We have just bought a portacot for one main reason (and one side reason). Friends and visitors.

We have a number of friends that have babies and a few more newborns on the way, not to mention the friends we will no doubt make through parenting groups. With a portacot, you can have a nice, adult dinner with two babies - ours in the cot, theirs in the portacot. That means they don't have to pack any extra bedding, and if the situation is reversed i.e. we visit them, we don't need to pack the cot either!

Of course, the side reason was just in case we are going somewhere that we know doesn't have a bedding option for the little one. Luckily we have big boot space, otherwise pram + portacot would not have been an option.

I have looked into products like the travel SafeTSleep and think they are a great option for short stays too!

One piece of advice that I was given (and agree with) is that, if you are not using a portacot full time, you don't need all the bells and whistles. By going for a more simple portacot design, you (I mean....DH) will have less to pack and lug around.