If you’ve ever seen any type of reality show or comedy where they use black lights on hotel room comforters, you know exactly how dirty they can be. Sheets and pillowcases get washed after every guest (or every couple of days, if you’re staying for an extended period of time.) Comforters, on the other hand, get put right back on the bed and straightened out to look acceptable.
If you care even a little bit about germs, you don’t want to lay anywhere near or around those things. Take them off, toss them on a chair or in a corner and sleep with the sheets and thin blanket.
Make Use of the Concierge
Hotel front desk people may not have entered into the hospitality industry because they love pleasing people, but that’s exactly why hotels exist. So, while they’re there, they’re supposed to help make your stay as easy and fun as possible. This means that if for any reason during your stay you find yourself lacking something that you need, you can call the front desk and they will do everything in their power to help remedy the situation.
They can also suggest the best restaurants and shopping in the area, etc., since they’re locals and will know the place well.
Be Nice, Even About Complaints
Even though it’s the concierge’s job to make you happy, that doesn’t mean you should lash out at them about everything that you’re unhappy with about your stay. If something is off, speak to them calmly about it, and don’t get too upset.
You don’t want to make the situation worse for yourself or your family. Plus, if you make friends with the front desk staff, your stay will be a lot more enjoyable – and you may even find yourself with some great upgrades!
Bring Slippers
Just like comforters, hotel floors are notoriously filthy. Some will be worse than others because 5-star resorts keep their floors a lot cleaner than some random motel on the side of the highway will. Even if they vacuum them every day, it’s likely that something will be lingering around, and you want to avoid stepping on it.
Never, ever walk around barefoot in hotel rooms. If you don’t want to keep your shoes on, bring a pair of slippers for when you’re ready to kick back and relax.
24-Hour Wake Up Calls
Almost every hotel offers wake-up calls, which are extremely handy to have when you’re traveling alone and you’ve got obligations, like business meetings in the morning. Of course, even if you’re just on vacation and don’t want to miss the tour you’ve got lined up with the kids the next day, take advantage of the hotel’s wake-up calls.
And, if you’ve got a job where you work remotely or have odd hours, you can request them for any time, day or night.