Hotels and Stays With a Baby
A good stay with a baby comes down to three things: a safe place to sleep, enough room, and knowing what's provided so you don't have to pack it.
Policies come from each hotel chain's own website, checked October 2026.
Start here
- Hotel cot policies compared: Premier Inn, Travelodge, Holiday Inn and Hilton.
- Packing light with kids: borrow the cot instead of carrying one.
- Best travel cots, if you'd rather bring your own.
What to ask before you book
- Is a cot free, and can I reserve one? Many chains only offer cots "subject to availability".
- Will the cot fit with everyone else in the room? Family-room limits often count the cot.
- What's the mattress like? The Lullaby Trust recommends a firm, flat, waterproof mattress with no gaps, clean and in good condition (Lullaby Trust: safer sleep on holiday).
- Is bedding provided? Premier Inn, for example, asks you to bring your own baby bedding.
- Is there a fridge or somewhere to warm milk?
Safe sleep away from home
The Lullaby Trust advises the same safer-sleep rules as at home: a firm, flat mattress, baby on their back, no pillows, quilts or bumpers, and a room temperature of 16 to 20°C. It also warns that hotels' cots don't always follow safer-sleep guidelines, so check on arrival. Car seats are for travelling, not for sleep (Lullaby Trust).
Staying greener
- Borrowing the hotel's cot and highchair means a lighter car or no checked bag.
- Choose somewhere you can reach by train. Under-5s travel free on most National Rail journeys (National Rail).
- Self-catering lets you wash reusable nappies and cook simple food. See sustainable baby travel essentials.