I have a logistical question for parents who have traveled with young children. We are traveling with young ones and looking at apartment rentals. We've seen lovely apartments that suit our budget, but what worries us are the apartments on high floors and the windows! All the windows have no bars. My children are at a the age where they like to climb and have pulled a chair up to places to climb. Renting an apartment is ideal in terms of space and affordability but I have not found any apartment on the ground floor in Venice within our budget. I know we can opt to close all the windows but Also, 90% of these flats have showers only and we were hoping to find a apartment with a bathtub for easier bathing. Yes, we can use the shower, but putting a 2 year old in a shower is not very easy. What have other parents done about the window concern? How do other parents bath their children?

Our children are older now but we have stayed in apartments on high floors without bars. In Italy there were locks on every window and in Paris we found only one window that wasn't painted shut.
Sometimes you might find small upper windows that open which are too small for kids to climb out and other times you might find large opening doors, floor to ceiling leading to a faux balcony (not so safe!).

I'd call the apartment owner or listing agency and mention your concerns. Ask about the windows!
I think really vigilance is the only answer. Keep windows shut unless you are in the room with the children.

Baths v showers. Yes, showers are more common. We managed for short stays to shower our kids.
At 2 it was easier to shower with them or to sit them in the kitchen sink if it was large enough. It was always fun and seemed like a bit of an adventure. Some days we skipped bath time and a damp flannel sufficed (my mother called this 'a lick and a promise'!)

I do remember that on one vacation we bathed my 3 yr old son in a washing up bowl outside. The gite had a bath and a shower but he had broken his arm so to keep the cast dry we opted for the outdoor 'bowl and jug' bath!

Happy memories!

I agree about tubs - consider showing with the 2 yo. Millions of toddlers growing up in European cities survive growing up in small apts w/o bathtubs. Insisting on one SEVERLY limits your options.

Also agree that all windows have good locks.

Best of luck and happy travels.

Trying to get the perfect bathroom may drive you crazy. In my experience with European hotels, I've found a lot of bathtubs with hand-held shower heads, which is good for kids...not so great for adults. You may get either a tub like that, or a stand-up shower, but not both unless the apartment has two bathrooms and there's one of each, which would be more expensive. I would just pick the apartment that seems to have the best window safety, convenience and appeal to you, and do your best to adjust to the bathroom.

Thanks all! I can definitely put our 2 year old in shower and it would be fun. Here's the issue - The shower stall is very small and typically enclosed. An adult needs to be in the shower stall with the child but both of us are on the larger side, even with no kid, it's tough to be inside. It will be very tough for one of us to be inside a tiny shower stall with a child. We can definitely adjust with the bathing but our primary concern is the windows. We will have windows open to get air but we are so scared of one of the kids climbing and falling out the window! We are very vigilant but with mulitple kids, packing to catch trains/flights, things can happen.

Thanks!

If you still don't feel comfortable with the information you're getting about the windows in prospective apartments, you may want to consider staying in a larger hotel (Marriott, Hilton, etc.) where window safety is a corporate liability issue. You would sacrifice a kitchen, obviously, and it would be more expensive, probably, but the peace of mind might be worth it.

What cities, in addition to Venice, will you be visiting? What's your budget?

FWIW, this apartment in Venice is on the ground floor and there's a tub in the bathroom.

http://www.casadeipittori.com/veniceapartments/apt7.htm

Hi Jean - THANK YOU! This is what I'm looking for! The ground floor apartment looks great and within our budget. I will enquire about availability, and search for some reviews about this agency. Have you stayed there?

Jean - I just looked on the casadeipittori.com website and unfortunately they are booked for the time we will be ther! Those apartments looked perfect. Spacious, ground floor, bath tub, and in a an area where kids play outside. They also had good reviews

Anyone else have other suggestions?

I have no experience with this company, but it is U.S.-based with a phone number in Massachusetts. Or you can email and request they call you. They list a few ground-floor apartments; some apparently have a tub.

http://www.veniceitalyapartments.com/index.htm