Over 20 Clever Hotel Tips That Enhanced Our Travel Experience

Hotel WIFI Might Not Be As Secure As You Believe

Be cautious when using hotel WIFI, as these networks often prioritize accessibility over security. This leaves users vulnerable to malware, ransomware, cyber hacking, and identity theft. When you connect to hotel WIFI, your information is transmitted across the network in plain text, making it easy for others to intercept.

Additionally, there’s no security that stops a hacker from directly accessing your laptop or mobile devices. If your mobile network is inaccessible, security experts suggest activating your device’s firewall and using a VPN when you’re connected to the hotel’s network.

It Is Okay To Bag The Items In Your Hotel Room

If you watched the TV show Friends, you might recall the episode, “The One With Rachel’s Dream,” where Ross and Chandler stayed at a hotel in Vermont and took all sorts of things from their room. We’re not really suggesting that you do the same with everything in the hotel room.

It’s alright to take with you items like shampoo, mouthwash, body lotion, or conditioner, as these are generally intended for guests to take, and the hotel won’t mind. However, don’t take towels! That’s not a considerate action!

No Light

If you’re someone who can’t sleep with any lights on, even just a little, you might have a hard time getting rest in cities like New York, Hong Kong, and Miami. Not getting enough sleep might make you irritable and put you in a bad mood, which isn’t ideal for a vacation.

Thankfully, there’s a trick to block light coming through your windows. Use a pants hanger from your closet and utilize the clips to hold the curtains together. This method can also be useful when you return home from a vacation.

Nicer Room

Tipping the front desk staff doesn’t always result in complimentary upgrades or a better room. Occasionally, the staff may even turn down your tip. So, what should you do if the room provided by the hotel doesn’t meet your expectations?

Request the hotel to show you alternative rooms. It’s straightforward. Hotels often try to rent out their least desirable rooms initially. Depending on when you arrive, you might be fortunate enough to find one that suits you at the same rate.

Improvise With The Shower Cap

Although it is quite handy, a shower cap is among the least used items in a hotel room. Why is this the case? Because many people are unaware of its importance. You can perform several hotel hacks by using a shower cap. For instance, you can stop your dirty shoes from marking your clothes by covering them with the shower cap before packing.

Even when you pack your clothes next to the shoes, they stay clean. A different use for the magic shower cap is food storage; you can use it as a plastic wrap to cover leftovers and keep them for later consumption.

Plastic vs Germs

A remote control is one of the last items you’d want to handle with your bare hands in a hotel room. Unlike bedsheets and pillowcases, the remote control is rarely cleaned by housekeeping and is used by guest after guest.

You have two options to avoid touching this “germ petri dish” directly. The first option is the plastic ice bucket bag, if the hotel offers one. The second option is a shower cap, typically found in the bathroom. Use either to cover the remote control and keep your hands free from germs.

No Key Card Needed?

In many modern hotels, you must leave your room key card in the slot to maintain power in your room. This energy-saving feature is meant to help reduce electricity usage and save money for the hotel. However, it can be inconvenient if you want to keep your devices charging or maintain a cool room.

You don’t need to remain in the room. In fact, you can’t leave your key card in the slot and exit unless you want to risk being robbed. But guess what? You can use any card of the same size in the key card slot to keep the room powered. You might wonder why this works. It’s because the card presses down a switch at the bottom of the slot to maintain the electricity on.

Corner Rooms Rule

Are you familiar with corner rooms? In office buildings, corner hotel rooms are typically larger and often offer better views and larger bathrooms. This makes corner rooms akin to an upgrade, yet they cost the same amount of money.

When you check in, ask for a corner room. With any luck, the hotel will accommodate your request. However, be aware that some hotels recognize the difference between a standard room and a corner room, considering any drawbacks the latter may have. In such cases, they might charge you extra. Still, we believe it’s worth attempting.

Not A Single Drop

Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you packed your toiletries in your bag, only to open it and see that everything has spilled all over – covering the inside of your bag, clothes, books, and even shoes? That can certainly spoil your day.

Luckily, there’s a simple trick to avoid this. Take a small plastic bag, fully unscrew the cap of your soap or shampoo bottle, cover the bottle’s opening with the bag, and then screw the cap back on. This way, you can stop any future leaks from your toiletries.

Be Creative With The Doors

After a long and possibly exciting day, you’ve finally settled into your hotel bed. But just before you call it a night, you decide to grab a cold drink. You look around but can’t find a bottle opener. What do you do now?

You don’t want to go downstairs and ask the receptionist for a bottle opener. Don’t worry. Your door closer can function just like a bottle opener. We haven’t figured out if the door closer will appreciate it, but if you’re too bored to use a lighter or the edge of a table, why not try this?

Towels Will Block It All

The summer and Christmas seasons are two of the busiest times of the year for holidays. If you travel during these times, finding some quiet and alone time in your hotel room may be challenging.

You can reduce noise by placing a towel in the gap under the door. This will make your room somewhat more soundproof and certainly decrease the light coming into your room from the hallway.

Stop It From Closing

It’s convenient when hotel room doors close automatically due to their sturdiness, saving you the effort of closing them. However, this can be challenging when entering the room with a lot of luggage. If you can’t locate a door stopper but the door is near a closet, keeping it open won’t be an issue.

Open the closet and use a hanger to prop the door to your room open by hooking it onto the latch or top lock. This will keep the door wide open as you take your time bringing in your luggage.

Staying For Longer, Saving Some Money

Will you be staying for over a week? Be sure to call hotels ahead of time before making your reservation. Inform the hotel of your intended length of stay and inquire about potential room discounts.

Experience has demonstrated that hotels are inclined to negotiate and offer discounts to guests planning extended stays, as it’s more convenient and less costly for them to retain an existing guest than to attract a new one. Keep in mind that you might have to contact several hotels to secure the best deal.

No Advice

It’s absolutely okay to request information from the hotel owner or staff about the best places for dining, shopping, and entertainment deals—particularly if you’re unfamiliar with the city. However, conducting your own research is always advisable.

The reason is that what they see as the best might not truly be the best. They could just be suggesting places where they’ll receive commissions for bringing in new clients. Therefore, you can definitely ask for their suggestions, but make sure to verify the information by conducting your own research.

Humidify

Is the air in your room feeling a bit dry? This typically happens when the radiator or air conditioner is set to a high level, unless it’s due to the weather. Most of the time, it’s the AC or radiator causing it. And you might not want to turn it down.

You can humidify your room by using a damp towel. Place a luggage rack in front of the radiator or air conditioner and hang the towel over it. Ensure that the towel is wrung out to prevent water from dripping onto the floor.

The Front Desk Is Your Friend

Most people only interact with the hotel’s front desk when they are checking in and checking out. This is often because they are unaware of how helpful the front desk staff can be.

If you leave behind one or more items you use every day, you can contact the front desk and inquire. It’s likely they will have what you need. This might include a phone charger, a hair straightener, or a nail clipper. You can also request plates and dishware if you’ve brought food, or extra pillows and blankets.

Hygiene Matters

A common error made by almost everyone upon entering their hotel room is placing their bags directly on the bed. This is a bad decision and can make your hotel stay very uncomfortable. This applies even if you place the bag on the bedspread instead of the sheets.

Why shouldn’t you? Because if there are bed bugs in your luggage, they might quickly transfer to your bed. You definitely don’t want to experience the discomfort of sleeping on a bed infested with bedbugs.

Transfer Miles

It is always advised to book your flight using universal miles. This is because when you book with miles, the airline or travel agency provides you with points. This is highly beneficial for you, and also for the company.

You can exchange and transfer those points to book a hotel at a discounted rate or even for free. Transferring reward points for hotel reservations is simpler when using airlines or travel agencies that provide flight and hotel booking services.

Breakfast Butter Advice

When you reserve a hotel room, breakfast is almost always included. However, the butter that comes with breakfast is often too hard to spread. Some people prefer it that way, while others like it when it’s easy to spread.

How can you achieve that perfect butter spread you paid for and deserve? Soften the butter by placing it on top of the toaster while you toast your bread. This will make the butter melt and be warm enough for a delicious spread.

Remember To Tip

There is a saying: “money makes the world go round.” This is generally very true, and hotels are no exception. According to Ovolo Hotels, if you slip a $15 or $20 tip along with your card when checking in, and inquire about room upgrades, you might get one.

Observe and see the outcome. Even casually tipping the front desk staff or the bellboy might secure you top-notch services from the hotel and give you access to facilities that you might not otherwise be able to use.

Keep The Hotel Staff Informed

Informing the hotel about any special occasion you’re celebrating during your stay might earn you something special from them. Whether it’s a birthday, honeymoon, anniversary, or christening, it doesn’t matter.

Just inform the hotel ahead of time, and they might surprise you by sending chocolates or champagne to your room or even offer a complimentary upgrade. So, if you’re thinking of celebrating a special occasion during your hotel stay, remember to use this tip to treat yourself.

It’s OK To Complain A Bit (But Only A Bit)

If you believe that the hotel services are not up to standard, you can file a complaint with the hotel manager. For instance, if the room was not cleaned, the beds were not made, or there was no hot water in your room.

If you were dissatisfied with the services, speak to the manager and express your complaint in a polite and respectful manner, offering constructive feedback. Depending on the hotel, they might compensate you by providing a discount or an upgrade. By voicing your complaint, you would also be assisting the hotel in enhancing the quality of its services.

A Simple Tip For Avoiding Bed Bugs

You can never be too careful about hotel rooms. Since it’s not your home, you have no clue about the type of insects or pests that might be hidden in the room. A good rule of thumb for hotel accommodations, particularly the more affordable ones, is to steer clear of the hotel bedding.

Bring your own bedding and place the hotel’s bedspread in the corner. If that isn’t possible, look up online reviews of the hotel for feedback on the room conditions. Use the reviews to decide whether to stay at the hotel or choose a different one.

Fix Your Foggy Mirror

It’s frustrating when you’re trying to use the mirror, and it continuously fogs up. This could happen when you need to shave, style your hair, or put on makeup. A fast way to clear the fog from your mirror is to cover it with shaving cream or rub a bar of soap on it, then wipe it clean with a dry cloth.

This will eliminate the fog and keep the mirror clear for a few weeks. If you have a hairdryer, you can also use it to quickly remove the fog from the mirror. Set the hairdryer to low heat and point it directly at the mirror for optimal results.

Keep Your “Do Not Disturb” Sign On The Door

The “Do Not Disturb” sign has multiple uses beyond the “obvious” one. Leaving the sign on your door can lead people to believe you are in the room, even if you aren’t. Additionally, things aren’t as clear as they might seem.

It can stop people from invading your privacy, keep out the housekeeper, and discourage thieves from entering your room to steal your belongings. Overall, the “Do Not Disturb” sign helps to ensure your personal space stays yours and maintains peace and quiet.

Be On A Lookout For Better Hotel Deals

When planning a hotel stay, it’s important to explore various options. The more thoroughly you search, the more likely you are to discover hotel offers that are significantly better than the first one you noticed. Numerous hotel deals and booking websites are available online. Utilize these resources to gain free benefits or secure hotel rooms at reduced prices or even at no cost.

Even after reserving a hotel, you can continue looking. Hotels are usually willing to issue a refund as long as you haven’t checked in yet. Therefore, if you discover a better offer, you can request a refund. If you don’t, you can stick with your existing reservation. In any case, you won’t be at a loss.

Cooking In Your Hotel Room

If you’re traveling on a budget, you’ll want to find ways to reduce your food expenses. Thankfully, foods like ramen or instant noodles, or bread and eggs are quite affordable. However, the challenge lies in how to cook them. Two tools that are commonly available for cooking are a coffee pot and an iron.

You can cook ramen using the coffee pot. Just boil water with the coffee pot and add your ramen noodles. The iron works great for cooking eggs and heating English muffins. Cover the hot iron with a piece of foil and place your eggs on top.

Are There Bonuses?

Hotel credit cards can provide access to upgrades and perks that are typically available only to top-level guests. These cards are offered by hotels upon request, and they are often inclined to offer incentives if you use the card for purchases with them.

You can receive substantial welcome bonuses, automatic elite status, and VIP benefits, such as free room upgrades and late checkouts. Experts like Matt Kepnes, a global traveler since 2006, believe that hotel credit cards are valuable. Therefore, consider trying them out to cut down on expenses for hotel stays and services.

Take Care Of Your Valuables

When staying in a hotel, you should avoid leaving your valuables like mobile devices, a PC, a wallet, or keys in the room when you go out. Many people have done this and returned to find their valuables missing.

Being in such a situation can be disheartening. Try your best to avoid it. Whenever you leave your room, take your valuables with you and, if possible, lock your luggage with padlocks.

Notifications For Discounts

Constantly browsing through multiple hotel booking sites to stay updated on price trends can be a hassle. Technology has removed the need for such repetitive actions, so you no longer have to go through all that just to monitor prices.

Simply register for updates on the booking website or enable notifications on the mobile app. This way, you’ll receive push notifications on your phone or emails whenever there are changes in room prices. The site will also inform you about various discounts and special offers.

Divide One Bed Into Two

Bed-sharing can be a source of frustration when staying in a hotel with your family. Children typically dislike sharing a bed and may argue with their siblings over who gets more space. Additionally, if your partner tends to toss and turn, it may hinder your ability to sleep well.

You can solve all this by equally dividing the bed yourself. Use a couple of pillows as a divider. If there aren’t enough pillows in the room, you can call the front desk and ask for more.

Anti-Wrinkle Method

Does your shirt or dress need ironing? If you didn’t bring an iron, you can quickly grab one from the front desk. But if you’re short on time, try steaming your wrinkled shirt or dress in the shower for a quick fix.

Before taking a shower, hang the clothing item near the shower and turn up the water temperature to generate steam. Let it sit for several minutes, and the wrinkles will naturally fade. A hairdryer can also achieve the same effect. Simply move it up and down over the clothing. You can do the same with a steamer. Just call downstairs to request a steamer.

Charge Your Phone With The TV Set

Sometimes, when you travel to different locations, the electrical outlets may not match those you use at home. Without a travel adapter for your phone charger, you could quickly find your device running low on battery, potentially disconnecting you from the internet.

Thankfully, the majority of modern televisions come equipped with USB ports on the side or back, allowing you to charge your phone. Simply connect your phone using its charger cable. This should save you from having to purchase an adapter.

Be Environmentally Friendly

When taking international trips, experts suggest always bringing a water bottle with you. In some countries, the price of water might be higher than what you pay at home. This can help you easily avoid these costs.

Bring your water bottle and refill it at a water cooler when it’s empty. Additionally, taking a water bottle with you helps lower your carbon footprint and stops you from polluting the environment since you won’t need to purchase plastic bottled water packs.

The Perfect Time To Pack

It can be annoying when you start unpacking in your hotel room and realize you’ve forgotten some important items at home. A good rule of thumb for traveling is to pack the night before. Create a list of the items you need and check them off as you pack.

If you decide to pack on the day of your travel, there’s a good chance you’ll forget a couple of items. Additionally, packing the night before your trip helps you stay organized, remain calm, and ensures you’re punctual for your flight, bus, or train.

Laundry Trick

Having your clothes washed by the hotel housekeeping service can be costly and could disrupt your budget. If you’ve run out of clean clothes and urgently need some cleaned, try washing them in your bathroom sink or tub. It may not be very convenient, but it’s certainly better than having no clean clothes at all.

Block the drain with coins and plastic, fill the sink or tub with warm water and soap, and hand wash the clothes. It may be inconvenient, but it saves money and helps you stick to your budget.

Look for Business Hotels

As you may already know, there are various types of hotels, each providing services customized for their guests. For instance, a business hotel often includes free WIFI in its pricing packages because its guests are typically business travelers.

A regular hotel may not provide the same because its main focus is on guests who are just passing through. No matter what kind of traveler you are, experts suggest booking at a business hotel to access deals you might not find at a standard hotel.

Avoid Extra Fees When Paying By Card

Here’s a tip to remember when traveling: always make sure you’re charged in the local currency. Why? Paying in a foreign currency may result in the service provider adding an additional percentage to your bill, leading to higher costs.

Additionally, your bank will impose a 1-5% fee for converting the money into the local currency. Ultimately, you could end up paying twice the amount compared to being charged in the local currency. This applies to flight and hotel bookings as well as dining at restaurants.

Feedback Matters

If you’ve stayed at a hotel and had a negative experience, it’s beneficial to speak with the hotel manager. According to Wise Bread, a traveler once emailed the hotel manager regarding her initial experience at the establishment.

Since then, she has consistently been upgraded to the king suite whenever she stays there. Informing the manager about your experience could provide future benefits and upgrades. However, don’t overuse this tactic, as nobody appreciates the ‘Karen attitude’ involving a lot of yelling and coming across as entitled. Be as polite as you can be.

Look for Price Guarantees on Booking Sites

Many travelers often miss out on the best price guarantees because they involve various loopholes. Nonetheless, by understanding how these guarantees operate, you could receive up to a 50% discount on your bookings. Therefore, it might be beneficial to do some research before purchasing your tickets.

Typically, the process involves booking a room through a hotel booking site. Then, find another booking site offering the same benefits at a lower price, and submit your claim to the original booking site. They will verify your claim and provide you with the difference as a discount.

Offer To Give The Hotel A Good Review

Letting the hotel know that you plan to leave a review after your stay might encourage them to provide excellent service. When you check in, inquire with the front desk if the hotel is listed on TripAdvisor and mention that you intend to share your experience.

This could possibly motivate the hotel staff to provide you with an upgrade or other benefits that you will really appreciate. However, ensure they don’t suspect it’s a trick to get a discount, as it shouldn’t be.

Binge-Watch Your Favorite Shows On The Hotel TV

Are you already missing your favorite TV shows and looking to watch them on a larger screen? You can connect any of your devices to the hotel TV and stream them. Just check if the hotel TV has an HDMI port and if there’s WIFI access in your room.

Sign into your Netflix account on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, and link it to the TV using an HDMI cable. With this setup, you can enjoy binge-watching your favorite shows on a larger screen. If you’re without an HDMI cable, you might inquire at the front desk, as they likely have some available.

Book Everything In Advance

Many individuals often go straight to the hotel to check in without making any prior reservations. They are missing out on discounts and benefits by doing so. It’s advisable to book a hotel along with your ticket when traveling.

Many booking platforms provide great deals if you book through them, which might not be available when you check in at the front desk. Ovolo Hotels suggests that it’s preferable to make reservations directly through the hotel’s website or by calling the hotel. By doing so, you might receive better offers or perks than booking through a third party.

Put the Pressing Iron to Use

If you intend to take our advice and cook your own meals rather than using the hotel room service, you can use various appliances in your hotel room as cooking tools. With a little creativity, you can cook up a plan that will save you money.

A neat trick involves using a clothes iron. Put a piece of aluminum foil on it and use it to make toast or warm your meals. It’s fast, effective, and, let’s face it, pretty funny. However, be cautious since it’s still an electrical device…

Ask for Dishware

Do you plan to eat snacks or takeout while staying at the hotel to save money? However, you might be concerned about how to eat those snacks without dishware.

You can contact the front desk and request some cutlery and plates. They’ll gather whatever you need from the hotel restaurant and promptly bring them to your room. It’s far more convenient than eating your pasta out of a plastic container.

Make Use of Virtual Private Network

When searching for affordable flights or hotel offers, the top advice is to use a virtual private network (VPN). It’s fairly simple to do, even for those who aren’t good with computers, and you don’t need to be a tech expert like Neo from the Matrix to manage it.

Websites utilize cookies to monitor the actions of internet users. If they observe that you are frequently searching for hotels, they might raise their prices. However, by using a VPN, you can conceal your identity and stop websites from tracking your activities.

The Closer to The Airport, The Better

If you have an early flight, staying at a hotel near the airport could be a real lifesaver. Although it’s quite expensive, there are times when this is practically the only option unless you’re willing to spend hours sleeping on the floor in the middle of the airport.

Being near the airport could enable you to sleep longer and give you plenty of time to pack your bags without hurrying. Additionally, staying at hotels near the airport is sometimes less expensive and can help you save money on transportation.

Don’t Be Reckless

Simply using the “Do Not Disturb” sign isn’t sufficient; you should also lock your hotel room door. Although the sign may deter some from entering, it might not prevent cleaning staff from attempting to enter, particularly during designated cleaning times.

Locking the room from the inside would prevent any attempts to enter. If there’s a real keyhole in the door instead of the card systems commonly used today, the simplest solution is to leave the key in the keyhole from the outside.

Room Service

Frequently using room service can significantly impact your budget if you’re not cautious. We’re all familiar with how costly room service can be. Of course, we also know that it wasn’t included when we booked the room.

Take charge of your own dining experience by visiting the hotel’s restaurant to order your meal. If your research indicates the hotel lacks a restaurant, consider bringing foods that you can easily prepare in your room. We’re not suggesting you stop using room service altogether, but recommend using it judiciously.

A Paper Cup For Your Toothbrushes

It’s always anticipated that the hotel will have cleaned the room after a guest departs and before a new guest checks in. However, can you fully trust that the housekeeping staff has thoroughly done their job, particularly in the bathroom? Many hotels do not supply a toothbrush, and you wouldn’t want to set something that you put in your mouth in a place where cleanliness is uncertain.

To prevent that, take a paper or plastic cup, cut a hole in the bottom, and turn it upside down to serve as a toothbrush holder. This way, you can keep your toothbrush from making contact with bathroom surfaces and ensure it stays clean.