What to do after kid's bedtime

[Anonymous]

We've been renting beach houses with friends/family the last couple of summers, but now my parents want to take the whole family to an all-inclusive in a warm place this winter. This sounds great, but every time we've considered a hotel vacation we've decided against it because it requires us to be in the hotel room by around 8pm so our 3 yo can go to sleep. And after he falls asleep, do we have to sit in the dark, maybe watching TV at a very low volume so he doesn't wake up? How have others managed a hotel vacation with a baby/toddler?

[Anonymous]

If you're going to be there more than a day or two, get a suite so that you can hang out together or have other family members visit in the 2nd room. You can also take turns staying back with the sleeping kid while the other parent goes out on the town. Not ideal, but it's only for a few years before they can stay out late once in a while with no big backlash the next day.

[Anonymous]

Most all inclusives have some sort of babysitting. When we went to Beaches, we'd put our daughter to sleep and the sitter would watch over her (in the dark, watching tv on a very low volume) for the night. As she started sleeping in and going to bed later during the week, we'd have the sitter put her to sleep and since it was the same sitter all week, my daughter was completely good. It worked out great!

[Anonymous]

We also try to manage a suite-- maybe even just a patio or balcony.

[Anonymous]

Does your family have any teenagers? If so, could you offer to bump them some cash for babysitting at night? I agree w/ the option of the babysitting service -- make sure the place has one. Have fun!

[Anonymous]

With our kids we sort of did a compromise and let them stay up.later, then settled in with the TV and a bottle of wine earlier than we would have done had we not had the kids.

[Anonymous]

We've always had the hotel arrange for a babysitter.

[Anonymous]

does the hotel have cottages / villas? I'm thinking a large living room, porch and a few bedrooms. So children can go to bed and adults can relax (read, cards, chat).

[Anonymous]

If they don't have suites what about adjoining rooms with a interior door between them? Yes you are paying for 2 rooms but I can't tell you the number of trips that we've ended up in hotel rooms where one of us has to sit in the dark or in the bathroom while the kids sleep. We'll do it for a night or two but not an entire week. We also look for suites, apartments, 2 rooms with adjoining door in a pinch a balcony is ok but someone does have to spent time with the kids.

[Anonymous]

The suite or babysitter options are great. But if that doesn't work out, have fun improvising. My hubby and I have enjoyed late, quiet take out floor-picnics and a bottle of wine while the kiddos slept. We've watched movies on the iPad with earphones so that we don't wake anyone up. We've played cribbage and cards and done crossword puzzles together - stuff we NEVER do at home. OK, it's a little boring, but at home with so many distractions we don't spend those kind of hours together - and I've actually come to enjoy the post-bedtime hotel hours.