7 Tips to Help Your Baby Sleep in Any Hotel Room

Hotel stays used to be all about lazy mornings in comfy beds, room service, and trips to the in-house spa…or they were in-and-out pit stops to catch some ZZZs before heading to the next adventure! But as a parent, the idea of staying in a hotel hits a little different. In fact, it may even strike fear in your heart. Where will my baby sleep? Do I have to go to bed before sundown, too? Will any of us rest? First, take a deep breath!

There are a few reasons why babies and toddlers have trouble snoozing in hotel rooms, including the simple fact that they are in a different environment than they are used to. Little ones love routines and familiarity, so being in a new home-away-from home can throw even the best sleepers for a loop. The cot, the temperature, the smells, the annoying light from under the door are all different! Plus, hotel stays often go hand-in-hand with long travel, which can leave babies and toddlers jetlagged and/or overtired. (Being overtired triggers babies’ fight-or-flight response, which unleashes the hormone cortisol that keeps babies alert.) Finally, for kiddos who’ve already graduated to sleeping in their own room, snoozing close to Mom or Dad again can stir up all kinds of sleep-sapping distractions.

While staying in a hotel room with Baby does require some forethought and planning, the whole family can enjoy sound sleep in a hotel by following these tips!

Prioritize sleep when you pick your hotel room.

When securing your hotel room, you may want to forgo the ease of online booking and jump on the phone to ensure you get a corner room on a higher floor, away from the lobby, elevators, and conference rooms—these rooms tend to be the quietest. If possible, splurge on (or use your points to upgrade to) a suite, an extra-large room, or connecting rooms where you can keep the door open. The more space you have to spread out, the easier it’ll be to set up a makeshift nursery or kid bedroom. (PS: If you can swing a hotel room with a balcony, consider that slice of outdoors your date night spot while your bub snoozes!)

Create a separate baby sleep space in your hotel room.