How to choose a kid-friendly hotel

For a lot of us choosing a hotel comes down to price.

There are a few things, however, that may be worth spending a few extra dollars on when traveling with kids.

When booking your next hotel room on venere.com, look to see if they offer any of the following amenities:

Refrigerator in the room

Many hotels offer a full kitchen, but at the very least you need a fridge. This makes it a no-brainer when looking to keep bottles, juice, and snacks on hand for the kids.

Indoor pool and/or play area

Your vacation plans may change from day to day depending on the weather. A hotel that provides an indoor pool or play area means that there’s something to keep the kids occupied for at least a little while no matter what the weather brings. The indoor pool can be a lifesaver when torrential rains keep you from heading to outdoor amusements as planned.

Portable cribs

If you’re traveling with infants or toddlers, it’s one less thing you have to worry about packing and hauling back and forth. Even when the hotel offers cribs, however, you may want to pack your own bedding. Many hotels use regular sized sheets folded to fit the crib which may not be safe for infants. Also, it may be easier to get babies off to sleep if they have a familiar blanket or toy in their new surroundings.

Separate living area and bedroom

For longer trips, having a door to close on sleeping children is ideal. Having a little quiet time to yourselves after the kids have gone to bed is priceless, and it isn’t as easy to find those peaceful moments when sharing a single room with the kids. Several major hotel chains offer good deals for suites.

Room service with a children’s menu

Hungry kids often mean cranky kids which makes vacation no fun for anyone. After a long ride in a plane or car, the last thing everyone wants to do is to hop back in the car and sit through a long meal. Room service may be the ideal answer, provided the hotel has some kid-friendly choices on the menu. This gives everyone the chance to eat, unwind, and unpack.

Babysitting services

Take advantage of hotels offering babysitting services which allow you to go off exploring on your own for awhile knowing the kids are being well cared for. Many hotels also offer activities just for children that allow the adults a little time to themselves. Before you use a babysitting service, ask questions regarding references, length of employment, and safety certifications (CPR, first aid, etc) for the sitter they will be sending. Spend some time with the sitter to ensure that this is someone who you feel comfortable leaving in charge of your kids, and check in often while you’re away.

When in doubt about how suitable a hotel is for traveling with children, call ahead and speak to the manager or concierge. They can answer all your questions about their amenities, and are also a good place to get recommendations for family friendly attractions and activities. You’ll quickly find that a spending a little time searching for hotels that go the extra mile for kids is well worth the effort. For tips on packing, check out our article about how to pack for travel with children.

Topic:  How to Tuesday | 3 Comments
Tags:  family, kids

About the author

Amy Bender is a freelance writer and blogger. She is author of Gatlinburg: A Guide for Tourists, and a regular contributor to The BudgetTravelista.com. In addition to travel writing, Amy also specializes in writing web content, writing and editing public relations materials, and blogging.