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Original poster

Why do people stay in hotels on family holidays?

221 replies

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?

OP posts:
FrenchandSaunders · 19/08/2025 09:28

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.

There's absolutely no need to 'clean the place entirely down' before leaving .... you pay for a cleaner in the villa/apartment fee. I empty bins, put used towels in the bath/shower ... put dishwasher on and maybe sweep if there's a few crumbs etc.

TomeTome · 19/08/2025 09:29

Mine stay up and then dh and I have a drink on the balcony and talk to each other. Where do you want to go in the evening? I guess if you are a bar/club person then it might be a bit restricting but it’s fine for us.

SkinnyOatFlatWhiteForMePlease · 19/08/2025 09:30

We only ever booked hotel rooms with a balcony when the kids were small, and always adjoining rooms or one with a little area off for the kids to sleep.

ishimbob · 19/08/2025 09:31

I think, reading through the responses, everyone has different objectives for their holidays and this makes a difference.

For me, a holiday is about seeing new things and trying new food etc - so I actually quite enjoy going to a local food market, even just a supermarket, it's not a chore for me. Our holidays are often quite active

I can see from others that the purpose for them is more pure relaxation, not having to lift a finger. Which is also fine, just very different and maybe explains the difference in view

greyfrontdoor · 19/08/2025 09:31

I prefer staying in a house or villa but the one time we did a hotel, got a room with a balcony and it was really nice sitting out there with a book in the morning or some wine in the evenings. But then I prefer holidays with not much to do and where I can unwind and enjoy nicer weather.

Twistedfirestarters · 19/08/2025 09:32

I don't think 'loads' of people do stay in hotels with kids do they? And if they do it's probably for the same reason you find yourself in a hotel room with your kids on this particular break - it was what worked for that situation.

I doubt there are loads of parents sitting trapped in a hotel room with their kids scratching their heads and wondering if there was somewhere else they could be staying.

Devonyogamum · 19/08/2025 09:33

So I don’t have to wash up.

fffiona · 19/08/2025 09:33

Many of us are uncomfortable about the way Air bnb and other rentals is restricting homes for local people and driving up prices.

Tiswa · 19/08/2025 09:34

Depending where we are staying - and if it is a city I do like aparthotels if they have them but the security of staying in a building with reception etc

but (a) it’s 8 i mean clearly you were up at 6, it is a city so what is open? And you need to plan your day!

it sounds as if your kids are young - we have had to adapt around teenagers! Who won’t want to be up at 8 or if they are need a good hour to get ready to get out

blunderbuss12 · 19/08/2025 09:34

Surely it depends on how much down time you plan to have during your stay Vs how much you value having services (esp breakfast) on hand without having to do any fore-planning. We have young children and have had great stays in both. Really depends on your needs and where you are. I think you'd struggle to find a villa in NYC for example

blunderbuss12 · 19/08/2025 09:35

Also depending on budget - a family room in a hotel will be cramped for a family of 4 but almost certainly the cheapest option Vs Airbnb etc

Housewife2010 · 19/08/2025 09:35

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.

We always stay in villas and have never had to scrub the place down. We just leave it tidy.

Wibblywobblybobbly · 19/08/2025 09:38

I always prefer a hotel. We love a long leisurely hotel breakfast, and when I'm on holiday I don't want to be doing any cooking, washing up, cleaning etc.

I'm more than happy to snooze or read a book when DC are asleep or sit out on the balcony. Ot I just sleep when they do and get 11 hours sleep a night. Heaven.

Overtheatlantic · 19/08/2025 09:39

I’ve often wondered why people stay in villas or camp but I’ve assumed that those options work best for their families. I’ve always stayed in a hotel because for me it’s part of the experience of a nice holiday.

SaladAndChipsForTea · 19/08/2025 09:39

Firstly, youre in a hotel on a city break with kids so I'm baffled that you're surprised that other people do the same.

Secondly, you're wrongly assuming that other people's kids sleep in. Mine never has. In 10 years has slept less than a handful of times past 8am, and that includes longhaul, jet lag, illness. My child just doesn't sleep past 7am. So if we want them to catch up on sleep, we have do do ridiculous things like a 5pm bedtime. We make the most of it by enjoying the hotel amenities, reading or going out alone. Sometimes we go for larger rooms with space to hang out without all being in one room.

hopingforthemillion · 19/08/2025 09:42

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?

I don’t want to make picnic lunches …I do that 358 days of the year … so I stay at a hotel where they do that for me
Also, despite later bedtimes my kids do not sleep in 😬

Wallabyone · 19/08/2025 09:50

We stay in hotels-
We like the hotel breakfast
We like not having to make beds
We like the pool and easy to grab lunches
We like having drinks/playing games in the lobby
It feels like a proper rest with no chores

If our kids are sleeping in a little, we let them and wake them up when we need to.

bumblingbovine49 · 19/08/2025 09:52

Mynifea of a holiday includes absolutely no cooking or even laying out table for food, no.washing up, bedmaking , tidying or cleaning up and ideally no use of a washing machine . Hence I like hotels

Unfortunately theye did not work with DS when he was little for various reasons to do with sleep.and sharing a room so we decided to. book self catering after a few exhausting holidays in hotels when he was a baby.

The only hotel holiday that actually worked was when DS was a small toddler and we put the travel cot in what was effectively a dressing room ( without a door but with an l bend so not immediately.visible from the bed) whixh was off the bedroom and where the bedroom was enormous with a large sitting area. So DS was effectively in a tiny bedroom of his own off the bedroom but very easy to hear and get to

Dh and I still.refer to the holiday where we put ds in a cupboard as the best one we had when he was a baby/ toddler as it was in a hotel but we all got enough sleep

. As soon as DS was old enough to be in a room next door to us ( ie from about 14 yrs old in) we went back to hotels

Lostinbrum · 19/08/2025 09:53

We recently came back from a abroad hotel holiday. We wake up, wake the kids up chuck some clothes on, down for breakfast, back to the room to get everyone ready then hit the beach/pool. We go on holiday to relax not do things.

You should have booked a room with a balcony so you can sit outside in the morning with a coffee browsing mumsnet and looking down on people that book hotels

charlieandthechocolatfactory · 19/08/2025 09:55

I couldn’t stay in a hotel like that

it would have to have a balcony or own swimming pool

not just a basic room
no wonder you want to get out!

Blarn · 19/08/2025 09:58

Apart from the odd city break before dc, we've always stayed in self catering. However we recently took our first holiday as a family abroad and went with a hotel as the deal was so good. It actually worked well, more space would have been better but not having to sort out three meals a day was excellent. We could take our time over breakfast, dc could have a play on the playground, out for the day and then an evening meal in the hotel with no fuss.

Dc are 10 and 8 so bedtimes could be a bit later and they would wake up around the same time as us.

Would definitely be harder with younger dc with earlier bedtimes and waking up at the crack if dawn though which us why we hadn't done it before.

Blarn · 19/08/2025 09:58

Edited as somehow posted twice.

Bjorkdidit · 19/08/2025 10:01

We like not having to make beds

Proves we all like different things. I hate the way they make beds in hotels, to the degree that I generally have the do not disturb sign up unless I need new toilet paper, tea bags etc.

'Not having to make beds' is not a benefit when it takes more effort to unmake a hotel bed so you can get in it than it does to straighten the sheet/duvet when making it yourself.

LeeshaPaper · 19/08/2025 10:04

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.

Exactly!

ishimbob · 19/08/2025 10:04

Bjorkdidit · 19/08/2025 10:01

We like not having to make beds

Proves we all like different things. I hate the way they make beds in hotels, to the degree that I generally have the do not disturb sign up unless I need new toilet paper, tea bags etc.

'Not having to make beds' is not a benefit when it takes more effort to unmake a hotel bed so you can get in it than it does to straighten the sheet/duvet when making it yourself.

I thought it was just me!

I hate everything being all tucked in, I like my duvet to be free!