So you’ve decided on a location for your family’s vacation! You’ve narrowed down the attractions you’d like to see, found the flights and the best airport to fly into, you’ve even settled on dates that would work best for your schedule. The only major part left to plan is to decide where to stay. I strongly believe that a hotel is of the utmost importance for your vacation because it’s not only a place to sleep but it’s a home away from home. You want to feel comfortable, safe and taken care of. While traveling with your littles these factors play an even more important role in your vacation. Coming from an extensive hotel background I can sometimes be overly critical of hotels I stay in by my expectations but I have managed to narrow it down to some of the most important factors that have helped me choose a great hotel/resort when traveling with my family. Here we go!
1. Location – I can’t stress this part enough. It’s important to stay at a place that is convenient to access the sites you’d like to see, excursions, reasonably close to the airport and in a safe location. Being close to children’s museums, and amusement parks is ideal compared to a hotel located in a business park that’s frequented by corporate travellers. If you plan on taking public transit contact the hotel concierge ahead of time and ask what your options are. Having shorter transfer times to and from the hotel keeps kids happy and avoids the question, ‘are we there yet?’ 🙂
2. Reviews – While not all not reviews are necessarily accurate, they do play a huge role in my decision making of where I decide to stay. I usually take a consensus of google reviews, trip advisor, various booking sites such as Expedia, etc. Please do not go down a rabbit hole reading each and every review made but glance at the recent ones and look at the overall rating of the hotel to gage their customer satisfaction. Reading reviews that mention ‘family/kid friendly hotel’ is always a bonus.
3. Amenities – Depending on the type of traveller you are, the importance of certain amenities may vary. For example, how many restaurants are at the hotel? For some this wouldn’t matter if they prefer to eat outside of the property but for many having a couple of options on site makes it easier for their family to dine. Having a pool on property is always a hit with kids. Does the resort have kid activities? Babysitting services or a kids club if you’d like some time alone with your significant other? Decide what amenities are important to you and choose accordingly.
4. Affordability – The cost! What is your budget? Are you getting the best rate? There are many websites to book a reservation through- Expedia, Priceline, etc. However I always recommend checking with the property directly as well. If your dates are flexible, ask the reservation agent if they can recommend a time when the rates drop. Many times there are promotions they can offer you that you may not have seen online. Also, the hotel’s cancellation policies are sometimes more flexible than third party websites. This is always an added bonus when traveling with littles because plans sometimes are more likely to change if someone gets sick. To sum this up in two words I’d say, ‘shop around!’
5. Choosing a room type – The size of your family will be the first consideration when choosing what type of room would comfortably sleep everyone. Personally, traveling as a family of four (2 adults and 2 littles 5 & under) we could sleep in a room with two queen beds. However, it’s challenging for my husband and I to have time together once the kids go to sleep being in one room. We usually opt for a suite if this option is within our budget. That way we can put our kids to sleep in the bedroom and still have a separate sitting area to have some quality time to ourselves without disturbing them.
If a suite is not in the budget and you need extra beds for your littles, there are lots of options for travel beds that work great for kids! Please see my previous post on some of my favorites that have worked well for our family. Connecting rooms are always a great option for families of 4 or more people as well. However, it may be a better choice when your littles aren’t so little.
6. Point Programs – Every major hotel chain has has its own loyalty programs – Marriott Bonvoy, Hilton Honors, World of Hyatt and IHG Rewards to name a few. My advice would be to sign up and then check for any bonus-point promotions they might be running. There’s also many hotel co-branded credit cards that offer some level of status in their programs automatically by becoming a cardholder. They also allow you to earn bonus points on each dollar you spend at the hotel. By doing this you’ll find yourself earning points faster for perks like room upgrades, complimentary breakfast, late checkouts and even free room nights.
What are some things you’ve found helpful when choosing a hotel for your family? Comment below:
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