Can someone explain how you stay in a hotel with children? Do you end up sitting outside the door waiting for them go to sleep?! Oh and need recommendations for Bristol PLEASE!

[DANCESwithLordPottingtonSmythe]

Dh and I have stayed in a hotel with dcs but they had an adjoining room. If I can't find this (no luck so far) how do you work it? They will NOT go to sleep in the room if we are in there with them (aged 5yrs and 3yrs)! Hopefully someone can recommend a hotel in Bristol with adjoining rooms otherwise I fear a night of minimal sleep is ahead of us all....

Please help! Thanks

Marriot have rooms like this - there was one in bristol in the center.

We usually put a hotel film on and all lie in our respective beds until we fall asleep. DDs are 5 and 3. If 3 yr old is a bit hyper, we switch the lights off and ignore her and she goes to sleep but its rare she goes hyper now. They're usually asleep by 9.

it is no fun at all!
we have put them to bed just gone to bed at the same time, had a drink in the hotel lihnge downstairs but checked continuusly, attenpted to read in the bathroom, watch Tv
all the above pretty useless tbh
it's best to just tire them out and all go to bed at 9pm

Ah right... so it will be a crappy night then, bugger it . I will look into the marriot, thanks ivykaty.

It doesn't have to be crappy, buy some malteasers or something, put a film on for the DC's, you and DP or whatever, have a drink and a chat. Make it a family evening together. Get yourselves an early night or just stop up having a drink and a chat after they've gone to sleep. Does that sound so bad? If you want fun on your own, don't take the DC's if your lucky enough to have someone to look after them - we don't.

The few times we've been in this situation, we've all stayed up till 9.30/10 and gone to bed at the same time.

we just let ds stay up later than usual, then all lie down in a darkish room
I am usually knackered by then anyway - to lie quietly and read is lovely
then if you are lucky you get a bit of a lie in in the morning - this bit doesn't usually work for us as ds springs awake in a "where am I NOW" kind of way, but it might work for you?

we have only stayed in hotels with adjoining rooms/a suite

We have looked into the marriot but it's £££. We've found a fab B&B though, have emailed them, it might be the solution! Thanks for the help.

What are you doing in Bristol? Anything fun?

We always get two connecting rooms. Marriots usually, or Sheraton also do them. Put them to bed, and either have room service dinner in our room, or if they're asleep, go to the restaurant but ask reception to do that listening in thing.

And for LOs still small enough to go in a travel cot, many hotel bathrooms are big enough to fit it in!!! Both of our DSes have spent nights in Travellodge loos whilst we have the TV on low and have a drink!

(that sounds dreadful on reading back! When they were tiny and would sleep anywhere!!)

Why wouldn't they go to sleep ?
Make sure they are very tired from the day itself. Let them stay up a bit later - sell itot them, like it is a real treat. Lots of food. Tv. Cuddles. Hopefully they drop off.
Have you had nightmares in the past ?