I have had a small insight into what it is like to have a 'large' family

[HighFibreDiet]

I have been trying to book hotel rooms in Hong Kong. We only have three kids, ffs, but the online reservation systems just do not seem to be able to cope with more kids than adults! I have lost count of the number of times I was told that I had to book three rooms. What is more, many of the hotel websites say that 'children under 11 can stay for free' but what I have realised that really means is 'one child under 11 can stay for free in the same bed as you have booked for the adults, otherwise you will have to pay for an extra bed'. Even in the hotels with 'family suites' a 'family' means 'no more than two adults and two (small) children'.

It's costing us a lot of money - I'm glad we are only staying there for four nights!

Rant over!

Hi just noticed this thread.

Even in this country I've had my challenges. We have four kids. My oldest was 15 yesterday.

We are sometimes offered two rooms because hotels sometimes do not cater for families who have three or more kids.

We did manage to get something but its two rooms. My oldest two have to stay together.

Oh, I so sympathise for and with you.

Our family stay in family rooms of Youth Hostels and B&B as many hostels refuse to allow 5 in a room.

In hotels, we are expect to pay for a 1 x 4 person room (for me, DD1 and DD2) and pay for another room (1 x 2) for DH and DS. (Name and shame Holiday Inn for this example)

I could rant for Europe on the subject of Hotel bookings for a family of 5.

I looked into going away, we have 4 children. It seemed that we would end up paying for 4 adults and 2 dc, gave up at the point!

Holiday Inn are the best I have found (with three DS), funny you have had the opposite experience new2cm, which one gave you trouble? The one in Plymouth gave us a family room that was bigger than some flats and could have slept 7. They also threw in free evening meals for the children and breakfast for all of us for £79. I was really impressed.

I agree that it is impossible to book on a website if you have dared to have more that 2 children. I can see it being even more of a problem as they get older. It's one of those weird things that never came into my logic for having a third, like most packs of food stuffs come in groups of four!

Actually is it that unreasonable? Especially when children are older. Not being able to get an interconnecting room would be a problem when childern are younger, but there's a limit to how many people a hotel would expect to accommodate in one room.

I started a thread on this the other week. Dd1/2 too young to be on their own. Wouldn't share with dh (without me)as he isn't their dad. Dd3 has to stay with me to be fed. Which leaves me + 3 kids in one room & dh on his own

Lucky dh! Yes I often end up with the two youngest while dp and ds1 have a good night's sleep in another room. In the UK I have found the Premier Inns do the best family room - ds1 and ds2 get a bed each rather than being expected to share a sofa bed and the rooms are usually a reasonable size - although we are stretching it a bit by now expecting to get 2 1/2 yr old ds3 in a travel cot!

Crumpet I guess it depends on the size of the room - I have read many reviews saying Hong Kong hotels tend to have very small rooms so there is probably a limit to how many people they would want to fit in there. But I did think the limit on a family suite or 2 bed apartment was rather unreasonable.

I have recently found out I am expecting dc4 so things are not going to get any easier.

I forgot I didn't say about the apartment - I looked into booking serviced apartments and was also told I had to book a three bedroom apartment as each room was for a maximum of two people. In contrast, when we arrive in Australia we have booked a two bed apartment with a roll-out bed in the main bedroom - so ds3 can sleep with us and ds1 and ds2 get to share a separate room. The acommodation is costing less for a week in Sydney than four days in Hong Kong.