Mom Asks What She Should Do With Her Son On Vacation After Accidentally Booking A Rental With A 'No Infants' Rule
“I understand a no children policy, but I have a 6 month old who is immobile.”
Dmytro Zinkevych | Shutterstock In a post to the r/Vrbo subReddit — a forum intended to discuss the rental platform, struggles with booking, and odd-natured stories — a mother honestly debated breaking a host’s rules to settle in for a family vacation.
Admitting she forgot to read the fine print on her booking, one that clearly stated the host’s “no infants” rule, this mom took to the forum to ask for advice, wondering what’s the worst that could happen if she chose to disregard the rule.
The mom is conflicted over what to do with her young son on vacation after accidentally booking a rental that does not allow infants.
"I booked a Vrbo for this weekend, and I, unfortunately, didn’t realize it had a no-infants policy," the mom wrote, admitting she "wasn’t aware this was something [she] needed to check a listing for."
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In the very last sentence of the Maryland listing, there was a stipulation explaining that the host did not allow children under 10 years old due to their insurance policy. Yet, before noticing this key detail, the mom disclosed to the host that she intended to bring her child.
"I accidentally revealed I have a baby by asking for a crib," she admitted, "and the reservation is non-refundable at this point."
Since the mother is still breastfeeding, leaving the child with a sitter is not possible. She also does not want to lose out on the money they already spent on the rental.
"Not trying to say I deserve an accommodation here," she added in the comments. "Just looking for guidance to see if there’s a mutually agreeable resolution that doesn’t involve me losing thousands of dollars and adding stress to the weekend of my best friend’s wedding."
The mom doesn't want to break the rental rules, but if she can't bring her baby, she will be out a lot of money.
Like many parents surely agree, planning and executing a vacation with an infant, especially to attend a wedding, is no easy feat.
While some may criticize the mom for considering disrespecting the host’s rules, many can empathize with her situation. After all, she didn't book the house intending to break the rules; she simply overlooked them.
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As for the hosts, their rule, while annoying to some potential guests, is understandable, especially if related to insurance as they suggested. Ultimately, it's their property, and they can set any rules they please to minimize potential damage, messes, or concerns.
“I have a property, and we had a similar rule because our home wasn’t ‘baby-proofed,’” one commenter shared. “I can understand that they wouldn’t want to take any chances.”
According to baby website tinybeans, when booking a short-term rental with little ones, before committing it's important to ask two questions: Is the rental family-friendly? And, is there a deposit required or additional charges for children?
Commenters urged the mother to communicate her concerns with the host, hoping they’d make a refund exception or allow them to come with restrictions.
Honesty is the best policy, at least according to many Redditors who commented on the post.
“I'd message the Vrbo host and explain the situation," one commenter suggested. "Also let them know that the baby is breastfeeding and there won't be any mess.”
“Maybe include that you were really looking forward to having a weekend out and that their property is the perfect place for you, so you'd rather not cancel,” they added. "Otherwise, you’d risk getting a bad review from the owner if you just bring the child … and then you lose all future bookings, as well.”
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In an update to the post, the mom shared that she did, in fact, call the Vrbo owner and explained the entire situation. Luckily, the host agreed to let the family — including their infant — come and enjoy the home.
“They very kindly agreed that we could bring our baby, so long as we communicate with them and agree to work with them to the extent that noise is an issue,” she wrote. “Much appreciated for all of the advice!”
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a News & Entertainment Writer at YourTango who focuses on health & wellness, social policy, and human interest stories