Tips for Baby or Toddler Sleeping in Hotel

Hotels and Resorts are great at providing cribs or a pack n play. A majority of hotels will provide a small Johnson & Johnson gift pack; shampoo, lotion, and baby powder. I always brought my own blanket or sleep sack when DMC was a baby.

So once your child no longer fits in a crib or pack n play, naturally the child moves to a hotel bed. We typically just book a room with a king bed and use a travel bed rail since DMC doesn't sleep in the middle on the bed. The travel toddler bed rail is inflatable and light, fits in a suitcase.

We will be traveling to Colorado for Christmas and we are renting a town home with two other families. The bedrooms are a good size and DMC moves quite a bit in bed so we will be trying out a travel toddler bed on the floor for him.

Books at bedtime: Books are heavy and can take up room in the suitcase. So we still bring 2-3 paperback books. We also use the Dr. Suess App on the ipad, you have access to all the Dr. Suess books. 

Shrunk Products:
Travel toddler bedrail, we have used this bedrail on over 5 trips and it still inflates and works great. Fits great in the suitcase, perfect for hotel beds.

Travel toddler bed, bring your crib sheets they will fit. Only negative the bed is about 6lbs so compensate for the suitcase weight or carry on.

TIP: We brought our sound machine for DMC until he was about 1.5 yrs old

TIP: If the crib or pack n play is already set up in your room, lift up the mattress or any bedding to make sure nothing is under anything. We were in a hotel room and I lifted up the mattress to find a steak knife between the mattress and wooden support board.

TIP: If you can book a hotel with room suites, some hotel chains only have room suites. Its very helpful to have a room that you can close off from the main area for naps and bedtime.

TIP: Bring your child's blanket and favorite stuff animal from their crib or bed, I have forgotten this a few times

Unique Holiday Vacation Spots ( Canada, Colorado, and Hawaii)

The month of December you think of snow covered mountains, sitting by a fireplace, beautiful Christmas lights, hot cocoa, etc. So a majority of my recommendations are those snowy cozy vacation spots. Enjoy!

Christmas in November
Fairmount Jasper Park Lodge
Jasper, Alberta

I came across this unique and great post from another blogger that I follow Pretty Life in the Suburbs. You have to click on the link to see the beautiful photos she posted. What a fun idea! The Fairmount hosts a Christmas celebration before Thanksgiving. Christmas decor, Christmas meals, treats, crafting, and decorating. Now you can celebrate a month before your family and friends.

Photo credit: A Pretty Life in the Suburbs

Christmas in a Castle
The Fairmount Banff Springs 
Lake Louise, Alberta

Yes, its another Fairmount and Alberta recommendation, but once you see the stunning photos of this hotel you will understand why. It literally looks like an beautiful, eerie, large castle in the middle of nowhere surrounded by a painted lake and tall evergreens as far as the eye can see.

Winter

Spring

Christmas in Hawaii
Aulani Disney Resort
Kapolei, HI

If you have a toddler, you really can't go wrong with Mickey Mouse. Plus for the parents a beach getaway. Book early flights Hawaii is where majority of Seattlites travel for the 
holidays.

Colorado
The state of Colorado is a great winter vacation spot, great ski resorts and guaranteed picturesque snow setting. So here are a few options other than Vail, Aspen, and Breckinridge.

Colorado Springs, CO
Broadmoor Resort

SteamBoat Springs, CO
Steamboat Grand Hotel

Beaver Creek, CO
Hyatt Mountain Lodge

  

     

The Best Travel Invention Designed by a Flight Attendant (seen on Shark Tank)

I just discovered one of the most brilliant creative solutions for traveling through the airport with a toddler without a stroller or carseat cart. My good friend Jen and I were chatting about her upcoming trip traveling alone with her son back to Kenya. She shared this brilliant easy product with me, that was designed by a flight attendant.

I thought I was making things easier on my self buying a cart for our carseat converting it to a carseat stroller, in the airport however I then need to haul the carseat on the plane. Our last return flight from London to Seattle, the airline checked DMC's carseat and I did not have it. I had a wild toddler running through Heathrow and Sea Tac airport with no way to contain him.

I am so excited to try this product and will be ordering this ASAP. The headrest on the chair doubles as a tray for food and drinks...plus the chair has a buckle system to contain your toddler.

Ride On Carry On