11 best travel cots for hassle-free holidays and overnight stays

The foldlite from Graco is up to 30 per cent lighter than most other cots, which we definitely noticed and appreciated – you can easily lift it one-handed. You might even find it lighter than your nappy bag, which is a win if you’re carrying a lot of other luggage for your trip.

Erecting this cot was a joy – taking less than 30 seconds. All you need to do is unwrap the mattress, push up the sides, put the mattress in the bottom and it’s ready to go. Collapsing it is just as simple – it folds up super thin, too. We also liked the sturdy material and strong base. It’s a great price at £80 and it’s made to last.

This is the cheapest travel cot we tried but it’s perfectly functional. It’s safety-tested, comes with a carry bag, is easy to assemble and has mesh sides, to give you a clear view of your child as they rest or sleep.

It doesn’t win any prizes for design, as there are no frills – it’s simply a place to sleep. Plus, the mattress is a tad on the stiff side, so you may want to spend some of the money you’ve saved on the cost of the cot on a plumper mattress. However, it’s still a very good choice if you’re only going to use it now and then throughout the year.

This is a travel cot, changing table and bouncer in one, so you can create a home from home for your baby when you travel. The bouncer is a decent size, providing a place to relax and play for babies too young to sit up. It even has cuddly toys for little ones to reach and grab.

The starry print, which is exclusive to Mamas & Papas, gives the smallest babies something to look at to help them make sense of the world, and this also helps older kids relax. We suggest counting the stars on the mattress to encourage early numeracy skills in a fun way.

This cot is taller than most others we tried, which is great if you have a mini Houdini. It makes for an excellent play and sleep solution to keep at grandparents’ house and works out at excellent value for money, when you consider it’s three useful items in one.

This gets top marks for ease of setup. There’s no need to bend down or fiddle with anything on the floor – all you need to do is shake it out and then secure the sides. There’s a handy YouTube video showing how to put it up in just 25 seconds, and the presenter demonstrates it isn’t even going at top speed.

Weighing just 6kg, including the carry bag, your back will thank you when you’re taking it in and out of cars or planes. Our toddler tester approved of the mattress, which makes for a cosy sleeping place. But what we liked most about this cot is knowing that its fabric is OEKO-TEX-approved, which means all materials coming into contact with your baby’s skin are kind to sensitive skin.

If you’re all sharing a bedroom when you travel, it may get stuffy very quickly, especially if it isn’t an air-conditioned room. We like how the Nuna sena aire addresses this issue with its mesh sides, floor and mattress providing 360 degrees of ventilation, for ultimate airflow. The better a child can breathe, the deeper they sleep, giving everyone a more relaxing trip.

We were really impressed by the feel of the triple-layered mattress, which is designed to pull away heat and humidity, and will come in useful if you’re jetting off to tropical climes.

Its clever zigzag leg design pops open easily into a soft, sturdy dreamland and it’s one of the easiest to collapse – we found we could do it one-handed.

The first thing to note is this comes with a premium duffle bag carry case, so you’ll look stylish when you arrive at your destination. Open the cot – with ease, as it weighs just 6.25kg – and you’ll notice the material on the top and sides feels very high-quality. The decently padded mattress caused our two-year-old to exclaim, “I like ’dis one!”

We really liked the newborn insert, which raises very young babies to typical bed height, so you don’t have to break your back lifting them in and out of the cot. It also makes it easier to nurse a baby and transfer them back to a cot. If you’re using this as a playpen, you’ll also appreciate that one of the sides unzips, so tots can crawl in and out.

While it takes a bit of time to erect this travel cot and rocker, there’s a very good YouTube video to show you the process. You can access it via a QR code on the instruction leaflet included, and it’s very simple to follow along.

The rocking motion is brilliant for little ones that need movement to settle, mimicking the gentle swaying motion of the womb. Babies are at a higher level in this cot, too, so you can pick them up and settle them down without pulling a muscle.

The only slight downside to this cot is that a baby will outgrow it within the year. That said, our youngest tester loved playing with the toy bar and three adorable hanging toys that come with it, so, while their time in it may be short, it will also be very sweet.

Setting up this pop-up travel cot was a total breeze, despite how tall and strudy it is once erected. We were surprised by how much the mattress kept it’s solid shape, with no crease or fold from being flat-packed within the cot and travel bag.

Mums will be grateful for the newborn insert, which raises babies to bed level. The breathable mesh is ideal for all seasons to keep baby’s temperature regulated.

The mattress is nicely padded for playtime but feels a little firm for bedtime. When topped with a matrress protector and Bugaboo’s breathable fitted sheet (£27.95, Bugaboo.com), we nailed baby’s recquirements for a peaceful snooze. You really do get more bang for your buck with this travel cot, as it doubles up as a playpen and lasts until your little one is two years old.

A lightweight and portable bedside crib is hard to come by, so, we were very grateful Halo’s offering ticked a lot of boxes for parents to get that reassuring ‘home away from home’ feeling when on the move.

It can be a daunting experience taking a little one away for the first time, especially when they are used to co-sleeping at home. We were delighted that this bassinet meant babies could feel just as close to their parents as they do at home. The mattress is extra soft when wrapped in Halo’s 100 per cent cotton fitted sheet (£16.64, Halosleep.co.uk), and the cot is surrounded by breathable lining to suit all temperatures, and enable parents to keep a 360 view of baby.

We have to admit, we did use this more at home than on our travels, as it was so easy to adjust the height of the crib for when you’re sitting on the sofa during the day or when you’re sleeping at night and want to comfort your baby quickly. The side of the crib lowers easily, with no need to stand up or hunch over. This is particularly helpful for mums recovering from C-section delivery as well as for night feeds.

An over-the-shoulder carry bag comes included but it is less sturdy than other holdalls we’ve tested, and one side is partially open, due to its drawstring closing, which didn’t feel as secure. The packing away was a simple enough four-step process.

This travel cot combines the perfect solution for on-the-go parents and tired babies. It’s lightweight, easy to set up and allows babies to nap or play wherever they are.

We love that this cot can be used indoors and outdoors, to encourage the whole family to get more vitamin D. The canopy keeps your little one protected from the sun as well as keeping out creepy crawlies.

As it folds up flat, we found it easy to keep it stored in the car for spontaneous day trips and overnight stays with the grandparents. However, it doesn’t come with a carry bag, which would have made it easier to keep clean and compact. Two overhead linking toys are included, to keep your baby entertained and relaxed.

You can’t get any more portable than this lightweight pop-up cot that folds up as a small rucksack and weighs just 2.2kg. The mosquito net is ideal for summer babies, if you want to get some fresh air and let them have a safe daytime nap outdoors.

If you are travelling with a baby less than three months old on a flight, we recommend taking this one for sleeping on-the-go, if you get the luxury of seats with extra leg room. The backpack will fit neatly under your seat or in the overhead lockers.

The only downfall is this bassinet is only suitable until your baby shows signs of rolling over, so it’s quite a hefty price for short-lived use.