The ideal chance for you to spend quality time with your partner and children is on family vacations. Even though the idea of spending time as a family might be attractive and exciting, it can also be draining. There is no denying that keeping track of your travel arrangements can cause stress. It can also be intimidating, especially when there are many alternatives for the locations you can visit and the forms of transportation you might use. Include in this the lodging you will need to book once you get at your location. Here are seven suggestions for booking spacious hotel rooms when you're taking a family vacation.
Prior to making family hotel reservations...
1.
Know how much room to expect:
Travelers with families may be curious about the size of
hotel rooms. The average hotel room is between 300 and 450 square feet, while
many of the more recent hotels have even smaller accommodations. If you reserve
a normal hotel room, you'll probably find that it only has a bed, a desk, and a
tiny bathroom.
If you're going alone or with just one other individual,
that's acceptable. However, if you're taking the whole family on vacation,
you're likely prepared to pay a little bit extra for hotels with spacious
living rooms or for spacious hotel suites. When compared to booking two rooms, paying a little extra for a
suite or larger room may end up saving you money.
2.
Examine your available suites:
Families and larger groups can stay in spacious suites
offered by the majority of the hotel and motel. One problem for larger families
seeking to use points to book spacious hotel suites is that frequently, award
stays can only be booked in standard-sized rooms, not multi-bedroom apartments.
For instance, only the studio suites are available for points while searching
for award nights. There are two-bedroom suites available if you pay cash, but
you cannot book them online using points.
3.
Ensure that the door to your suite
can close:
Some hotels promote "suites," but what they really
offer is an extra-large living area without a door connecting it to anything
else. A separate bedroom with a closing door is essential if you have young
children who go to bed early since it greatly improves the quality of your
sleep. Make sure you are aware of what you are getting into before you arrive by
reading the room descriptions.
4.
If you have elite status, use it:
For their most exclusive customers, several firms provide
benefits like free upgrades or access to executive lounges. Make sure you are
aware of your privileges and how to make the most of them if you have elite
rank.
5.
Contact the hotel in advance to
request an upgrade by phone or email:
To find out if you can be upgraded to a larger room, get in
touch with the hotel before your trip. Even for non-elite members, it never
hurts to inquire, even if you don't have elite membership. Experience has shown
that extended-stay hotel chains tend to perform better in this regard than
luxury or resort hotels.
6.
Attempt to find hotel rooms with
kitchens:
Being able to prepare meals in your hotel room on occasion
can help you cut costs when traveling by preventing you from constantly paying
high restaurant charges.
When traveling as a large family
Finding hotels with spacious living rooms or other suitable
accommodations might become more challenging the larger your group is. Having
elite status at a hotel can help with upgrades and lounge access, whether you
earn it via your own stays or through credit cards. Make sure that every suite
you reserve has a door that closes by reading the room descriptions carefully.
Consider contacting the hotel via phone or email to see if they will upgrade
you if you are unable to use points to book a larger suite. When on a family
vacation, having more space will make everyone's trip better.
And is staying in hotels worth it for families?
Is it worthwhile to book a hotel room for a family vacation
after taking into account all of these factors and advice? Isn't it simpler to
simply spend the night in a budget hotel as long as it's clean? When I could go
camping with my family and be completely in charge of things, why would I
choose to stay in a hotel where I have to consider all of this and then be set
up to maybe have a horrible stay? Absolutely, with the exception of the
weather... Moreover, raccoons and the neighbors too...
Depending on the rest of your trip, yes, staying in a hotel
is worthwhile. You can have the best of both worlds by taking a brief break at
a hotel in the middle of a camping vacation. Our preference for fancier hotels
over the simple, stop without a reservation, clean-enough-that-we-convince-ourselves-it's-ok-to-stay-for-the-night
motels has grown a little too much as we've traveled more and more.
Amenities to look for when booking rooms for a large family
When booking hotel accommodations for family of eight, give
priority to a couple of favorite facilities, which are as follows:
1.
Free Breakfast: When that is considered, the family
will receive eight meals.
2.
Free Dinner or Appetizers: A few days every week, a few of
extended-stay hotels provide an "Evening Social" or "Managers
Reception." If you're not picky, this can equate to a free dinner.
3. Full or partial kitchen: This can help your family consume healthier food and reduce
the high food expenses sometimes connected with family vacations.
4.
Laundry: If you're staying for a longer period
of time, having access to washing facilities allows you to pack less, which
saves space in your vehicle and money on airport baggage costs.
