Baby and Toddler Holiday Sleeping Tips

Babys first holiday

We all love the excitement of travelling and being in a new environment on holiday.  We also want some downtime and a comfortable night’s sleep.  If you have young ones that are sleeping well, everyone will benefit.  What will give your baby or toddler the best chance of a long restful sleep? Avoiding unwanted bedsharing or early waking, and a relaxing day nap. 

For night-time, a good tip is to have familiar things around them and be sure there are black out curtains.  There is space in all of our apartments for a cot in a separate room, reducing any disturbance from switching lights on.  If baby is used to sleeping in your bed, then a generous sized bed will help.

Cots

A similar cot at home will feel familiar.  All our rooms have wooden cots. All can have an extra travel cot to offer you flexibility as to where baby sleeps, naps, or plays for a moment while you are in the shower.   You may want a cot set up outside so baby can nap under a palm tree, or have a travel cot close to your room. Or in the living room as well as the cot where baby will otherwise be sleeping. 

Vinya is the smallest apartment, but there is space for a small travel cot (80cm x 65cm) in the parents room. There is a wooden cot (125cm x 60cm) in the living room, which in summer time you don’t really need or use much. For a little baby this room is the obvious choice. 

Other apartments have wooden cots (120cm x 60cm). All can have extra mattresses to raise up the base level if baby is small. In the summer we add a ‘coolmax’ mattress to wick off the heat which prevents baby for getting sweaty.  All bedrooms have air conditioning but we hardly ever use it. The ceiling fans come in handy for entertaining baby. But being up in the mountains we usually get a cool evening breeze.

The new born travel cots (70cm x 50cm) are particularly cute and manoeuvrable, put baby wherever works for you, plug in the monitor and grab a minute or two by the pool. 

Bedding

We have pillows and duvets if required, cotton blankets and white waffle bedding.  The baby monitor is in your wardrobe, and there are electricity sockets in the bar, by the pool, and more upstairs in the outside dining area.  Extra time outdoors, doing new things can make babies feel more tired than usual, so a daytime nap will give you some time off in the sunshine!

As they get bigger, a toddler bed or a bed safety rail might stop any night wandering. A buggy is handy for an emergency nap.  Otherwise, books and teddies help.  Or just long days playing and making friends.

Go to my post ‘Your first few days on Holiday with Baby’ See how having your own apartment allows your family to find your own routine on holiday. 

All rooms have black out curtains.  The sizes of the beds are listed in the details for each apartment in the sleeping section.    Apartment Taronger has the largest bedroom with a super king size bed. 

18 reasons to love Caserio del Mirador

We are thrilled to receive a lovely review from Bridges and Balloons who love to write about family travel to special places. Victoria and her family, husband Steve, Otis (5) and Arlo (2) were guests here for five nights over Easter.

Read why they thought Caserio del Mirador is so special and why it should be your first holiday with kids.

18 reasons to love Caserio del Mirador

Why May is Best for Pre-schoolers

Spain in May Poppies

The luxury of freedom to travel outside school holidays is not to be underestimated.  Many idyllic holiday venues are at their best in spring or early summer.  May is warm, sunny and the most beautiful month to be in Spain.

If you love family time outside exploring and going on adventures, here are some top reasons why to come to Spain in May.

  • Beautiful lush landscapes with wild flowers and blue skies
  • It’s not too hot to enjoy active days outside in the sunshine
  • Easy to book the exact accommodation that’s right for you
  • Avoid peak season prices and summer crowds
  • Lots of available flights

Playing outside, feeding the animals and exploring the landscape is great family time.  Nowhere is too busy, so it’s easy to enjoy lazy days at the beach and eat whatever time you like at restaurants.  Do whatever you want whenever you want.  That’s why we love Spain in May.

Read Sarah’s blog, ‘Where, when and how to go on Holiday’ for top tips for going away with a baby and a toddler

All Airports and Airlines Flying to Alicante

Pool bar with view

Don’t leave travel plans too late, as summer approaches flights become more expensive.   Local home airports are a great option for families with young children.  They are easier to travel to and offer overall reduced journey times.  Also, smaller airports are generally less busy with shorter distances to walk in smaller terminal buildings.  Facilities such as shopping and food outlets will be more limited, but this should be offset by avoiding an endless hike to your boarding gate.

Alicante is the nearest airport to Caserío del Mirador, about an hour’s drive along motorway with a short distance on local roads.  The airport is modern, well designed and easy to navigate.  There are 20 UK airports and 5 Republic of Ireland airports flying to Alicante with a variety of different airlines.

Click Airlines and Destinations flying to Alicante Airport to see if your local airport flies to Alicante, and which airlines operate the route.  The link is the official airport website, in Spanish so where it requires your country write Reino Unido or Irlanda.

Using menu options for the link, you can also check Valencia airport as an arrival airport.  It is 15 minutes further away and has fewer airlines and destinations, but might work well for you.

For further tips for traveling with young children, go to Sarah’s blog, ‘Booking Flights, Traveling, Airports and Car Hire’.

Your First Few Days on Holiday with Baby

It’s a little different now

Remember lazy mornings in big hotel beds, champagne with breakfast and back to bed? It’s a little different now with baby in tow.  But with a bit of planning and a little mental adjustment, holiday mornings can still be dreamy and gorgeous.

The first few days of your holiday everyone is a bit frazzled from the planning, the packing, the leaving and the arriving. There was a lot to think about, not least winding up your affairs for a week off. You will be tired, possibly a little grumpy, probably that’s nothing new.

Freedom to fall into a routine that’s right for you

But now no one has to go to work and no one is judging if you have breakfast at 6am and again at 9. And it’s just so much easier when you have your own space.  Not like staying with grandparents tiptoeing thru the kitchen at 2am to heat a bottle. Or thru a deserted hotel lobby searching for milk. 

An apartment to call your own for a week, your own fridge, your stuff strewn everywhere, it doesn’t matter.  And when you’re ready, baby is snoozing at last, and you’re showered.  You have your cup of tea or your cold beer, and then it hits you.  We made it!  We took out baby and got on a plane and tomorrow no one has to go to work. 

Enjoy the best time of the day

I wonder what the view looks like. – One big benefit of an early rising baby is the chance to watch the dawn.  If you can turn that in to a magic moment or part of a positive holiday routine, your day can start with something special.

As the sun comes up, the valley comes to life. The goats are early risers, they’ll be queuing up for their first banana skin of the day.  Surely someone will have had a banana with their porridge by first light, pop on your flip flops with your pjs and go and meet Freddie and Fern. 

Later when you settle in for second and third breakfast, remember Beryl the pig will have your Weetabix and half a jammy croissant.

It takes a little time to settle

It may take a few days to settle in, know you’re way around and start to decompress.  But it happens easier and faster if you have a few friendly faces around to point you in the right direction and anticipate your family’s requirements. 

Different aged children have slightly different requirements.  They might not use their baby gym or potty for very long.  But having one in the room can make all the difference when your child is at that stage. 

No one wants to worry about food

And food.  No one wants to worry about where or what the next meal will be. Having reassuringly predictable nursery staples, freshly prepared and almost always available – no need to apologise for picky eaters or restrictive allergies, no guilt, no judgement, your family, your holiday. 

At Caserio del Mirador, we have 20 years’ experience looking after young families.  We are there with you every step of the way.  Our job is to make sure you enjoy your time on holiday.  You may be able to take just a week away but the memories really do last a lifetime.  Taking time to be together is everything.

What to Pack for Baby’s Holiday

If you’re packing for a weekend away its easy to pop in the kitchen sink just in case. The thought of packing for a week or two away may feel a little daunting, but it doesn’t have to be.  With the constraints of your luggage allowance, how much you can carry and how much you can fit in a hire car, all that adds up to probably not quite enough for what you think you need, or want to bring. So how to decide? 

Careful Planning

If holidays used to mean floaty dresses, a different pair of sandals each day, holiday beads, holiday cosmetics and a straw hat that you want to pack rather than pop on your head through the airport, then adding a baby into the mix needs careful planning.  Now your stuff is fighting for space alongside snacks, wipes and toys. And that’s before you invest in all the kit they tell you that you’ll need. A travel potty or a sun tent, inflatables and nappies. And don’t forget teddy, and spare teddy. 

The good news is that all the baby gear you could ever need should be at your hotel already. Cot, high chair, baby bouncer and baby gym, potty, loo seat, blender, and yes inflatables, books, toys and all the snacks and milk you could want.  

Get Amazon to ship a box to your hotel

Another hack is to get Amazon to ship a box load of sudocrem, factor 50, and beach ball direct to where you are going. If it works it’s genius, add insect repellent and some fancy conditioner, maybe those sandals.  We have had guests ship box loads of tinned macaroni, worried that their child might not eat what was on offer. She was eating Paella on day two and clams at Friday tea time! Other parents forget to pack favourite teddy, or lose favourite teddy at the airport. Toys R Us Alicante to the rescue.   Most important is the comfort that if you do forget or lose something, it can usually be substituted, borrowed or bought.   

PJs are great to chill out in

I think for clothing my top tip would be pyjamas.  Holidays are about not rushing.  Get out of bed and potter around a bit. The kids have leapt outside to play in the sand with their new friends or chasing cats. They don’t want to sit for breakfast yet but when they do they still won’t be dressed. PJs are light to chill out in, wander around in and once breakfast is over, it’s out with the factor 50.  They will spend more time in their PJs than you expect, and make more of a mess in them than you would like.  So bring a few. Of course a load of laundry is not problem at all but you probably don’t want to be under pressure to get PJs laundered and back on their backs within the day. 

Treat yourself to some new  swimwear

A new bikini or swimwear is something you can indulge in for lounging around the pool, and doesn’t take up much space in your suitcase. If you need to compromise, bring one or two choice frocks and some eveningwear that you can switch around with family lunches rather than bringing multiple outfits.  Flipflops are easy to pack, one pair of sandals and wear trainers or something comfortable to walk in on your journey.

Chargers and preloaded iPads

You will need electronics and chargers, counted and organised both on the outward and inward journeys.  Many a time we have found an iPad in the bedsheets after someone has left.  It’s better for hand luggage if it is all in one bag at security.  Bring iPads but preload your movies and music. Holiday WiFi isn’t often as good as at home, so don’t rely on being able to stream CBeebies. Sometimes just being overseas means you can’t connect they way you’d expect. Websites are not always available outside of their usual domain. The IP address sometimes blocks you from sites your little treasures have to have, so be prepared.  

Just in case

Then we have teddy, blanky, beaker, and nappy bag. Just as if you were out of the house for a few hours, maybe a couple of extra nappies. And something clean to pull on just in case, and a few bags to stuff with any clothes that get hit with a mishap, snacks and water. Some ‘distractions’, stickers are good, just go ahead and decorate the seat in front, the person beside, the luggage. Pens are less good because it’s so easy for them to roll off the little tray table and once it’s on the floor, you’re screwed.  If a toy is important, tie it on a ribbon around your neck or your wrist or the arm of the chair. just don’t drop stuff on aeroplanes.  

I think the other packing essential that no one travels without is Calpol or other branded medicine cabinet stuff. It just isn’t the same when you buy it abroad.  

Don’t miss the chance for a nap

I load up my kindle, I have a nice lipstick, a hair bobble or two and ear plugs in my pocket for the flight. Just as your own child nods off and someone else’s kicks off, you don’t want to miss the chance for a nap ever.  The sound of a roaring ocean or wind in the trees may take getting used to but you’ll manage.  

At Caserio del Mirador, we have 20 years’ experience looking after young families . We have tried and tested everything to ensure your family can make the most of your time on holiday. Our own children grew up enjoying sunny fun filled days and we love sharing blue skies and our Mediterranean lifestyle. You may be able to take just a week away but the memories really do last a lifetime. Taking time to be together is everything

Booking flights, traveling, airports and car hire

Book whatever flight is best for everyone. Too early and you will all be exhausted.  Too late and a delay can really mess everyone up. Mid-morning flights arriving at your destination early afternoon are ideal if possible.  There is usually a good choice to most European destinations.  Otherwise just go with the cheapest and suck up the consequences, that’s part of travelling, unpredictable days and someone getting a bit grumpy.

Bring an easy folding buggy

Online check in, bag drop and priority boarding for families make life easier. Bring a cheap folding buggy. If you are delayed or if baby falls asleep or wants to eat then the buggy is the safest place. It’s no fun carrying a sleeping baby for miles and then having a stiff shoulder for the rest of your holiday.   Worst case it’s a handy place to hang your bag, a few duty-free bottles and all your toddlers stuff.  Wheel your family all the way to the gate.

Make it fun

No amount of careful planning can account for slow check in queues, security lines and sudden last calls to gate 301. Generally, families are handled with consideration and care and its very rare for a family to have a stressful airport experience but a few tips can make a big difference.  On the day anything could happen, so keep this in mind and allow some flexibility to any daily routines, and if there are delays try not to worry, your family will manage, be a little creative and make it fun. 

Car hire

Car hire gives you independence, flexibility and some autonomy during your holiday. Don’t aim too small (suitcases and buggy won’t fit in a flat 500).  You will want to visit the beach and explore a bit, even if it’s just to buy an ice cream or a piece of cheese. Or worst case an emergency trip to a pharmacy. You don’t want to rely on anyone else for transport. 

At Caserio del Mirador, we have 20 years’ experience looking after young families . We have tried and tested everything to ensure your family can make the most of your time on holiday. Our own children grew up enjoying sunny fun filled days and we love sharing blue skies and our Mediterranean lifestyle. You may be able to take just a week away but the memories really do last a lifetime. Taking time to be together is everything.

What to look for in a Baby and Toddler Friendly Holiday venue

All the baby and toddler equipment you would expect

A baby and toddler friendly venue should have all the facilities and equipment you would expect without having to ask. Night lights, blackout curtains, baby monitors, highchairs, sippy cups, blenders, sterilisers, microwaves, etc. These should be standard so that you can relax and feel at home. Normally they would ask the age of your child and provide the right sized cot or bed, toys, games and books. 

Staff who care

In smaller more intimate venues staff will take a real interest in the needs and comfort of your family and can make all the difference.  An impromptu cuddle with the housekeeper while you take shower. A swim or a yoga class doesn’t need to be planned or booked or even paid for.  Big venues tend to be more impersonal, both in getting to know other guests and finding experienced staff who recognise the priorities of your child.  When staff know who you are and recognise you as a family rather than a room number, they care more.   This is when your family knows you have found your special place for a few years and everyone can relax and enjoy being together. 

Easy to make friends with other guests

Other guests can also make a huge difference and many become lifelong friends.  Children of similar ages, parents at a similar stage of life, and your family sharing a nurturing environment. Somewhere everyone has similar values and is aware of the people around them makes for a venue you can fall in love with. 

Stunning location that takes your breath away

Other than the practicalities, you want to find somewhere magical that takes your breath away when you arrive. Somewhere you can imagine yourselves having fun and sharing good times, somewhere different that will give you a unique experience.  You want to be able to tell your friends what an amazing time you had and take home memories that will bookmark this special stage in your family life.  That is the goal, anything less really isn’t worth the trouble.

At Caserio del Mirador, we have 20 years’ experience looking after young families . We have tried and tested everything to ensure your family can make the most of your time on holiday. Our own children grew up enjoying sunny fun filled days and we love sharing blue skies and our Mediterranean lifestyle. You may be able to take just a week away but the memories really do last a lifetime. Taking time to be together is everything.

So where, when, and how to go on Holiday

Nice weather

Climate and temperature are pretty important.  Sunshine and beaches in August aren’t for everyone. If you don’t have to travel when temperatures and prices are at their highest, stick to June and September for summer temperatures without the crowds. May and October if you want to wear sunglasses but not necessarily be poolside all week.     

Somewhere easy to get to with good infrastructure

Long haul is more challenging, the food less predictable, and the weather too sometimes.  Its more expensive to fly to far flung places although for deep winter sun it may be necessary.  If Spring and Autumn suits you well then Southern Europe has much to offer. There is some comfort with a little one that the diet, the healthcare, the attitude and the welcome being somewhat predictable. 

Where you can relax together

One thing to get your head around is ‘what is there to do?’ This is where a change in mindset may be necessary.  Gone are the holidays of jungle walks, adventure experiences, white water and white powder. Taking time off work to be with your family is exactly that. Being together in an environment where you can relax and enjoy each other, without the distractions, personal challenges or adventures. This is family time.  When guests ask me what is there to do, I say ‘there is a sofa by the pool, and a bar fridge with a beer, and a brick trolly to push.  We have a sand pit and several playgrounds.’  Bit by bit, parents find their groove. They read the paper on the iPad for a bit, but then they play Lego, feed the goats, engage with their little ones and let the magic happen. 

Smaller scale for little feet

Resort hotels, all inclusive, spa and day care, may sound convenient but there are hitches.  Corridors for one, you can’t just step outside your room and be by the pool.  You can’t head to the dining room and leave baby sleeping, and room service doesn’t really work when baby is sleeping in the room.  Formal hotel dining rooms are nightmare with a stroppy toddler. European feeding times may not suit your family. And milk, the 24 hour requirement for milk that may not be understood by a jobsworth barman. 

A private holiday rental may suit you but spending a week in a villa alone as a family might feel a bit isolated and self-catering, that’s not really a holiday at all.  Organising a group of friends to be more fun could create complications with cooking and the dynamics of a baby.  And actually, it’s just not special enough for your first holiday together.  

Family Friendly makes it easier

Many first-time parents opt for baby friendly or toddler friendly holiday venue where they have the experience and facilities to cater for all the various needs of young families.  This takes much of the uncertainty and anxiety out of booking a holiday.  No need to worry if you forget something, or if there’s milk in the fridge when you arrive. It will all be taken care of, and you should be able to step away from day-to-day pressures without disrupting you baby’s routine.

We have 20 years’ experience running Caserio del Mirador, moving to Spain with our young family to find blues skies and a Mediterranean lifestyle. We know the ropes, we have tried and tested everything. Our children are living Spanish speaking proof of the happy, sunny fun filled days that make for special holiday time together. You may be able to take just a week away but the memories really do last a lifetime. Taking time to be together is everything.

Taking your baby on holiday, is it worth it?

Shake up the routine

Taking some time off work, leaving home for a few days, shaking up the routine and spending some time together, is it worth it? 

Time together

Holidays are the special time we spend together, when days don’t need to be planned and schedules can be cast aside for a moment, and lasting memories are created.  The last few years has been a tough time getting away. Covid lockdown followed by uncertainty with flight cancellations and overrun airports has tested even the most hardened traveller.

Traveling is getting easier

It might seem daunting but holidaying abroad is becoming easier and more normal.  Traveling with your baby or small toddler offers a wonderful adventure that you can share together.  With the right preparation and planning, you can book the holiday, take time out, and catch up on some serious memory making moments.

It seems like a chore, leaving the house is a chore, going away for the weekend feels like a military exercise, how can going on holiday be relaxing?

A change of scene

First of all, no one has to be out of the door on time, no one is going to work, there doesn’t need to be a plan, no dishwasher, no laundry, someone else makes the beds, the sun may even shine.  The kids potter around in their PJs half the day.  What shall we do for lunch? Who wants to play? Any chance of a siesta, all of us?

And the days pass in a blurry round of sunshine and lunch and beautiful early mornings and lazy early nights and a few fuzzy glasses of wine and a siesta or two if you are lucky.  And it’s a change.  A change from the routine of office, laundry, nursery, put on your shoes, we are late, we are tired, it’s raining.  What’s for dinner?  Why aren’t we all in bed yet?  Did we survive another day?

Yes, it is worth it!

With life on pause for a few days, their vocabulary changes, their confidence builds, they do things they haven’t done before while you are there to watch.  And those memories last a lifetime and make marks in your family’s story.  The simple, unexpected, happy little moments that you talk about in years to come, remember when we were in Spain and she…  Who needs golf and or a walking tour when baby will be running you ragged all day anyway? Just follow, sit and watch for a while, someone else will make lunch, someone else will decide how the afternoon takes shape, take a real day off and let baby decide.

Sarah Robinson has 20 years’ experience running Caserio del Mirador, moving to Spain with her young family to find blues skies and a Mediterranean lifestyle. Her own children now have flown the nest, but sunny fun filled days still offer families special holiday time together and lifelong memories. Traveling is getting easier