Why do people stay in hotels on family holidays?

[JambonetFromage]

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?

Yeah me too - I find it interesting and surprising how many people want to do absolutely nothing of this sort on holiday, it's just not something I value.

TBH Mumsnet has made me realise that I am not someone who craves relaxation/downtime the same way some people do. I honestly think I would get bored

Like you mention OP, isn't it good that some people like a break from cooking etc, and don't want to deny a local person an affordable home?

When I'm on holiday majority of each day is spent in swimwear around the pool, clothes go on in the evening for dinner, so easy to repeat and not exactly sweaty.

I have a clean bra every day. And knickers. And socks in winter

@reluctantbritwhy 18/20 pairs for 14 days

what do you do to need 1-2 pairs some days

We had the same conversation as we tend to use Eurocamp as we like having our own space to chill & get changed etc. I don’t fancy having all 4 of us in one room. I also like having a fridge to store drinks & snacks. I prefer going out & about & don’t like the idea of being at the hotel most of the time. We don’t always eat out but it’s easy enough to do self catering but nip out for food & drinks.

I guess we’re all different - but I don’t find there is much cleaning with a cabin type accommodation. In a hotel room you would still need to tidy clothes & toiletries up.

I think people like the idea of having a reception with staff who can help them if they need something. Also lots love the entertainment every evening (again that isn’t really my scene).

I love a hotel. Comfortable, clean beds and pillows, big clean bathrooms, coffee maker, mini bar to keep snacks and drinks cool and, as others have said, the room is cleaned every day, someone else makes the beds and I don't have to cook. Bliss.

Because they don’t want to cook, clean, etc

I hate staying in hotels with children; prefer our own accommodation and space; don’t mind doing a bit of cooking, tidying up and have the choice to eat in or out.

I also hate eating with lots of people and big buffets. Love peace, tranquility, independence, space.

Kids are teens and they both share own hotel room when we were in Japan and that worked well. 4 if us in one room, no thank you but have done it for one night in long haul flights for stopovers, still no ideal.

If you've been out all day & got hot and sweaty and then have a shower before you going out for the evening, do you really want to put your sweaty knickers back on?

Maybe you don’t work or have a clean home. That’s okay. It takes all sorts to make a world.

Haha. I work full time!

Well, you know what to do next time. Self-catering accommodation much easier with children and you can always go out for breakfast.

Family suite!

I don’t have to cook or clean…

I agree with you OP, although for me it's more about having all the facilities of a home and separate spaces. My dcs always get up at 7am whether they're on holiday or not. We stay in hotels for short breaks (1 or 2 night) but for longer than that, I like to have self catering and laundry facilities. I don't do much cooking on holiday but it's nice to get a takeaway and eat at a proper table in privacy, snacks and fruit that need refrigeration, and water from a kitchen tap (I hate drinking from a hotel bathroom tap). I never find there's much cleaning needed if you aren't cooking meals. Often we have 2 bathrooms. All the apartments we've stayed in just want you to run the dishwasher at the end, not do a full clean of the apartment or even strip the beds.

Yes I guess that’s a good reason so I’m in a swim suit 99% of the day and a quick dress over the top if pop across the road for breakie

I’ve never in my life done a true “fly and flop” holiday - the closest I have come was pre-DC staying in a resort for a week while learning to dive. wE were off on a dive boat every day so there wasn’t that much flopping involved, but relaxing at the pool/beach after diving knowing exactly where our next meal was coming from was very nice.

My parents used to take us backpacking round hostels most holidays as a kid so I think I have quite a skewed idea of what a holiday looks like!

I am currently enjoying a fly and flop holiday. My day to day life and job are very busy so it’s great to switch my head off for a while. We did an ‘exploring’ type holiday earlier in the year.

Exactly the same here. We did one resort type holiday but it was primarily about water activities (surfing in our case)

My parents also liked more adventurous travel so I guess it is just what I think of holidays as about

I work full time in a senior role so it's not like my day to day life is stress free, I just feel more refreshed by doing different things/seeing different things than purely relaxing

Everyone's different!

Christ that's patronising and nasty.

We don't do flip and flop holidays, we are out the majority of days and come back sweaty and gross. I shower and then want fresh clothes. I don't want to wear the same underwear then the next day as I sleep in them.

If we had a day at the pool then yes, I don' t need everything fresh in the evening as I wore swimsuits.

I also have sometimes a bladder issue and if unlucky I had the horrendous period ever and in a hotel I can't store period pants (or even attempt to rinse the 24 hour ones I needed).

✨ I want a holiday to actually feel like a holiday — not just the same chores in a different postcode 😅
With toddlers, big hotels are our go-to. Fewer breakables, no trailing wires, and someone else deals with the crumbs under the highchair 🙌 Bonus: spacious lobbies for rainy-day zoomies (when it’s quiet and we’re on full toddler-watch, of course!).
We usually shift the day a bit later when we’re away — dinner all together, little one to bed around 9, then we get a bit of downtime time to read or watch something or doom scroll. In the morning, she either wakes up naturally as we’re getting ready or we gently wake once we’re dressed. Everyone’s ready for breakfast at the same time and I don’t have to plan, prep, or clean it up. Bliss. 🌴✨

I agree op. We always stay in villas, houses or apartments. We went to US this year and stayed in an aparthotel. Best of both worlds as didn’t have to clean but had the space of 3 rooms, 2 bathrooms and a little kitchen.

I would love for my son to sleep longer than me. He always wake me up 😉. I would personally take advantage of the time and relax or make a plan for the day, get things ready in peace and then if they sleep too long( depending how old are children) if they are older I'd wake them up, as my son is little I always let him sleep as little ones need to sleep more as they are growing.

Oh yes! Aparthotels are perfect, enough space for everyone and convenience of hotel amenities