hotel babysitters or childcare options while traveling

[Anonymous]

We've used hotel-recommended or arranged care services in the states and abroad, all over the place...New York, Texas, Caribbean, North Carolina, Florida, France, etc. etc. City and resort locales, both.

Generally, we stay at higher-end hotels (4-5 star type places) and feel comfortable that the hotel has vetted the services. Some places allow their employees to moonlight as sitters and other places it's professional childcare agencies.

For some of the smaller locations where the sitter wasn't part of a large service, we've talked with the prospective sitter via phone in advance to make sure we got a good gut read from the person.

If the sitter showed up and I didn't feel comfortable when meeting them, I wouldn't hesitate to cancel out. But I've had nothing but good experiences.

[Anonymous]

We have done it two times in Mexico: once in Cancun and once in Playa del Carmen. Both hotel employees. Both lovely. Trusted them completely.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We have done it two times in Mexico: once in Cancun and once in Playa del Carmen. Both hotel employees. Both lovely. Trusted them completely.

Holy Shit that's scary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We've used hotel-recommended or arranged care services in the states and abroad, all over the place...New York, Texas, Caribbean, North Carolina, Florida, France, etc. etc. City and resort locales, both.

Generally, we stay at higher-end hotels (4-5 star type places) and feel comfortable that the hotel has vetted the services. Some places allow their employees to moonlight as sitters and other places it's professional childcare agencies.

For some of the smaller locations where the sitter wasn't part of a large service, we've talked with the prospective sitter via phone in advance to make sure we got a good gut read from the person.

If the sitter showed up and I didn't feel comfortable when meeting them, I wouldn't hesitate to cancel out. But I've had nothing but good experiences.

Wow. I just can't imagine leaving my kid because I spoke with someone on the phone. Are you serious? Where are you going that you can't take your kids? We travel internationally as well and we take our kids everywhere. Why not just hire a nanny? Have a neighbor watch them?

You people treat your kids like you do dogs and act like you are just boarding them. "Ehh they are fine."

Truly unbelievable!

[Anonymous]

OK, quick poll - for all of those vehemently objecting to the very concept of leaving their child with a vetted child care provider in a foreign country:

a) how many of you work?
b) how many of you have actually left the country?

All of your judgment reeks of complete ignorance.

[Anonymous]

Good luck OP. Ive only done this here in the US. As previously mentioned, most high end hotels have this available for guests (and additional costs). Do as much legwork here as you can and as mentioned, dont hesitate to cancel if you arent comfortable. You arenta bad mother. You are doing what you need to do. I dont understand people who either have the luxury of never needing childcare or take their children everywhere. Ive been on business, taken my family and during our stay, wanted to have dinner with my husband at an hiur not suitable for a toddler. I guess im a horrible person. Gosh thise day long work meetings. Again, good luck and ignore the less than helpful, snarky posts. You'll figure it out ans best of luck with the interviews!

[Anonymous]

We've done this three times in different cities. High-end and business hotels use reputable, bonded babysitting agencies and will arrange a sitter for you. Expect to pay between $20-30/hour, though (at least that's what they charged in Tokyo and Singapore). These women are often professional teachers, nannies or other child-care pros and come with their credentials. The front desk will be quite attuned to the situation, in my experience. I totally understand why people wouldn't do it and are judgmental - I never thought I would do it, and I was judgmental too - but my husband persuaded me once in Tokyo, and the nanny was so fabulous that it eased my mind a bit. She made origami cranes for my child, wrote down every pee and poop and snack, and was just generally lovely. She was a teacher at a local Montessori school just making some extra money on the side. So it can be safe, OP!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some people are just crazy. I would not leave my child with a stranger in another country. Think about how your 3 year old will feel. You can schedule your meetings for different times.

I agree - what are people thinking? Are you planning on putting these people through background checks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We've used hotel-recommended or arranged care services in the states and abroad, all over the place...New York, Texas, Caribbean, North Carolina, Florida, France, etc. etc. City and resort locales, both.

Generally, we stay at higher-end hotels (4-5 star type places) and feel comfortable that the hotel has vetted the services. Some places allow their employees to moonlight as sitters and other places it's professional childcare agencies.

For some of the smaller locations where the sitter wasn't part of a large service, we've talked with the prospective sitter via phone in advance to make sure we got a good gut read from the person.

If the sitter showed up and I didn't feel comfortable when meeting them, I wouldn't hesitate to cancel out. But I've had nothing but good experiences.

Wow. I just can't imagine leaving my kid because I spoke with someone on the phone. Are you serious? Where are you going that you can't take your kids? We travel internationally as well and we take our kids everywhere. Why not just hire a nanny? Have a neighbor watch them?



You people treat your kids like you do dogs and act like you are just boarding them. "Ehh they are fine."

Truly unbelievable!

Ewww, you sound absolutely effing annoying. Having a sitter for a night or two while on a family trip doesn't mean you're treating your kids like dogs. Nitwit.

[Anonymous]

I suppose none of these people judging have ever had the occasion to, oh, I don't know, GO TO WORK?

Ding ding ding. Bunch of helicopter SAHMs weighing in on this. LOL at the PP who told OP to change the times of their meetings and job interviews.

[Anonymous]

We used an apartment rental agency and the agency recommended a sitter who happened to sit for the owner's children. We used her three times for fancy lunches (naptime meant she didn't have to occupy him as much). It worked out fine. I found this to be quite a perk of the agency as I tried multiple babysitting services in France (wrote prior to travel and language was not a barrier) but I could not find one that was interested in one-off stints.

[Anonymous]

We always use a babysiting service for a night or 2 when we travel -- both domestically and internationally. We use a nanny service that is recommended by the Hotel Concierge and that the hotel has used for years or the Hotel might recommend someone from the Hotel's kids club. We did this in Portugal (we had the same woman who took care of my 1 year old at the kids club during the day), Disney, Montreal, Colorado. I would not necessarily try and find someone myself but if the Hotel has a trusted service that they recommend, it will be fine. We have the person call us from their cell phone while we're standing in front of them so that we have their number and we take down their relevant information. We have never had a problem in the 7 years we have done this.

I get that some people aren't comfortable leaving their children with strangers and that's fine too. But, OP, if you have to do it, take comfort that many of us have before as well with much success.