opus2002

Hotel booking - do you count babies or kids in the number of people in a room?

We got a 1/2 yr old baby. When I am booking for rooms for wife, baby and I, do I put 2 or 3 people in a room?

erik123

2 - But always good to check if they offer a crib - as there are some rare occasions where hotels don't allow cribs in certain room types.

LapLap

As implied by erik123, it depends on whether you sleep with your kid or not.

Lots of hotels don't charge for an extra child up to X years (value of x varies) as long as they use the same bedding as the adults. Whenever this was the case, we never added the child to the booking. With reward nights and offers it was often the case that rooms for 2 adults and a child weren't available (or were hugely more expensive) but the cost was more than reasonable when just two grown ups were on the reservation. Us bringing the unbooked child along - never needed or requested a cot - was never questioned.

muckb777

If you're traveling in Europe you'll have to say 3. Just got back from Paris and they wouldn't let wife, me, and 5 month old stay in the 2 person base room at the Hyatt Vendome. We had to upgrade to a room with stated occupancy of 3.

AirportPlanner

It depends on the occupancy. If I'm getting a room with two queen beds I generally just say 2 people. If I'll need a cot or a crib, I'll say 3.

Often1

In some jurisdictions, there are fire codes which limit the # of people (note people, not adults vs. kids) in various room types.

In those jurisdictions, it's important to correctly state the # of people so that you don't wind up with the Vendome problem above. At some properties, that can be extraordinarily costly at the time of check-in.

Not worth the mess to provide less than accurate information, esp. when it doesn't matter. If 3 people causes an up-charge, call the property and let them fix it.

azepine00

This is a very tricky one. The example of PH vendome not allowing 5 mo old infant is just nuts.
Many hotels including some US but will show no availability if you put 4 guests - even though two of those guests are infants. It gets worse - even many larger rooms/suites often have max occupancy 2 or 3 loaded so if you enter 4 you'll get nothing.
This is even more complicated when you book award rooms.

We always put 2 and email the property directly right away asking for cribs. As we almost always book suites (or two rooms) we never had a problem but a couple times it required follow up emails.

Eclipsepearl

Generally, the baby doesn't "count" until they need a bed of their own. Some state an age. Some go by the above. So I did what the pp does. I email the hotel property directly to ask for the extra bed/cot. Once in Spain, they emailed back no. There's no room. They weren't kidding. We solved that one by changing the size of the other room (we're 5 and needed two rooms) so when I saw it, they weren't making up a story. These was no room for an extra bed or even a folding cot.

FYI, I've been refunded completely every time. Booking.com is good for this.

Some of the rooms in big cities in Europe seriously have a crawl space around the bed. No more. In Geneva, my uncle and his wife showed me their room and really, no baby would have fit, even a 5 month old. I know that as a single Flight Attendant, we often got these rooms and space was at a premium.

Cosleeping is fine for many families but remember that in certain parts of the world, the beds are smaller. They sometimes sell a room for two with a 140x160cm bed. Is this a double in the U.S.? If you cosleep, always ask the dimensions of the beds, especially for big cities and/or abroad.

opus2002

Thank you for all the responses. Looks like the best way is the search using "2" people. Then before booking, call the hotel to ask if a baby is allowed as the 3rd person.

Why this came up is that I was looking at the JW Marriott Essex House in Central Park New York. On the lowest level award room, it says "2" people max, cribs not allowed. Room comes with King bed on a 330 sq feet room, which makes me think that is odd since 330 is big enough for a crib. I am also thinking baby can sleep with us, not ideal but okay for a couple of nights. I got Marriott gold status due to match from United Airlines gold, but I don't know if I can count on it for a room upgrade to a room that fits 3 people.

Alternatively, I can stay at the Ritz Carlton Central Park (base room for 3 people), but with my point balance, I can do that for only one night rather than two nights.

Eclipsepearl

We stayed at the Hudson in N.Y. this summer. It was me and three kids. Great location but I don't know how it works with hotel points. We also stayed at the Hilton on Ave of the Americas and we liked it less but we had to change since my husband arrived. We had a suite for 5, which, for the record, was cheaper than two rooms anywhere.
https://www.morganshotelgroup.com/hu...udson-new-york

erik123

At Essex house should not be an issue - Call first and ask. But if it is I would take for two and take a travel bassinet (moses basket) and solve it that way.

opus2002

+1

Reservations say it is not a problem and they can put a crib in it.

opus2002

Base room there is 26 to 30 sq meters (about 260 to 300 sq foot). It should be big enough for a crib.

But, I have been in tiny rooms in Europe. Only one person will fit in the bathroom...think airline economy class bathroom. Shower, sink, toilette all in about the same space. You stand on the same spot to take a shower or use the sink. From that spot, if you seat down, it is the toilette. But then again, even that is a luxury or spacious compared with capsule hotel.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capsule_hotel

swise

For Manhattan, we have really liked the Affinia Manhattan. They have spacious, full apartments available at reasonable rates. They have kitchens and even two bathrooms. It's close to the Highline, walking distance to Times Square and about a block from Penn Station. Oh- and there's a Whole Foods down the street and even a Buy Buy Baby there for procuring diapers.

AsiaTraveler

I have run into this before, or had contradictory information posted (like, cribs not allowed, but then "Would you like a crib?" as a part of the form & that information accepted). Best always to double check, in writing, with the property.