✈️ Yes, You Can Travel With a Baby or Toddler: The Sleep Series
Part 2: How to Set Up a Baby or Toddler Sleep Space in a Hotel or Airbnb
You’ve arrived at your destination. Bags down. Baby’s a bit cranky. Toddler’s bouncing off the walls. Now comes the moment of truth: where—and how—is everyone going to sleep?
Don’t worry. You don’t need a nursery-level setup to help your little one sleep well on the road. Just a few clever tricks, familiar cues, and a bit of flexibility.
🏨 A New Room Doesn’t Have to Mean No Sleep
Whether you’re in a studio hotel room or a sprawling Airbnb, there are simple ways to make the space sleep-friendly for your baby or toddler.
You don’t need to overhaul the room. Just aim for comfort, familiarity, and a sense of separation—even if it’s just visual.
🗺️ Before You Even Book: Ask These 3 Questions
Calling ahead (or messaging your Airbnb host) can make sleep setup so much easier. Here’s what to ask:
- Do you have a crib, bassinet, or pack-and-play available?
- Do the windows have blackout curtains (or can you bring your own)?
- Is there a quiet area or closet/alcove for baby sleep?
Even knowing if the curtains close all the way helps you prep your packing list.
🧳 What to Pack to Recreate a Familiar Sleep Setup
The goal is to trigger the same sleep cues your child relies on at home. Here’s a travel-tested list of sleep essentials:
- White noise machine or app
- Portable blackout curtains (or garbage bags + painter’s tape)
- Travel crib, SlumberPod, or bassinet
- Sleep sack or swaddle
- PJs + lovey/stuffed animal
- Favorite bedtime book
- Monitor (if in a separate room)
💼 Pro tip: We keep all sleep-related items packed together in the Hideaway Duffel. That way, we can pull out everything for bedtime without digging through multiple bags while the baby’s already fussing.
🛌 Real-Life Sleep Setups: What Actually Works
✅ In a Hotel Room
- Use a closet, bathroom, or room divider to create separation
- Hang a towel or blanket over the crib to block light
- Use white noise to buffer outside sounds or parents’ voices
- If everyone’s in one room, face the crib away from the bed
✅ In an Airbnb
- Choose a listing with more than one bedroom if possible
- Put the crib in a walk-in closet, laundry room, or hallway
- Bring your own travel crib even if one is offered (familiarity = better sleep)
- Test light levels and noise in the sleep space before bedtime
✅ Sharing a Room With a Baby or Toddler
- Create a visual barrier between your child’s bed/crib and yours (use a SlumberPod, curtain, or hang a towel)
- Keep your distance during bedtime so they don’t think it’s playtime
- Use your phone flashlight on low to avoid turning on overhead lights
🛠️ How to Make the Room Feel More Like Home
Even when you can’t control the environment, you can control the sleep routine.
Try these tips:
- Stick to a familiar bedtime sequence: even just bath → PJs → book → sleep
- Dim the lights early to signal winding down
- Let your child explore the space before bedtime—it feels less scary that way
- Use familiar scents (unwashed sleep sack, stuffed animal) to cue comfort
This kind of sensory familiarity helps your child adapt, even in a brand new space.
🧠 Mindset Shift: “Good Enough” Is the Goal
Don’t aim for perfect. Aim for functional and familiar.
If your toddler ends up sleeping in a closet while your baby’s in the bathroom and you're whispering to your partner over the sound of a white noise machine—it means you're doing great.
This is real travel parenting. You’re showing your kids the world and helping them feel secure in it.
💼 Featured Travel Essential: Hideaway Duffel
We designed the Hideaway Duffel to hold all the things you need to create a peaceful bedtime setup. That includes sleepwear, noise machine, monitor, blackout covers, books, and more—without it becoming a chaotic mess.
Designate one compartment as your “sleep kit,” and bedtime becomes so much easier.
📝 Quick Sleep Setup Checklist
Before bedtime, double check:
- ✅ Crib or sleeping surface is safe and set up
- ✅ Sound machine is on and working
- ✅ Blackout solution is up
- ✅ Bedtime routine items are within reach
- ✅ You’ve scouted the room for hazards (cords, outlets, sharp corners)
🙋♀️ Travel Sleep FAQs
Where should my baby sleep in a hotel room?
Anywhere safe with low light and some separation. Closet, bathroom, or corner with blackout cover all work.
How do I stop my toddler from waking everyone up?
Use white noise, a visual barrier, and keep to your bedtime cues. Let them explore the space beforehand so it feels familiar.
What if we’re all in one room and baby sees me?
Try to block visual contact at bedtime. If needed, lie low until they fall asleep and then carry on quietly.
You’ve Got This
Sleep while traveling doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to work.
By packing smart, keeping routines familiar, and staying flexible, you can create a space where your child feels safe enough to rest—and where you can get back to relaxing (or at least scrolling on your phone in peace).
➡️ Coming Up Next…
Part 3: Beating Jet Lag With Babies and Toddlers
How to prepare for long-haul flights or time zone changes—and what to do when 2am wide-awake parties strike.
🧳 Read the Full Sleep Series
- ✅ Part 1: Will My Baby Sleep While Traveling?
- ✅ Part 2: Sleep Setup in a Hotel or Airbnb ← you’re here
- ✅ Part 3: Beating Baby Jet Lag
