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When my family and I travel, we have no problem sharing close quarters. We’ve had the good fortune of experiencing all kinds of different accommodations, from sprawling villas and spacious suites to cramped rooms and small cruise ship cabins. We easily move between room sizes and configurations without batting an eye. But there’s one aspect in nearly all of these situations that always poses a problem: Not enough outlets.
In our case, two parents, two kids and one hotel room can mean two phones, a few tablets, wireless headphones, smartwatches, a couple of laptops and let’s not forget our trusty portable fans and my essential eReader. By bedtime, nearly everything needs to be plugged in. The hotel room, meanwhile, might have one accessible outlet next to the bed and another hidden behind a dresser.
For families, keeping devices powered on vacation isn’t just about entertainment. Phones hold boarding passes, hotel confirmations, itineraries, maps, attraction tickets and restaurant reservations. Tablets and headphones can make a long flight or road trip considerably easier with kids. Smartwatches need to be ready for another day out. Not to mention, my husband and I are always working while we travel so have two laptops competing for the same outlet.
The solution is to stop thinking about charging one device at a time and start creating a family charging station wherever you stay. With a few compact additions to your packing list, one awkwardly positioned hotel outlet can become enough power for the whole crew.
Problem: There Aren’t Enough Hotel Room Outlets
Newer hotels increasingly incorporate outlets and USB ports into nightstands, lamps and desks, but family travelers can’t count on finding enough of them … or finding them where they’re actually useful.
Older properties can be especially challenging. You may discover that the outlet closest to the bed is already occupied by a lamp or alarm clock, while another is behind a piece of furniture. Even a room with plenty of outlets may not have them in convenient places for simultaneously charging everyone’s devices. A compact outlet extender is one of the simplest solutions.
The Tesssan USB-C Charger Block and Outlet Extender turns a single wall socket into four AC outlets and four USB ports, including two USB-C ports. Its foldable plug also makes it easy to toss into a carry-on without adding another bulky travel accessory.
For families, the advantage isn’t just having more plugs. It’s having one designated place where devices live overnight. Instead of your child’s tablet charging behind the television, Dad’s phone sitting on the bathroom counter and Mom’s watch plugged in next to the coffee maker, everyone knows exactly where to find their electronics in the morning.
That can also help prevent the classic hotel checkout mistake: leaving a charger plugged into an outlet nobody remembered using.
Problem: The Only Available Outlet Is Behind the Bed
Sometimes outlet quantity isn’t the real issue. Outlet location is. An outlet behind a nightstand isn’t especially useful when your three-foot charging cable won’t reach the top of it. And moving heavy hotel furniture around at 10 p.m. isn’t anyone’s idea of a relaxing vacation.
This is where an extension-style power strip can be more useful than a simple wall adapter. This surge protector power strip combines eight AC outlets with three USB ports, including USB-C, and the linked version has a five-foot extension cord and flat plug. That means you can use the outlet behind a bed, sofa or nightstand while putting the actual charging station somewhere the family can reach.
It’s especially useful on longer trips, when a hotel room starts functioning more like temporary family headquarters. Set the strip on a desk or dresser, connect everyone’s charging cables once and leave the setup in place until checkout day.
One caveat: don’t create a daisy chain of power strips or extension devices. Plug your charging solution directly into the wall outlet and follow both hotel rules and the manufacturer’s instructions.
Problem: Everybody Has a Different Cable
There was a time when packing one phone charger was enough but things have gotten a tad more complicated. One child might have a USB-C tablet, another might travel with an older device that uses a different connector and the adults might have phones, watches and headphones requiring their own cables. Lose one essential cord and suddenly a fully functional device becomes a very expensive paperweight.
A little pre-trip organization goes a long way. Before leaving home, make a quick inventory of every electronic device traveling with the family and the cable it requires. Then pack at least one backup of whichever cable your family relies on most.
An even easier strategy is to carry a power bank with cables built into it. The Tessan Portable Charger with Built-In Cables has three built-in output cables (Micro USB, USB-C and an iPhone-compatible cable) plus USB-A and USB-C connections. It also has a foldable wall plug, so the power bank itself can be recharged without hunting for yet another cable.
That’s useful inside the hotel but of course even more useful once the family walks out the door. I never go anywhere without a portable phone charger anymore. Even if I’m just running errands, I’ll throw one in my bag.
Problem: Your Devices Are Charged at Breakfast and Dead by Dinner
Hotel-room charging is only half the battle. Family vacations can be brutal on phone batteries. You’re taking photos and videos, pulling up maps, checking attraction apps, scanning QR codes, messaging family members, entertaining kids in lines and looking up where to eat next. Add a full day at a theme park, museum or sightseeing destination, and the phone that left the room at 100 percent can be flashing a low-battery warning long before dinner.
This is why a portable battery belongs in the day bag, not back in your hotel room. A 10,000mAh power bank is a practical size for family travel because it offers substantial back-up power without requiring you to carry a brick around all day. A model with built-in cables further reduces the number of little things you need to remember before leaving the room.
Make charging the power bank part of your family’s nightly hotel routine. Phones, tablets, watches and the portable battery all go onto the charging station before bed. In the morning, remember to put the power bank right back into your backpack or day bag.
If you’re flying, remember that spare lithium-ion batteries and power banks belong in carry-on baggage, not checked luggage and airline limits apply.
Problem: You’re Not Sure About Outlet Compatibility
An outlet shortage gets more complicated when the hotel outlet isn’t even compatible with your plug. Rather than packing separate adapters for every country on a multi-stop itinerary, a universal travel adapter can simplify the family’s electronics kit considerably.
This universal travel adapter is designed for use across more than 150 countries and regions, with Type C, G, I and A plug configurations. It combines one AC outlet with three USB ports, including two USB-C ports, so one hotel socket can power several everyday travel devices.
Create a Family Charging Station
The best charging accessory won’t help much if everyone’s devices are still scattered around the hotel room. When you arrive, take two minutes to establish a charging zone. A desk, dresser or console near an outlet usually works well. Put your power strip or outlet extender there, unpack the charging cables immediately and have everyone use the same spot throughout the trip.
For younger kids, parents can take charge of the station and plug devices in at bedtime. Older children and teens can be responsible for putting their own electronics there each night. Either way, centralizing everything makes it much easier to see what is charging and what hasn’t made it back to the station yet. I also like to label everyone’s chargers so it’s easier to identify which ones have been packed and which ones we need to look for.
It also creates a useful checkout ritual. Before leaving the hotel, count the devices and cables at the charging station. Then check the wall outlet itself. A ten-second scan can save you from discovering at the airport that your favorite USB-C charger is still sitting in Room 412.
If you regularly encounter inaccessible hotel outlets, pack a flat-plug extension strip. This one from Tessan provides eight AC outlets plus USB charging, including USB-C, giving larger families plenty of room to consolidate their devices at one charging location. The goal isn’t to bring the most charging gear. It’s to pack a few versatile pieces that solve multiple problems.
