11 life hacks that will make your hotel stay more convenient

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

These little tricks can help you get a champagne or other compliment from the hotel, choose the most attractive room in your category, and take advantage of other benefits during your stay that you might not know about.

1. When choosing a hotel, use the search engine

Most tourists turn to online booking systems to choose a hotel. But the best way to see all possible options and do a little marketing research is to type in the search engine "hotels * city *" or use the usual online travel portal and select hotels in the city.

The trick of this stage is to apply a filter. Make sure you don't have a star rating, select the price range and dates that interest you, and refer to the map format. Since aggregators often sort objects by their official address, a hotel may be very close to the travel destination, but not appear as a city object. And you just won't see it on the list.

2. Call or write to the hotel director

If you are not shy and want to get favorable living conditions - write to the hotel or call there.

Make a list of the places where you want to stay and contact them directly: “I am such and such, I want to stay with you then, please provide a special price - better than Booking”. And do not forget to indicate your wishes, arrival time, allergies or accommodation with a child.

In 85% of cases, the hotel will offer you special conditions.

And even if the tariff is identical, then you will definitely receive bonuses. For example, breakfast or a spa treatment as a compliment.

3. Check the coupon offers at the last minute

If you decide to spontaneously go on a weekend trip with friends, feel free to go to the coupon site. You are guaranteed a discount for out-of-town vacations from 40 to 60%. On such sites there are offers not only for accommodation in a classic hotel room, but also in cottages, villas, chalets.

4. Upgrade your room upon arrival

Many hotels have a little-known but very convenient upgrade service for a surcharge upon arrival. Thus, the price of your premium stay can be significantly lower. If you arrive at the hotel at a time when it is not very full, then you have a chance to get a double upgrade for the price of a single one.

5. Ask to see some numbers

Most hotels at the time of booking assign a room category to the guest, and not a specific number. At the same time, rooms of the same category are generally very similar, but may differ in details.

When you receive your keycard, simply ask if you can view several different rooms in the category booked. And feel free to follow the excursion. Pay attention to the view from the window, the convenience of arranging furniture in a particular room, noise insulation, proximity to the elevator, and so on. All this will allow you to choose the best place to stay.

6. Are you traveling with a girlfriend? Say you have an anniversary

Any self-respecting hotel offers services for various events: birthdays, weddings, anniversaries. The classic wedding anniversary package includes a cozy room with a large bed, a bottle of champagne, fruit platter, sometimes breakfast delivered to your room. You can take advantage of this offer by simply informing the hotel (preferably before arrival) that you have a romantic anniversary.

7. Ask for dishes and hot water in the room

You can always do this, for example, to make your own breakfast. It helps a lot to save money. Buy yoghurts, cold cuts and tea at the nearest store, and ask for utensils for serving and boiling water at the hotel.

8. Dry the laundry on a towel dryer

Modern hotels are crammed with gadgets, but the old favorite batteries for drying wet shoes or washed underwear and socks may not be available. An electric or water heated towel rail in the bathroom will come to the rescue, which will solve the problem.

9. Ditch the dented travel style

Going on a business trip, a modern man packs things in a compact suitcase. Arriving at the place, he finds his favorite shirt crumpled. Hotels from three stars and above offer a typical ironing and laundry service. But it turns out that in all hotels you can get ironed linen around the clock.

The price of the issue is a tip to the friendly maid.

10. Want more - pay

It is customary to leave a tip not only in a restaurant or bar, but also in a hotel for maids. Where? How? How many? On the corner of the bed, on the folded back blanket, on the sheet. The amount depends on your gratitude: in Russia it is 100-200 rubles, in Europe - 1-2 euros.

What is the benefit to you as a guest of the hotel, besides the joy in the eyes of the staff? Trust my experience: the number of towels and shampoos, as well as the quality of cleaning, are highly dependent on the size of the tip left for the maid.

11. Ensure the safety of things in the room

It's very simple: use the "Do not disturb" tag if you want no one to enter your room even in your absence.