Temporary housing with children: what changes

Not in that situation? Start with the general version: Temporary housing for a couple or family with children.

For families with children who need temporary housing in Spain for several weeks. It says which formats usually fit, which do not, what limits to check on space, beds, kitchen and safety, and what to ask the host before you book.

Key rules

• Best formats: A tourist flat or an aparthotel usually fits a family over several weeks; a hotel room or hostel dorm usually does not.
• Licence capacity: Make sure the licence number is shown and that your whole family, children included, is within the maximum.
• Written answers: Get the host's answers on beds, fees and safety in writing in the platform's chat before you pay.

Which formats fit a family for several weeks

A tourist flat or an aparthotel is usually the best fit. You get separate bedrooms or a family unit, a kitchen, and often a washing machine.

• Tourist flat or apartment: Best for weeks, and usually the lowest cost per night. Check capacity, noise and the licence. Many have maximum stays or sit in areas with restrictions, so confirm the host accepts a multi-week stay.
• Aparthotel: Very good fit. It has a kitchenette, daily or weekly cleaning and family units, but costs more.
• Hotel room: Fine for a few days, poor for weeks. There is usually no kitchen, the whole family shares one room, it costs more, and family rooms often cap at 3-4 people.
• Hostel: A private family room is cheap, but shared kitchens, noise and shared bathrooms make a long stay hard. Dorms or shared rooms with strangers generally do not suit children, and many hostels set minimum ages or ban under-18s from dorms.
• Room in a host's home: A weak fit. House rules, privacy and limited kitchen use get tiring, unless your whole family has its own space.

Limits to check

• Occupancy: A tourist licence sets a maximum number of guests. It depends on regional rules, bedrooms and floor area, and it differs between regions. Check that the licence number is in the listing, and whether children count.
• Sleeping arrangements: Count real beds per bedroom, their sizes, and whether sofa-beds are included. Ask if a cot or high chair is provided.
• Kitchen: Look for a fridge, hob, oven, microwave, kettle, crockery and a washing machine.
• Safety: Check window and balcony railings (a child-safe gap is about 10-12 cm), window locks, open stairs or a mezzanine, the gas hob and pool fencing. Ask about smoke and CO detectors and socket covers.
• Child age: Platforms often count anyone over 2 as a guest, but some hosts charge from age 2 or 3 and others count every age. Ask the host.

Questions to put to the host before booking

1. What is the exact licence capacity, and is your family, with the children's ages, within it?
2. How many beds are there, what type, and are the children's beds separate?
3. Are a cot and a high chair available? Are they free, and what is their age and condition?
4. What kitchen equipment is there, and is there a washing machine?
5. Is there an extra-guest or child fee, from what age, and is it in the platform's total price?
6. What is the sleeping layout, and how safe are the windows and balconies?
7. Are there stairs, and is there a lift?
8. What are the neighbours, quiet hours and night noise like (bars, street)?
9. Does the community of owners ban or limit families or noise?
10. Is there heating or air conditioning?
11. What is the check-in time, the deposit and the cancellation terms?

Get every answer in writing in the platform's chat. Capacity and child counting vary by region and host, so a written reply protects you. The decision, checklist and questions below help you compare options.

Choosing between options

Which type of temporary housing suits your family for several weeks?

• Tourist flat or apartment: Best for several weeks: separate bedrooms, kitchen and laundry, and usually the lowest cost per night. Check capacity, noise and the licence.

• Aparthotel: A very good fit if you can pay more: kitchenette, daily or weekly cleaning and family units.

• Hotel room: Only for a few days. For weeks it is poor: usually no kitchen, one room for everyone and a higher cost.

• Hostel private family room: Only if money is tight and you accept shared kitchens, noise and shared bathrooms. Skip dorms and shared rooms.

• Room in a host's home: Only if your whole family has its own space. House rules, privacy and limited kitchen use make it a weak fit otherwise.

Pick a place with separate sleeping space, a kitchen and laundry, and a licence capacity that covers your whole family. Choose a flat or aparthotel for weeks, and keep hotels for a few days.

Checklist

• Check that the licence number is shown in the listing.

• Ask for the licence's maximum capacity and confirm your family, including the children's ages, is within it.

• Ask how many beds there are, what type and size, and whether the children get separate beds, including sofa-beds.

• Ask whether a cot and a high chair are provided, free or paid, and whether the cot fits in the room.

• Ask the host to confirm the detectors have working batteries and to fit socket covers if there are none.

• Ask about any extra-guest or child fee, from what age it applies, and whether it is in the platform's total.

• Ask about stairs and lift, quiet hours, night noise from bars or the street, and whether the community of owners limits families or noise.

• Ask about heating or air conditioning, check-in time, deposit and cancellation terms.

• Ask whether the host accepts a stay of several weeks.

Frequently asked questions

Does a hotel room work if we only need a few days?

Yes, for a few days it is workable. A family room often caps at 3-4 people and usually has no kitchen. For several weeks, choose an aparthotel or a flat instead.

At what age does my child count as a guest?

It varies. Platforms often count anyone over 2, but some hosts charge from age 2 or 3 and others count all ages. Ask the host in writing, and check whether any child fee is already in the platform's total.

Is a room in a host's home a good option for a family?

Usually not. House rules, limited privacy and limited kitchen use make it a weak fit, unless your whole family has its own space.