I'm working on a conceptual design for a boutique hotel.
I haven't had to stay at a hotel with my kids yet, but I remember LOTS of post on here about this topic!
So, I ask you: what is on your hotel room wishlist when traveling with kids?
I'm thinking of this in two categories. One is a "upgrade" standard guestroom where everyone is in one space. The other would be more of a suite layout.
Thanks!
pineapple / 12566 posts
More outlets for chargers! I feel like I always have to unplug lamps to use the outlets.
Enough room for a PNP to be set up without cramping the room.
Always a bathtub. Unless the shower has a hose type attachment (common in Europe), it's hard to shower kids.
apricot / 486 posts
We love when the toilet and the vanity are separate. I like to be able to get ready while someone else is showering or using the restroom.
Also, a nice love seat or chair. I hate having to always sit on the beds to watch tv.
persimmon / 1165 posts
If you are all in one room to have an opaque divider so a kid can sleep on one side of the room while the parents can stay up on the other side.
A mini fridge and a bathtub is also a must.
honeydew / 7622 posts
Room to fit a pnp in a bathroom or walk in closet with the door cracked. Everyone sleeps better.
I recently stayed in a hotel with a mini fridge but there was not one of those small freezers so I had to toss the frozen milk I brought.
It would be nice if they had a few high chairs available.
Oh also lots of outlets but designed to be hidden behind furniture
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Sink outside of the bathroom. So people can wash hands/brush teeth/dry hair etc while others shower or use the toilet.
We always really liked the layout of the Embassy suites hotels as a family because it actually had two sinks (one in the bathroom and another by the mini fridge in the hall area between the bedroom and the living space).
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
Ooh I would love a white noise machine!
And a small dim night light
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
Standard room:
No carpet
Main bed by the window
Couch that rolls out to bed
A plug on the wall by the couch
A table next to the couch
Little to no desk space is needed
A counter with a coffee maker and place to put small things.
Plugs next to the bed (not under the bed, behind the table, etc)
Suite:
Again - no carpet
2 bedrooms with a separate lounge area
kitchenette in lounge area
Plugs in accessable and helpful areas (next to bed (but not hidden), above tables. I don't want to have to hunt to plug in the noise machine, phones, breast pump, etc.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
@mediagirl: Yes! I told my mom how good I slept at the last hotel that had hardwood laminate floors, and she was shocked and very happy to hear a lot of hotels are going away from carpet! So many less allergies and dust in the room!
coconut / 8483 posts
Ok maybe it's just me but....
Whenever we go away we get a room with a main room plus a bedroom. That way ds can sleep in a separate room in a crib. But the main room is always with a pull out couch and attaches to the bathroom.
My husband and I always end up sleeping on the pull out so we can have access to the bathroom and so that if someone broke into our room it wouldn't just be ds there alone in a crib. And DS sleeps in a crib in the room with he huge king bed going to waste.
I wish there would be an option for a main part of the room to have the king and bathroom. And the "bedroom" be smaller and even just have a smaller bed or something. Or if it's specifically geared to kids maybe bunk beds?
Everytime we've gone away we sleep on a shitty pull out! Lol.
pomelo / 5220 posts
Okay - my suggestions:
mini fridge that actually is cold + isn't jammed full of stuff - just keep it empty unless otherwise requested.
second sink so that if you are washing bottles/etc. you have a place to do that so it isn't in the bathroom.
A bathtub of course.
If it is somewhere warm, outdoor space is necessary so if the baby is asleep in the room, we can sit outside.
A comfortable chair that you can nurse or pump in.
No desk taking up valuable room space with a giant office sized chair.
Lots of hooks near bathroom - for wet bathing suits, towels, etc. I like hooks better than rods.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@Mrs. Champagne: LOL! So maybe like a standard guest room with a sitting area, but you actually walk into the area with the bed? Instead of most suites with a sitting area, you walk into the sitting area first? That's a good idea!!
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
@regberadaisy: @Mrs. Champagne: or maybe just access to the bathroom from both rooms?
Homewood Suites is set up with a bathroom attached to the bedrooms but you can't access it from the lounge/kitchen area. I wish there was a way to access the toilet, at least, from the main area!
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
Oh and - as little fabric as possible on things you will sit or walk on. A duvet cover instead of a comforter.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@mediagirl: so, why the bed up against the window? I don't think that's a prefer layout for most people. What if there is a blank wall available for the bed to be pushed up against, if requested?
hostess / wonderful persimmon / 25556 posts
@regberadaisy: well, I think if the window opens or is a balcony, I would prefer the "adult" bed near it rather than the couch, which the child might sleep on. I don't want my kid waking up in the middle of the night and going out the window/door. Too paranoid? lol Almost every single hotel room I have ever been in has been opposite of my idea so I'm sure most people don't like that idea. 
eggplant / 11716 posts
I think for the "all in one room concept", it's a great idea to have the King sized bed built into the center of the room, facing away, with a mini half wall thing as the headboard. The half wall separated the bed from the sitting area. And a TV needs to be in both the bed area and the sitting area, so kids can be in the sitting area in a travel crib/rollaway and parents can be on the other side watching tv in bed.
I've stayed in a couple of hotel mini suites like that and it was nice.
As far as suites go, I just stayed in a suite at the W over Valentine's weekend and the set up was perfect. A pullout sectional couch with TV and half bath in the sitting room, and the bedroom had the full bath with tv. BOTH rooms had a mini fridge. We didn't go with our kids, but it would have been perfect for kids if they'd been there because we would have totally separate spaces for sleeping.
apricot / 287 posts
I like having the toilet and vanity area separate, but would love if there was actually a door between the vanity and main room (so it'd be 2 doors total into the toliet area). That way I can actually get ready while LO is still sleeping and DH can be, um, in the water closet, all at the same time.
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@sleepybear: good point. This hotel will be attached to a banquet facility. So this probably will be very useful!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
Most have already been mentioned I think...
- Def multiple mini fridges WITH SPACE or bigger fridges!
- Switch to duvet sets without flat sheets
This is not for in room but it'd be awesome if there's a kid's play room in the hotel 
GOLD / wonderful pomegranate / 28905 posts
@snowjewelz: I was just thinking there should be a multi use room that can double as a babysitting area! This will be on the same site as a banquet facility. That will be useful for adult only weddings and those who don't want to bring their kids!
pomelo / 5866 posts
With kids, I definitely want free breakfast or level open space near the mini fridge to put my food items. A lot of great hotels I have stayed in have a huge functional shelf/table/ledge near the door so you can drop purses, watches, keys, phones, tickets, water bottles/food/drink items as soon as you walk in. Very handy.
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
@regberadaisy: oh people would eat that right up! but i was even thinking just if kids' sleep is messed up from traveling than parents have a place to bring them here & there to burn up energy, etc
watermelon / 14467 posts
If the room has a sitting area, it would be nice if there was some kind of divider. I've stayed in so many hotels in what they call a "Jr. Suite" and there is no way to partition the room off effectively to create two separate areas. We end up laying in a dark room after 8:00 because our daughter can't sleep with the TV/lights on.
grapefruit / 4545 posts
Regular Room: Fridge...microwave...mini bar area with sink (seperate from bathroom) or vanity space separate from shower/toilet space)...partition of sorts - even in the non suite. We are always looking for a way to separate ourselves from DD when she naps.
Upgraded Room/Suit; We always find that suites tend to have the living room as the space you walk in to...which is fine except for parents that means you either sacrafice and sleep on the crappy pull out or you have to lock yourself in the "interior" bedroom once the kid is asleep. This was huge for DH and I in Florida over Thanksgiving...it was like tempting fate trying to have one of us leave the room for something once DD was asleep. Our bedroom was through the living room - we had DD sleep in the living room so we could enjoy the king bed it came with!
pomelo / 5298 posts
Skip the fancy glass vases. Skip the rolling desk chair, heck skip the desk completely. Skip sharp edges on all furniture (think rounded corners rather than harsh squares). If phones are required to be in the room, make it just one and up higher out of reach (like above the mini fridge) instead of next to the bed. I like the semi-opaque dividers they have at Springhill Suites.
Skip any table or floor lamps and have all fixtures on the walls.
Children's programming on the tv (Disney jr, Nick jr, Sprout).
Lots of outlets with built in child proofing covers (not the cheap plugs I use at home, but the actual plates that have child proofing).
apricot / 443 posts
How about outlets built into tables and desks and headboards so you're not having to move furniture to plug in your phone and white noise machine?
Plus dimmers on lights. Everytime I stay at a hotel the lamps are super bright and there's no option for dim light unless you leave the bathroom light on.
And a way to make hot water for tea or to defrost milk. Maybe even a kitchenette in the suite?
ETA: also the ability to request a high chair/baby bathtub/ baby gate from the front desk?
squash / 13208 posts
Most things have been said so I will just add nightlights!
I usually bring my own but sometimes I forget them and have to leave the bathroom light on all night with the door cracked - ugh!
nectarine / 2243 posts
we stayed at a holiday in express right outside the munich airport that had a genius bathroom door. it was essentially double swing. In its regular position it would close off the entire bathroom. Then it could also swing inwards and close off JUST the toilet. That way someone could still be in the bathroom at the sink and someone else could be in the toilet area. if you did a standard room this would be great.
I love the new hilton garden inn products where all rooms are suites. Small fully stocked kitchen (tiny but whatever), sofa, tiny desk and a separate bedroom and bathroom (with doors that actually CLOSE).
and none of those stupid decorative window coverings that you THINK are full blackout shades but then you realize they are just for show and the panels are actually only 6" wide.
DUMB
pomegranate / 3393 posts
Comfy sofa bed or cot for LO.
Baby/childproofing: fridge, microwave etc high up and/or easy to secure (like a cabinet door), TV, plugs, outlets, etc out of sight or secured. I've often fantasized about hotel rooms just for families with small kids, with these safety and sanity measures. If every hotel even set 2-3 rooms aside for this, it would be a hit!
Then for fun: maybe a small token welcome basket with a toy or card or treat, or a pillow mint just for LO. 
pomegranate / 3601 posts
Lots of great ideas already. I love when there is an elevated counter/space in a hotel room where I can put things which I want within easy access for myself but out of the reach of my children. We often travel with two travel cribs so finding room for those is sometimes troublesome.
coconut / 8430 posts
When we were sleep training, a small hallway where we could hide the crib (so she couldn't see us) for the few min while LO fell asleep was essential.
I also love having outlets EVERYWHERE that are higher than the standard floor height.
honeydew / 7622 posts
We stayed at a brand new Marriott last weekend and they had a ledge by the door with a outlet. Hooks under would have made it better. The perfect out of reach place to charge cell phones and drop keys.
cantaloupe / 6131 posts
A mini fridge/coffee machine/bar sink set up. A humidifier - hotel rooms are so dry!
Walk in closet big enough to fit a crib or PNP where the door swings OUTWARD or have it have sliding doors.
True blackout shades/curtains.
Alarm clock that has a white noise or sound machine function.
If it's a suite, two sets of doors to access the bathroom - from bedroom and sitting area. A true door between sitting area and bedroom.
If it's a suite, a comfy pull out couch.
If it's a suite, TVs in both bedroom and sitting room, mounted into the wall so no cords dangling.
Sitting room should have a storage ottoman on casters instead of a coffee table so kids don't crack their head. Lamps and lighting built into walls so no cords or lamp stands they can swipe at.
Bathtub in the bathroom for sure.
pomegranate / 3658 posts
A nice view (or, bonus, balcony) so you have something to look at when you're stuck in Naptime Jail.
Decent spot to put the PnP, and access to the bathroom from all rooms.
White noise machine.
Enough counter space to lay out a changing pad! Maybe some way to make the counter more accommodating for diaper changes, like a raised lip, or (gasp) an actual fold-down changing table?
Diaper genie in the room
Microwave (for sterilizing bottles/pump parts)
Enough open floor space for the kid to crawl around (if we're dreaming big here, maybe even some gates to block off that area)
Located far enough away from other guests that there's less concern about people being disturbed by baby crying
pomegranate / 3658 posts
NO dangling cords from the blinds! (Strangulation hazard)
Wall anchors for all the furniture
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