Traveling with children can be stressful, so make it easier by following these tips when you're staying in a hotel with the whole family.

DO'S:

Call the general manager and see if the hotel will give you an additional discount for a second room if you are traveling with children and you require 2 rooms or a suite.

Ask if the hotel is full. If it isn’t, ask for a room that does not have guests on either side. This will allow your children some freedom to be themselves without your having to constantly tell them to be quiet.

Know the difference between adjoining rooms and adjacent rooms. Adjoining rooms have a door between the rooms. Adjacent rooms are 2 rooms next to each other without a connecting door. Many people confuse the 2 kinds of rooms. When they arrive at the hotel, they realize they have to go into the hallway to get to their children's room.

Let the hotel know what your children like. Kids like to be recognized just as you do.

Ask for a mini refrigerator in your room.

Let the hotel know if your child is prone to nighttime accidents. The staff will dress the bed accordingly.

Ensure that the hotel has a room service menu for children if you plan on using this amenity. If it doesn't, ask for a child-size plate. The hotel should accommodate you and give you a discount as well.

Check that windows don't open too much before allowing your child to roam.

Bring safety plugs for outlets if you have small children or toddlers. Not all hotels are equipped with them.

DON’TS:

Don’t stay at a hotel if it charges you extra for a child younger than 12.

Don't let your child roam the hallways unattended. Ever.

Don't let your child push the elevator buttons. Guests don't feel like stopping at every floor.

Don’t leave your child alone in the room or hotel. (I once had a couple from Europe leave their 8-month-old baby in the crib sleeping while they went around the corner to a local tavern.)

Don't ever let a child on a balcony unattended.

Don’t travel with your child's favorite blanket if it can be avoided! Too many times, a blanket is lost and a child is heartbroken. Once the blanket gets mingled in with the sheets and it goes down the laundry chute, there is no guarantee it will reappear. (My daughter's favorite teddy bear was lost at a resort years ago, and she still mentions it every day!)

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