Seeking Tips for Staying in a Hotel W/ an Infant and Toddler

My favorite little trick is to take along a couple of large ziploc bags and take/buy a very small bottle of dish soap. You can wash bottles/sippy cups by filling the bag halfway with very hot water, adding a couple drops of dishwashing soap, drop in the dishes, zip the bag shut and shake it well. Then just rinse everything under running water.

Take lots of little snacks for your toddler, too. Hotel food is not always kid-friendly. If you can find a hotel with a fridge and microwave in the room, that is usually worth it so you don't have to try to convince the kids to behave in the restaurant for all your meals.

We also leave the bathroom fan on or take a sound machine for white noise. Even nice hotels can be noisy.

Take small, soft toys that won't break anything when thrown. I like taking a deck of cards along. My 2-year-old loves to throw them, draw on them, look at them, etc. Seems silly but it is an inexpensive toy that can be thrown away if damaged.

Finally, give up and accept that your toddler may watch some extra TV while you are traveling. You can always get back to your routine when you get home :)

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If possible, I'd stay in a "suites" type hotel with a separate bedroom. That way your infant's nighttime needs will not affect your toddler AND you have the added bonus of a kitchen/ette for milk, snacks, etc. Also, don't forget to bring a babyproofing kit ... complete with outlet covers and cabinet closures. This makes things so much less stressful!! Good luck and safe travels!!!

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Dear I.,
Good luck! Are you traveling by yourself with the kids? My hubby and I have stayed on a lot of hotels travling with out daughter and nephew.
I agree with other moms, on bring a pack n play(or call hotel ahead of time to see if they have any available and if they charge to use them), don't go an buy a special portable bed(its just a waste of $$, pack n plays are great for sleeping in!).
-Pack n Play
-Your own nightlight
-Invest in a white noise machine(found at bed bath and beyond, target, walmart etc, great for travel and when at home in kids or ur room)
-Extra ziploc/plastic Bags(gallon,quart sized)
-Extra plastic bags(like the one you get while shopping at grocery stores or walmart) because hotel room trashcans are TINY and one dirty diaper can fill them up! Plus you can use a couple to separate dirty clothes from clean ones while repacking your bags to come home.
-Since it is cold/flu season, just in case bring your kids' thermometer and baby tylenol and kids pepto bismal for your older daughter.
As other moms said dont frget maby one or two stuffed animals for bedtime and couple books.
Maybe your oldest daughter could help by rolling her own suitcase( they have cheap kids ones at walmart and target).

Also think about a suite like other moms said. Embassy Suites and Doubletree and even Hampton Inn has suite rooms where you can close the door when the kids have fallen asleep so you can relax a little and watch tv etc. And suites have refigerator and microwaves(a bonus!) And most hotels that have suite type rooms provide free continental breakfast too.
Also the best thing to do is google/mapquest to see if there is a Walmart or Target nearby for essentials you might have forgotten to pack like diapers etc.

Have a fun and stress free trip!
P.

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All the ideas here so far have been great ones. I say ditto on the outlet covers and on getting a suite if you can. I'd also bring a pack-n-play or portable crib, a bouncy chair or bumbo seat, a nightlight, and a noise machine or small fan to create "white noise" for bedtime. Pack plenty of toys and twice as many diapers as you think you'll need, unless there's a drugstore or grocery store near your hotel.

I did this by myself when my boys were 1 and 3, and it wasn't too bad. You'll make it through! Good luck!

I think it would be helpful if you take a portable fold-up baby bed. The 24 month old then could not wander around in
the middle of the night, because they really don't know where they are and could be a little confused.

Hi. All great advice so far. I would suggest 2 pack-n-plays, if there is room in the room.

Also, something I learned the hard way is that whenever you are in the room, put the 'do not disturb' sign on the door!

We were at a resort hotel, we didn't put the sign out when we went to bed. There were 2 adults, 1 teen, 1 youth and 1 toddler in the room (pack-n-play). I woke up early and got into the shower. While I was in the shower, hubby left the room. As I was getting out of the shower I heard knocking on the door, and wrapped in a towel I went running for the door. I was able to throw the lock just as the maid was opening it!

When I complained about the maid opening the door at 7:30am, when I had 3 sleeping kids in the room, I was told that it was my fault for not hanging the 'do not disturb' sign on the door. How was the maid to know that someone was asleep in the room?

Just my two cents.
M.

Hi I.! Many hotels offer a suite-style room for just a little bit more $$, and this has helped our family a LOT when staying in hotels. If you can have 2 rooms with even a partial divider between the two, you may find it easier to put the kids to bed while still having a place for grown-ups to be awake and read or watch tv. Having a mini-fridge is, of course, helpful, especially since my kids like to have milk first thing in the morning. Good luck!

Bring 1-2 nightlights for sure!

A floor fan for noise helps, sometimes the room AC/fan goes on and off loudly and can be annoying.

Our 2 year old is too big for the little pack and play cribs, so we make him a "nest" on the floor by folding up the bedspread or blanket, to make it nice and cushy, then put a sleeping bag or blanket we brought on top of it and his pillow from home. He loves it, and you don't have to worry about him falling off the bed!

And remember, sometimes the first night or two they wake up because it's a new surrounding, but then they will adjust fine! Best wishes!!

I did this a few years ago with a 3 month old and 23 month old. I flew and couldn't take a lot of stuff with me. We stayed in a room with a kitchenette which was great at least to have a refridgerator. We weren't in the room much but whenever my 23 month old got restless we went for a walk through the hotel. He loved riding in the elevator and pushing the buttons. We also cleared out one of the cabinets for him to hide in. He would take his cars and play in the cabinet for awhile. Definitely bring outlet covers! My brother stuck keys in an electric socket when he was 2 at a hotel. He was okay but still. I hope this helps.

Make sure they have a refrigerator in your room. That way you can keep snacks and bottles at the ready. Also, grab some bottled water. Otherwise, you'll be filling the ice bucket up all the time. That really sucks.
Bring a travel bed if you can. Then you won't be worried about kids falling off of the high hotel beds during naps, etc. I prefer a hotel with a pool so that can be a great evening time activity for the kids or a special treat. Also, pack a night light. It's really dark in a hotel room. Plan to get everyone on a similar sleep schedule because it's almost impossible for toddlers to sleep while you watch TV.
Good luck.

I always ask for them to try to give me an isolated room - empty room on each side - so I don't have to worry too much about how loud the kids are. The first thing to do when you get in there is clear a space for a pack n play. It always seems like there is something dangerous - cords, lamps, iron, plastic bags in garbage cans, etc. they can get into or pull over on themselves. Also, sometimes you hav e to unplug the phone between the beds because the kids like to play on it. Make sure you have a refridgerator in room and plan ot shop when you arrive.

We did this when our kids were little instead of staying with family. Do NOT change your bedtime routine. If you always do bath, stories, bed... do it regardless of the time. The kids have no clue as to how late it is they just know that their routines are different. Don't forget their special toys that they snuggle with. That's a fate worse than death.
Definitely get a suite. We put the kids in the main room and we took the bedroom with the TV. It worked great!
YMMV
LBC

I have a 39 month old and a 19 month old and we've done lots of hotels

1) Unplug the reachable phone and shift all glasses and remotes up high upon arrival
2) make sure you have the kids comfort blankies or stuffed animals.

When my older daughter was younger I often left the room with my baby while daddy got her to sleep. He would then send me a text message that all was clear. Now that both kids go to bed between 8:30-9, we just find ourselves going to bed early as well. It was hard at first because our youngest could see us and wanted in our bed, but by keeping it really dark and turning our back to her, she quieted fast.

Good luck!

DD was just a about a year old when we went on a cruise and a few months later we stayed in a hotel.

1) Portable bed. We borrowed a pack n play from the ship but brought our own for the hotel. And both times used our own sheets/blankets, etc.

2) Toys. We brought along toys that could be easily packed and washed. I used a small soft-sided cooler for a toybox because it had a strap for easy carrying.

3) If you have a choice, pay more for rooms where you have the space and cleanliness to let the kids roll around.

4) I brought my daughter's own towels and washcloths. The toys did double duty in the tub. Consider packing your tub or washing the kids in the sink.

5) Kid friendly meals. I couldn't count on finding something she would like or eat, so I laid in stock of tried and true snacks. I also used a placemat from Kidapatomus that sticks to the table with suction cups so my daughter could eat right with us when no high chair was available (or when one was, but no tray). I also made sure she had her own sippy cups.

Stay as organized as you can- in several ziplocs (in which I press out the air to save space in the suitcase) I place a days worth of outfits for each kid plus backups. I also bring along 1 or 2 comfort items, 1 or 2 toys (don't overdo toys because you might by some while you're away) and a nightlight. During our trip to Disney we stayed at a 2 bdrm condo; the 3.5 yr. old slept in the big boy bed (since he does that at home) and the 1 yr. old slept in a roll-away bed. We make a point of staying at places that have at least a mini-fridge and microwave. On the high-end, we've stayed at places that not only have a full kitchen but a washer/dryer combo or laundry service (saves time on cleaning when you get home); on the low-end, we stayed at a small clean motel that had two adjoining rooms each a mini-fridge and one w/a microwave.

get a room w a kitchenette and buy a new toy that packs up!!

Depends on how you are traveling and where you're heading. If you're driving, pack heavier than usual to save $$. We would pack their infant tub, a few travel only toys and books, wash cloths, towels (sensitive skin issues), soap and extra clothes for their accidents at either end. We packed lighter for ourselves. If you're going somewhere highly interactive and don't plan to be in the hotel long, you won't need as many toys, but it was nice for us to have to keep them busy. We also packed a travel play-yard, portable potty while they were still learning. Obviously, we didn't go anywhere that required using an airplane. Finally, we planned to shop when we got to the town. I'm a stickler about the cleanliness when my children are really young and still orally fixated. So, I'd buy my own cleansers or pack some from home and sterilized the room once I got there. It used to drive my hubby crazy until he realized that we all were more comfortable afterwards. I also bought a small container of dish liquid to clean bottles, and tried to find hotels that offered a laundry room or service so I could do laundry on the last day instead of waiting until I got home. I know, more work but it really just made life a little simpler. Finally, make sure your room has refrigerator and microwave (stove would be ideal). As we travelled with young children, I started looking for family suites so we could buy groceries and I'd have access to a stove. Now with the youngest child at 6, a microwave is ok.

Bring things to do....books, games, small toys like cars, legos or blocks are great, coloring books for older one, lots of snack foods. I moved the furniture in the room for my two to make a make shift play area and they played with no problems and I felt better about them not running all over the room. We took many walks around the hotel to get out for a bit.
Hope this helps
T.

I lived in a hotel for 4 months when my husband was on a temporary project out of the country. When we arrived my son was 6 months old. Be sure to ask for a crib to be set up before you arrive and also make sure that the bathroom has a tub, not just a shower. Also, if the hotel is not too busy, you can ask for a room away from other guests or at least a room on the end. That way your kids won't be woken up from a noisy neighbor and you won't have to worry about anyone being bothered if your kids cry.

Good luck!

I have traveled quite a bit with my 16 month old twins. You've gotten great advice already. We love to stay at the Residence Inn. We always get a suite with a kitchen. The new ones are really nice. They also have cribs, but do call ahead. In the beginning we took everything we could possibly need, but these days we just take things for the night-time routine, a few toys, and two pack and plays (if there are no cribs). We clean as soon as we get there. We've even taken the foam floor mats with us. Good luck and enjoy your trip.

I have not done it with two, but one thing that really made a difference with one is getting a "suite" which is a hotel room that is slightly larger, almost like two rooms. The place we stayed this summer had a half wall between the part with the bed and the part with the "kitchenette". WE put the pack and play behind the half wall so our son could not eyeball us and turned out the lights on that side of the room. He slept great. I know with two it'll be harder, but I think a slightly bigger room will help regardless. Good Luck.

We literally pinned a sheet to the wall to create a visual barrier to get the kids to go to sleep. Once they were asleep, we could turn on the TV and get ready for bed.

This worked really well.

When I stayed in a hotel with my 4 month old, I took an old blanket to lay on the floor. Hotel carpets can be filled with germs, so I felt like it was nice to have something clean for my baby to play on. I would also recommend bringing a pack and play, or something similar, for sleeping and/or playing. If you're bottle feeding, you may want to bring some dish soap for cleaning.

I highly recommend traveling with duct tape. Slap it over the outlets where ever you go. Push the furniture around to make it safer, and rent or borrow a pack n play (or bring your own sheet or blanket) to keep them off the nasty hotel floor. I can't remember the name of it, but there is a company that will rent and deliver every baby thing you can think of to your hotel. google it.

Lots of great advice here! I would just add to all that:

--Be certain to tell the hotel the ages of your kids, ask for the "isolated room" as someone said, etc. Most hotels are very understanding and accommodating.
--Do bring your kids' own towels and if possible, little pillows too. I always bring a travel pillow for my daughter. Hotel pillows are too often really, really thick and massive, far too big for kids, and could pose a suffocation hazard. Not to mention the germ issue--I can't believe that changing pillowcases would be sufficient to remove the germs and viruses from a pillow that someone else slept on just the night before! (yeah, I travel with my own pillow too!)
--Don't use a crib provided by the hotel. I've heard too many nightmare stories about old, worn, broken cribs being provided. Even the crib sheets can be a hazard; misfitting sheets can pop off at the corners and tangle a baby. Be safe and bring your own arrangement for sleeping -- travel bassinet, pack and play?
--Check the room not only for outlets but also for sharp edges; desks, end tables etc. will have sharp corners. My daughter has bumped herself on those corners and it wasn't pleasant! Consider bringing table edge covers if your children will be spending any play time in the room at all.
--Also check under the beds, in corners, behind the toilet and under the bathroom counter carefully. Hasn't happened to me but I know moms who have found some things that cleaners missed, even in decent hotels. You don't want the toddler picking them up.
--Do move furniture around etc. if you need to, as someone suggested, but tell the front desk to tell the cleaners not to move it back, and put a sign on the stuff asking the cleaners to leave it as is. Saves you redoing the room each day.

We just stayed in a hotel with my 11 month old and it wasn't too bad, although he was exhausted from a long day. My son had never been in a portacot before so he was pretty excited. We put him in there during the afternoon to get used to it before bedtime. We also put the radio static on at night time so he couldn't hear every little noise and left the bathroom light on with the door open just a crack. I would also take your children's favourite sleep toys and make the room as dark as possible.