I agree with you. I would NEVER leave my child in the care of a stranger, in a strange location. Ignoring the child's stress and comfort for a moment, do you know if that person has taken CPR? Do you know if that person has been checked out for previous abuse? Do you know if that person has ever been treated or mental illness? I appreciate wanting grown up time, but you are doing the right thing. An enjoyable vacation should not be at the expense of your children's health and well being. Good luck. I support you!!
When you're going to use an unknown babysitting or nanny service, the questions you need to ask and the guidelines you set up are the same regardless of who is providing the service: what background checks are done, what are the individual's credentials, will/won't you allow your children out of the hotel, etc.
My husband and I do a lot of business in Boston and we bring our daughter up with us. Boston has two great services that go to all hotels (and private homes): Boston's Best Babysitters and Parents in a Pinch. We like them because they provide full bios, background, and references of the people that have watched our daughter.
Good luck!
I am sure that there are reputable services out there that provide this service, with all the necessary credentials, etc., but I am not even comfortable leaving my son with people I know, much less people I don't know. Personally, there is NO WAY I would leave my son with strangers. Aside from the potential dangers, I couldn't put him in that anxiety provoking situation. Totally not fair to him just so I could have a good time. Not a chance. I'm not judging people who do this, I'm just saying that there is NO WAY I could.
I never felt comfortable with strange services. We had my sister meet us for a couple of days to help out. You can bring a trusted babysitter or family member with you...