Sleeps: a ? for our British members
 

On the tripadvisor.com web site the term "sleeps" is commonly used, especially in the endless Disneyland forum. Is that a British term for nights?

Often used with young kids - It's only three more sleeps to your birthday.

Or bad jokes - Insomniacs, only three more sleeps to Christmas.

Or for a hotel room or apartment or house: the number of people who can sleep in the place.

sleeps (noun) = nights

sleeps (verb) 4 = rental/room has beds or bed space (double and two singles) for four

Raymond Chandler, the big.... ?

sleeps (noun) = infantilisation of the English language.
Fine with very young children but otherwise abhorrent.

True, H., I've only heard it used with children.

used in Australia too-59 sleeps till Father Xmas comes eg

In the Trip Advisor context, they mean how many can stay in the apartment/room/house etc. Sleeps 4 would mean probably mean two doubles, or a double and 2 singles, or any combination with four places.

But in the Disneyland context (and I have a feeling Disneyland Europe's TV adverts in the UK play on this), it may well simply mean the childish version "only three more sleeps till we see Mickey". It wouldn't be hard to tell which is meant - I rather think the OP is just asking for confirmation of the latter meaning.

As Patrick said!

Rubicund shows the way accommodation in hotels and apartments is often advertised on TripAdvisor, but I don't think that is what the OP meant.

The term "sleeps" is also used as a countdown for the number of nights/days before the start of a holiday. It's not proper English, and I've only seen it used in that context by posters on TripAdvisor, usually those travelling to popular package holiday resorts. Like the term "eats", I find it annoying when used as a noun rather than a verb.

Used by children or the kind of adult that attaches a small teddy bear to the zips on their back pack. It is not whimsical or cute, it is pathetic.

Presumably people who use "luggages" are similar

or people who "trains" to Paris

How about people who "grumps" online?

There are too many nouns that have become verbs, such as "to train" for take the train. Especially on the trip advisor site!

Totally unfamiliar with the word in this context, "only three more sleeps till we see Mickey"
but then my parents never took me to Disneyland either!

Things I've often seen on here, and always wondered:

Limo service - does this just mean
a) a car and driver that you arrange to pick you up? Like a taxi/cab but pre-booked. Or does it mean
b) a large stretched vehicle with a driver in a cap? The kind that you see celebrities arriving at the Oscars?
I always imagine b), but assume it's probably a). I'd like to know...

CPAP - I had never heard of this until Fodors. I've googled...so now know, but these seem to be quite common in Fodors world?

Are these US things? North American things? Northern Hemisphere things? Or just things that I didn't know? :)

CPAP

What?