Tips for Your First Hotel Stay with Young Children

Last updated on May 6th, 2024 at 10:29 am

Traveling with little ones can be stressful at the best of times, especially if you’re planning to stay in a hotel room with your kids. A lack of home comforts, limited space and little privacy can all be a disaster waiting to happen if you don’t make sure to choose the right hotel and put the right amount of planning in beforehand to ensure that everything runs smoothly. The idea of staying in a hotel with kids might be stressing you out already, but with these top tips you’ll be able to pack and plan right and you’ll wonder what it was that you were ever worried about.

It’s all about preparation and organization. I remember my very first hotel experience with my first baby. I have to say I have learned a lot since then and wish I had had a few tips to guide me along the way.

Choosing the Right Hotel

Making sure that you choose the right hotel is essential to a stress-free family stay. When booking the hotel, make sure that you’re looking for options which are family and child-friendly, for example hotels which have play areas, cots, or bottle warming facilities. Staying at a hotel which has the amenities that you need to have a comfortable stay with your little ones will make the whole experience a lot easier. For child-friendly UK hotels, see www.ihg.com. It’s worth the time to do the research, I promise.

A hotel room door being opened, a bed can be seen in the background

Inspect the Room

When you arrive at the hotel, it’s a good idea to give the room a once-over first if you’re with a baby or small child. Make sure that you check for anything that could possibly cause your little one harm, for example furniture which they could easily walk into and bump their head or things left under the bed and missed by the cleaning staff that you’d never want your tot to play with. It’s always best to discover anything which could potentially cause harm as early as possible so that you can have it dealt with quickly!

Getting Organized

There’s nothing worse than being in a hotel and having to dig through all your luggage for essential child supplies such as nappies/diapers, baby wipes and spare clothes. In order to make sure that you don’t end up getting stressed out, set up stations for yourself when you arrive and make sure that you have everything organized. It’s also a good idea to keep this in mind when packing, too – pack everything that you think you’ll need urgently right at the top of your luggage where you can easily find it. This will come second nature to you, the more you travel with your little one.

Tips for your first hotel stay with young children

Book a Suite

If you can afford to, booking a suite or two conjoining rooms can be an excellent idea for a family. The extra space can definitely be invaluable, especially if you’ve got a large family! Rather than squeezing all of you into one room, opt for a hotel which has larger, apartment-like rooms available where you won’t feel squashed in like sardines. Even though it will cost you more, it’s definitely worth it for your comfort and your sanity! Try to save up for it if you can’t afford it because happy kids and space to roam free is a happy holiday.

Staying in a hotel with kids doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. By making sure that you pack right and opting for a hotel which offers great rooms and child-friendly amenities, you’ll be able to all enjoy your stay! I always try to think of it as finding a home away from home with fun and space available for everyone.

Do you remember your first hotel with your little ones? What was your experience like? Do you have any added advice here for first time traveling parents with young children? I would love to hear, in the comment below.