Hotel Room
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Hotel room essentials for families
A hotel room is rarely built for a family, but the right few things in your suitcase can change that. These are the twelve hotel room essentials we never leave home without, for better sleep, calmer mornings and happier children on every family hotel stay.
Blackout blinds
Hotel curtains rarely block out everything. Portable blackout blinds go up in minutes and keep the room dark for naps and sleep-ins. See our hotel room blackout guide for more ideas.
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Travel cot or inflatable bed
A lightweight travel cot or blow-up bed gives your child a cosy place to sleep. Pack your own fitted sheets, and ask the hotel for extra pillows and blankets.
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White noise machine
A small sound machine drowns out corridor noise, lifts and the rest of the family, so light sleepers settle faster. Compact ones, like the LectroFan Micro, slip easily into a suitcase.
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Plug-in night light
A soft plug-in or rechargeable light makes night-time toilet trips safe and easy, without waking the whole room.
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Ok-to-wake clock
A sleep clock, such as the Gro Clock, shows little ones when it is still sleep time and when it is okay to get up, so your routine travels with you.
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Favourite cuddly toy
A familiar toy or comforter from home makes a strange room feel safe and helps children settle faster.
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Yoto Mini
A screen-free audio player with detachable headphones, ideal for bedtime stories, quiet time and long travel days.
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E-reader with backlight
A soft, warm backlight means you or an older child can read quietly once the little ones are asleep, with no big light to wake anyone.
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Noise-cancelling earbuds
Perfect for enjoying a late-night audiobook discreetly while the children fall asleep.
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Snacks for early mornings
Easy-to-grab snacks like fruit tubes, packaged croissants and cereal bars (plus a spoon or two) keep hungry children happy before breakfast opens.
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Charging multiplug
One multi-port charger with the right travel adapters keeps phones, tablets and e-readers powered from a single socket. Handy, as hotel plugs are always in short supply.
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First aid kit and medicines
A small first aid kit, children’s medicines and dispensers mean you are ready for fevers and scrapes when the pharmacy is shut.
View on AmazonHotel room tips for families
Ask when you book. Many hotels can provide a cot, an extra bed, a mini fridge or extra pillows if you ask in advance.
Set up the room first. Darken the windows, plug in the white noise machine and put a night light in the bathroom before bedtime, so the room feels calm from the start.
Keep the bedtime routine. A familiar toy, a sleep clock and a bedtime story help children settle in a new room.
More Family Travel Essentials
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