As I approach my first month back in New Orleans, Tyler and I are still living in a hotel but hopefully we will be leaving at the end of the month. No one wants to stay in a hotel with a young child for an extended period of time but if you have to here are a few things to keep in mind.
Although this might sound silly, the first thing you need to do is ask the hotel if they offer weekly rates. If you call the company’s 1-800 number, they probably won’t offer this information freely. In fact, I didn’t find out about the weekly rate until I got here.
A microwave and refrigerator is mandatory but some rooms don’t come with either. You may have to request a business room. Again, I had to find out the hard way because originally the room I booked didn’t have either, but there was a coffee maker, so go figure!
If you have to stay for more than a week, make sure you stock your room with food because eating out will get expensive. Get a few frozen dinners, shelf-safe microwavable meals and sandwich fixings. Breakfast items are good choices for all meals– oatmeal, grits, pancakes, cereal, etc. If there’s a grocery store with a deli, check for family meals and cooked items. They are generally cheaper than fast food. If the hotel offers free breakfast, take advantage of this one free meal. And save some food for later! The hotel we’re staying in usually has a lot of fruit (guests seem to go straight for the sweets) so I take some for later.
Okay, your kids are going to get antsy. You will have to find some place to take them to burn off steam. Luckily, there’s a park close by so I have been taking Tyler there each evening. Also, if I am doing work at the house or waiting for contractors or whoever to come over, I let him run in the back yard or up and down the sidewalk. Otherwise, when we’re in the hotel he’s bouncing off the walls (the bed actually).
Unless you have a business suite, with separate living and sleeping areas, you will probably have to forgo watching TV when it’s bedtime for the kids. Let’s face it, the TV is a distraction and even if you’re watching something boring your kids are going to want to stay up. You can always watch TV later, if your kids don’t rouse easily.
Finally, find some fun stuff to do with the kids. Take them to a movie, mall walking or look for low or no cost family-friendly things to do. Try to keep things as close to normal as possible. With any luck your extended stay won’t be a bad experience when it’s over and done with.
See also:
Getting a Home Back to Normal Following a Freak Disaster
When the Dust Settles and Rebuilding Begins