Why a Standard Double Room Rarely Works

Two adults and two children in one room with one double bed is a recipe for a bad night. Add a travel cot, a buggy, four rucksacks and a pile of wet waterproofs, and there is barely floor left to stand on. Most UK hotels cap standard rooms at two adults and one child, or two adults and two children only when a sofa bed is used. Even where the numbers work on paper, the reality — children asleep at seven, adults whispering in the dark — rarely feels like a holiday.

The fix is not always a bigger budget. It is choosing the right room configuration for your family's ages, habits and length of stay.

Interconnecting Rooms: Space and a Door Between You

Two rooms joined by an internal door are the gold standard for families with older children or teenagers. Everybody gets a proper bed, the adults get an evening, and you can leave the door open or closed as you like. The second room is usually a twin or a double, and each has its own bathroom — a genuine luxury when four people are getting ready at once.

These rooms are rarely bookable online in the usual way, because hotels hold them back for families. Ring the hotel directly and ask. Points worth confirming:

• Whether the connecting door locks from both sides, and whether each room has its own key card.
• Whether the second room has a window — some are oddly shaped and one side can feel like an annexe.
• Whether the price is per room or a combined family rate; sometimes it is only marginally more than one large family room.
• How many connecting pairs the hotel has. It may be two or three, so book as far ahead as you can.

Sofa Beds, Bunk Beds and Dedicated Family Rooms

Many hotels now offer a family room: a king or double for the adults, plus bunks, twin beds or a sofa bed in the same space or an alcove. These are often excellent value and much cheaper than two rooms. The catch is usually the bed itself.

• Sofa beds vary enormously. A thin pull-out mattress is tolerable for a small child for two nights and miserable for a teenager for a week. Ask what type it is, and whether it is a proper sprung sofa bed.
• Bunk beds suit children well, but check age limits — top bunks are usually restricted to children aged six or over — and confirm there is a guard rail.
• Travel cots are often free but sometimes charged, and not all hotels provide bedding. Ask rather than assume.

If you can, request a room at the end of a corridor, away from the lift, the bar and any function rooms. It costs nothing and makes a real difference to how well everybody sleeps.

Kitchenettes, Apartments and Self-Catering

Breakfast for four in a hotel restaurant can easily add £40 or more a day. A kitchenette or a self-catering apartment quickly pays for itself, and it means you can feed tired children at half past five without a restaurant performance.

Compare serviced apartments, holiday cottages, lodges, static caravans and holiday park accommodation. For a city break of three nights or more, a two-bedroom apartment is often cheaper than two hotel rooms and gives you a living area where the adults can stay up after the children have gone to bed. Before you book, check:

• Whether there is a real oven and hob, or just a kettle and microwave.
• The size of the fridge, and whether there is a freezer compartment.
• Whether linen, towels and cleaning are included, and whether there is a cleaning fee or deposit.
• Minimum stays in peak season, and parking if you are driving.

Other Options Worth a Look

Pubs with rooms often have family accommodation at keen prices, plus a generous breakfast and somewhere to eat without going out again. University halls of residence open to visitors during the summer holidays, offering simple en-suite rooms and family flats in city centres at a fraction of hotel rates. Farm stays and hostels with private family rooms round out the list — all worth checking if the usual search is coming up expensive.

What to Confirm Before You Book

• Occupancy in writing. State the number of adults and children, and their ages, and get confirmation that the room takes your full party.
• Total price, not nightly price. Ask about cot charges, breakfast, parking and any service fees.
• Cancellation terms. Family plans change, so a flexible rate is often worth a little extra.
• Season and timing. Half terms, bank holidays and the long summer break push prices up sharply. Book early: the good configurations go first.
• Book direct where you can. Hotels often hold family and connecting rooms for direct enquiries, and may throw in breakfast or a late checkout.

A little research before you book turns a cramped, tetchy week into one where everyone has room to breathe — worth far more than the few pounds saved on the cheapest room in the building.