Using a monitor in hotel Post Reply

[Nightingale]

We are off for a weekend in the UK to a small (20 room) high end hotel and I am intending to use a video monitor whilst we have dinner each evening in the hotel's restaurant rather than getting a babysitter. A few people I've mentioned to have raised eyebrows. I would be interested to know what others do in this situation.

Thanks

[kiwimummy]

i have friends that do this, although personally, I would not (to the annoyance of Mr Kiwimummy, who thinks I am very over protective).

The Madeline McCann case made me too afraid not to have a person there supervising the children.

I think it's your call though, and will also depend if you can get a good signal in the restaurant.

[NYE31]

I know people that do but I wouldn't because of a) the Madeleine disappearance & b) in case there was a fire.

Have you considerd eating earlier some of the nights & getting a baby sitter for the others?

[B&BsMum]

I wouldn't for the same reasons cited in the previous posts. It's one of those situations where I'm sure it would be fine but I wouldn't be willing to take even a minuscule risk. I've only ever used audio monitors at home, do don't know how a video one works but wouldn't it be quiet distracting from your dinner to constantly be keeping an eye on it? I can understand that a video monitor probably gives you a good view of your child, but wouldn't you have to be looking really often to be certain all was well?

I do know how hard it can be to have time to enjoy things like a proper meal in a nice restaurant but for me I don't think I could relax and enjoy it anyway if my children were unsupervised up in a hotel room. Sorry!

[erinisle22]

I've considered doing that and we have even taken our monitors places on occasions but the distances/walls have always made the monitors out of range...

[shaneleone]

Unlike the above posters, I've done this many times. I think a lot depends on the age of your child, but if it's a baby or toddler confined to a cot and you have the reception, it's been something I've been quite comfortable doing. A lot of my friends do this on a regular basis as well. There've been children kidnapped out of their own bedrooms, and fires in private homes and that doesn't stop people from using monitors at home. It's a personal choice.

It is worth checking that you'll get reception, and you could always request a room as close as possible to the hotel's restaurant. I've also brought a monitor, only to not be able to use it because of distance/walls/etc.

[Wheresmyschool?]

This is a really interesting question.

I hate myself for saying this but if I was in the restaurant and there was any noise/video flickering etc then I would probably ask the waiter to ask you to leave!

I feel so mean for writing it but I honestly would.

Although when push came to shove I might just mutter under my breath and sent over dirty looks in that very English way of complaining.

If we're away for a romantic weekend, we want to get away from kids and the thought of someone else baby monitoring crackling and flashing would be too much!

Having said that, I don't know what sort of hotel it is, so maybe they are cool with that because everyone is a parent with kids in the situation.

Sorry for being negative

[shaneleone]

I'm actually really surprised that someone would ask a parent using a monitor to leave! And I have to say, I'd also be surprised if a waiter agreed!

I'm not sure what kind of monitor other posters have used, but I've only ever used an audio one, turned right down. Each time I've used one in a place like a restaurant or pub, no other patrons have even appeared to notice, much less shoot dirty looks or ask that we be told to leave. We're listening to a silent room, and if the baby were to cry or fuss, we would turn the monitor sound off and one of us would leave and go immediately to the room.

Would you ask a waiter to ask a patron to leave if they were having a loud conversation on a mobile, or brought noisy children to your nice romantic restaurant? I feel a silent baby monitor is a lot less intrusive. It strikes me as a bit precious and privileged to think that your meal can't be disturbed by a tiny flickering video screen at another table.

For the OP - both myself and my friends have used monitors on a regular basis and never had any issues from other patrons or else-wise. There's even an app you can put onto your iPhone that will ring another phone if there's any noise in the room if reception is an issue....

[Joe's Mum]

I have done this with great success in the past. I can't see that there is a huge difference between leaving the baby asleep upstairs at home. Presumably the door will be locked and the baby in a cot.
The fact that people are still talking about Madeleine after so many years surely shows us that this is thankfully an extremely unusual occurrence. Anyhow I don't think that you can really draw parallels with that case when you will be in the same building and able to see the baby at all times.
Go for it. Enjoy your dinner!

[AnnieH]

I've used an audio monitor and baby listening services when staying in hotels without any issues. That said i always make sure to pop up regularly. The iPhone app is also good as it can FaceTime you to show you the noise albeit you then need to go and reset and also need quiet before you leave.

However to each there own and you ultimately need to feel comfortable with your choice.

Re. Having a video monitor at a table, as long as its on silence and non obtrusive then I can't think they'd be a problem.

[hjm]

Wow, wheresmyschool, just wow. Given this post and your other recent one about asking your neighbour to clean your car (which I originally thought was a joke btw but I now realise wasn't) I am amazed that you choose to live in a densely populated area as other people seem to be a huge source of irritation to you. Anyway, to answer the OP, we have also done this a few times both with a monitor (no video though) and a baby listening service. I agree that sometimes the monitor doesn't work due to distances, walls etc. When that happened we took my daughter down to dinner and she slept under the table in her car seat. Wheresmyschool I am sure you would HATE me and have me evicted from the hotel

[AbbevilleMummy]

We did this in Villa Pia in Italy as did all the parents there and it was fine. I agree with previous poster that it's no different from your baby being asleep upstairs at home.

I would definitely call the hotel to check that it will work though before hand as we had an issue at one old UK hotel where the walls were too think and the restaurant was too far away from the room so it didn't work and we ended up with the baby under the table in the car seat too.

Finally, I don't really see the relevance with the Madeleine case as this is not what they were doing. Had they in fact been close enough to their appartment using a video monitor things may have turned out differently.

[littlefeet]

I've thought about it before but have always decided against. The reason being that although you can always compare it to similar distance in your own home or some other justification, I feel that by doing so I would be crossing a very dangerous psychological line. You start crossing this line and then what's next? You have a few more than perhaps you might have had because you're enjoying your new found freedom and forget to check the monitor? Another time you forget the monitor completely but well he didn't wake up last time I'm sure he'll be fine? Small people are only small for such a short time I believe it is my duty to ensure my little man's safety at all times and for me that is not taking unecessary risk. I've tried to avoid the hotel scenario over the years as it is a bit rubbish with smallies, mine is a 7pm bed boy but if we have to be in a hotel then we make an exception and he stays up. Generally speaking we favour camping over hotels and favoured roof top camping on our recent trip to Namibia. Thoroughly recommend because you get your evening and your right next to them whilst they are snoozing in their tent!!

[twinklemum]

I also considered using a monitor and have decided against it in the end.

The trouble with hotel is it isn't like home, you just don't know how many people has the access to your room, ie cleaner, maintenance guy, hotel manager etc. Not only that but incase there's a fire you need to be able to get to them quickly.

I guess if the restaurant was right next door to the room where I can see it easily and get to it quickly or a very small hotel with 5/6rooms where all the rooms leads to the restaurant, then I would be ok with it. I just couldn't relax and enjoy my meal so that spoil the fun anyway.

I agree they do grow up very fast and this phase passes. I just hate to think if anything happens to them it was all because I wanted to have dinner (which I couldn't fully enjoy anyway). If you can a sitter, I would go for that option for sure. Its worth not having to stress over it.

[nycmommy]

While 99.9% nothing will probably happen.

I just imagine that Kate and Gerry McCann will spend the rest of their lives wishing they'd spent £50 on a babysitter.