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Everything you need to know for choosing
the right accommodation for your family
choosing the right accommodation for your family with kids
When traveling with children, it’s important to carefully choose a place that will feel like home for you during the trip.
Many families also debate which type of accommodation they prefer. Adventurers might choose camping, travel enthusiasts may opt for an RV, but most families go for a hotel or an apartment.
We really enjoy staying in apartments, which offer numerous advantages—a safe, comfortable space that creates a home-like experience for the children and allows us as parents moments of relaxation and peace amidst the trip. Nowadays, there are many options for comfortable, family-friendly apartments, but it’s still essential to understand what suits us best as families with children.
Here, you can find all the useful information about staying in apartments with children—where to settle, where to search, what to check, and what to be cautious of.
Where to Stay
The first thing we look for in an apartment, even before considering what’s in it and how it looks (don’t worry, we’ll get to that too), is its location.
It’s important to stay close, ideally within walking distance, to where you want to be. This could mean proximity to the sea, city centre, or trailheads, depending on the nature of your trip. Starting every day with a drive or a long walk could affect your experience, making it less enjoyable and more challenging with kids. So try to pinpoint the places you want to visit on a map and stay as close as possible to as many of them as you can.
If you plan to rely on public transportation during your trip, make sure the apartment is near a station that provides easy access to as many places of interest as possible.
A hot tip:
A hot tip: Try to stay close to a convenience store or supermarket. This can be incredibly useful when traveling with kids, allowing you to quickly pop out and pick up any items you may need.
Where to Look
There are many convenient apps and websites for finding apartments.
Airbnb
Our favourite app—it’s very reliable and offers the significant advantage of easy communication with the apartment owner (or operator) to confirm that it suits you and your family.
Another easy-to-use app. Although originally geared more towards hotels, it does have many vacation apartments.
A website similar to Booking.com. It’s more popular in some countries than in others, so it’s worth checking.
Another convenient website worth checking and comparing.
Definitely worth checking out! In some countries, not all apartments, especially the simpler ones, will be on apps or websites, so it’s worth exploring Google Maps for available options, reading reviews, and visiting the business site. You might find better prices there (since there are no intermediary fees) and more room for negotiation.
A small tip:
Often the same apartment is listed on several different platforms at different prices. Even if you’ve decided on a suitable apartment, it’s worth checking various apps and websites to ensure you’re getting the lowest price.
What to Check and What to Be Cautious Of
To find a comfortable apartment that suits you, especially for a family with young children, there are several things worth checking.
1 Number and Location of Rooms:
Number and Location of Rooms:When choosing the perfect accommodation for your family, you can set the number of rooms during your search to suit your needs, children, and budget. We prefer one room for the kids, one for the parents (or parents and baby), and a shared space for flexibility in sleep schedules.
In addition to the room count, pay attention to their layout:
Make sure the bedrooms are close enough together so you can hear your child if they call for you at night, and keep all rooms on the same floor. Make sure the kids’ room is near the common area so you can easily monitor them while they sleep.
We’ve experienced scenarios where the rooms had separate entrances—definitely not ideal for a family with kids!
2 Number of Beds:
Make sure there are enough beds for everyone in your family before you arrive. For little ones, avoid placing them in high or unsafe beds and check if you can lower the mattress. See if you can get an extra mattress for the floor if necessary or request a crib. Sometimes a large folded blanket can work for a young child, but be sure you can access one and that all children have a safe sleeping space.
3 Choosing a Kid-Friendly Apartment:
Make sure the apartment is child-friendly in two key ways: It should be safe and free from hazards for the kids. The apartment should be clear of fragile or easily damaged items. If you spend your stay constantly removing delicate objects from your kids’ hands, no one will enjoy the trip. The less cluttered, the better!
Here are some quick checks to ensure the apartment is safe and suitable for kids:
Stairs: Ideally, avoid stairs altogether. If there are any, make sure they’re not too steep, have a handrail, and can be secured top and bottom if necessary.
Floor: In a multi-story building, find out which floor the apartment is on and whether there’s an elevator. Staying on a higher floor without an elevator can be tricky with little ones.
Quiet neighbourhood: Check that the apartment is in a peaceful area. It’s always a plus, especially when putting kids to bed.
4 Bonuses:
Every family has its own preferences when it comes to apartment amenities. Here are some of our favourite nice-to-have bonuses: Kitchen: Kitchen – We love having a kitchen. It allows us to prepare nutritious meals and store food for the kids, and not rely solely on takeout. At a minimum, we recommend ensuring there’s a refrigerator.
Washing machine: For us it’s almost a must-have. We all know kids are little factories for dirty clothes, and a washer helps manage laundry and prevents overpacking. If it’s important for you too, make sure the machine is in the apartment, not a shared area, and check if detergent is provided.
Pool: Can be a wonderful bonus, especially in warm weather and longer stays.
If it’s a shared pool – Confirm that it’s safe, find out how crowded or noisy it gets and check its availability and usage rules.
If it’s a private pool, confirm it is being cleaned and maintained and make sure it’s safely located so kids can’t access it without supervision.
Children’s games and equipment: Some apartments are set up for kids, with play areas and equipment such as high chairs and cribs. Look for these features in the apartment listing. View: For us it’s definitely a bonus. A nice view can make the trip feel more special for both kids and parents. Gym: Some apartments offer gyms, which can be a nice option for a quick workout. If this is something you appreciate, make sure the gym is maintained and open during the times you plan to use it.
Final Tips
Super helpful tips for choosing the right accommodation for you and your family!
Pay close attention to the photos!
Websites show images of the apartments, which can reveal potential hazards or useful features like an extra sofa bed or a bathtub. If there aren’t enough photos of all the rooms, ask the owner for more details or additional images.
Read the reviews!
They often highlight key points not mentioned in the apartment description. Start with the most recent reviews for the latest updates. If the apartment is listed on multiple sites, there might be reviews on each one. And if it’s a complex of apartments, Google Maps reviews can provide useful information (such as how well the complex is maintained).
Chat with the apartment owner!
Confirm the apartment is safe and has everything you need. We love Airbnb for this—it lets us communicate directly with the owner. Here’s a message we usually send; feel free to use and tweak it: (fill in the blanks).
Hi!
We are a family with _ small kids (ages ___ year old). We are planning a holiday in __ . Wanted to ask, is your beautiful place suitable for us? Is it suitable for small kids?
Do you have maybe a baby cot or even an extra floor mattress for the baby?
Also, what floor is the apartment on? Is it all on one floor?
And another question – what is the walking distance to the centre? And the beach?
Thank you so much!
In Conclusion
choosing the perfect accommodation for your family
This can make all the difference on your trip!
Don’t hesitate to check and confirm that everything suits your family with kids—whether it’s a safe environment, the right amenities, or a convenient location. With thoughtful preparation and attention to detail, you can ensure a comfortable and enjoyable experience for everyone.
Happy travels!
Finished choosing the right accommodation for your family?
Time to start your adventure!
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Want to share with us the accommodation you chose for your family trip?