Travelling with children: hotel ages and rates explained
7 min read
The search form asks for each child's age for a simple reason: the price of a hotel room depends on how many people occupy it and how old they are. A baby, a child and a teenager are not counted in the same way, and every hotel sets its own rules.
So there is no universal threshold. The same child may count as a "child" in one hotel and as an "adult" in another, sometimes in the same city. The only reliable source is the set of rate conditions displayed before payment.
In this article we explain why hotels reason this way, what entering the right ages on Hotelo changes, which room formula suits a family, what to ask for a baby, and what to check before you pay.
Why the hotel asks for your children's ages
A hotel does not simply sell a room: it sells a room for a given number of occupants. The rate for a double room with two adults is not the rate for the same room with two adults and two children. The property has to plan bedding, breakfast and sometimes access to certain services, and it adjusts its price accordingly.
Age is used to place each young traveller in a category. Broadly, there are three situations.
- The baby sleeps in a cot, usually provided on request, and is not always counted in the room price.
- The child shares the parents' bed or sleeps in an extra bed; the child may be included in the rate or trigger a supplement, particularly for breakfast.
- The teenager is frequently counted as an adult, which changes the type of room needed and the price.
The age limits between these categories vary from hotel to hotel and from country to country. Never assume that a rule seen in one hotel applies to the next.
What entering the right ages on Hotelo changes
On the search form, you enter the city, your dates, the number of adults, the number of children and the age of each child. The prices shown in dirhams are calculated for that exact configuration. In other words, the amount you are comparing is the price of a room planned for your family as you described it.
If you enter a wrong age, the price displayed no longer matches reality. Two things can happen on arrival: the hotel may ask for a supplement for the occupant it had not planned for, or it may not have the bed you need.
The age during the stay
Enter the age your child will be during the stay, not on the day you book. A birthday between the two dates can move a child into another category. If in doubt, use the higher age and check the hotel's rule in the rate conditions.
Teenagers
Many parents discover at the hotel that their teenager counts as an adult. If your child is close to the age at which hotels change category, read the conditions carefully and, if necessary, run a second search declaring them as an adult to compare the two results.
Which room formula for a family
Once the ages are entered, the results show rooms able to accommodate your group. Three formulas come up often, whether you are looking for a hotel in Agadir, Marrakech or Dubai.
The family room
One larger room, with bedding planned for parents and children. It keeps things simple and lets you keep the youngest within sight. Check the maximum number of occupants and the exact bed set-up.
Two rooms or connecting rooms
With older children, two rooms give more space and privacy. Connecting rooms, linked by an inner door, combine closeness and independence, but not every hotel offers them and their allocation often depends on availability on the day of arrival. If this set-up is essential for you, tell our customer service or the hotel and get it confirmed.
The bed configuration
A "double bed" and "two single beds" do not suit the same family. Also look at whether the room has a sofa bed or an extra bed, and whether it is included or added on request. The room description and the rate conditions contain this information.
Babies and young children: what to ask for
For a baby, the central point is the cot. It is almost always provided on request, in limited numbers, and rarely guaranteed at the time of booking. Let the hotel know before departure, using the contact details on your voucher, or ask our customer service to pass on the request.
Also think about the following points, none of which is systematic: a high chair in the restaurant, the possibility of warming a bottle, access to the pool for young children and whether there is a paddling pool, and protection from noise if your room faces a busy street. These details are not always in the rate conditions; the hotel description and a direct question to the property are usually enough.
One last detail: a baby not counted in the price does not necessarily have breakfast planned; it is better to know beforehand.
Checklist before you pay
- The ages entered are the ages your children will be during the stay.
- The total number of occupants does not exceed the capacity shown for the room.
- The bed type (double, twin, extra bed, sofa bed) suits your family.
- The cot or extra bed is included, or marked "on request" and you have requested it.
- Children's breakfast is included in the rate, or you know it will be charged at the hotel.
- The rate conditions (refundable or not) suit you; our help page explains how to read them.
- The travellers' names, children included, are written as on the passports.
- You have taken a screenshot of the summary before paying in dirhams with your Moroccan bank card.
If the configuration you need is not available online
Sometimes a large family, an additional cot or connecting rooms cannot be booked directly online. In that case, write to our customer service on WhatsApp at +212 684-060606 or call +212 5 20 19 19 20, 7 days a week.
To save time, send everything in one message: the city and dates, the number of adults, each child's age during the stay, the bed type you want, the name of a hotel you have spotted if you have one, and the budget in dirhams you have in mind. We look at the possible options with you and at how to finalise the booking.
You now know why ages matter. Compare hotels in dirhams on Hotelo, enter each child's age, and book a room genuinely planned for your family.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the site ask for my children's ages to book a hotel?
Because the hotel calculates the price of a room according to the number and age of its occupants. Age determines whether your child is treated as a baby, a child or an adult, whether a cot or an extra bed is needed, and whether breakfast is charged. The price shown on Hotelo is calculated for the ages you enter.
Is a teenager counted as an adult at the hotel?
Often, yes, but the age from which a young person counts as an adult varies from hotel to hotel and from country to country. Read the rate conditions displayed before payment. If your child is close to that limit, compare the results by declaring them first as a child and then as an adult.
Is children's breakfast included in the room price?
It depends on the hotel and the rate you choose. Some rates include breakfast for every occupant; others reserve it for adults and charge children's breakfast at the hotel. The information is in the rate description; if in doubt, ask the hotel or our customer service before you pay.