Don’t let sleeping in a new environment dissuade you from traveling with your baby, toddler, or small kid!  Here are some things to think about and do to make sure your upcoming hotel stay with kids is the best experience yet!

Picking the Right Hotel When Traveling with Kids:

Hotel Location:

For me, if I’m going to travel somewhere in the first place, I would rather spend more and be right in the action than off the beaten path just to save money.  Time IS money when traveling so if staying on the outskirts would be a far trip from where you are spending most of your days, its not worth it.

Are you renting a car?  If not, you definitely want to make sure your hotel is in walking distance of attractions or near public transportation.

Are you on a noisy or busy street?  If you want to be a little further from the crowds, check out other cool neighborhoods.  For example, if you are traveling to NYC and aren’t super big into crowds, you probably don’t want to stay in Times Square!

Room selection:

Is the room big enough for your bags, crib, etc?  Do you want a suite or balcony so you have somewhere to go while your child naps during the day or enjoy a glass of wine after they go to bed?

Hotel Vibe: 

Do you want to stay in a swanky/trendy hotel that appeals to Millennials (think shared communal spaces like the Moxy)?  Do you want to stay in a hotel that is over the top “kid-friendly” and filled with other kids and families?  Or do you want to stay in a hotel that isn’t necessarily catered towards kids and families?

How much help do you need? 

If you are looking for extra hands with carrying your luggage, a good housekeeping service, and a fantastic concierge to help with planning your trip before you even get there, you will probably want a 4 or 5 star property.  If you are interested in this type of service an AirBnB would not be for you.

Building status: 

If you travel fairly often, think about building status with one hotel line to build status to get room upgrades.  A lot of times an upgraded room will be larger with more space for a crib, or you can often get upgraded to a suite so you’ll have a separate area to put it.

A Note on AirBnB

I personally don’t stay in AirBnB’s and I can’t say I would recommend them  for a host of reasons.  BUT, it is a very affordable way to travel, to live more of a “local” lifestyle, and to have a larger space when you are traveling with kids.  I’m sure there will be circumstances where I would be open to getting an AirBnB, but when we travel as a family of three, we opt for a hotel.  To read some pros and cons of AirBnBs and decide if it is right for you, check this post here.

To Do List Before Your Hotel Stay:

• Call your hotel in advance to make sure they assign a crib to your room.
• Breastfeeding or pumping?  Call to request a mini-fridge in advance.  Some hotels may charge you extra, but explain it’s for breastmilk and they will likely waive it.
• Ask the hotel to put in your notes that you are requesting a room away from the elevators.  The elevator bank can be pretty noisy, as are the people coming in and out of it!
• Staying in an AirBnB?  Google and see if there is a local company that rents out cribs, high chairs, or other baby and toddler accessories.
• Ask for a room upgrade so you can get a private or carved out space to put the crib so you don’t have to go to bed at the same time as your child.  It’s also why it’s really helpful to stick to one hotel’s loyalty program to build status to get upgrades.  We usually stick with the Marriott family of hotels for this reason.

To Do List For Hotel Arrival:

• Is your child in diapers?  Ask the front desk for a diaper genie!  Most family-centered hotels (such as a Disney property) will have them and same with many four and five star hotels.  (Yet another reason why I’m not into Airbnb’s, I find hotels to just make my life as a mom who travels with her child so much easier.) Some hotels have changing pads, too.
• Ask the front desk again if they were able to give you a room away from the elevator bank.  It also never hurts to ask again for any available room upgrades!
• Breastfeeding or pumping and requested a mini-fridge?  Make sure it has arrived when you first get in the room and put turn the thermostat all the way down.  You can also leave your cooler’s ice packs with the front desk and ask them to freeze for you.  Make sure you put a big note on it with your name and “Do not throw out” or something along those lines.  Make sure to pick them up before you leave!
• Check the crib to make sure it’s not broken and is properly assembled.  Make sure the base is velcro-ed and strapped down securely and is in good condition/clean.  You can use anti-bac wipes to wipe it down in advance and request an extra crib sheet in case of any accidents.
• First arrival would be the time to use disinfecting wipes on the crib, cabinets, and door handles.
• Give your child (crawler-walker stage) a chance to explore around and see their new crib situation before you venture out for the day and definitely before you just decide to plop them down and expect them to sleep.
• Remove temptation and put fragile items high out of reach.
• I always like to settle in right away before venturing out.  I unpack all of our bags and place our clothes in the dressers.  I put the suitcases in the closet or tucked away in a corner.  I place all the toiletries out so they are ready for bedtime.  The more organized and cozier I can make our room, the more relaxed we all feel!  I know once you arrive you may want to head out right away, but taking the 5 or 10 minutes to put things away will make it easier when you’re all exhausted and it’s time for bed.

General Sleep Tips 

If you forget a noise machine, you can play a white noise song from Spotify on repeat, download a white noise app (free versions usually require you to keep app open and drains your battery) or use the radio on a static-y AM station.

Focus on getting good naps in the first couple of days.  In our experience, it doesn’t take Claire long to start napping in the crib no problem, but takes a day or two after we have nap success for her to have crib success and not need my help falling asleep anymore.  Once we get to napping in the crib success, I know sleeping in the crib for the night success won’t be far behind.

Have patience and be easy on yourself and your child if they are having difficulty falling asleep in a new place.  Depending on Claire’s stage, I sometimes have to have her fall asleep in bed next to me for the first few nights and then move her into the crib once she falls asleep.

Nap time at the hotel doesn’t have to be boring!  It can be a really fun way to relax, unwind, and connect with your spouse!  We love when we have a room with a balcony or outdoor space so we can sit down, chat, and have a cocktail or glass of wine while Claire naps or goes down for the night!

Helping your little one fall asleep away from home can be the trickiest part about traveling, but setting up a consistent home routine and using sleep cues will help everyone rest easy!

Things to Think About by Age:

Infant and Babies who aren’t crawling/walking:  Realistically, your child isn’t touch much in a hotel room, but you may want to consider using disinfecting wipes on a hotel crib and making sure it’s properly assembled.

Babies who Crawl:  The floors (especially carpet) of a hotel room can trap in dirt, so wash your baby’s hands after crawling around the room.  And remember, this isn’t your home, so baby proofing is very important!  Babies this young don’t know not to play with the exposed electrical outlet or put small things in their mouth, so you need to be oh so diligent at keeping a watchful eye on your crawler!  At this age, it is especially important to make sure the hotel crib or pack and play is properly assembled.  Using disinfectant wipes on a hotel crib is something to consider and don’t let them put the tv remote control in their mouth!

Walking Babies and Toddlers:  Baby proofing is still very important when your child can walk since there is a whole new world of things to explore in this new living space and you haven’t removed the very obvious dangers like you would at your own home.  Watch their head so they don’t bump it into furniture corners and make sure you pack non-slip socks, too!

Toddlers and Up:  Staying in a hotel can be a really fun and exciting event for toddlers and small kids.  Helping to make it fun and special for them can make the stay easier and really fun for you, too!  Claire’s special treat when we travel is that she can watch a couple of minutes of tv with us in our bed before she goes to her crib.  Tailor it to you and your child, but really whatever you guys do will be memorable in itself.

Staying in a hotel with kids is by no means the same experience as if you are on a couple’s retreat, but it can still be a really fun experience for all of you.  Remember, your trip is what you make it!

If you plan on staying in hotels or sleeping away from home at all, you may also be interested in:

Should you get an AirBnB?  Check out my pro/con list here to decide for yourself!

Looking for tips on how to help your child fall asleep when away from home?  Check out this list of things you can do at home to help your child get a good night’s sleep when you’re away

Wondering if you really need to put a pack and play on your registry or thinking about buying one after the fact?  Check this out to hear my take on whether or not a portable crib is absolutely essential.