dcchi

We are a family of five with three younger children (9, 8 and 4). We regularly just get a single room (usually 2 doubles or king/sofabed) when traveling in the US, with no issues and never a worry.

However, as I start thinking about future family vacations, I am more concerned about max occupancy rules when traveling abroad, as it's my nightmare that we show up and it becomes an issue. From our point of view, our kids are small enough that 2 doubles works fine for us (for now). Of course, I realize that is not the point of the max occupancy rules, so I'm wondering what other families do and if anyone knows of any international resorts (preferably beach type resorts, preferably in the Caribbean but I'd be interested elsewhere too) where there is a suitable arrangement for a family of 5. Of course, I realize one option is to book two connecting rooms, and some hotels of course have crazy large and crazy expensive presidential-type suites. So, I'm not asking about those two. Anybody aware of such resorts that have occupancy for five or experience in this area?

Any advice and insight would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

VickiSoCal

MVC will be your best bet in the Caribbean, Hawaii, or even in Spain.

RogerD408

Barring any posts to the contrary about specific properties, you can try booking a room for five and see what hits come up. There should be some properties that offer two-bedroom suites (not necessarily the Presidential) and may be a reasonable rate. Unfortunately, trying to book two connecting rooms may be near impossible (they are usually given to people that have been travelling all day and there is a noisy party next door).

As the family gets older, using the timeshares available for booking would prove better. In addition to more room, you also get a full kitchen to keep food and drink in the room.

nacho

I'm in the exactly same situation and we are based in Europe - our kids are 9,8 and 6. I don't want to book 2 rooms if I can avoid it (because they are still slightly young to be on their own, my 8 and 6 are boys and they are like Fred and George in Harry Potter). Also when we did book 2 rooms we never get 2 rooms next to each other - even we requested it - once Marriott Shanghai City Centre wanted to give us 2 rooms on 2 floors!

Booking a room for 5 will give you almost no result in Europe/Asia - that's why we like to go to the US.

This is what I do - we bought sleeping bags, inflating mattresses (I always check extra towels option when I book Marriott hotels and I don't ask for anything more than that) - our kids love to sleep on the floor rather than on a bed - when they had a bed they had to fight not to sleep on it:

1. Avoid places where they enforce strictly with head counts - i.e. the UK, Austria, Italy and maybe Spain;

2. Resorts that I stayed at in Germany and Spain has max. occupancy. You are 5 people and you need 2 flats - that's what they will tell you - or they will charge you for extra bed that will end up costing you almost the same as having 2 flats. So if you do encounter problem like this, simply book 2 adults and try to see the pictures on TA to see if they suit your needs - get the kids to stay outside and get the key card and walk into the hotel in 2 bunches;

3. Booking.com has a good child policy of each hotel - I always check there before booking anything.

4. It helps to have status with Marriott - when we travel with the kids we will write and ask to get an upgrade beforehand. This is the best thing to do because FD normally don't have power to upgrade in Asia/Europe IMO. Usually we stay at business hotels during holiday/weekend so their occupancy rate is not high, so it's easier to accommodate the request.

Please don't start talking about fire regulations or ethical questions and kids haters please don't start commenting here. Please keep the OP as it is.

writerguyfl

I don't think you can have an honest discussion of this topic without talking about fire codes. They aren't suggestions. They are laws to which hotels must adhere.

This is a good suggestion. Marriott's website should only show availability for the total number of guests entered on the reservations form. Unsurprisingly, family-oriented destinations like Orlando will have more options.

nacho

Sometimes fire code may have been made up IMO.

This happened to us:

We all showed up at check-in at Hamburg Marriott as our last stop before going home. FD said, 'well the room occupancy here is 4'. They started bragging about all the luxury hotels that have the same policy. It was before 6pm so we said if it's not ok then we can just drive home. FD said, 'hold on and I'll talk to my manager'.

She came back and said for EUR 40 they could 'overlook' the fire code and let us stay in a larger room, Mr. is Plat so we should have gotten it as an 'upgrade'. So we agreed and paid the extra 40 and found out that we got a slightly bigger 2 doubles room (which we should have gotten as Plat upgrade)! This hotel is definitely not our favourite.

This happened to my friend (not sure if it's due to fire code):

The hotel is a HI/HIX close to AMS, my friend and her husband and their 5 years old all showed up at check-in. The FD said the kid is older than 2 so she has to have her own room. It was 11pm and she was fast asleep. They couldn't cancel the ressie because it's a prepaid rate (for a couple of days), so they had to pay EUR 98 to get a second room.

The next day her husband went to FD and check-out the second room no one said anything to them afterwards.

We were shocked when she told me the story and she said this has never happened to them before. Then we checked booking.com the child policy is all kids 2 or older needs an extra room and we both agreed that it's too extreme.

The thing is - if they really can give you a connecting room, that's ok, but most of the time it's not the case, either the hotel doesn't have it or they just don't bother.

Need

You could also do airbnb. My sister rent an apartment in Hong Kong for about the price of a hotel room in the area, and it is a studio apartment with 7 beds in it!

As for hotels, if you could not get connecting rooms, you could split the parents up. It is not like the parents have to sleep in one bed.... if the 5 of you were used to be in 1 room, nothing would happen anyway...right?

baccarat_king

Luxury Hotels, in Europe. Sometimes the best, and sometimes the worst when you have occupancy of 5. I know so well.

I do like the Marriott website, since it will only display the appropriate rooms if you list 5 guests. We almost always go with 2 rooms, but that can also be a challenge with young kids. Suites seldom help, unless you get a suite+connector.

Keep in mind, many hotels will heavily discount a 2nd room for families; but that can also be variable.

If booking two rooms, I book them together and follow up at time of reservation and prior to arrival (one week) with regard to the connector. If it cannot be guaranteed (or "strongly promised"); I'll often find a different property that will be more accommodating. Pre-arrival follow-up is always directly with the hotel property and in writing.

Mr. Vker

RC often has a family package that includes two guaranteed connecting rooms for the individual nightly rate shown. They are usually great deals. We have used them often. Sometimes breakfast and other things included.

erik123

Always contact the hotel directly by phone - or in first instance the reservation line of the country where the property is located (e.g. Marriott UK).

Very often, the info on the Marriott reservations site is incorrect. E.g. I have stayed at many hotels in Europe where max occupancy is 2 - but when contacted directly you can request a roll-away without issue.

With 5 it becomes much more difficult, because rooms for 4 or not as typical. But, many hotels in the UK and elsewhere have family rooms that typically accommodate 4. Again, if you call direct you can often get an additional roll-away for that room.

writerguyfl

I guarantee they weren't made up in any of the hotels in which I've worked.

erik123

In most of Europe occupancy can be interpreted quite liberally, and I have never heard fire code as an excuse.

dabbagmm

I'm in the same position too. Father of three (4,5,6).

I suggest we compile a list based on experience and share them here.

Last year, I went to Germany for family holiday and had to get two rooms as rooms in selected properties were too small. Luckily they were connected room (made request at time of booking and followed up twice, two weeks before arrival and three days before arrival).

Renaissance Karlsruhe (got corner room and a regular room connected)
Marriott Munich (got two connected rooms)

For sure, one room wouldn't have worked for us.

NYTA

Had this problem in Rome - we ended up getting connecting rooms at the Sheraton and we only have 2 kids. (max occupancy of 3!)

nacho

Rome/Italy is famous for not being children friendly - that is why it's not on our destination list since having kids.