If one more hotel booking engine tells me I have 'too many children'....

[kif]

.... sigh

3?!? 3 is too many? One hotel advertised a 'family package' on its homepage, which turned out to be for 2 adults plus max one child (!). Virtually none of the sites I've seen have had a booking screen that lets me choose appropriately bigger rooms - as opposed to more rooms or more expensive rooms.

Has anyone used a decent tour operator/website that can stick to arranging holidays, rather than comments on my lifestyle choices?

i have 5 dc,its a nightmare.

what kind of hol are you looking for?

I have been looking for something 'winter sun'... so really 'resort-y' places in the canary islands, algarve etc. Kids are 5, 3 and 1.5 - so last chance to avoid that third airfare and to argue that 'the baby doesn;t count' - but also weighing up options for taking main hols over easter or high summer.

Most of out post DC holidays have involved one or more of driving/self-catering/visiting rellies/UK or near-Europe/adventure .

Our new year resolution was to make sure we took holiday's 'properly' - because me and DH aare a bit burned out - and he has started to earn more money but work much longer hours. Hence I thought it would be the 'easy' option to use a resort or a tour operator.... It's proving frustrating!

do you have to 'declare' the youngest? It may not help you for the kind of break you're looking for though, but we've booked into plenty of hotel doing this, with one parent checking in with one dc and the other coming along a few mins later. (we have 3 dc)

If the youngest isn't paying on the flight, is it worth assuming he'll be sleeping in the parents bed and only putting 2 dc on the booking?

Disclaimer: not sure how 'legal' this is, but we've never been challenged !

Apart from Premier Inns in UK (whose Family rooms have a whopper double, two singles and a travel cot) we've had a useless time trying to fit your size/age family into a hotel rm anywhere, especially abroad. We've found it much cheaper to book slightly off peak/less popular days for flights then get a 2 bedroom flat or even a villa, than to take two interconnecting hotel rooms. If you avoid Feb half term and Easter week, you could find yourself budget flights and cheapish accomodation which gives you a bit more space than a hotel room.

We're fixed to term dates with Dd, unfortunately.

Do you know any companies that do good quality serviced apartments/villas?

We did centreparcs type things last year... and while it was 'fun', there was zero reduction in my housekeeping workload. In fact, I'd say it was harder to cook and clean without having my familiar things.

Anything less than fancy buffet breakfasts and maid service and I'd rather just drive my kids around the M25 a few times, go to a solarium and then come home for much the same effect.

I find that even trying to book one room for 2 adults and 2 kids on line doesn't work as their systems aren't set up for it. I would phone the hotels you are interested in and explain what you need - you may find they do have the required type of rooms but their booking software makes it difficult for them to show that.
ie a lot of hotels these days have 2 double beds in a room but if you use the online booking system they will not let you put 4 people in the room - but if you phone them it is fine. I imagine 2 double beds and a travel cot would suit you?

Well, you can get apartments/houses with maid service, and why not go somewhere with lots of restaurants nearby so you don't have to cook?

It is a problem though. We are resigned to SC even though we love hotels.

You often get further though if you ring - the website doesn't often have the capacity though in reality some hotels will accommodate an extra baby or toddler.

You know, I think it's the good breakfasts, rather than the dinners that are a sticking point with SC. You can't get out quick enough to a nice enough breakfast cafe, so you get drawn down the grocery shopping/serving/whingeing/cleaning route straight away.

A proper breakfast 'downstairs' from someone who recognises you and says 'good morning' starts you off feeling looked after.

I've started contacting hotels direct - but it's a bit hard work. May be another stay-cation for us...

Our best-ever holiday like this was at the Efteling Hotel. If only the weather in Holland was better, we'd go back in a flash...

We have 4 children and fully appreciate your frustration. did a RTW trip with them a few years ago and tried to pre book all the accommodation to keep stress levels minimal. Found Marriott (sp?) the most helpful hotel with family suites with double rooms and sofa bed and mini kitchen. This was largely in the States - not sure if the same applies to Europe and am not sure of price range these days. I imagine they would push their peak prices up like everyone else. We booked a lot of sc houses thru www.holiday-rentals.co.uk and continue to use them for our summer hols. Good luck!

First choice have options for larger family rooms at some of their resorts

Surely if your youngest dc is only 18 m, you can get away with a family room with cot?

You may want to try one of these: www.kinderhotels.com. They are quite expensive option and nowhere near tropics (mostly in Austria) but they are definitely worth it if you need a respite from both your domestic duties and having to entertain your kids round the clock. We used them 3 times so far (we also have 3 dc) and we're definitely going back for more!

We have 3 dc of the same ages.

When booking chain hotels for an overnight stopover, I've found that no-one's fussed if you book for 2 adults, 2 kids in a family room & sneak in an extra.

Like BlueKangarooWonders, we just take our own travel cot & do the 'one parent checks in with 2 dc, other strolls in after 5 minutes with the 3rd' routine - but it's always been obvious that no-one's actually counting us in.

Holidays, though, I've found it's just easier to book somewhere self catering - mostly because I get bog all sleep anyway with all 5 of us in one room!

Could you get an apartment with self-catering but a cleaning service? You can always feed the kids on bread/cheese/fruit all day then go somewhere reasonably priced for dinner, if you want to avoid cooking?

I needed an overnight stay in Birmingham with my 5 last summer, and after tearing my hair out with most hotels in the area, Ramada Inns were extremely helpful - listening to me explaining what I wanted, and then actually delivering it for a good price!!! Still had to take two rooms, but they were in a separate section and had lots of beds in them. Haven't attempted a proper holiday with them all in a hotel yet.

We've 5 dc and have found caravanning abroad great, for obvious accommodation and cost reasons, but obviously dependent on climate!

Now we only take youngest 3 (11, 4 and 3) and we've had most luck with ringing tour operators direct rather than tryin online.

Until youngest was 3 we just asked for a family room with cot at home and abroad and not had too much trouble finding them - or with 4 kids we've had interconnecting rooms (but you shouldn't have to with having one small enough for a cot - Hilton Hotels (with Tesco Clubcard vouchers!) are great for family rooms.

You need to look at www.roomfor5.co.uk, they offer info and reviews on hotels in UK and abroad that offer just that...