Anyone ever snuck an extra child into a family room?

[Maisiethemorningsidecat]

We need one family room, for one night, before we catch the ferry. It's going to be £82 for the room for 4 of us, and I really, really don't want to spend the same again for the sake a few hours kip.

I'm thinking of a ready bed on the floor for the youngest, and then a staggered check-in iykwim past the (usually unstaffed) reception (it's a travel lodge type thingie) - anyone done this and lived to tell the tale?

Should have said - there are 5 of us, 2 adults/3 children

Where does the bed on the floor come from? How old is the youngest? I do sympathise. There are 5 of us and we had to get two hotel rooms in London last year. Our dcs are 12, 9 and 3 though so needed a fair bit of space. If yours are younger I think you could get away with it.

I mean I'd take a ReadyBed thing for him to sleep on. He's 3, so should be OK space wise iirc from the previous occasions we've used family rooms in travel lodges etc. I wouldn't mind (so much!) paying for another room if we were to be there for a few days, but we'll be getting there in the evening and then it's an early ferry the next morning - I begrudge £164 for about 9 hours!

We did it and no problem whatsoever

How did you 'get past' reception Railway?

We did it once in France but it meant one DD on a pull out bed and the other DD sharing a single bed with me (DH on another single bed). Small, and not comfy. But okay for one night (we wouldn't have had room for a ready bed but have never stayed in a travel lodge so not sure how much space are in their rooms). Can't see why hotel would object really? In our case we just got a gallic shrug from the receptionist - not sure they cared either way!

We do it all the time in travel lodges and premier inns.
To be honest I am not sure if they are too bothered, we all five turn up for breakfast and no one bats an eye.
Mine are 11. 10 and 3

Hells bells, Queen - £30 to sleep in their own ready beds?

It's good to hear that others have done this. I'm under no illusion, it's not going to be the most comfortable night's sleep we've ever had but we'll manage for a few hours I'm sure. They can always sleep in the car when we're driving through France - she says, living up to the stereotype of the tightfisted Scots person!

We're having this problem, We're expected to pay another £20 per child (we have 3) on top of the room fee for my Brother's wedding in April. Hotel has been booked out for the event.

We're taking ready beds too, with the amount of traffic on the day i doubt they'll notice!I really begrudge having to spend another £60 for 3 under 7's!

Not exactly on track - but there is a website www.roomfor5.co.uk does this help at all.

Have no experience as there are 4 of us, but friend says it is a useful site.

I would try to do what you are planning personally too though!

All the time! Pick something like a Premier Inn or a larger chain hotel and it's easy enough to do.

I check in with one of the girls and DS.

Get the key card, then text DH in the car with the room no.

He swans in with the other DD and goes straight to the room.

Then one sits with the kids whilst the other gets the bags in.

the Premier Inn site allows for a max of 2 children, so you can't book for 3 of them anyway.

Thanks so much Bellie - am off to check a couple of places listed on that site

That's the strategy I'd planned to use Expat! These places seem to be either very busy with so many people coming and going that no-one would really notice, or they are deathly quiet with no-one on reception

All the time, same strategy as expat.

Easiest in USA where the rooms have 2 queen beds - one for the DC, tucked up like the Waltons and the other for DH and I.

Where there's a double sofa be, it's more comfortable to put the mattress on the floor and have the DC sleep sideways.

Have also done it on the ferry but once the youngest was over 5yrs, I had to also book a reclining seat, although DD just shared a single bunk with me.

You can do it legitimately if you book the youngest in as a baby, and they'll put a travelcot in the room in addition to the two extra beds.

We last did it when the youngest was about 4, or possibly even 5. I was a bit worried that she might kick off majorly over the idea of having to sleep in a travel cot, but luckily she was delighted by the prospect. If she hadn't been, I'd have taken the mattress out of the cot and just used that on the floor.

I don't think they really mind, tbh.

Meaning, I don't think the hotels really mind -- not in a Premier Inn, anyway.

Thanks Polly

Hee hee, my family do this all the time, one year me and, my two sisters and brother in law all stayed in a travelodge the sheets were grubby (had a skidmark on it ) and as 4 adults aren't allowed to stay in one room I hid in the toilet whilst my sis went down to ask someone to bring clean sheets. I was sat on that bloody toilet for over an hour until I finally mustered up courage to quietly tap on the door and ask to come out, they'd damn well forgotten about me !

LOL Apocalypse!

I've done this in three Premier Inns and am about to do it again this weekend.

Have you always found there is enough room for all 5 of you?

Speaking as a former hotel receptionist - most don't have children so they think they all look the same.

Do what Expat advises and have one adult and 2 children check in and the other adult and child follow up 5 mins later. The receptionist won't notice nor particularly care TBH.