Hotels: How to Make Hotel Stays with Kids Easier

We’ve all seen the ads for high end resorts and hotels offering special packages for kids that included customized kids rooms, a stuffed animal as a gift, or special activities for kids. While those things are all lovely, there are some simple things that every hotel could do to make family travel easier without a lot of added expense.

• Allow Late checkout and early checkin
  We often need a few minutes, and a private space to take things out of checked baggage after a flight (but before exploring our destination) or put things into checked baggage after a day on the town. We've often done this in hotel lobbies, and the results are never pretty. We'd love a little bit of private space to rearrange so that the other guests don't need to see our private items!
• Keep the rooms uncluttered
  Every knick knack on a low surface is something that I will have to move in order to keep my kids safe.
• Free Wi-Fi
  We’re stuck in the room a long while the kids sleep, free wi-fi goes a long way towards making that time pleasant and productive
• Tame power cords
  
• Provide clear information on the website about which size rooms will accommodate a crib
  
• Low cost suites
  Small suites, sometimes offering nothing more than a partition separating the bedroom area from a sitting area are wonderful when the kids are sleeping and mom and dad are awake. We love hotels that provide these rooms for a small upgrade fee.
• Child friendly room service options (and speedy room service)
  
• Mini-bar
  A mini-bar with a little space to store milk or snacks. We once stayed in Westin where we had to pay $50 per night extra for a room with a mini-bar! While the hotel insisted that room service would store our items for us and deliver them as needed, we weren't excited about the likely wait times (good thing, when we ordered room service later in the trip, we found that it took over an hour... try that with a baby crying for his bottle) In contrast, we stayed in another hotel where electronic monitors sensed any item taken from the bar and charged it to our bill. That hotel was kind enough to deliver us a dorm sized refrigerator for free.
• Cups and Plates
  In addition to the glasses that most rooms make available to guests, a few plastic (washable) cups are helpful. Plates, silverware, bowls and napkins in the room for snack and/or breakfast
• Handicapped Accessiblity
  Stollers need working handicapped entrances from the parking garage and outside. We also need hallways free of room service trays, housekeeping trollies, etc so that strollers (or for that matter wheelchairs) can enter and exit easily.
• No candy before bedtime
  Please don’t assume that I want to feed my child candy, especially right before bed – If you are going to offer kids a snack at checkin, I'd prefer a healthy snack, like fresh fruit or even crackers
• Local information for travelling with kids
  We love hotels that provide a map that includes nearby parks and playgrounds. If there is a concierge, they should have information about family friendly restaurants and activities for kids.
  

Here are some special touches for hotels that want to make travel with toddlers, babies and kids extra easy:

• Kid umbrellas
• Kid bathrobes
• An engaging, easy to pack toy with lots of play value (that stuffed animal just adds to the mound of stuff I need to cart home & gets tossed on the pile once it is there). For example, crayons and paper, a hand puppet, or a small duplo/lego set.

0 comments | Posted on September 6, 2007 | Save to del.icio.us

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