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Original poster

Leaving baby in hotel room

66 replies

idag · 23/08/2009 21:44

I just want to find out what others would do in this situation. We have a four month old baby and we are going away next week to a hotel for a night. We are having dinner there but the restaurant does not allow babies in ( it is quite a posh place and they don't want to disturb other diners who are paying a lot for their dinner so fair enough) We are planning to put her to bed and then go and eat taking our monitor with us and also using the baby listening service from reception . The hotel is an old castle and our room is across the courtyard from the restaurant. What would others do ? One minute I think it will be fine and then the next minute I feel really worried that we shouldn't leave her. Please help, getting a bit panicky.. Thanks

OP posts:

pofacedandproud · 24/08/2009 11:15

Never. Never never never.

LaurieFairyCake · 24/08/2009 11:15

If you won it and there are no other expenses I would hire an in-room babysitter and go and really enjoy my dinner. It may only cost £20-£30 to have someone actually sit and watch tv while cuddling your baby.

Enjoy

MissSunny · 24/08/2009 12:52

Message withdrawn

serinBrightside · 26/08/2009 18:46

We booked a hotel in the lake district when DD was a baby and were horrified to discover on arrival that they didn't allow babies in the restaurant.

So we rolled up with her anyway, plonked her down asleep in her rock a tot and just dared the staff to say something, they didn't. We got a few fond smiles from the other diners and that was that. Had she started crying I would not have let her disturb the peace but she didn't.

How dare restaurants discriminate in this way, they wouldn't do this to any other section of society. You shouldn't even be forced to consider leaving her.

Name and shame and we'll all complain.

tulip27 · 26/08/2009 20:32

I agree with the fire aspect. We left our dog for 10 mins at home whilst we went 6 doors down for a take away, when we got back a fire had just started but dog already dead. It only takes 3 minutes for someone to die from smoke inhalation. I wouldn't leave your baby.

boneybones · 26/08/2009 21:23

SweetApril · 26/08/2009 21:34

We had similar situation when DD was 4 months. Swanky hotel restaurant for family do. We persuaded them to let us bring DD in her car seat on the understanding that we would be discreet about it and remove her if she made enough of a fuss to disturb other diners. We took the chance and she slept through the whole thing plonked under the table! We requested a table in a quiet corner too. Would be a bit crap to be sat on a table next to the pianist or something. If there's only the two of you I suppose you'd have be prepared to eat alone or take it in turns if she did wake up and cry.

girlsyearapart · 26/08/2009 21:39

Oh Tulip you just made me well up and want to take the dog into my bed tonight to cuddle..

OP no I wouldn't leave her. We went to a hotel recently with a 'baby listening service' we weren't planning on using it but read the blurb anyway. Apparently you leave you phone off the hook and reception connects to it every ten mins to see if they hear crying.
dh and I were wondering how on earth a child who's slipped and passed out/been snatched would cry?

Is there anyone you could leave her with overnight and enjoy a baby free night?
Or someone you know who'd sit with her while you eat?

PlumBumMum · 26/08/2009 21:46

Can you not leave her with someone for the night, grandparents?

There was a thread on here before and a poster did leave her dc upstairs and there was a fire and she wasn't allowed up to get her/him!

But don't leave her anything could happen

gallery · 26/08/2009 21:50

I just wrote a really long post and deleter by accident. DARN. The gist is, yes we did do leaving baby alone thing (ok shoot me but it was our opinion and we actually enjoyed our time). The hotels were all small, the baby was short distance (once as close as at home). A few times, we judged distnace to be too far for us to keep checking and stayed in. ONce we got babysitter. Since Madeline MCC, no, I will never ever leave my baby alone in strange place again. I know the real risk is fire, it is just the babysitter precaution was for that, it never ever occurred to me someone could come and steal your child. My kids are too precious. Please God, they will grow to live happy healthy lives.

vinblanc · 26/08/2009 21:51

I think when you have a tiny child, you need to pay for babysitting in one way or the other.

Like the OP, we used to holiday in a hotel that was adults' only in the dining room. Our kids went out to evening clubs. Under 2s would go out to the creche to sleep, not play.

I am not someone who thinks that fire is around every corner, but simply my kids were not good at settling early enough for us to go out. There were loads of parents in our hotel who just used baby monitors or the hotel's listening service.

Adults' only dinner is great on holiday, but not worth it if you are worried.

Rachmumoftwo · 26/08/2009 22:07

How can a hnotle allow babies to stay but not allow them into the restaurant? I wouldn't stay somewhere like that with children tbh, it is either a family holiday or an adult break- can't be both.

Rachmumoftwo · 26/08/2009 22:08

obviously I mean a hotel- can't spell tonight lol

vinblanc · 26/08/2009 22:16

I disagree, Rach. You can have both. We have been to at least two hotels which were both child and adult friendly.

Even family-oriented people don't want to hear other people's screaming kids when they are having a pleasant meal together, or the distractions of caring for their own.

As long as you know upfront of the expectations. There is no reason for every hotel to cater to exactly the same market. They can tailor to the needs of their target audience.

I would expect that a hotel with an 'adults-only' rule to make provision for childcare - babysitters and creches.

Rachmumoftwo · 26/08/2009 22:35

If childcare was available that would be a great way to have adult time on a family break, I agree, but I don't consider a listening in service to be childcare. A creche or kids club is totally different.

paisleyleaf · 26/08/2009 22:45

I couldn't do it.
I only recently found out what 'listening service' is
I'd thought it was something like the receptionist hearing into your room, constantly, with a monitor or something.
But apparently it's just that you leave the phone in your room off the hook, and from time to time you can pick up a phone elsewhere in the hotel to hear into your room.

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