14 Things We Don’t Even Imagine When We Book A Hotel Room

Many people plan their vacation very carefully. They passionately search for months for a place to relax, carefully read the tips on the internet, plan a future trip. The choice of hotel plays the main role in all these preparations. But sometimes reality differs from expectations and the pleasure of the trip is compromised.

My name is Maria. I worked as a manager for several hotels for six years. Exclusively for the awesome.clubI remembered details that will help choose a hotel and make the vacation more enjoyable.

Even large, expensive hotels can “host” nasty creatures like bed bugs. These insects often hide in the mattress, in the corners of the bed and in the closet. These ugly “neighbors” are difficult to see, but one of the signs of their presence is the dark spots on the walls and bed. And the main challenge is not just escaping the bites, but, above all, not bringing these creatures home.

It is better to store bags in the bathroom to save clothes from bedbugs. © HonestBobHater / RedditIt is also advisable that the suitcase does not touch the walls to prevent insects from entering it. © Rumsy/ Reddit

Each hotel has its own cleaning rules. However, standard procedure is that staff cannot enter a room if cash is in a visible location and cannot move guests’ belongings.

It is better not to fill the bathroom with cosmetics. In some hotels, employees are not allowed to touch guests’ belongings. If the bathroom is full of pots and jars, they won’t be able to clean it properly. © Pocket_Sunshine / RedditIf you order room service, it is advisable to put your dirty dishes in the hallway and not leave them in your room. Otherwise, the cleaning ladies will have to wash the dishes, although they are not obliged to do so. Cleaning will also take much longer. © Pocket_Sunshine / Reddit

Many items in the room can be used for other purposes. The most versatile object is the clothes hanger. It is possible to use it to keep the curtains closed. And if you intertwine several, you’ll get a support to keep the bedroom door open when it’s time to remove all your luggage.

It’s easy to use a glass as a speaker if you forgot to bring yours. Just put your cell phone in the cup. © Roxanne Miller / QuoraIf after a long walk, your shoes smell terrible and are covered in mud, you can put them in a shower cap. © David Antico / QuoraSome hotels install a special system for the light to be turned off when there is no key card inserted in the switch. Then it is possible to replace this card with any other card in your wallet, such as a discount card, for example. © Aswini Mahadev / Quora

Hotels often use premium websites such as Booking, Expedia, and Agoda to promote bookings. To rise to the top on these digital platforms, due to competition, some hotels offer services they don’t have and attribute qualities they don’t have. For example, indicate the availability of laundry, or the possibility of accommodating guests with pets. Already on site, they invent ways to satisfy the needs of guests.

I worked at a small hotel that only had six rooms. The owner has asked us to make it absolutely clear that we welcome people with pets, for an extra fee. The problem is that there was no space for pets in the rooms. When asked what we would do if someone came with an animal, he replied: “Well, they must pay 1,800 reais more and they can stay”. The first guest who entered with his dog, after being told the cost of the service, simply left with his bags, and it was night.

Sometimes people forget not only insignificant things in hotel rooms, but also important documents. Therefore, it is not advisable to hide valuables in “hiding places”, for example, under the bed or lamp.

If it is necessary to store something in the hotel safe, I will always put something that I will need when I check out. For example, the shoes I’m going to wear on the trip. So, when it’s time to pack, I won’t forget to look in the safe. © Jane Roberts / Quora Before checking out, I always do a “fool check”. In other words, I scan the whole room: I look under beds, behind bedside tables, on closet shelves. In general, I check the places that I didn’t even notice during my stay. And, you know, it helps! I have never forgotten anything since I started using this system. © Errol Greene / QuoraNever leave your cell phone in bed. My phone almost went to the laundry one time. He got stuck in a sheet and the cleaning ladies took him away with the dirty bedding.

Large hotels sometimes offer their guests free tours as a gift. Most of the time, it is simply impossible for tourists to take advantage of this bonus for reasons beyond their control.

We spent the holidays in the Maldives Islands. Our package included several free services: a cruise, windsurfing lessons, fishing. And, for one reason or another, all of these activities have unfortunately been cancelled. I spoke to other tourists on the forum and this seems to be common practice. Therefore, such offers should be treated with considerable skepticism. © Independent-Panda-21 / Reddit

In order not to worry about your safety and that of your belongings, it is necessary to follow some simple rules: do not leave the door open, do not pass on your personal data over the phone and use the internet carefully.

It is necessary to lock the bedroom door with the chain. When checking in, I was offered to choose a room. I walked into one and saw a completely naked woman coming out of the bathroom. Obviously, she screamed for everyone to hear. © Rob Hagelberg / QuoraIt’s best to leave the TV on when leaving the hotel. And choose a local channel. That way, hardly any malicious person will try to enter the room. © Jane Roberts / QuoraI prefer not to use hotel internet: sometimes the connection isn’t secure enough. If you need to provide personal information or bank details, it is better to opt for 4G. © Orj Bloe / Quora

Sometimes hotel staff can behave inappropriately. It is preferable to express all complaints in writing rather than in person. This will resolve the issue much faster. The main thing is to avoid any rudeness in comments and messages and not take it personally. Otherwise, employees have the right to delete their review from the website and complain to the company that booked the room.

A guest was offended by the behavior of a night shift employee. Either the young man didn’t help with the bags, or he didn’t smile when he greeted him, and the customer wrote a long and angry comment on Booking.com. We expected our colleague to be “crushed” by the boss, but that wasn’t what happened: the guest took it to the staff and directed offensive words at the employee. The comment was immediately deleted.

In order not to complain to reception several times about certain things that do not work properly, it is better to ask the staff about the possibility of examining the proposed room before occupying it.

I always ask them to show me the room before bringing the bags. This helped me many times not to stay in a dirty, smelly, mosquito-ridden room. © goliad67 / RedditI always check the working of the Wi-Fi, water pressure in the taps, heating system and air conditioning. Many times, due to one of these problems, I had to change rooms. © slavicgypsygirl / Reddit

It’s no secret that pillows, blankets and mattresses are rarely washed. It is possible to take these items with you, but on long trips, it is not the best option. The easiest thing is to ask the staff to bring others, claiming that the ones in the room are not very comfortable. In that case, it is likely that they will bring new ones from the warehouse.

I always take my pillow. It’s great! Looking at some hotel rooms, I don’t even want to think about when they were last washed. © Steviej98 / Reddit I always bring my own sheet and blanket to use in hotels. © Unknown user / Reddit We’ve always had a large inventory of new pillows and blankets for discerning customers. If anyone complained about the bedding or pillows, they could just get new ones from the storeroom.

If you forgot an iron, there is no need to ask the hotel staff for one. Just like you don’t have to buy some cosmetics.

To iron clothes, just hang them on a hanger in the bathroom and take a hot shower. The steam will remove creases in the fabric. © David Antico / QuoraInstead of shaving cream, you can use a hotel hair conditioner. It smooths the skin and tightens the pores. © David Antico / Quora

Sometimes hotel rooms lack seemingly basic items. But some can be easily replaced.

If there is no bedside table, it’s easy to make a kind of bag out of a sheet in which to place small things. © Roxanne Miller / QuoraMost modern TVs have a USB port. So, if there aren’t enough outlets, it’s possible to charge electronic devices on it. © Roxanne Miller / QuoraIf the mirror in the bathroom fogs up after a shower, just use a hairdryer. © Scott Eisenberg / QuoraIf you don’t have a toothbrush cup in the bathroom, you can improvise with a paper cup. © Roxanne Miller / Quora

Sometimes hotels do not provide complete information about nearby tourist attractions. Thankfully, there are maps online where all these details can be checked. After all, even completely “innocent” attractions at first glance can ruin your vacation.

We rent a room in a small hotel in Germany. The place was cozy with friendly staff. We rest for half an hour. Suddenly we discover there is an old church next door. And it was open, as the bells rang twice every hour. Day and night. Not the ear plugs, not the TV on…