what do you do in hotels?

[CCCmom27]

I was just wondering what you do with your toddlers for sleeping at a hotel?  Last year when we went on vacation we were co-sleeping so it wasn't an issue.  Now ds normally goes to bed around 7-730 in his room which is dark and quiet except for his vacuum white noise.  I know we aren't going to want to have lights out every night at 730!  I was thinking about maybe getting a suite so we'd have somewhere separate to watch tv etc. until we go to bed.  Just curious what others do on vacation with little ones.

[Jann]

I had that issue when I went to Florida.  I rented a family suite.  You have a bedroom which you and your lo sleep in and you also have a living room for watching tv.  I also ask for a room with a balcony.  This is fun cause you can enjoy a drink on the patio and relax.

enjoy your vacation

jan

[Mama2boys]

we normally rent a small apt as that allows us soem cooking space for toddler basics and is less expensive and then give sus the living room to chill in when DS sleeps...

[newmama12]

Suites!!! You HAVE to get a suite that has a separate bedroom and living room area. They work out really well! DD (27 months) just had her first hotel stay a few months ago and we did a suite and it worked out perfectly. She slept in her pnp in the living room area. We were able to close the doors and hang out in our room watching tv till we went to bed. We would never have been able to do it any other way! Some hotel rooms have large walk in closets and I know some people use that as the lo's room. I also have friends that use the bathroom in hotel rooms for their lo to sleep in. Guess you just gotta do what works best! Good luck!

[Mimi 2]

Get a suite!  If not then you do need to get two beds.  When we went on holiday dd (23mos) slept in one of bed at the usual time (7:30pm) and then dh and I just continued with the rest of our night in the room.  What we did was block out the TV light using pillows.  Fortunately dd is a good sleeper and once she's asleep she's good for the night.

[Mashi]

We went away this weekend and none of the hotels in town had suite rooms, but we were able to (pay extra to) get a room with a balcony.  They put a travel cot in the room for us, and DS has never slept in one in his life and we weren't surprised that he freaked out.  I did have to rock him to sleep and then put him into the cot when he was out, but he didn't wake or make a peep all night which was great. Then DH and I were able to sit out on the balcony for most of the evening (in the rain!). The room was very small, but it did have a sort of "nook" that was a dressing area and it was just big enough to squeeze the cot in with room for me to squeeze next to it if I needed to walk by.  There was a little window in that area that opened onto the far end of the balcony so we could hear DS when we were outside.

To be honest, both DH and I were stressed that the entire thing was going to be chaos. DS is a "home boy" and I don't get him out often to new places, he's never slept outside of his own cot or pram, and he is a boy of routine and same, same, same. And the whole time in the hotel was PERFECT - I think that we stress over these things without realising how adaptable our LOs really are!

[spanna]

Then DH and I were able to sit out on the balcony for most of the evening (in the rain!).

LOL that would be us! ! !
We were thinking about going to Bali later this year and were thinking of a separate bedroom and lounge room, too....Only way I could see us not going to bed at 7.30

[huntersmummyinoz]

we always try and get a suite or 2 rooms, but when we can't we use a black sheet (dbl bed size) and use command hooks (they are temporary hooks with sticky backs, get the '3D Command Hooks' as these have never marked walls whereas some cheaper ones have). we put the travel cot next to a wall, then two hooks about 3 feet above the cot on the wall and attach the sheet to the hooks, so it drapes over the cot but allows for some air flow at the ends, and also not dangerous as it isnt hung directly on top of the cot IYKWIM. my LO is touchy and still sleeps well like this. i've heard of a mum that uses the sheet and hooks like this to make a partition in the room (hanging the sheets from the ceiling) for her LO that is in a bed rather than a cot.

helps stop ew when hotels dont have blackout blinds too!

HTH

[spanna]

Just Brilliant! would never have thought of that!