We all have our routines in life. If you’re a frequent hotel guest, odds are that there are some habits that you’ve picked up over the years, whether logical or not. In this post, I thought it would be fun to share some of my habits when staying at a hotel. I think some of these make sense, while others might be a little strange.
I’ll share mine below, in no particular order, and I’d love for OMAAT readers to share their habits in the comments section, to see how they compare…
In this post:
Enter the room slowly, and make a noise
When you check into a hotel room, you expect that it will be empty and properly serviced. However, sometimes mistakes happen. I remember several years ago entering my hotel room for the first time after a long flight, only to find the room occupied.
Ever since, I open the door very slowly when first entering the room, and maybe say “hello” or something along those lines, to make sure there’s no one in there. Fortunately it hasn’t been an issue since, but the one experience was enough to traumatize me. 😉
Take a picture of the hotel room number
When you check into a hotel, you’ll typically give your key in an envelope that has the room number written on it. As soon as I get to my room, I take a picture of the room number (either the placard by the door, or the key envelope), and then discard the envelope.
Why do I get rid of the envelope with the room number? Well, it’s easy enough to lose a room key, and the last thing you want to do is have someone else with not only your room key, but also your room number.
Check alarm clocks immediately
As much as housekeeping does a good job cleaning rooms at most places, all too often they don’t seem to check if alarm clocks have been turned off. So I always check clocks to make sure that they’re not set. Then again, given that I get up unpleasantly early no matter where I am, alarm clocks typically don’t actually wake me up, but they do startle me.
I’m hardly the most tech savvy person on earth, but I’m kind of amazed that people still use in-room alarm clocks, given that anyone’s phone can function as an alarm. They are slowly being phased out at many hotels, which I frankly don’t mind.
Check the air conditioning & shower
When you arrive in your hotel room, you hope that everything is functioning as promised. However, all too often that’s not the case. So the first thing I’ll do when I get to a hotel room is checking the air conditioning as well as the shower to make sure that they’re both working correctly.
You don’t want to find out that the air conditioning isn’t working late at night when you go to bed, and when there may be no rooms you can be moved to. Similarly, you don’t want to only find out the shower is having issues when you’re rushed in the morning prior to departing.
Use the deadbolt whenever in the room
Without exception, I always use the deadbolt when I’m in the room. This is just a basic safety protocol, since there are all kinds of people who may otherwise be able to access your room. So whether it’s the day or the middle of the night, I always have the deadbolt in use.
Use the “do not disturb” sign when in the room
I realize some people will disagree with me on this, but I almost always have the “do not disturb” sign on when I’m in the room. When it comes to hotel housekeeping, my strategy is to just let the hotel know when I’m leaving the room so that it can be serviced, rather than having housekeeping constantly checking to see if it’s a good time for my room to be cleaned.
The only time I won’t use the “do not disturb” sign is if I just arrived, and if I’m expecting there might be a welcome amenity delivered, or something along those lines.
Check the closet and under the bed
I admit that this falls into the “strange” category. Once I arrive in a hotel room, I always check both the closets and under the bed. I recognize that this is probably entirely irrational, but you’ve gotta make sure there are no ghosts or other weird spirits there. I’m totally serious, by the way (well, about checking… I’m not sure why I do so, though).
I know other people look for hidden cameras and other things, but that’s not something I do, personally.
Never slam hotel room doors
This is more of a “golden rule” policy of mine than anything else, but it’s something I do religiously. When staying in a hotel, it’s easy to assume (or hope?) that sound insulation is good. Often it isn’t. I can’t count the number of times I’ve been woken up by other people in nearby rooms closing their doors loudly in the middle of the night.
So whenever I exit my room, I always try to close the door manually and quietly, rather than just letting it slam. This also serves another purpose, so I can make sure that the door is closed correctly. Similarly, I try to keep my voice down in the hallway.
Use the gym to get free water
I drink a lot of water. I’m not a water diva, and I’m happy to drink tap water anywhere that it’s safe to do so. That being said, sometimes I end up in places where it’s not safe, and then you find that a hotel only gives you a couple of bottles per day.
While some hotels are happy to send up more water complimentary, others aren’t. Regardless, my approach is to typically just go to the hotel gym to get water, since it’s almost always readily available there. 
Consider tipping housekeeping
The topic of tipping hotel housekeeping is controversial. I’m not trying to open that whole can of worms, but rather am sharing that tipping housekeeping is part of my hotel routine. Admittedly it depends on whether I’m traveling to, but it’s something I try to do in the United States, since I know what economic conditions are like for housekeepers, and what our general tipping culture is like.
The reality is that hotel housekeepers are among the hardest working and lowest paid employees at hotels. While the bellmen are often tipped simply for briefly handling luggage or opening a door, housekeepers do a lot more for guests, but aren’t rewarded as often. I guess it comes down to “out of sight, out of mind.”
While I don’t travel with much cash, I try to bring some small amounts of money with me to tip hotel housekeeping, as a gesture of appreciation for the hard work they do.
Bottom line
We all have our habits in life, so I figured it would be fun to share some of my habits when staying at hotels, and compare those to others. I think some of these make perfect sense, while others perhaps border on paranoia. Then again, who doesn’t have some strange rituals?
What are your hotel habits, and how do they compare to mine?
Thank you for this thoughtful list, Ben. With several trips coming up later this year (involving five lodgings overall), this article is a gentle reminder to travel safely and efficiently.
Adding a personal habit:
Before traveling, I locate the nearest grocery store/booze shop near the hotel. Drinking in the room is often cheaper than at the hotel bar.
Since when is tipping housekeeping controversial. It’s basic human decency.
Basic human decency would be paying employees a fair salary for their work. It`s nothing bad tipping for excellent service, if one pleases.
Imagine your boss saying "In the last year you did a great job, David. I will suggest to our clients to tip you". This is what many hotels do.
How do you handle hotels with no deadbolt? All US bloggers seem to mention using deadbolt as an absolutely essential thing but it's not omnipresent in the rest of the world and for example here in Europe, there are quite a few hotels, including upscale chain brands, that simply don't have any.
Any specific examples? Stayed in so many hotels in Europe, never lacked a deadbolt...
I always quasi make the bed every day. It is just part of my routine at home so therefore extends when I am travelling. The other thing I do is always turn all the lights off whenever I leave the room.
I am not from the US so don't understand tipping in general but in terms of housekeeping I am clean and never make a mess and always at the end of the stay will...
I always quasi make the bed every day. It is just part of my routine at home so therefore extends when I am travelling. The other thing I do is always turn all the lights off whenever I leave the room.
I am not from the US so don't understand tipping in general but in terms of housekeeping I am clean and never make a mess and always at the end of the stay will put all the towels together, not leave stuff on the floor, bed will be made etc. but then again in the US wait staff do almost nothing extra and get a 'free' 15 - 20%.
Making the bed doesn't really help housekeeping on checkout since they have to "unmake" the bed anyway.
When I leave hotel rooms early in the morning or late at night I always use the key card to unlock the door before closing it, then you can twist the handle and close the door silently. Makes me feel better to know I'm not waking someone up!
When I check into my room, I put my luggage in the shower or tub, just in case any unwanted creatures have hopped a ride.
For the in-room kettle/coffee pot, when available, I boil a few pots of water to give it a nice rinse.
Taking a pic of the room number plaque doesn't always work when you're in 420 (woo.) and someone thought they needed a souvenir.
In the shower I check to see which one is the shampoo and which is the gel, because if I don't have my glasses on, I cannot read the bottles when I am taking a shower.
Does it matter? They're all full of semen according to the thought leader in travel.
I always indicate “do not disturb” when I leave, especially for short stays of 1-2 nights. Too much theft happens in hotels, including high-end ones. I’m also very clean and don’t use all the amenities up that quickly, and oftentimes don’t need anything replenished until I checkout. So why risk having someone be tempted by your items - including makeup (which has been stolen from my room from a very expensive hotel in London!) - it’s not worth it.
Straight into the bathroom and turn the shower on! scolding hot preferably and leave for 5 mins to kill any fungal spores that may be lurking. I know but you asked :-)
First thing I do when entering a new Hotel is to look for the snack cubby/store or find the vending machines on my hall. Then always slowly enter the room with noise. I have had multiple experiences of people either in the room when I entered or their stuff all over the place. Next, I put out the "do not disturb" sign and never take it off until I am leaving for good. I don't...
First thing I do when entering a new Hotel is to look for the snack cubby/store or find the vending machines on my hall. Then always slowly enter the room with noise. I have had multiple experiences of people either in the room when I entered or their stuff all over the place. Next, I put out the "do not disturb" sign and never take it off until I am leaving for good. I don't ever want anyone entering my room while I'm staying there. Next is to turn down the air conditioning and check the blinds on the windows. Then I look in the fridge to make sure they cleaned it out. I do enjoy checking out the soaps to see what brands they are offering and what I'll smell like the next few days. But reading this post, it seems I really need to start looking under the covers for bugs.
First thing my daughter does, is look to see how far away the closest Starbucks is. My wife only cares about there being a lap pool and she wants to see if before we check in. And I can tell you, lap pools are not that prevalent out there.
“Multiple occasions with people already in my room”. Sure you’re not staying in hostels, mate? #bullcrap monitor on red alert
Glad it has never happened to you. And yes, once was a hotel while visiting Mt Rushmore, so I am sure their computer system isn’t that advanced. But the others were at a Hilton and Marriott’s.
The mt Rushmore replacement room had a dead roach on the pillow. I wasn’t sure in the end if I’d rather share a room with the roach or the stranger, but figured the stranger probably had roaches too :)
"I have had multiple experiences of people either in the room when I entered or their stuff all over the place."
Dude, same.
Two times where I walked in on couples who thank god were not amorous at the time; they were super freaked out. One time where I walked in on some business guy taking a Zoom call on his laptop in his boxers. I laugh about it now but in America this...
"I have had multiple experiences of people either in the room when I entered or their stuff all over the place."
Dude, same.
Two times where I walked in on couples who thank god were not amorous at the time; they were super freaked out. One time where I walked in on some business guy taking a Zoom call on his laptop in his boxers. I laugh about it now but in America this kind of thing can get you shot.
I've actually probably had about a dozen times where someone tried to enter my room in the late afternoon or early evening, someone who was given the same room and had just checked in. Not like a late night mistake or something. I always engage the security latch.
Double room assignments happen all the time.
(BTW I'm in the Triangle, too. Crazy, crazy storm today!)
#11 Hotel Habit - check the hotel restaurant's menu beforehand to make sure they serve avacado toast. :)
For me, I'd tip housekeeping when I made room extra dirty, or they did something above and beyond (Like folding my clothes left on bed)
It's really small amount comparing to say tipping in restaurant, but makes people's days much better.
This is not a checking in habit of mine but a habit while I'm staying, it's something I started doing last year and I'm ashamed that I didn't think of it earlier.
When I am in my room (I am male), and I have to have a female hotel staff member come to my room (usually room service dropping something off, sometimes housekeeping having to clean something quickly), I NEVER have them in the...
This is not a checking in habit of mine but a habit while I'm staying, it's something I started doing last year and I'm ashamed that I didn't think of it earlier.
When I am in my room (I am male), and I have to have a female hotel staff member come to my room (usually room service dropping something off, sometimes housekeeping having to clean something quickly), I NEVER have them in the room with me and have the door completely closed. If it's room service I'll answer the door, tell them where to place the tray, and stand there holding the door open the entire time they are in the room, they bring me the bill to sign at the door, and they are on their way. If for some reason it's not quick like that, for example sometimes a housekeeper has to come in for something for a few minutes and I'm not going to stand at the door I will activate the deadbolt while the door is open and let the door shut, but the deadbolt keeps it from closing and latching, allowing anyone to still be able to get in if the housekeeper yelled for help.
None of this is to protect me from false accusations by hotel staff, it is to give peace of mind to females who are forced to go into rooms with strange men as part of their jobs. Unfortunately women are sexually harassed/assaulted way too often, even more so in hotels, so if I can at all do even one tiny thing to make them feel even a bit safer, which I do by ensuring that they are never locked in a room with me, a man they don't know, then I am happy to do it.
I get that housekeeping works really hard, but tipping? You should probably never do this because if someone inadvertently leaves money somewhere by accident, housekeeping may consider it a tip and take it.
Seriously, tipping culture needs to be abolished. Hotels are already hideously expensive. I pay the hotel for the room, I expect them to pay their staff a decent wage. I am not the employer of the staff, I am not responsible...
I get that housekeeping works really hard, but tipping? You should probably never do this because if someone inadvertently leaves money somewhere by accident, housekeeping may consider it a tip and take it.
Seriously, tipping culture needs to be abolished. Hotels are already hideously expensive. I pay the hotel for the room, I expect them to pay their staff a decent wage. I am not the employer of the staff, I am not responsible to pay their wages directly or even top them up.
Tips are supposed to be for exceptional service. Not just for turning up and doing your job. Lots of people do thankless work and don't get a tip. Call centre workers don't get tips. Garbage men don't get tips. The people who work at sewerage plants don't get tips. So why the hell should a person paid to make beds and push a vacuum get one?
Putting luggage on bathroom tile and then checking bed (mattress, below mattress, headboard) for bed bugs is my personal top priority upon entering hotel room
My alarm clock strategy is to simply unplug it! The bit of light from it bothers me in an otherwise dark room when trying to fall asleep, so I solve for that plus the risk of it being set in one go. I do the hotel gym for water strategy as well -- at Hyatt properties I'll take the two bottles from my status benefits but then refill those plus my reusable throughout my stay.
yes! same here. and the microwave with its blinding blue or green lights. and some masking tape for the tv led…
That doesn’t always work. I was in the Andaz Singapore I unplugged the alarm clock and it still went off at 5am (battery backup) so I had to turn on the lights, plug it back in to get the screen to come on, and then disable it which wasn’t simple. It was the alarm from hell. Several times I’d thought I’d disabled it only for it to start again 5 or so minutes later.
Tipping housekeeping is for non-US people not something normal. Lately housekeeping does not do "such an excellent job" as the article would like to point out, and if the hotels think this job needs rewarding (now you even get a QR-code to tip "our hardworking" staff), why do they not pay them well then? Business would still be profitable, perhaps 0.01% less profits, though...
Sorry, naive non-US thinking...
I always use deadbolts
Always tip housekeeping. But now hotels are doing the we only clean every other day; only when you request service, I am tipping less.
Always use slippers
Wipe down the toilet seat before use.
Remove comforter or spreads and I ask housekeeping not to return them to the bed if they are servicing.
Check if there is a smell of smoking in room. If there is, I request a room change.
Not slamming the door is something I wish more people would pick up on.
Oh yeah, that and not yelling/screaming/facetiming in the hallway at any hour. We can only dream!
Look on the app to see which rooms (suites) they’re still selling before checking in and asking for an upgrade (with status)
Pray to the Loyalty Gods that St. Sebastian would grant me a wish of compensation right at the Lobby.
Good one!
I hope more people than just me get the reference.
Whenever I leave the hotel room, I have my hand in my pocket holding my hotel key card. Makes sure I don’t get locked out.
When traveling I carry a small kind of wallet with a zipper where I put my hotel key card (beside some other cards). When leaving the room I keep that wallet open and look at the key card until I have closed the door. Then I close the zipper and stow away the wallet (in jacket, belt bag or whatever).
I even say to myself, "I have my key with me, it is right here." ;-)
Aside from the gym for free water, I do every single one of these things every time I'm at a hotel. You're not alone. LOL
Economic situation for a housekeeper in the US is almost certainly better than the economic situation of a housekeeper in Mexico. Food for thought.
Wow!
What great insight!
When you put it that way, that changes...nothing about the piece as written!
Now tell us that these are "first world problems" as dismissively as you can!
In mid range hotels with ‘motel style’ AC systems, I check the filters. If they are dirty, I remove them so the AC will work better. I check the mattress to make sure it’s clean and no signs of bedbugs. If I smell cigarette smell, I immediately leave and request a new room. I have had hotels try to charge me for smoking in the room when it was the previous occupant. The last 2...
In mid range hotels with ‘motel style’ AC systems, I check the filters. If they are dirty, I remove them so the AC will work better. I check the mattress to make sure it’s clean and no signs of bedbugs. If I smell cigarette smell, I immediately leave and request a new room. I have had hotels try to charge me for smoking in the room when it was the previous occupant. The last 2 stays I have requested a room change.
The first time, I walked in the room and noticed it was warm and the AC unit was not acting right. I had to push to get changed to a new room.
The very next day in another midrange hotel, I walked in and immediately smelled cigarette smoke. I turned around and went to the front desk and asked to be moved. I’m not taking the blame for smoking in a room.
I used to just tolerate it, but as housekeeping standards keep dropping, I’m becoming more vocal.
Enter the room slowly, and make a noise. Hotel rooms startle easily so make comforting shooing noises, like with a horse.
I had to log in just so I could give your comment a heart! Laughed out loud!
Glad I could entertain ;)
Put my plastic mattress cover over the sheets already on the bed then get a fresh set plus new blanket from housekeeping, to avoid catching scabies from the mattress. Started doing that ever since two friends separately caught scabies from high end hotel beds because the previous guest had scabies. It caused them a huge problem for months after they got home. Note that I'm not talking about bed bugs, rather the microscopic mites that burrow under human skin.
Freak alert!
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scabies
It's a serious problem even in developed countries. They're like bed bugs but worse and they can't be seen with the naked eye.
In no universe are scabies worse than bed bugs. You apply a cream and poof no more scabies. If you transport bed bugs home or heaven forbid a friend’s home then you have a long and expensive eradication process.
In my opinion, your weirdest hotel habit is spending so much time in sterile corporate properties when local, boutique ones are almost always superior.
It's cute how you miss the point of this blog, bless your heart.
Annnnnd whooosh, there’s the whole raison d’être of this blog going RIGHT OVER LUKE’S HEAD.
You do realize he gets lots of heat for staying at too many non point luxury hotels right?
I’m curious how many people here keep their shoes on in the room. In hotel rooms I take my shoes off and go straight to slippers
Maybe it's not the first thing but it is part of my routine as well.
Just like at home, I don't wear anything in hotel rooms. It would be utterly uncomfortable afaik.
I'd add checking the window curtains. You don't want to find out that the electric shades are stuck right when trying to go to bed, or that the manual curtains are shredded or badly busted beyond help from hanger clips or clothespins.
Some hotels just have really poorly designed curtains that allow light to flood in even when correctly engaged, so it's also helpful to know when an eye mask is needed.
Aside from checking...
I'd add checking the window curtains. You don't want to find out that the electric shades are stuck right when trying to go to bed, or that the manual curtains are shredded or badly busted beyond help from hanger clips or clothespins.
Some hotels just have really poorly designed curtains that allow light to flood in even when correctly engaged, so it's also helpful to know when an eye mask is needed.
Aside from checking under the bed, I do all the rest exactly as described! Great post.
One more thing I SHOULD always do but don't consistently is check under the mattress corners for signs of bed bugs.