Travelling with a baby: the hotel checklist to run before you book

A first trip with a baby is not really about the destination. It is about whether you can keep a routine, warm a bottle, and get everyone some sleep, and the hotel makes or breaks all three. Before you book anywhere with a little one, confirm the cot and the room first, and treat "baby friendly" as a claim to be proven, not a promise to trust. Here is the check-list we run every time.

What kit should the hotel actually provide?

Hotels love to say they are "baby friendly". Ask them to prove it. Before you book, confirm in writing:

• A clean, full-size travel cot (not a flimsy fold-out), free of charge.
• A high chair in the restaurant, ideally more than one so you are never left standing.
• A bottle warmer, or at least a kettle in the room.
• A changing table or a safe surface, and a bin for nappies.
• Kit you can borrow: a bath support, a monitor, a stroller for the resort.

If any of these come at a daily fee, factor it in. Cots that cost 10 to 15 euros a night add up fast over a week.

Why does the room matter more than anything else?

The single biggest difference between a restful trip and a fraught one is whether the baby naps, and the nap comes down to the room. Look for three things:

• A separate sleeping area or a connecting room, so bedtime at 7pm does not black out the whole family.
• Blackout curtains that genuinely block the light, not thin ones that glow at dawn.
• A quiet-side room, away from the pool bar, the lift and the road.

Ask for the cot to be set up before you arrive. Landing with an overtired baby and then waiting an hour for a cot is the classic first-night mistake, and it is entirely avoidable.

What about breakfast and feeding?

With a baby, a slow, formal breakfast is a trap. Look for a buffet or a grab-and-go option, an early opening time, and a high chair that is genuinely free at 7am. If you are still on formula or purees, a room with a kettle and a fridge is worth more than any sea view. A microwave on the floor for warming milk or food is the detail that separates hotels that truly get babies from those that just say so.

Where should we go, and how far is too far?

For a first trip, keep the flight short and the time difference small. From western Europe, a two to four hour flight to the Mediterranean or the Canaries (think the Balearics, the Greek islands, the Spanish coast, Tenerife or Gran Canaria) is far kinder on a baby than a long-haul dash to guaranteed winter sun. Spring and autumn suit babies best: warm but not fierce heat, and quieter resorts. High summer in the southern Med can be genuinely too hot for a small baby in the middle of the day, so favour a shaded pool and a room you can retreat to.

How much should we budget?

You do not need luxury to travel well with a baby; you need the right details. A mid-range family resort that lends cots, has high chairs and offers an early buffet will beat a five-star hotel that charges for everything and serves breakfast at nine. Half board or all-inclusive can take real pressure off, because you are never hunting for somewhere baby-friendly to eat. Budget a little extra for a taxi with a car seat, or bring your own, since hire cars rarely include one that fits a newborn.

FAQ

What is the one thing to confirm before booking? A free, full-size cot, set up in the room before you arrive. If a hotel cannot promise that, it tells you how baby-ready the rest of the stay will be.

What is the best age to take a baby on a first trip? Many parents find three to nine months easiest: the baby is portable, not yet crawling everywhere, and naps are still frequent. Every baby is different, so go with your own routine.

Do we need all-inclusive with a baby? Not essential, but half board or all-inclusive removes the daily stress of finding a baby-friendly place to eat, which is worth a lot in the early days.

How do we manage naps on holiday? Book a room with a separate sleeping space or blackout curtains, keep roughly to your home nap times, and do not over-schedule the days. A rested baby makes the whole trip.

Should we bring our own bottle steriliser? A travel steriliser or steriliser bags are worth the space. Many hotels will not have one, and a kettle plus cold-water tablets is a reliable backup.