How to Keep Kids Safe at Texas Hotels This Holiday Season

What Important Safety Checks Should I Do Right When We Check Into a Hotel?

As soon as you arrive in your room, take a minute before unpacking and letting the kids explore.

Complete these essential checks to safely enjoy your stay:

Balconies

While having a balcony with a scenic view is a key hotel feature, make sure the door only opens under your watch. Also, check that the railings are high and secure, so that little ones cannot squeeze through any gaps and fall.

Furniture and Decorative Mirrors

Tap on large furniture like dressers to make sure the pieces are not wobbly. Also, ensure that large decorative mirrors and statement art pieces are properly secured to the wall. These heavy items can easily fall on top of young children and cause severe injuries like broken bones and head injuries.

Hallways

It is no secret that hotels are typically booked to capacity during the holiday season. This means an increase in staff working and guests, thus more hallway traffic. Be sure to keep a watchful eye on your little ones or hold their hand while walking through the hallways to keep them near you, especially if they are not well-lit or you do not notice surveillance cameras monitoring these common areas. 

Also, watch for large luggage carts left in corridors, unsecured electrical outlets, or stairwell access that isn’t locked. These may all seem harmless, but children can dart into busy hallways and get hurt in seconds.

Pool and Water Features

Hotel pools and hot tubs can be the highlight of a hotel for little ones. However, they pose a drowning risk. Before letting the kids dive in, make sure the deck area is secure with a gate so your little ones cannot swim unsupervised.

You can also ask to look at the chemical logs to ensure the pool is properly treated. (You would be surprised how frequently pools are overtreated with chlorine and other strong chemicals. We helped a family get justice after children experienced severe burns caused by improper shock treatments to clean a resort pool.)

Stranger Danger

Before you go on your trip, teach your children hotel safety rules and practice them at home. Some easy ones to remember:

1. Don’t go into other people’s rooms, even if they are your new friends
2. Don’t open the door for anyone without a parent present
3. Remain close to you in busy common areas
4. Stay inside the room

The holiday rush means more people, more distractions, and more excited children who can vanish from your sight before you know it.

Windows

Avoid dangerous falls by making sure all window locks function properly and that your kids cannot climb up on any furniture to open them.

What Should I Do If My Kids Get Hurt at a Hotel in Texas?

Even with all the precautions and safety checks you complete, incidents can happen. If your child is injured from a balcony fall, broken furniture tip-over, slippery pool surface, or hallway collision, you should take these four critical steps:

1. Seek medical attention immediately. Whether it’s the hotel’s wellness station, a local urgent care facility or an emergency room, get your child’s injury diagnosed and treated. You should also request a copy of the medical records of their visit to share with your pediatrician at home in case follow-up care is necessary.
2. Request an incident report from the hotel. Ask hotel management to complete a written report with the date and time of the incident, details on what happened, and the contact information of any witnesses who saw your child get hurt.
3. Collect evidence. Take photos of your child’s injuries, if visible. Be sure to also capture pictures or video of the incident site and the hazard that caused your child’s injury, such as the loose balcony railing or tipped-over furniture. If your child’s injury happened in a pool or hot tub at the hotel, take pictures of any signage. You can also request to see the pool maintenance logs and take pictures of those as well. In addition, you can ask the hotel manager to show you any surveillance footage that may have captured the incident involving your child. When you view it, typically in the hotel’s security office, make sure you record it with your smartphone in case the hotel erases it or records over it later.

4. Contact experienced child injury lawyers at The Button Law Firm. We help families across Texas understand their rights after an injury at a hotel or resort. This type of law is called premises liability, and it can be complicated, especially when minor children are involved.

At The Button Law Firm, we will handle the insurance companies so that you can focus on your child’s healing. We even have a child advocate on our staff so that your child’s needs are met every step of the way.

Learn about how we have successfully helped families get justice here.

Holiday hotel stays should be fun, relaxing, and memorable in a good way for a family. Even the most careful parents can’t prevent every danger, especially when a hotel fails to follow basic safety practices or maintain its property the way Texas law requires.

If your child is injured at a hotel anywhere in Texas, you don’t have to navigate the aftermath alone. Our child injury team is here to guide your family, answer your questions, and help you hold the hotel accountable so you can move forward. We work on contingency, meaning we don’t charge you or collect any upfront fees to get started on your case. Call us at 214-699-4409, email us at intake@buttonlawfirm.com, or fill out a contact form for a free case evaluation.