Funny enough, I was just doing some research on public opinion on another hotel etiquette topic, when I came across an interesting online discussion that caught me off guard.
In this post:
The extent to which some hotel guests help housekeeping
Housekeepers are among the hardest working and lowest paid people employed at hotels, and they deserve our respect and appreciation for what they do. In the United States, I think it’s fair to at least consider tipping them, in the context of our overall tipping culture.
I always try to leave my hotel room looking reasonably decent. Like, I’ll typically put towels on the bathroom floor or in the tub, and will make sure that things that belong in the trash are in the trash, etc. However, I stumbled upon a Facebook group (while Googling something else) where someone shares how before checking out of a hotel, she puts all the trash together, strips the bed, etc., and asks if that makes it easier or more difficult for housekeeping.
To be honest, the thought of stripping a hotel bed never even crossed my mind as something that a guest would consider doing. For that matter, I would assume that hotels don’t actually want us to see the condition of the mattress protector and comforter without the covers, since it’s probably not pretty.
I was expecting for the comments section to just have people saying “yeah, I don’t do that,” but nope. There are lots of people in the comments saying they do the same thing, and hotel housekeepers saying they appreciate when guests do that.
Some people in the comments section take it even further, and take their trash with them (though I’m not sure if this is out of kindness and respect, or paranoia):
Same but I go one step further and actually remove the trash. It’s the “leave no footprint” model and is probably more important than stripping the beds, the goal being there should be nothing identifying you as the person who stayed there (yes, trash can be an identifier).
The ulterior motive for stripping hotel beds
There’s another interestingly angle to this. Some people don’t just strip the hotel bed to make the lives of housekeepers easier, but instead, to make sure that they actually change the sheets between guests. One former hotel housekeeper comments the following:
I was a hotel maid for a while, it’s nice to have the wet towels on the bathroom floor. The bedspread should be put on a chair and the rest of the bedding on the floor somewhere. I, too always strip the bed because there are some maids who don’t change the sheets.
Indeed, we know that sheets don’t get changed between guests more often than you’d hope.
Bottom line
I was today years old when I learned that some hotel guests actually strip their own beds prior to checking out. I don’t assume it’s a significant percentage of people, but it does seem to happen. This is apparently done by some both to help housekeeping, and to make sure that they actually change sheets between guests.
Am I the only one who is surprised that some guests do this, or who never even considered this?
Hmm not sure if somebody mentioned it but you all might be making a lot more work for the housekeepers- many hotel beds have a layer of padding, or a mattress protector, or a bed skirt, or all of those.
Those don't get washed every time and don't need to come off.
If you mess those up in your zeal to pretend you're helping (but really shaming the work being done because "they might...
Hmm not sure if somebody mentioned it but you all might be making a lot more work for the housekeepers- many hotel beds have a layer of padding, or a mattress protector, or a bed skirt, or all of those.
Those don't get washed every time and don't need to come off.
If you mess those up in your zeal to pretend you're helping (but really shaming the work being done because "they might not be doing it"), you make life much harder for those hardworking people.
Many of those folks have a quota of rooms to clean per shift- you might be costing their jobs when they can't finish the required number.
To you ANTI-TIPPERS and ANTI-STRIPPERS: Only you people could be that uncaring about the difficulties of doing real labor at practically starvation wages. (And, you clearly identify yourselves as Republican voters!)
Strip the beds?! What's next? Buy them new drapes and replace the shower curtains? Vacuum the upholstery?
Where does the madness stop?
Ever left an iPad or anything else in the bed? Yep, that's a reason to strip the bed. Makes a laborer's day a little easier in the process. Win win!
Without being too graphic or over sharing - the only circumstances I have known anyone to do it was when ummm they were trying to hide the evidence of what was going on in their bed. Personally I think housekeeping people wouldn’t be able to hold to that job if they freaked out over sheet stains, but who know
I often pull the sheets off if I have the time but not because of the housekeeper but to be sure that the person renting the room after me gets a clean sheet to sleep on. Sadly, that’s not always the case and this one quick action can help deter a housekeeper from taking a short cut. You’re welcome! ;)
It’s like people who clean before the cleaner arrives.
I police up towels and trash but never strip bedding.
Well yes, this is how any civilised human would vacate their hotel accommodation.
The Sheraton Grand in Sacramento, Ca ran a contest where the prize was a free four-night future stay. On checkout, the guest would need to strip the bed and stack all towels neatly.
The proletariat do engage in some extreme hotel room activities while fully dressed and preparing to vacate their rooms.
Who in their right mind cleans their hotel room on checkout, or stacks their own dirty plates at a restaurant??! I swear you Americans are too much!! Always tipping, doing the employee's job, etc.!! Get your brains fixed!! You pay a TON to eat out and for hotels, then feel guilty and want to do the employee's job? You have a mental disorder!! In other countries, like Japan, eating out is much cheaper, there's NO...
Who in their right mind cleans their hotel room on checkout, or stacks their own dirty plates at a restaurant??! I swear you Americans are too much!! Always tipping, doing the employee's job, etc.!! Get your brains fixed!! You pay a TON to eat out and for hotels, then feel guilty and want to do the employee's job? You have a mental disorder!! In other countries, like Japan, eating out is much cheaper, there's NO TIPPING, foreign nice hotels are much cheaper than American chains, and service is friendly and impeccable!!! No American attitude!! No low class undesirable people who think they're victims!! It's because of guilty hole kissers like many Americans, and liberals, that you have bad service, teaching the staff and people in general the wrong idea!!! Wake up!!
As mentioned previously, I always strip the bed to ensure that no possession remains trapped in the bedding. But then I also have a bizarre compulsion to re-check every drawer, under furniture, cupboard etc. Maybe Ben, you should do a post on strategies for exiting aeroplane seats, hotel rooms, Lounges and other travel spaces to ensure that all possessions remain with their owner or am I the only obsessive?
Seriously?? What a strange post…and the responses are even more strange. I paid for a hotel room…and it’s services. I am an educated human being and put trash in the bin (like anyone) and leave a room in a normal condition when I leave. It’s no more simple nor complicated than that. What’s next, pull out the window cleaner and start mopping the floor? Get a grip people. And as someone above said already, if...
Seriously?? What a strange post…and the responses are even more strange. I paid for a hotel room…and it’s services. I am an educated human being and put trash in the bin (like anyone) and leave a room in a normal condition when I leave. It’s no more simple nor complicated than that. What’s next, pull out the window cleaner and start mopping the floor? Get a grip people. And as someone above said already, if one of the richest countries in the world can’t figure out how to pay its people properly, why is that my problem?
I don’t strip the beds; however, I always travel with large disposable garbage bags. I consolidate all trash into these bags when I leave the room.
Also,I don’t leave the dirty towels under the sink (as instructed). I drape them over the tub or sink so there is no bedding involved to pick them up.
I always leave a cash tip for housekeeping in the room even when daily housekeeping has not been...
I don’t strip the beds; however, I always travel with large disposable garbage bags. I consolidate all trash into these bags when I leave the room.
Also,I don’t leave the dirty towels under the sink (as instructed). I drape them over the tub or sink so there is no bedding involved to pick them up.
I always leave a cash tip for housekeeping in the room even when daily housekeeping has not been involved. Household is not an easy job and the people who do it are human being
I have been running a small company for cleaning vacation rentals on Maui for close to 30 years. All my cleaners prefer the sheets to be left on beds, since they do all laundry in the condo, and it's much easier to see stains and spot clean them on sheets and on pillow covers when they are still on the beds, versus picking them up, crumpled up in a pile on the floor, holding them...
I have been running a small company for cleaning vacation rentals on Maui for close to 30 years. All my cleaners prefer the sheets to be left on beds, since they do all laundry in the condo, and it's much easier to see stains and spot clean them on sheets and on pillow covers when they are still on the beds, versus picking them up, crumpled up in a pile on the floor, holding them in the light to actually see stains. What's even worse are the clean freaks, who make up the bed as if nobody ever slept in it. Because it's tempting. Was it used, or was it not used? It wouldn't be the first time I see perfectly looking beds with stained sheets.
I worked with housekeepers for 28 years and they will tell you it’s one of the nicest things you can do for them. Stripping 15-24 beds per day is one of the leading causes of carpal tunnel and related injuries. Housekeepers do this regularly when they stay at a hotel just before checking out. Yes, you still leave a tip if you do this.
NO, You do NOT leave a tip. It's the hotel owner's responsibility to pay their employees' wages, not the customer's. Customers are already paying way too much.
Why would you leave the towels on the floor so the room attendant has to bend down to pick them up? Imagine doing that 50 times a day. Leave them by the sink or on the (closed) toilet seat lid.
During a stay in Finnish Lapland we couldn't understand why housekeeping
didn't make up our bed each day. I asked at the Front Desk and was told
they wouldn't make the bed/change the sheets unless the guest threw the
bed linens on the floor. Who knew?
It's usually a thing I'll do in Airbnb etc. but not in hotel. Don't ask me why? Probably because I look at hotel like a business while a Airbnb like a private owner giving away their home.
Many Airbnb's are being cleaned by the owners themselves so it more a appreciation to the owner helping them while hotels are a big business that employs people to work there and they get paid for their work.
I definitely keep hotel rooms tidy. But I don't strip bedding and don't take out the trash while Airbnb I do.
So you help out rich multi-homeowners but not minimum wage employees. Very interesting. SAD!
Hyatt hotels management instruct housekeepers not to change sheets if they look clean and crisp? I rarely stay in franchise hotels because I am all in supporting local livelihood, such as local hotels, restaurants and tour companies. I notice that local hotel staff strip used linens and put them in a big bin in the hallways. Do not take your anger out on the lowest paid employees when you pay in excess of $300/ a...
Hyatt hotels management instruct housekeepers not to change sheets if they look clean and crisp? I rarely stay in franchise hotels because I am all in supporting local livelihood, such as local hotels, restaurants and tour companies. I notice that local hotel staff strip used linens and put them in a big bin in the hallways. Do not take your anger out on the lowest paid employees when you pay in excess of $300/ a night but a non union housekeeper earns minimum wage without benefits. As for restaurant, when I dine out with others, I rather have "take out" order than dine out alone, we normally clean all left over food on one plate and stack up the rest.
Before checking out, I will pick up all hair and trash on bathroom floor and put in a trash can, wipe down mirror with a towel and put all towels and bath matt in the sink so housekeepers will not need to bend down. I put away all extra pillows in the closet so they know I do not use them and need not be washed. I do not bring food and drink in the room so there is virtually no trash. I leave nothing on the floor, except shoes, so I won't check out uninvited guests with me to spread to other hotels and especially my home. But I do not strip linens. I was raised never lay on bedspreads but always underneath the sheets so there is no need to wash bedspreads that often. However, I notice more than 80% Americans don't,
especially all Spanish speakers.
I have met and talked to many German, French, Thai and Filipina college students who work for big chain hotels in US in the summer, via Au-pair referral. Management allots them half an hour to clean each room, be it a suite or standard room. The work volume is heavy, especially when a family with kids stay in a suite. They work for three months and take two to four weeks off traveling the country before heading back to homes and colleges.
Don't put the bath mat from the floor in the sink. That's nasty! Just stop trying to be "helpful" and let housekeeping do their job. You aren't really helping anything. Keep in mind, that sink likely won't be really disinfected before the next guest -- hotel housekeeping is more about the mere appearance of cleanliness than actual cleanliness. In other words, tidyness. Sure, don't leave the room a total mess, but it won't make any...
Don't put the bath mat from the floor in the sink. That's nasty! Just stop trying to be "helpful" and let housekeeping do their job. You aren't really helping anything. Keep in mind, that sink likely won't be really disinfected before the next guest -- hotel housekeeping is more about the mere appearance of cleanliness than actual cleanliness. In other words, tidyness. Sure, don't leave the room a total mess, but it won't make any difference if you put the towels in the sink, wipe the mirror, or consolidate trash, unless you have tons of it.
I oversaw housekeeping at a 500-room Sheraton, and our union contract allowed each room attendant to have 3 rooms stripped per day by the houseman, which included stripping bed and removing all linen and trash from the room. Of course the room attendants (housekeepers) loved this and some nicely asked for more rooms to be stripped. Room attendants would wait until they had seen all their rooms so they could call me to get the...
I oversaw housekeeping at a 500-room Sheraton, and our union contract allowed each room attendant to have 3 rooms stripped per day by the houseman, which included stripping bed and removing all linen and trash from the room. Of course the room attendants (housekeepers) loved this and some nicely asked for more rooms to be stripped. Room attendants would wait until they had seen all their rooms so they could call me to get the worst three rooms stripped. I offer helped and stripped many rooms per day. My point is, stripping your room is very helpful. I always put all my trash, recycles, and linen by the door in separate piles. Many housekeepers collect bottles for the deposit. I feel like this puts a smile of relief on their face when they see my room. I also often take my trash with me because the trash receptacles on their carts are so small.
A union organizer once told me to make sure towels and sheets and what not are all left on top of the bed, as housekeepers get back injuries from having to bend down to pick things up off the floor all day. He made no mention of stripping the sheets.
I don’t know if it’s true, but I’ve been doing it for over a decade.
You might wanna find out if it’s true rather than continuing to do it…
For the bedding, I wonder if it’s truly helpful for the housekeeping department if every piece of bedding (fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillowcases, duvet, etc) are all piled up together when everything has to go through the wash though.
Kind of reminds me how people try to be helpful with waiters at restaurants by piling up all the dishes because every waiter has their own way of collecting dirty dishes/ utensils and especially some...
For the bedding, I wonder if it’s truly helpful for the housekeeping department if every piece of bedding (fitted sheet, flat sheet, pillowcases, duvet, etc) are all piled up together when everything has to go through the wash though.
Kind of reminds me how people try to be helpful with waiters at restaurants by piling up all the dishes because every waiter has their own way of collecting dirty dishes/ utensils and especially some don’t appreciate the stacking if there is leftover food that gets stuck in between stacked plates.
I usually put all my trash in a single shopping bag to start with anyway (I sometimes do a lot of shopping like certain French skincare for example when abroad so need to consolidate and take things out of their packaging to save space in suitcase) because the trash cans in hotels are tiny anyway and I drink lots of water/ soda and end up with tons of empty bottles/cans.
I’ll put the towels...
I usually put all my trash in a single shopping bag to start with anyway (I sometimes do a lot of shopping like certain French skincare for example when abroad so need to consolidate and take things out of their packaging to save space in suitcase) because the trash cans in hotels are tiny anyway and I drink lots of water/ soda and end up with tons of empty bottles/cans.
I’ll put the towels etc in a single pile either in tub/ shower because it’s easier to spot any thing I may have left by accident (like contact lens case, makeup item) on the sink.
In short, what I do is mostly done by me by accident or pure convenience for me not for staff but if it helps them as well, oh well.
A bit off topic, but you spoke about leaving packaging for cosmetics. Not sure, if it's similar in France, but in Germany you can leave all packaging in the shop, where you buy it. No questions asked, it's the law. It not only helps with recycling, but it's an incentive for companies to use as little packaging as possible.
I’m a tidy person and I very rarely leave a mess. The trash is in the trash can because that’s where I always put it. but housekeeping is included in the room rate, and I never felt bad or guilty about expecting something I paid for. If housekeeping has the time to do the annoying charging cable roll up thing, then they certainly have an extra 15 seconds to strip the bed sheets.
I pull the duvet and top sheet back to the bottom of the bed and place the pillows on top, takes no time at all, put all my rubbish in the bins and place used towels in the shower or bath.
I mean I strip the beds, largely because I'm trying to hide the...let's call it "adult-related" damage I've done to the sheets. And towels. And occasionally the comforters. I mean I'm sure they know anyway but on the off chance they ever start instituting some new "stain-charge" I'd rather try my little coverup by helping them to just dump it all in quickly with the other laundry.
RR - are you a male or female? Males’ “stains” aren’t that obvious. Females’ are.
Just curious!
I don't strip, but I pull the coverlet and topsheet down to the end of the bed and line them up so they're easy to remove (presuming they do remove them. It takes about 30 seconds of my morning, time I'd likely just be watching that terrible Marriott channel while my husband primps. It's a quick and easy thing to do to help housekeeping staff who have a lot of room to turnover. Same with...
I don't strip, but I pull the coverlet and topsheet down to the end of the bed and line them up so they're easy to remove (presuming they do remove them. It takes about 30 seconds of my morning, time I'd likely just be watching that terrible Marriott channel while my husband primps. It's a quick and easy thing to do to help housekeeping staff who have a lot of room to turnover. Same with piling the towels on the floor. Usually all on top of one of the bathsheets so they can be picked up in one fell swoop by grabbing the corners of the bottom towel.
I always strip the bed… because I bring my own sheets with me. I have skin issues and have to ensure that I sleep on sheets that use a certain detergent, so it’s easiest to bring my own.
And yes, sometimes the mattress doesn’t look amazing.
I leave the towels in a single pile on the bathroom floor. Trash is in the trashcans. I may or may not leave a $5 tip (more if multiple nights and they've done a better than average job). That's it.
Several people I know have gotten scabies from hotel beds. This was at name-brand upscale hotels. If the guest before you had scabies (which are mites that burrow under your skin and live there until you put on a pesticide cream for 12 hours to kill them), then you can easily catch them from the mattress or pillows even if the sheets were changed. Scabies is not uncommon and is estimated to affect between 100...
Several people I know have gotten scabies from hotel beds. This was at name-brand upscale hotels. If the guest before you had scabies (which are mites that burrow under your skin and live there until you put on a pesticide cream for 12 hours to kill them), then you can easily catch them from the mattress or pillows even if the sheets were changed. Scabies is not uncommon and is estimated to affect between 100 million to 300 million people every year, but a person might not even know they have them until a week or more after being infected when they start itching like crazy (due to the mites laying eggs in burrows under your skin). It's not something you can see with the naked eye (like bed bugs), and you can catch them from infected upholstery, towels, beds, etc. Ever since learning about this, whenever I check into a hotel, I always put down a vinyl fitted cover on top of whatever sheets they have on the bed, then get new sheets and a new comforter to put on top. I also put the pillows in plastic "anti-allergen" covers and then put on new pillow cases. Takes an extra 5-10 minutes and have to request housekeeping to bring a set of sheets, but better safe than sorry. Plus, most hotel mattresses and pillows have been slept on and sweated on by hundreds or thousands of people already, so it's better to avoid direct contact with them.
Nut. Job.
I think you would be better off not leaving your home. Or live in a plastic bubble.
Up until a few months ago I would have called you crazy too, but my best friend stayed at a 4 star property and started itching badly a few days later. Her doc said she contracted scabies. She’s a total clean freak and worked as a housekeeper in a five star hotel in college. Sooooo gross! Now I’m wondering what I should do to prevent this happening to me when I travel. YUCK!!!
I do the same as Tom. Just takes a few minutes. Anyone who sleeps on (possibly dirty) hotel sheets and (definitely dirty) hotel mattresses is just ignorant and doesn't know about all the bacteria, viruses, fungi, parasitic mites, and so on that they're exposing themselves to while sleeping for 8 hours.
Don’t strip away the bed and definitely don’t tip housekeeping. Not my problem that the richest country in the world can’t figure out how to pay hard working people a living wage.
People are getting crazy. You are paying for the service. I never leave the room messy (trash is in the trash can, no vomit on the floor, etc), but I'm also not gonna do extra work someone else is being paid for.
The proletariat might well indulge in such trivia, however, I know of no one who would admit to such a practice.
Love your cosplay as an international sophisticate, ARPS.
Other than 2020, I’ve stayed 100+ nights in a hotel for the last 23 years. In that time I would say tha airfares have roughly doubled, maybe 2.5x. But hotel prices have 3-4x. Particularly since 2020 and particularly at 3.5-5* properties (whilst the point redemption values have cratered at 2-3x that pace). At the same time I have moved basically totally away from carrying cash. Please explain to me what I’m supposed to re tipping...
Other than 2020, I’ve stayed 100+ nights in a hotel for the last 23 years. In that time I would say tha airfares have roughly doubled, maybe 2.5x. But hotel prices have 3-4x. Particularly since 2020 and particularly at 3.5-5* properties (whilst the point redemption values have cratered at 2-3x that pace). At the same time I have moved basically totally away from carrying cash. Please explain to me what I’m supposed to re tipping housekeeping. I mean I 100% understand what’s going on but there’s a breaking point, no?
I don't strip the beds, but I do like to leave as tidy as possible.
A family friend works at a midrange Hyatt. She doesn't like the beds stripped because the preference (ie order from management) is not to change sheets unless visibly dirty.
I run a small guest house and it delights me when I enter a room to find the bed already stripped - a little bundle of joy. But it's barely 5% of guests who do this (and I still have to check to make sure they're not hiding any stains that need extra cleaning or might incur a penalty.)
Where are you fining guests? What kind of stains make you think that’s appropriate?
While these people are at it, why not clean the whole room.
Yeah. Might as well vacuum the corridor, because why not.
When traveling with family, I remove the sheets to make sure no toys are lost in the bed and also to support the maid.
When traveling alone, I still make the bed before checking out and put all used towels on a pile to support the maid but also to make sure that i didn’t forget anything
Why would you make the bed? Doesn’t that create more work?
I haven't done that, but I sure as hell DO check the bedspread, covers, sheets, etc to see if anything suggests they haven't been changed, before hopping in.