in the evening with a book so it works well for us. Love the ease of a hotel. I absolutely refuse to do any catering or cleaning on a holiday so hotels work best for that. I won't even put out breakfast stuff, I do enough catering at home.

NonHighStreetClothes · 19/08/2025 08:10

We did loads of city breaks with our dc & always booked an apartment so we'd have more space & also a separate area in the evenings when dc was asleep so we could have wine etc without disturbing them

We only stayed in hotels occasionally if dc was with us & it was for more than 1 night.

When they got older we got 2 x rooms in hotels or a larger apartment

Notonthestairs · 19/08/2025 08:10

Some kids don’t sleep that long?
Some parents don’t go for a run/do yoga first thing?

Perhaps the facilities - multiple restaurants, multiple pools, golf course, concierge or whatever etc - outweigh some of the restrictions for those families.

it doesn’t seem like a massive leap of imagination.

Floranan · 19/08/2025 08:11

Mine never really slept in like that, if I was up first I would take a shower, arrange clothes etc for the day have a cup of tea, you could put money on they would be awake before all that was done.

I personally love staying in a hotel , we’ve done it all caravans tents cottage, they all have there good and bad points. Hotels I love the fact I don’t do any catering (though that can cause other issues we learnt to go half board and take a cold bag and buy fresh stuff everyday for a packed lunch as needed), there’s no beds to be made no bathroom to clean, and I think it’s good experience for the children.

ConflictofInterest · 19/08/2025 08:11

Wake your kids up? It's 8am, times for kids TV and breakfast surely? My kids would sleep all morning if I left them, and DH. We like hotels, they're usually the cheapest option and we ever never had your problem. We all go sleep at the same time and get up at the same time.

winewolfhowls · 19/08/2025 08:12

Well we usually camp in a tent so if we go on a city break we go to a premier inn style hotel as our bit of luxury. The kids absolutely love a breakfast buffet. No household chores, whereas I can't understand people renting a villa unless you are a big crowd to share the chores. Otherwise it's just like being at home but more difficult because you can't find anything (although if I had kids with physical or learning difficulties I could imagine that a villa would be easier in some ways).

Pepperedpickles · 19/08/2025 08:12

FrenchandSaunders · 19/08/2025 08:08

A lot of people on hols are quite happy to read in bed in the mornings or watch a bit of TV, rather than be up and about at the crack of dawn. I have enough of that at home with work and also school when kids were young. Holidays are a chance to chill, esp first thing.

This. I’m happy to chill out and scroll on my phone etc. I don’t want to be up using the gym or doing yoga! And not all dc sleep late either.

For longer than a couple of days we book a 2 bed apartment - most larger resorts have these now.

Overthebow · 19/08/2025 08:12

Lots of us book hotel room suites which have two bedrooms or a bedroom and a sofa bed. I wouldn’t want to stay in just one room with my DCs for longer than a couple of nights, so when we go on holiday we make sure to book accommodation that works for us.

FancyCatSlave · 19/08/2025 08:17

Upsetbetty · 19/08/2025 08:08

I stay in a hotel because to be honest staying in a villa where I have to cook meals and clean the place entirely down before leaving does not constitute a holiday. I mean I’ll tidy a hotel when I leave but I’m not scrubbing the place.

I have stayed in loads of villas (probably 60?) and have never done that - eaten out for most meals, just snacks at home and have never had to clean the villa at the end-you pay a cleaning fee for that!

We put the bins out and empty dishwasher, wipe up/brush up crumbs but no actual cleaning.

Scarylett · 19/08/2025 08:17

JambonetFromage · 19/08/2025 08:02

We’re on a city break with DC so staying in a hotel which is not the norm for us.

DC sleeping after a late night last night. I’m currently stuck in the hotel room waiting for them to wake (I’ve already been out for a run and come back, DH has now gone to hotel gym). I’m itching to get out of the room!

If we weren’t in a villa, apartment, tent, or whatever I’d be sat outside with a coffee, making a picnic lunch, doing some yoga or something that’s not sitting on a bed next to snoozing kids.

Whatever way you cut it, children sleep longer than adults and until DC are older someone needs to stay in the room while they’re sleeping, which just seems to make hotels seem like a bad choice with kids. But loads of people always stay in hotels, so what is the appeal I am missing?

How old are your kids? You are on holiday. Wake them up at a reasonable hour. They will survive.

Ficklebricks · 19/08/2025 08:17

(This is purely based on UK holidays btw)

Having just spent a week in an Air BnB I find myself drawn to hotels for our next trip. I hate having to bring so much stuff with me - food, toilet roll, shower gel etc. Boot space is very limited with a big family and it pisses me off having to drag all that stuff back and forth. I quite like the idea of food being sorted for me, most hotels do breakfast and have a restaurant attached for evening meals.

Finally I'm sick to death of having to clean the houses before I leave given how much I pay to stay there! At a hotel I wouldn't be expected to hoover up and strip the beds before I leave, daily housekeeping is all part of the price!

DancingNotDrowning · 19/08/2025 08:19

I don’t want to lift a finger to cook or clean whilst in holiday so hotels suit me best plus I love a lie in so usually it doesn’t bother me if we have a slow start in the morning.

We always book suite style accommodation so when the kids were young there was a break out space for exactly this eventuality. Now the DC are older we like having the space to chill out as a family

youalright · 19/08/2025 08:19

I think people book what they can based on location, budget and availability.

itsgettingweird · 19/08/2025 08:20

When I stay in a hotel on holiday there’s always a balcony.

So I get up, make a coffee and sit on the balcony reading!

We always go half board or AI so no food to make as if we are out for the day we buy food out.

However my ds is a swimmer and we stay in hotels in the uk a lot and I do find being in a room with no balcony hard. He’s an adult now so has been able to be left for a good number of years so I do find myself walking - a lot - just to get out. (We are at pool usually morning and evening for him to compete.)

museumum · 19/08/2025 08:20

How old are they? My kids didn’t sleep later than me till age 12 or 13. I’m happy to have a cup of tea in the room and read my book for a bit.
Holiday hotels not in cities usually have a balcony to sit out.
But I guess I’m just a lazy slob as I’m happy to sleep till 8am on holiday.

Ohplesandbanonos · 19/08/2025 08:21

My dc don't sleep longer than adults - never have 😆 we like the convenience, the option to eat what we want as we all have very different palates and the novelty of coming back tired to a room that's been cleaned and has fresh sheets and towels.

If villa holidays work best for you that's great! Now mine are bigger I'm considering a villa for next year - but they do love a hotel and i really enjoy not cooking or driving!

VeryStressedMum · 19/08/2025 08:25

Wake them up to get ready for the day. If they're old enough for a city break then they'll be fine with waking up to get ready to go out.