Where to Sleep While Traveling

We haven't gone anywhere lately, but when we did we asked the hotel to put a crib in the room. They said they would but forgot. Instead we got extra blankets and piled them up to make her a little bed in the floor and it was fine. There was even room for me to lay down with her. Good Luck and have fun!

We were able to rent a crib when we went to Denver. I just googled rent cribs in Denver, CO and was able to find a great company that broght the crib, bumper pads, sheets, etc. They even had it set up before we arrived. I think it was around $80 for the week. Good luck!
-A.

We ordered the inflatable toddler bed from OneStepAhead and had it delivered to my mom's house when we traveled there, we then brought it back with us on the airplane, it was wonderful!

Hi L.,

I hope I can offer you some easy solutions at a minimum of expense and worry.
Our kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews, LOVED traveling or staying at our place, (and the younger ones still do!), because we use sleeping bags! They love to sleep on them, they are ours so we know they are clean, and are easy to travel with. We even take one or two with us when we visit kids and grandkids, as they always want to use them on the floor, and we make it a 'party camp out' with popcorn, or chips and dip, lemonade or hot cocoa. We play a couple games with them, and then say our goodnights. It's become a special tradition.
We've done this for years now, and it's so easy and the kids usually like it from toddlerhood right up to their teens!

D. in NC

We usually stay with the Hilton Family Hotels (Embassy, Hampton, etc..) They are first come first serve on cribs/pack n play. For just sleeping purposes the pack n play is not to small for your daughter. The embassy has a small crib which is the size of a pack n play. I have 5 children, the youngest is 3 and I have always brought the sheets off the crib for them when traveling. It smells like them and I think it has helped a lot with comfort levels. Good Luck!

You can ususally request a crib at any hotel, if you stay at a hotel. Another option is to check out One Step Ahead. Most moms have received that catalog. You can also search it online. They have a tent with a blow up mattress and sleeping bag for about $80.

The great thing about this tent is that is can be folded up and stored in your suitcase. The mattress can be inflated and deflated. It is a perfect size for a child under 3 or 4 years old. It is a lot of fun for them too! It zips up or has tabs to keep the flaps open.

Good luck!!!!

My in-laws bought an inflatable air mattress with a "lip" around it that is meant for kids this age. They can't fall out because of the lip. It was nice, but a little expensive in my opinion. They got it from One Step Ahead catalog.

I remember always sleeping on the floor when we had big family get togethers. Kids don't do that anymore, although I think that parents take their own comfort concerns into account and forget that kids are not as achy as we are!! I don't think her sleeping on a couple layers of blankets would be a problem, unless you are concerned about her wandering around. :-)

Most hotels will provide a pack n play, a 21 mo. old is not too big for a pack n play (my 3 y.o. still uses one in a pinch). I also would recommend inflatable sleeping bags that travel pretty well. We got ours at Target for about $30 or less (disney princess), they come with an easy pump and blow up fast and easy. Otherwise, I'd just 'rig' a bed on the floor with heavy blankets on the bottom. They do just fine!

Most hotels provide cribs upon request for free as long as they have them in stock.

If you're not going to be in a hotel, see if the people you are staying with know where to borrow one. Or consider letting the baby sleep with you for a few days. They'll be alright, really...

Good luck.

Hi L.... My daughter (now 33months old.) slept on a sofa bed when she was 19months old... all we did was put the couch cushins on the floor around the bed... i think that was the best nights sleep we've ever gotten! lol she didn't even move from the spot she was in all night... dont underestimate her she may surprise you

If you are staying in a motel you can call the motel/hotel where you will be staying and ask them if they have a porta crib or playpen and just bring along extra blankies/sheets to cover it with. We did this when our oldest daughter was little. Most places have these available you just have to ask for them. On the other hand if you are staying with family maybe they can borrow one from a friend or family member. Good luck, hope you have a good time!

Hey L.!
Just from my experience traveling with our son, when we asked a hotel for a crib, we got a pack n play - so ask them what you are actually getting because some people probably think of it as the same thing. Also, pack n plays do come in different sizes (my experience with the hotel we stayed at was that the pack n play was smaller than the one we have at home) so maybe they can tell you the dimensions of it. Also, I highly recommend bringing your own sheets for your child!!! We used the hotel sheets (and this was a reputable hotel) and our son had some kind of small bug (not a tick) sucked into his skin the next morning - gross!!!! Good luck with your travels!!
Cyndi

Are you staying with family? Ask them for help locating a plaype since you can't bring one.
Staying in a hotel? Check with the hotel about possibly supplying a crib or playpen. Some offer this but don't advertise it.
Good luck!
L. C.

I would think that the pack n play would be alright, depends on how big she is. Some kids are longer than others. If you are getting a hotel, usually you can request a crib. Lastly, if you can't do either of those, we have pushed chairs up against one side of the bed and either my husband or I sleep with her on the other side. You can also put pillows on the side of the bed and then take the sheet over top of the pillows and tuck in around them down under the mattress. That way if she rolls into them, they will not move or fall off the bed. She is basically tucked into the bed. Or, put her between you and your husband if you can get any sleep like that. You can make a palet on the floor but she may not sleep well.
We recently went camping and we had a blow up air mattress that worked great.

Have fun! W.

When my son was that age, we would push one of the matresses against the wall and then barricade him with pillows on the other side if we were in a motel. If we were visiting relatives, he slept in his own bed, which was a trundle on the floor, so if he did fall out of bed, he wouldn't fall too far.

I hear you. My kiddo has outgrown what most hotels have to offer too, just too small. I have been researching this extensively myself and have not come up with a really good option. tThe two closest things are the Baby Bjorn travel crib. at $150 its pricey, but it is 42" long at the base, although they recommend you stop using it when the child reaches 35". We take it with us when we fly and its great, it seriously sets up in less than a minute, although still somewhat tight for my toddler. The other options are an areobed for kids and the pea pod xl sleep tent.

if someone else has a marvelous idea of something to bring with you for the taller toddler, I'd love to hear it too.

I just bought a inflatable bed for my son who is 2 from Onestepahead.com. It inflates with sides, so he can't roll off. You can also order sheets that fit it and a small pillow. To be honest, my son hasn't slept on it yet, but my 4 yr old nephew did and he slept like a rock. We're going to be traveling during Thanksgiving and Christmas and plan on taking it with us. It has it's own pump and deflates to fit into a pretty small bag. Hope this helps.

Most hotels can put a crib in your room for free or for a small fee. But I suggest you bring your own crib sheet. Often they don't have sheets that fit properly. The other option is to let your toddler sleep with you. I never let my son sleep in bed with me unless we are traveling. Then I usually let him sleep between my husband and I or I put pillows to block one side of the bed (if it's just my son and I traveling). I hope this helps. Enjoy your trip.

We have a 2 yr old and will be traveling during Thanksgiving and have the same issue. We just bought the Aerobed for Kids from Walmart and plan to use that in the hotel. Here is a link: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=7856665. It has great reviews. But I can't say for myself since we haven't officially used it yet. It pumps up and deflates super fast and seems very comfortable. I expect it work out well.

BabyAge.com sells an inflatable, toddler-size air mattress that is easy to travel with. The obvious issue is trying to make sure your little one will stay in it, since it has no "sides" to it, but if your little one is as tired as most children are after a flight that probably won't be a problem.

Hi! I read about your problem and usually if you ask at the hotel they have cribs for you to rent. I do not know if every hotel has them or not but, alot I have been to has. You can call and ask ahead of time. Have fun on your trip :)

The hotel you stay at may provide crib rental. Are you staying with relatives? My son had a little air mattress like sleeping bag that he uses at his grandparents house.

You can check with the hotel your staying at and they may provide you with a crib. We recently went to Cinn. OH and my son was 11 1/2 months old. They brought me a crib (I took cleaner and scrubbed it good and my own crib sheet) and they even brought me a fridge for his yogurt. We were booked thru the Cinn. Childrens Hosp. so I don't know if that makes a difference, but you might check around with diff. hotels and see.

I don't know about the renting a crib, but do you know anyone where you are going? Most of the time someone where you are going has children/grandchildren or knows someone who does. Maybe you can just ask and see.

L., where will you be staying while traveling? If you are in a hotel, some hotels have do have cribs, most though have pack & plays. What we used to do because out daughter was too big for the pack & play was to use a pull out sofa (if they have one) and get all sorts of pillows & put them around her & on the floor (in case she fell). She slept in the middle of the pillows & that worked well. If it is an upscale hotel, ask the concierge for a company that rents cribs.

If you are staying with family maybe they know someone you can borrow a crib from.

If your child is too large for a pack n play, the floor or a bed are probably your ownly options. One of the parents will probably need to lay down with her or sleep with her. She isn't too young to sleep by herself, she just isn't used to it. You might want to practice before you travel. Good luck.

We got a fold up little bed...not really a bed. It folds up into a bad like those chairs you can bring to sporting events. It is only 6 inches off the ground. I think we got it from either Babies R Us or maybe Wal-mart.

Hi L.,
if you stay in a hotel you can request a crib in advance when you make your reservation. We just did that with our 22 months old son and he was just fine. He can still sleep in his pack n play as well. We are planning to get a toddler inflatable bed for next time we travel since he will be over 2 and it is not too bulky. Check the OneStepAhead website, they have good items for travelling. I think you might be able to rent also a crib or small bed but I don't know the website. Hopefully another mum will give you that info. Good luck and enjoy your trip!

Most hotels you stay at will have a porta crib or pack and play. Just ask for it at he desk. She shouldn't be to big for the pack and play. My daughter is two and she fits fine. I wouldn't suggest the floor in hotels you never know how clean they are. Good luck I hope something works out.

The Hotel that you are staying at may have cribs and if you are military and are near a base where you are going ask the housing if they have a lending locker for people who are just moving in. They have furniture to lend to people until their shipments get to them. Otherwise a mattress on the floor. When we travel the youngest always sleeps with us the girls get the other bed and my eldest gets the floor or rollaway.

Hi. My question is.... Are you going to be staying in hotels? If so they will provide you with a crib in the room if you request one.
My youngest son is three and when we go away to family members houses we still put him in a pack n play, it is just so he can sleep peacefully and not get into things while we sleep. He is in the same room with us and we have yet to have him climb out of it. I think that a pack n play would be the best way to go for you, that way you have it with you all of the time.

When we travel and go to a hotel, our little girl always sleeps in the middle of us. No, it is not comfortable and NO we don't sleep that well but we figure that is just part of it and unless we just stay home while she is small, we just deal with it.
Hope that helps.

If you google crib rentals then you will be able to find something. There are many places that you can rent from and they will deliver and pick up from your destination so that you dont have to hassle with it. We looked into it when we flew to Maine in July, turned out we didnt need to rent anything because we borrowed from family but it was a good option to have. It is also fairly inexpensive!

Where are you traveling too. Our almost three year old when traveling in ireland slept in pack & plays which were built a little bigger than the one we have here. Most hotels have beds or cots. We did buy a sleeping bed that has a blow up air mattress which we never used but it was nice just in case the cribs or pack & plays didn't work. they take another suitcase to carry but it was worth it.