Oh, Dearest Mother, Sweetest Virgin of Altagracia, our Patroness. You are our Advocate and to you we recommend our needs. You are our Teacher and like disciples we come to learn from the example of your holy life. You are our Mother, and like children, we come to offer you all of the love of our hearts. Receive, dearest Mother, our offerings and listen attentively to our supplications. Amen.



Active Topics || Favorites || Member List || Search || About Us || Help || Register || Login
Mothering and Family Life
 4Real Forums : Mothering and Family Life
Subject Topic: Hotels--how many rooms? Post ReplyPost New Topic
Author
Message << Prev Topic | Next Topic >>
Betsy
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: July 02 2006
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1962
Posted: July 14 2009 at 8:29pm | IP Logged Quote Betsy

We are finding it difficult to find a hotel that will let our family (for dc 9,7,4,1) stay in one room. I believe the law is that there must be one bed for each person. What have others done to not have to rent two rooms? Is their better chains to use? Tricks that I am not aware of? Sympathy!!??

Thanks,
Betsy
Back to Top View Betsy's Profile Search for other posts by Betsy
 
rivendellmom
Forum Pro
Forum Pro
Avatar

Joined: Feb 15 2005
Location: Illinois
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 171
Posted: July 14 2009 at 8:34pm | IP Logged Quote rivendellmom

At budget hotels, when we've stayed in one room for one night (in between camping locations) we just didn't say how many kids we had. We've brought sleeping bags in. When we've been at a hotel for a few nights we've just had to get 2 rooms. At Disney they had a cabin that fit all of us. The hotel issue is one of the main reason we bought a camper and started camping. We can cram as many people in it as we can stand!

Jen

__________________
Jen in suburban Chicagoland Mom to Connor(91), Garrett(93), Reilly (95), Mary Katherine (98), Declan (05), Ronan in ^i^ 6/28/08
visit our new blog: http://recreationalscholar.blogspot.com/
Back to Top View rivendellmom's Profile Search for other posts by rivendellmom
 
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
Posted: July 14 2009 at 8:59pm | IP Logged Quote Mary G

Betsy,

We've always found the Drury Inns a great option as many of their rooms are suites with multiple beds. They are always so nice to deal with ....

Another thing we do: when we call or book, we say how many adults (anyone over 13 or so) and then when we show up we explain that we have 3 little ones and they never seem to balk (when they see them). It just seems silly to pay for beds that they won't even use (as they sually end up in bed with us at some point during the night!).



__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)

my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
Back to Top View Mary G's Profile Search for other posts by Mary G Visit Mary G's Homepage
 
SuzanneG
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: June 17 2006
Location: Idaho
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5465
Posted: July 14 2009 at 9:11pm | IP Logged Quote SuzanneG

We don't say. I just say that we want, "the family room with 2 queen beds".   If they ask how many, I say, "2 adults and our kids."

I think once, the guy asked my husband, "how many kids?" and he replied, "Depends on how many live through the summer."    That was the end of THAT conversation.

Seriously, though, dh checks in and we stay in the car....they've never seen us at check-in, they've never asked, and it's never been a problem.

That's ridiculous....1/bed or space per person.   

__________________
Suzanne in ID
Wife to Pete
Mom of 7 (Girls - 14, 12, 11, 9, 7 and Boys - 4, 1)
Back to Top View SuzanneG's Profile Search for other posts by SuzanneG
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: July 14 2009 at 10:04pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

We usually spend a bit more on a suite that officially sleeps at least 6.. I figure if kids stay free as long as they don't require extra bedding.. we're good.

The only time I really have a problem is in small areas that the largest rooms only sleep 4.. and if I have to go somewhere by myself with the kids there are no options (like for swim meets) so we find it easier to just use the tent at the free area they offer to those in the swim meet.

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
guitarnan
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Maryland
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 10883
Posted: July 14 2009 at 10:33pm | IP Logged Quote guitarnan

Our family is small (2 kids) and we still prefer to rent cabins or cottages when possible. (We are VERY tall people. DH is 6'7".) We often have problems with rooms/rollaways. We do always ask, because of fire regulations, but we're moving more and more away from the traditional motel model because we just don't fit.

In Europe it is worse. We do better in hostels (family rooms) than we do in doubles-only hotels. Sometimes the hotel staff can't put our rooms near each other and I spend the whole time checking on or worrying over my children. Not good.

__________________
Nancy in MD. Mom of ds (24) & dd (18); 31-year Navy wife, move coordinator and keeper of home fires. Writer and dance mom.
Back to Top View guitarnan's Profile Search for other posts by guitarnan Visit guitarnan's Homepage
 
Carole N.
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Oct 28 2006
Location: Wales
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 4484
Posted: July 15 2009 at 2:38am | IP Logged Quote Carole N.

In Europe you can only have two adults in a room...and 16 is considered an adult. So we have to rent two rooms now. We try to do self serving flats. I am not sure they have anything like that in the States.

__________________
Carole ... in Wales
Back to Top View Carole N.'s Profile Search for other posts by Carole N.
 
kingvozzo
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Maine
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2653
Posted: July 15 2009 at 7:52am | IP Logged Quote kingvozzo

SuzanneG wrote:
Seriously, though, dh checks in and we stay in the car....they've never seen us at check-in, they've never asked, and it's never been a problem.

That's ridiculous....1/bed or space per person.   


This is exactly what we do!

__________________
Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
Back to Top View kingvozzo's Profile Search for other posts by kingvozzo
 
Sarah M
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: Jan 06 2008
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1423
Posted: July 15 2009 at 10:38am | IP Logged Quote Sarah M

SuzanneG wrote:

I think once, the guy asked my husband, "how many kids?" and he replied, "Depends on how many live through the summer."    That was the end of THAT conversation.


OK, Suzanne- that is seriously funny!
Back to Top View Sarah M's Profile Search for other posts by Sarah M
 
Bookswithtea
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: July 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2621
Posted: July 15 2009 at 12:41pm | IP Logged Quote Bookswithtea

SuzanneG wrote:
I think once, the guy asked my husband, "how many kids?" and he replied, "Depends on how many live through the summer."    That was the end of THAT conversation.




__________________
Blessings,

~Books

mothering ds'93 dd'97 dd'99 dd'02 ds'05 ds'07 and due 9/10
Back to Top View Bookswithtea's Profile Search for other posts by Bookswithtea
 
anitamarie
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star


Joined: Oct 15 2008
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 819
Posted: July 15 2009 at 1:46pm | IP Logged Quote anitamarie

I second the Drury - they are awesome and they are owned by a Catholic family!! And they have an awesome breakfast. All the other hotels ask how many kids and we have to be honest, and then we have to get an extra room.

This is so hard. If it were for safety reasons, I could see it. But, if we can comfortable in one room, why can't they just let us?

Anita
Back to Top View anitamarie's Profile Search for other posts by anitamarie
 
Bethany
Forum Pro
Forum Pro
Avatar

Joined: Oct 16 2006
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 299
Posted: July 15 2009 at 3:47pm | IP Logged Quote Bethany

I love Homewood Suites. They have studio or 1 Br suites and the couch folds out. Plus, they have breakfast every day and dinner Monday through Thursday. So if you are traveling during the week you also get two meals out of them . Their prices vary quite a bit by location but usually we pay a little over $100, but considering breakfast at McDonald's could be $25, ti's not too bad.

Of course our preference is a house or cabin, we try to avoid hotels if possible.

__________________
Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
Back to Top View Bethany's Profile Search for other posts by Bethany
 
Matilda
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Feb 17 2007
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1827
Posted: July 15 2009 at 4:17pm | IP Logged Quote Matilda

anitamarie wrote:
This is so hard. If it were for safety reasons, I could see it. But, if we can comfortable in one room, why can't they just let us?


This is a moral dilemma that I have difficulty with when this situation arises. Even the hotels that offer "suites" or two queens with a pull-out couch that could easily sleep 6 only allow 5, not because of corporate policy, but due to fire safety codes (it has to do with maximum capacity per square footage). So, to put more than that number in the room (which I admit we have done on occasion) is a violation of safety laws and as Christians, we are called to be good citizens and uphold the law in so far as it does not violate the teachings of our Faith. I'm probably not helping with solutions here, but this is an issue I struggle with.

I guess, I wouldn't have a problem breaking the rule if it were just an attempt by the hotel industry to make more money off of large families but I don't believe that is the case. Most Fire Marshalls have the status and powers of law enforcement officers.

__________________
Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
Back to Top View Matilda's Profile Search for other posts by Matilda
 
JodieLyn
Forum Moderator
Forum Moderator
Avatar

Joined: Sept 06 2006
Location: Oregon
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 12234
Posted: July 15 2009 at 5:03pm | IP Logged Quote JodieLyn

It goes further than that though Charlotte, since the spirit of the law is to make sure that everyone can get out.. and my husband and I together can make sure of that better than my husband and I split apart with half the kids each.. then the letter of the law is contradicting the spirit of the law

__________________
Jodie, wife to Dave
G-18, B-17, G-15, G-14, B-13, B-11, G-9, B-7, B-5, B-4

All men who have turned out worth anything have had the chief hand in their own education.
-Sir Walter Scott
Back to Top View JodieLyn's Profile Search for other posts by JodieLyn
 
Matilda
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: Feb 17 2007
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1827
Posted: July 15 2009 at 5:47pm | IP Logged Quote Matilda

My understanding (and I would really love it if someone's Fire Marshall or fireman husband would correct me if I'm wrong) is that the fire codes are in place to make sure that exits are not blocked thereby preventing people from leaving in an emergency or preventing emergency personnel from getting in. That is why we have, on occasion, slept with 6 people in a 5 person occupancy room if two of those people were small enough to fit on the pull-out couch together. In that arrangement, we are not putting any extra beds or bodies in those exit paths. I also wonder if the fire codes make exceptions for minor children or infants.

As you mentioned, Jodie, it isn't a perfect solution. In theory, two adults with enough extra luggage could block the exit path more than a family with 4 or 5 small children. I really do believe though that it is a system that was put in place in the interest of public safety and not just to feed corporate greed.

Like I said, I struggle with this.

__________________
Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
Back to Top View Matilda's Profile Search for other posts by Matilda
 
Bethany
Forum Pro
Forum Pro
Avatar

Joined: Oct 16 2006
Location: Texas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 299
Posted: July 15 2009 at 6:39pm | IP Logged Quote Bethany

Well, with Homewood Suites we've traveled with my parents and between the two of us we have 2 children per room, however, the also have 2 bedroom suites that can sleep 6-8. At least with the 2 bedroom, everyone is together.

__________________
Bethany
Wife to Mike, Mommy to Amelia (6/02), Sarah (10/03), Martha Grace (10/05), Rebecca Anne (12/07), Laura Catherine (3/10) and Reed Michael 7/4/14.
Back to Top View Bethany's Profile Search for other posts by Bethany
 
stacykay
Forum All-Star
Forum All-Star
Avatar

Joined: April 08 2006
Location: Michigan
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1858
Posted: July 15 2009 at 6:43pm | IP Logged Quote stacykay

We've been able to book rooms at Comfort Suites that allow for 6 in a room. We recently stayed at Embassy Suites, with 6, which was allowed.

Since our boys are getting bigger, and when we travel with all 6 (the oldest two are 21 and 18) we now get two rooms. But we did used to bring in an "extra" , when there was one less. Since dh and I usually have one who crawls in with us anyway, it worked well, as long as we had two queens!

We did find a very inexpensive hotel, long ago, (I think it was an Econolodge) where we rented two rooms for our gang, as it was late and no hotels would take even 5.

But these accomodations (once you start getting two rooms) sure do add up, and they make any potential travel financially daunting!

God Bless,
Stacy in MI
Back to Top View stacykay's Profile Search for other posts by stacykay
 
Stephanie_Q
Forum Pro
Forum Pro
Avatar

Joined: Aug 25 2007
Location: Nebraska
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 479
Posted: July 15 2009 at 8:37pm | IP Logged Quote Stephanie_Q

All our vacations involve camping or staying with family.

When we "only" had three very little ones and had to stay in a hotel, we did what Suzanne did - I stayed in the car with them and we went in and out the back door.

Since we've had our fourth, we've only had to stay in hotels twice - both for family weddings - so my parents "took" 2 and we claimed the other 2 (but they all stayed with us).

A large family I know (when they had 8 kids) got 2 adjoining rooms at a Holiday Inn (with a door between them). I'm not sure if all Holiday Inns are this way. They were at the point where they couldn't fit in one room. They put all the older kids in one room with the door open between so mom & dad could sleep together in the other with the little ones. I'm not sure if they admitted how many kids they had or if each room held 5 such that it wasn't a problem.

Sometimes it is HARD to be a witness to the culture of life!

__________________
Stephaniedh 6.01
dd 6.02, dd 8.03, ds 3.05, ds 12.06 at Catholic school.
dd 12.09 at home.
Baby boy due 10.13
Back to Top View Stephanie_Q's Profile Search for other posts by Stephanie_Q Visit Stephanie_Q's Homepage
 
LeeAnn
Forum Pro
Forum Pro
Avatar

Joined: May 25 2007
Location: Washington
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 470
Posted: July 16 2009 at 12:42am | IP Logged Quote LeeAnn

Our last trip we used Mariott's SpringHill Suites which sleep six easily. The rate was about $99/night. Two queen beds and a pullout sofa.

The only problem is when you make reservations online sometimes (every location's web thingy is different) it will tell you they don't have rooms that sleep 7 or 6 or whatever number. So I just plug in 4 persons (although we have 6) and clarify how many minor children we have when we actually get there.

No hotel should be asking parents with minor-age children to rent more than one room.

I have also asked places like Comfort Inn and other major chains if it is alright to bring sleeping bags if they only have rooms with two beds (no suites) and the answer has always been yes.

If someone asked me to rent two rooms I'd ask them which of my two children I should put in there alone--the 3 & 5 year old or the 9 & 11 year old?


__________________
my four children are 17, 15, 11 & 8 - all now attend public school - we read many 4Real recommended books at home
Back to Top View LeeAnn's Profile Search for other posts by LeeAnn Visit LeeAnn's Homepage
 
Becky Le
Forum Rookie
Forum Rookie


Joined: June 11 2008
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 91
Posted: July 16 2009 at 6:00am | IP Logged Quote Becky Le

We try to do suites whenever available and the budget allows otherwise we fall into the "don't ask, don't tell" category.   

Our biggest issue for the last couple of years has been with needing two pack-n-plays because of the twins. This really seems to confuse the desk people who are sure there is only one allowed per room. Maybe we are having an impact because I have noticed lately that several hotel sites I have been on explicitly state ONE crib or rollaway per room. Then again maybe it's a fire hazard.   

__________________
Becky, loving wife to Chris and mom to Stephen (11/99), Elizabeth (04/01), Catherine (08/04), Natalie & Samantha (10/07)
Back to Top View Becky Le's Profile Search for other posts by Becky Le Visit Becky Le's Homepage
 

Page of 2 Next >>
  [Add this topic to My Favorites] Post ReplyPost New Topic
Printable version Printable version

Forum Jump
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot create polls in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

Hosting and Support provided by theNetSmith.com