Hotel Travel With Toddler – It’s taken me 5 months to get to this blog post but I’m going to go ahead and blame it on #momlife HA! We have gone on many trips with Otis from the time he was a newborn to 1 year old and finally I am preparing my Hotel travel tips for you. The best you can do is to be prepared to overpack and then hope for the best! I’m excited to share all the things I’ve used and loved and continue to use while traveling with Otis. You can find everything we’ve used at Walmart. I’m excited to partner with them because they continue to be an amazing resource for all things baby. They have all the best high end brands and it’s always easy for me to buy my diapers and formula with their fast shipping because my formula is often on sale in stores so I always buy it online to save up. In October, Walmart is celebrating the 20th anniversary of Parents Choice, Walmarts exclusive baby brand. I linked one of my favorite mealtime hack products below from this brand. It is a MUST when traveling to hotels and eating out. I hope you enjoy this list! I have loved every single one of these products and still use many of them with my 1+ year old. If you have more to like, please share them in the comments below.
Travel Cot: While this isn’t necessary because most hotels will provide you with a cot, there’s something about using a travel cot that you kid is used to. What I really like about this is that it folds up really small and sets up in seconds. The sides are mesh, breathable and soft and we still use it to this day with Otis when we travel. We don’t always fly with it if we know the hotel will have a cot or we’re visiting family. It fits in a large suitcase if you decide to bring it on the plane. It’s also small enough that it fits in most hotel bathrooms. Here’s our trick for giving your child their own room when you’re not using a large hotel room. We put up our monitor and usually there are no windows so it’s already nice and dark.
Hotel Travel With Toddler
Non-WiFi Baby Monitor: Especially for hotel travel, you never know if the wifi will be good or bad. In most cases, the wifi signals are not the best. So we always travel with a non-wifi monitor to make sure we can watch Otis while he sleeps. We love this one that came on the recommendation of my sister-in-law. It’s very reliable and that’s what you want when it comes to baby tracking.
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Swaddle: When Otis was still in a swaddle, we always packed it with us as he was swaddled every time he slept before rolling over. It’s an easy thing to forget when packing, so be sure to include it to recreate your baby’s sleeping environment on the go. We loved this swaddle as it was a version of what we were using in our bassinet.
Sleeping bag: This is another important thing that can be easily forgotten to carry along. We use a sleeping bag every night for sleep and this also keeps Otis warm enough. I get a lot of questions about my sleeping bags and what I love about this one is that it’s made of muslin so it’s soft and light and not too heavy. This sleepwear comes in heavy fabrics like this one for winter as well as these quilted versions for babies that we also used.
Travel Sound Machine: I feel like I’ve talked about this a lot but it’s really cool. We have 2 of them and they are a MUST have for travel. This portable sound machine has many types of white noise, ocean noise etc with different volume levels. We easily attach it to the travel cot bed or lay it on the floor next to the travel cot since she is older and can grab it. You can easily charge it with a usb cable or a wall outlet. It’s small but powerful and by far my favorite travel audio machine. Blake tried to buy a cheap one at some point and it sucked and he went back to this one.
Dockatot: This is more of a newborn product but this was a must for hotel travel when Otis was little. Since we used the Snoo at home as our bassinet, the dockatot was amazing for sleeping at home and traveling. Always ask your doctor about baby safe sleeping practices but we used a crib in a hotel and it was a lifesaver to have a safe place for a baby who was already used to using it at home. It also fit inside the bassinet of our stroller so we had plenty of places to use it. I recommend a travel backpack as well which is very convenient with travel handles to hang over your shoulder.
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Play bed: A play mat was something we always kept in our box when Otis was a baby. It’s always good to have your place clean so baby can have tummy time or playtime and I always love bouncers.
Books: Books are a big part of our bedtime routine so we always pack at least three as they don’t take up much space in our suitcase. This, this and this are some of our current favorites.
Blackout Window Blinds: I only discovered this recently but bought one because there is nothing worse than finding out your hotel (or friends house) doesn’t have blackout blinds when your baby is used to sleeping in total darkness. Epic invention for people traveling with small children.
On-the-go drying rack and bottle brush: This thing is amazing. We always bring it with us and what I like if the brush is folded in and the rack is very convenient for bottles, or parts of the breast pump.
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Formula: I always pack formula on the go so this is especially useful when we travel. We use this formula and these containers to divide up when it goes into my diaper bag.
Snack cup: We use this snack cup to use when we are traveling and where we are going. It keeps Otis busy before we even get to eat as he has to put his little hands in to get his snacks. It’s easy to keep this in our stroller when roaming the hotel property too so we can give her snacks in her stroller.
Bags: I always have bags on hand even though Otis feeds himself whole foods. You never know when you will be on the go and having something nutritious to eat quickly is always helpful. I love the freezer bags since I don’t have to refrigerate them when I’m staying in a hotel.
Yogurt melts: One of Otis’ favorite snacks to keep in our hotel diaper bag. Now he sees this bag and is surprised because he is very happy with this.
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Disposable napkins: These have come in handy for dining in hotel restaurants. We used them mostly when Otis was little and learning to feed himself. Once he grew up, we changed the silicone plates that stick to the table.
Ezpz feeding mats: This is something we’ve been using since Otis has gotten a little old when it comes to going but it’s a great tool for home and travel. What’s great about these silicone plates is that they hold the table so it makes it harder for Otis to throw the plate off the table. It is small enough to fit inside my diaper bag which makes it a great option to travel with.
Health Kit: We always travel with essential health items for Otis. I bring medicine (tylenol, motrin, and benadryl), bandaids, thermometer, cortisone cream, aquaphor, and diaper cream.
Inflatable bathtub: This inflatable travel bathtub is awesome. We got it and the best part is that it folds up nicely in your suitcase and is very comfortable. Otis has a happy splash in him! Most hotels will provide you with baby showers if you ask but this is a great option if they don’t.
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Travel size shampoo and lotion: Most hotels will provide baby services but I always bring Otis travel size toiletries. Babies can have sensitive skin so I like to keep everything right at home to make sure their skin is happy.
Baby carrier: We used this a lot when Otis was a baby. It made exploring the property at the hotel easier to dress Otis and help him put me (or Blake) to bed while we were still enjoying our day and not stuck in the room. Being hands free is a game changer.
Diaper: This goes without saying but it is a MUST