Best hotels in Oklahoma City for families of five

Before my youngest daughter was born, traveling was a lot simpler. There were just four of us.  Flying was fairly easy, as my husband could sit with one child while I sat with the other. Booking a hotel was simple, because rooms for a family of four are always easy to find.  Even dining out was a breeze, since we all fit nicely into a standard sized booth made for four. But when our little one came along, our family of four turned into a family of five, and suddenly traveling together was anything but easy.

Recently, my husband had an important meeting in Oklahoma City. We decided to make a long weekend of it and take the kids along. But when I started trying to book a room online, I ran into rejection after rejection as our family of five exceeded the limits of one hotel after another. Inspired, I decided to seek out the best hotels in Oklahoma City for families just like mine. 

Residence Inn by Marriott in Bricktown

My family was invited to stay at the Residence Inn in Bricktown, the only hotel directly on the Bricktown Canal. I let the general manager know that I was interested in trying their hotel because it was very easy to book a room for a larger family and was in the middle of a historic district of the city frequented by many visitors each year. 

We stayed in a two bedroom suite, plenty big enough to sleep a family of eight if needed and more than adequate for my family of five. Our suite had two bathrooms, a kitchen with six, yes six place settings in the cupboard, and a living room with a sofa bed and fireplace. We also had a wonderful view of the canal and the city lights. Single bedroom suites are also available, with two queen beds and a sofa bed and enough room to comfortably sleep five or six.

We were so satisfied with our stay, I wrote to tell the manager that my kids said it was the best hotel we’d ever visited. And that’s high praise, considering my children’s favorite amenity, the large outdoor pool, was closed for the season.

Hampton Inn and Suites in Bricktown

Speaking of pools, the large indoor pool with water features for the kids was definitely one of the biggest draws for our family when I contacted the Hampton Inn and Suites in Bricktown about booking a room there. The manager graciously invited us to stay a night in their establishment during our weekend in Oklahoma City, and I am glad he did.

Besides offering comfortable accommodations for a family of five, the Hampton Inn and Suites offers covered parking, a delicious breakfast and many rooms that overlook the Bricktown Ballpark, home of the Oklahoma City RedHawks. It’s like having your very own luxury box.

Our room included two queen size beds, a sofa sleeper, and plenty of space so that we weren’t falling all over each other as we moved around the room. The kids slept well after enjoying an hour in the pool, which stays open late.

Other area hotels

While these Bricktown hotels offer fantastic amenities and easy access to the myriad of entertainment options in the downtown area, there are other hotels around the city which also offer comfortable accommodations for a family of five. Here are a few that I discovered while poring over ratings on TripAdvisor and checking to see whether larger families could easily reserve rooms online.

Close to the Will Rogers World Airport and just outside the hustle and bustle of downtown, you’ll find the Cambria Suites. This hotel offers accommodations for families of five along with an indoor pool, free Wi-Fi and an on-site restaurant with a variety of Cheesecake Factory desserts. Yes, they had me at cheesecake.

·         Also near the Will Rogers World Airport, you’ll find the SpringHill Suites by Marriott.  Offering rooms large enough to accommodate five or six, including two queen size beds and a sofa bed, this hotel gets high marks from travelers. Want to stay closer to the north side of the city? Check out the SpringHill Suites location at Quail Springs for easy access to Oklahoma City, Edmond and more.  Pets are welcome with a deposit.

·         The Hyatt Place on Northwest Expressway comes highly recommended by reviewers on TripAdvisor, perhaps because of the Gallery Menu of fresh and delicious meals available 24 hours a day. Central to the city and within a short drive of many attractions, this hotel can meet your family of five’s needs in style.