| Look for a hotel that suits your purpose. The typical | | | | the country that you are in just in case you are away |
| hotel that you stay in may or may not suit when | | | | from your child/ren at any stage. If your children are in |
| travelling with your family. Consider all types of | | | | care somewhere, it is reassuring for you and your |
| accommodation before you start. | | | | children that you can be contacted. |
| Some establishments encourage you to stay with | | | | 4. Entertainment for Your Child - If the establishment |
| children, others are really not interested in helping you | | | | has cable TV - do they have childrens channels? |
| and staying at these can make for a lower standard | | | | Some don't. Do they have a DVD player and childrens |
| of holiday. There are seven things that are well worth | | | | DVD's available for hire on the premises or |
| thinking about before you do anything else when | | | | somewhere close? You may even like to take some |
| looking for family accommodation. | | | | with you. |
| 1. Are the Facilities Suitable for Child/ren - Check out | | | | With school age children, finding a place where your |
| exactly what facilities are available at the | | | | children, the social creatures that they are can find |
| accommodation premises. Do they suit the age | | | | other children to play with. You may be surprised at |
| bracket of your children? | | | | how quickly close friends can be made - you get the |
| An example here is one place that we stayed when | | | | opportunity to meet other parents too. I have some |
| travelling with young children. It kept us on edge the | | | | long term friends that were met like this. |
| whole time - the bedrooms were all upstairs and a | | | | 5. Cooking Facilities - Some times it can be more |
| child could fit through the gap in the railings around the | | | | convenient to have cooking facilities at the place you |
| staircase. Like all children they were attracted to the | | | | are staying. Make sure you consider all your options. |
| stairs! | | | | 6. Catering for Babies - Travelling with babies requires |
| What is the swimming pool like? Is it suitable for your | | | | a full check list of its own. Stop for a minute and think |
| child/ren and their swimming abilities? | | | | about how you will deal with each aspect of looking |
| 2. Child Care When Travelling - When hotels say they | | | | after bubs on your journey. |
| provide child care, make sure you check it out first. | | | | 7. Backups for Care in Place - If you have child care |
| Some only cover child care for a couple of hours a | | | | organised while you are away and you are going to |
| day. Other places only run if they have minimum | | | | attend something that is fixed while your child/ren are |
| numbers. Check out anyone caring for your child/ren - | | | | in care - have a back up plan in place. What will |
| make sure they are reputable! | | | | happen if your event goes on longer than was |
| 3. Cellphone - Take your cellphone and get access for | | | | originally intended? |