22 Tips for Staying in a Hotel Room with a Baby

Are you staying in a hotel room with a baby for the first time and need all of the tips and tricks to make it a successful experience? You’re in the right place! Baby travel can be a bit stressful but the best way to enjoy the trip in a small space is to use these hacks.

Booking Your Hotel Room with a Baby

Preparation starts as soon as you start to look for a hotel and a little planning goes a long way. Here are the best tips as you choose the best place to stay…

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1. Keep Amenities in Mind

The “extras” are a bit more important now that you will be staying in a hotel room with a baby. Why? Because you will spend more time there. Things like a restaurant right on-site, outdoor spaces, early check-in, free breakfast, and a pool and/or hot tub can make all the difference.

2. Consider Location

Are you choosing between big cities or smaller towns? While neither is bad, it depends on what you need. A city location will offer more restaurants, a grocery store, and things to do close by, while somewhere out of town is going to be more quiet. As long as it’s a safe place, you’re good, but choose the best hotel as you consider what you will be doing during your stay.

3. Ask for a Corner Room

The corner rooms are often bigger and any additional space when staying in a hotel room with a baby helps! Plus, there aren’t people on both sides of you so you don’t need to feel (as) bad when the baby is crying and potentially disrupting other guests.

PRO TIP: A corner room on the ground floor is the BEST place to be! But don’t get too greedy 🙂

4. Hotel Crib

Many hotels offer a portable crib and/or pack-and-plays for your stay. You will definitely want to tell them beforehand on the phone so they can reserve you one. There are typically a limited amount and you don’t want to be stuck without one.

TIP: Bring your own crib sheet! (And, of course, their preferred sleep sack, pacifiers, and anything else they need for good sleep.)

TIP: We have the Uppababy Travel System and the travel bassinet is AWESOME for trips when the baby is young. Not only can it be used as a bed, but it’s great for them to fall asleep when out and about for the day. It’s pricey, but I’d buy the system 10x over.

5. Room with a Kitchenette

This isn’t a requirement, but it’s a good idea if you’re willing to spend a little more to have a small kitchen area in your room so you have more space for bottle washing. Plus, you can have meals right in your own space vs. bringing the baby out every time.

Even better, look for a hotel suite with a separate living room!

6. Double Check There is a Fridge

This is important! Make sure your room has a fridge so you can keep your milk/formula cold.

7. Ask Hotel Staff to Put Your Ice Packs in the Freezer

If you are traveling with a small cooler full of breastmilk, ask the front desk staff for a little help keeping your ice packs frozen. Nine times out of ten, this will be no problem!

What to Pack When Staying in a Hotel with a Baby

Now that you’re set up with the perfect room, make sure you don’t forget some of the crucial items. And start with this tip…

8. Pack Everyone in One Suitcase

One of my top tips! If you can get the family into one suitcase (this would likely only work for a 1-3 day stay), that is going to significantly help the space issue when it comes to staying in a hotel with a baby.

We’ve had a few long trips but only spent one night at a time in a certain hotel. In those instances, we move everyone’s day’s worth of clothes and items into one bag and it saved us from multiple trips and bags all over the room.

9. Bring Your Own Bottle Brush & Soap

Bottle washing! Everyone’s favorite. Make sure to add a brush and your own soap to your packing list.

10. Portable Sound Machine

Kids running down the hallway. Cleaners vacuuming. Loud adults who drank too much. Hotels can get a little noisy! Make sure to have a white noise machine (or at least a white noise app) so your baby can sleep through distractions. That link will take you to the BEST affordable one. We use this one even when we’re at home.

11. Plastic Bags & Ziploc Bags

Most rooms only have tiny trash cans. Babies will fill your garbage QUICKLY, and you will likely be having a few meals in the room. Bring a few extra plastic bags so your trash isn’t lying everywhere (there will be no space for that!)

12. SlumberPods

While I don’t have one myself yet (I still have a very young baby who still sleeps anywhere), I have seen recommendations for SlumberPods ALL OVER the place! It’s a black-out cover that goes right over the pack-and-play and creates your baby’s own room and a separate sleeping space. If you travel a lot, it may be worth the investment.

Need a complete baby packing list (that includes a checklist)?!

Tips in the Hotel Room with a Baby

You’re fully prepped, now what are the tips when you’re actually IN the hotel room with a baby?

13. Organize EVERYTHING

It could be my Type A coming out, BUT trust me, the very first thing you should do when you get into your hotel room with a baby:

Unpack! This is no time to live out of suitcases. Utilize the drawers and closets for everyone’s clothes and baby gear. You will want bags out of the way!
Set up a changing area with the changing pad, diapers, wipes, and diaper cream where you will always change diapers. Then you’re not digging through bags every time.
Get a bottle washing station prepped and organize everything feeding-related in that same area. If this is in the hotel bathroom, keep a separate area for general bathroom things and then feeding.

In my personal experience, keeping things as clean and organized as possible helped everyone’s sanity!

14. Leave the Car Seat in the Car

They are way too big and bulky to add to the chaos of the room. Added bonus: one less thing to carry in and out! PRO TIP: Use a baby carrier to get both the baby inside and all of your belongings.

15. Have the Diaper Bag Ready

It’s best to be prepared! And while you might be stressed about staying in a hotel with a baby, don’t add more by stressing out trying to get out the door. As you are organizing, prep the bag with extra diapers and everything else you will need when you leave the room.

16. Clean the Sink

Speaking of a bottle washing station, make sure to clean the sink yourself. Yes, the hotel takes care of it, but you never know!

17. Use the Coffee Pot for Hot Water

If you need hot water for any reason, use the cool hack of running the coffee pot (without coffee, obviously!) You’ll have a couple of cups of hot water in minutes.

18. Bathroom = Bedroom

Baby sleep is noisy! And one of the biggest stressors of being in a hotel with a baby is that everyone is typically in one general area. If your baby is noisy while they sleep, or you just want to avoid distractions for them, stick their crib in the bathroom. It’s its own separate space with a door, plus stays very dark.

Tip: Some hotel rooms have a walk-in closet which is another great option for a dark room.

The bonus? You won’t need to bring a baby monitor.

19. Sink, Bath or Shower

Bath time can get a little tricky in a hotel. Give them a quick sink bath or bring them in the shower with you as another great option. Or, even better, just skip a couple of days of bathtime which I usually do in my own experience. Wipes work wonders 🙂

20. Use Tape

If your baby is on the move, you might need to baby-proof a few things. The best thing to use for temporary proof is tape! Use it for outlet covers and/or on sharp corners you don’t want them to have a run-in with.

21. Stick to Your Routine

As much as possible, of course. The last thing you need is an overtired baby keeping everyone in the room awake. Try your best to keep feeds, naps, and your bedtime routine the same. You’ll thank yourself overnight and the next day!

22. Go With the Flow

And the last thing, it’s not the same as pre-baby hotel stays! You are on the baby’s time and half the battle is going to be going with the flow. You might need to skip going out for dinner and just get room service. You might need to skip the late-night party and just go to bed. And/or you may have to come back in the middle of the day for nap time. Whatever happens, just roll with it.