Would you do this?

[CountessDracula]

Am going away to stay in a hotel. Have a 300m range listening device (dd aged 2.8 is coming with us). There is a beach bar 50 yds away from the hotel. If we checked that the monitor worked and left a radio on in the room on low vol. to ensure that we hadn't lost connection, could we go down to beach bar in the evening or is that really bad? She almost never wakes up in the evening.

I wouldn't although you could probably gauge it better when you get there and see the hotel layout etc but she is probably more likely to wake or stir in a strange environment.Ring the hotel and ask them if they can arrange babysitting otherwise let her stay up with you it is a holiday after all and routine can go out the window for a few days surely?

beach bar might only be 50 yards away but how far is the room from the hotel front door... if there is a fire on the ground floor, how do you get in and up the stairs? How do you know no -one can wander in off street and upstairs?

I would not do this but guess if you are prepared to accept the tiny risk of something happening then go for it ... I would say that there is no drink in the world worth the tiny risk but I am neurotic and take 0 risk when it comes to my kids...

I'd do it with a littler one - and did actually leave ds, asleep, in a hotel bedroom when he was about 7/8 months while we ate in restaurant/had a drink in the bar, with a baby monitor/hotel listening, and regular checks on him. No real difference to him being asleep upstairs at home to my mind.

Couldnt have got away with at at 2.8 though, as he could climb out of cots by 14 months, and his Houdini tendencies also meant that he could manage door/window handles and locks of all types not long after that. So we would have needed to physically lock him in and remove the key, plus ensuring that any windows couldn't be opened from the inside.

I would, would worry of course but it is hardly far away is it?

its only like sitting in your back garden whilst the children are in bed, isnt it?

joash you are an arse >

Definately would CD. But I would consider using a monitor that has lights on it to show the level of sound as well so that you aren't constantly picking it up and putting it to your ear

Yes, not only would I do this, but I have done similar things in the past. Some hotels use a system where you dial reception and leave the phone off the hook so they can listen in every so often, which is helpful. But sometimes monitors don't work very well in a large hotel-type setting -- possibly something to do with all that concrete? But our monitor is over 10 years old, so a new one might be more effective.

I can't see the difference between this and sitting downstairs in your own house watching TV or eating dinner after putting the children to bed.

Enjoy your holiday, CD!

I've done this too in various mark warner, sunsail & ski-ing things. Have to say that I found so many people tried to use monitors that in the end they were useless - not enough channels & too much inteference. So my (now) ex-H and I used to take it in turns to walk back every 15/20mins to check all was well.
Can't believe this has turned into a discussion about neglect!!!!

It is a tiny hotel

Yes the monitor has lights

Step away from the thread CD and put the conversation down .

Maybe you should take a tripod and your camcorder just to be on the safe side so you can see if she yawns.......

Yes, and a truly non-neglectful mother would also hire a bodyguard to stand outside their room at all times to ensure no kidnap attempt succeeds. After all, what chance do you stand against a heavily armed gang, hell bent on abducting your child? It's totally irresponsible to walk down the street with a child IMO. A bus could come off the road and crush her to death. But if you stay in, your house might burn down. Quick, into the cellar everyone!

haven't read this all (looks like a got a bit involved ), so to answer the original question, yes, and have done this, although ds had other ideas and would not settle, so we ate in shifts anyway, and didn't have the relaxing drink we envisaged! Have a fun time!

And popped into our next door neighbours house for a drink over Xmas with our monitor - all fine. I sound like a wino - am not - honest!

I have had my room burgled in a hotel. So I wouldn't consider it to be as safe as my own home.

Consequently I would not use a listening service or leave ds in a strange environment. I know people do but I would not leave ds somewhere where I would not leave my passports and jewellery when I go out, he is more important to me than that.

oliveoil,you make me laugh!
This thread is bonkers!

Yes I'd do it with a good sleeper who was in a cot. But what I'd do in your position CD is ring Sitters.co.uk and get a sitter so you can go where you want for as long as you want and get a proper break (Well Sitters cover Wimborne so I assume they are further along the coast).

think this is fine, for all the reasons already mentioned, provided dd is in a cot, and the hotel has smoke detectors.

we've always been absolutely fine with baby-listening/monitor combo - until ds silently escaped from his room on hols last year. so we won't be doing it again now that he is in a bed.

so if she's in a cot i'd say go for it.

btw i'm would love to go away somewhere for the w/e and where you're going sounds marvellous!

ummm I think triceratops experience is very moot

Nobody ever got burgled at home then?
If the door is locked you would certainly hear it being forced on any monitor.
I very much doubt that teams of baby stealers are at large in tiny Dorset hotels.

how things change
My mum says that when we were little they went to Pontins. They had a system where EVERYONE left the babies /children in the chalets and someone cycled round every 30 mins checking for a crying baby!! My mum said they didnt think that was enough so my dad used to go every 30 minutes too so that someone was listening OUTSIDE every 15 mins. Those days people couldnt take their kids to the bar.

sometimes I think we worry too much.

we went to a wedding in a hotel when DS was 16 wks old. Put him to bed and went down to join the evening party for about 1 1/2 with baby monitor in room & checking outside every 30 minutes. he was fine.

maybe see how you feel when you get there or maybe dont go out every night

enjoy your holiday

no, never.

though would probl leave baby asleep at home and pop to neighbours with monitor oon for half an hourish.

CD - I've not read the whole thread but enough to get a feel - and wanted to add my support for you going to the bar.

We've done similar without a baby monitor (never possessed one) when we were on holiday in Greece. We were in the bar of the hotel - but the hotel itself comprised a number of accomodation blocks and our room was in the one furthest from the bar.

However ds, 2 at the time, was a brilliant sleeper and was showing no inclination to climb out of his cot, so we would put him down, go out and pop back up regularly to check he was OK.

We didn't stay out late, we didn't get drunk - but we did have a chance to relax.

Yes I would and have done - going back every so often to check they are asleep.
Not much of a holiday if you don't, frankly!!!!

Yes, have done and will continue to do it (ds 2.8).