Traveling can be a stress-ridden experience even when you're solo or as a couple, but throw some little ones into the equation too and, thanks to your children, everything becomes a larger logistic hurdle to overcome.
Budgets are increased, places to lay your head in small rooms are limited and you can forget star-fishing in the luxury beds to yourself! But, here’s where the fun comes in. You can make it a creative bed arranging experience that is memorable and won’t just end up with someone sleeping on the floor.
While it’ll be easier in some rooms than others when you go on a family trip, if you’re stuck for inspiration, we’ve got some inventive solutions for you to use when you need extra beds in a hotel room.
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
Use an airbed
One really simple way to give yourself an instant extra bed at no additional cost when booking the room is to take an airbed along with you. Should you be sleeping on an air bed every night? Well, the novelty might wear off, meaning it’s not as much fun for the kids when they do, so, keep it for special occasions, and make it more appealing when you do roll it out and pump it up!
Use two chairs
Does your room come furnished with two chairs with arms? If so, then just go ahead and push them together to create a space for a small child or toddler to sleep in safely.
You can phone down to reception and ask them to provide you with an extra sheet to cover the seats and make it comfier for the kids too, while also helping the chairs to stay together by tucking the sheet in nice and tight.
Photo Credit: Pixabay.com
Sleep on horizontally on the bed
If the room you’re booked into has two double beds (queens and kings count too), then you can easily turn one of those beds into two sleeping spots with little to no effort at all. All you need is an additional blanket if your kids are wrigglers while they sleep.
Here’s what to do:
Remove the blanket and top sheet off of the bed.
Form a low ‘pillow wall’ located in the middle of the bed. Make it just high enough for your youngest to not be able to see their brother/sister sleeping next to them.
Make up each side of the bed with a pillow and blanket.
Make sure your youngest sleeps at the top of the bed, nearest the headboard to give them a safety barrier on both sides so they don’t fall off of the bed.
This option means you can sleep in one of the beds and your kids get to share a more appropriately sized sleeping space that is secure.
Pick the sofa bed option
If you can, book a room with a sofa bed. Ask to have some extra sheets and blankets in the room for your arrival. Prevent any squabbling from the kids by splitting the sofa bed up.
All you have to do is remove an equal share of cushions and place them on the floor next to the sofa bed, giving each of your children their own sleeping space.
By doing this, one bed, turns into two, with the sofa bed being the first and the cushions on the floor being the second. This might help you all get a better night’s rest when no one being disturbed by the other!
Photo Credit: Unsplash.com
Can you get away with a rollaway?
Let's not forget about the rollaway bed. You might be able to pull a few strings for no additional fee and secure yourself a rollaway bed to use for the children.
Not every hotel is going to oblige your request if you’re booked into a double room, but if you have young children and you explain that they have trouble sleeping together you may get lucky with the hotel staff.
For families who have younger kids, just remember to place some pillows on the ground in case they roll off the rollaway during the night.
You may also enjoy:
This post is brought to you in collaboration with The Sleep Advisor.