If You Find This Tiny Thing in Your Hotel Room, Check Out Immediately

You pull up to a hotel and see a no vacancy sign. But don’t necessarily believe it. Hotels usually do this when they only have 2 or 3 rooms left. Instead, try calling the front desk to see if they have rooms.

Hotel star ratings aren’t always reliable as the rating systems vary between countries. In Italy, for example, a hotel can be given 5 stars just for having a 24-hour reception desk, receptionists that speak 3 languages, and rooms that start at 16 square meters. Instead of using stars, look at ratings or reviews instead.

Booking late can also get you the best deals. If your stay is not urgent, try booking a room on the day of the stay. If the hotel isn’t full, you’ll likely get a discount. Hotel managers reduce room rates last minute to fill them.

It’s also usually better to book directly with the hotel. Third-party websites are often given worse rooms or whatever is left over. Hotels are also likely to offer a reduced rate if you book directly. This is because third-party sites charge the hotel a fee.

Once you’re at the check-in desk, it’s likely that the hotel staff already recognize you. Many hotels, especially higher-end ones, will do a little research of their guest’s social media. While this seems a bit creepy, it’s only so that they can see who you are to make your stay more comfortable.

At check-in, you’ll also be given an initial key which will reset the door lock and cancel any existing keys. But make sure to be respectful to your receptionists. Sometimes, they might play practical jokes on rude customers by ‘key-bombing’. This is where they give you 2 of the initial keys. Either key resets the door so, once you use the second one, the first will no longer work.

If your key has a magnetic strip on it, make sure not to put it near your cell phone or wallet. A strong magnet like the one in your phone can erase your key card meaning that you won’t be able to get into your room. Now you’re all checked-in, let’s head up to your room. Make sure to have a quick scan of your doors and floor.

Some hotel guests have reported tiny cameras being slipped underneath their doors. Even if the door is locked, endoscope cameras can easily slide under. The general rule is if you can fit your fingers under the door, a camera can fit too. Try covering the gap with a towel.

Now, how about the room in general? If you’re not happy with it, you can easily request a change. If there are other available rooms, the manager will be happy to help. Once you are settled in, you’ll want to head into the bathroom to check out all those samples. But while you might think you’re being sneaky by grabbing the free shampoos, hotels actually want you to take them. The items contain the hotel’s logo, so you’re basically giving them free advertising if you put them in your home.

The robes and towels are a different story, though. Many hotels are now adding radio-frequency chips so that they can track stolen items. Toothpaste is one item you probably won’t find in the hotel room’s bathroom. For budget hotels, it’s often too expensive to order as it’s classified as a medical supply. For luxury hotels, it’s the opposite: they often can’t find a toothpaste manufacturer that’s fancy enough to be present in their rooms.

You may also notice a seemingly random phone next to the toilet. But it’s actually a requirement from the AAA for hotels to receive a 4 diamond rating. It does also act as a safety feature. If you slip on the wet floor, or get stuck in the bathroom for some reason, you can easily call for help.

While the staff clean hotel rooms frequently, disinfecting smaller items is not on the top of their priority list. Remote controls and phones are some of the dirtiest things in a hotel room. So do yourself a favor and bring some disinfectant wipes to clean them before use. If you’re thinking about putting your valuables in the safe for security, you may also want to think twice. Hotel locks use pass codes instead of locks, so there’s a high chance someone in the hotel will know the master code. And who knows who else could get their hands on this information.

You may also want to throw that comforter on the floor too. While sheets may be cleaned regularly, the comforters are not. Some hotels wash them every week or so, but others don’t even bother. Ew. The same, I fear, goes for your sheets. Most high-end hotels will change the sheets daily, but a lot of budget ones don’t change the pillows or bedding after a guest checks out. Definitely a good idea to request fresh pillow cases when you arrive.

Now you’re ready to kick back on the bed and rent a movie. But don’t try to be sneaky and claim you clicked on it by accident, so you don’t have to pay. The workers at the hotel’s front desk can actually see how long you watched a movie for. So if you clicked out after a few seconds, they’ll believe you, but not if you watched it till the end.

Fancy a drink while you watch your movie? Make sure to check the seals on those mini bar drinks. Sneaky guests often drink from the bottles and refill them with water. This way they waive the fee, and you may be charged if housekeeping hadn’t noticed. After a good night’s sleep, you’re looking for something to do on your vacation. Instead of heading to Google or TripAdvisor to find the best spots, ask the front desk. Receptionists are trained to give guests the best recommendations for local activities.

While you’re out, housekeeping will drop by your room, but they might not just be cleaning. Sometimes if a staff member is tired, and they have enough time, they might take a cheeky nap on the bed. When cleaning, if you’ve left your room in a mess, the staff will have to move your things. They’ll have to touch your stuff to actually clean, so if this bothers you, either put out the “do not disturb” sign or clean up yourself.

It’s also best not to drink out of that glass in the bathroom as many glasses aren’t cleaned properly. Some workers even use disinfectant or furniture polish to get the glasses looking spotless. Housekeeping also don’t always vacuum your room. Staff will sometimes just pick up any big crumbs and call it a day.

Make sure to be nice to the staff. Most hotel staff are willing to give out upgrades and free stuff to a friendly face. They’re not required to, but a smile goes a long way. Oh, and a tip always helps.

It’s now time for check-out, but you’re leaving early and will miss your breakfast. If your breakfast is included in the price of your room, staff can prepare a takeout box for you. It’s best to give them a heads-up the night before, though. Also, take a look at the floor on your way out. It’s carpet right?

Most hotels have fully carpeted floors. This is for three main reasons. One, you’re much less likely to slip on carpet than wood or stone. Two, carpets act as added soundproofing. And three, it’s more cost-effective for the hotel as carpet is much easier and cheaper to replace.

You’re all prepared for your next vacation, but you get called into work last minute — oh, a nightmare. Everything’s booked, so it looks like you’ll be charged that pesky last minute cancellation fee. If you call the hotel and ask to change to a later booking date, there’s a chance that when you cancel this new date, the charge will be lifted.

Hotels also usually overbook themselves as the average daily no-show rate is around 10%. This means there’s a chance you won’t actually get your reserved room. If you show up and there are no available rooms, chances are you’ll get walked. This basically means the hotel will pay for a room at another similar hotel in the area.

Most hotels also only accept credit cards as a form of payment. While it may be annoying, this is to ensure that they get their payment. Guests often use extra paid services, like the mini bar, which they pay for at check-out. If your debit card doesn’t have enough funds to cover the cost, the only way for the hotel to get the money is to sue you. Attorneys come for a separate fee.

There’s a surprising amount of items left in rooms that hotels don’t want you to know about. In one hotel in Portugal, a worker even found a shark that was left behind. With no idea how it ended up there, the shark was eventually returned to its natural habitat safe and sound. Once again, be careful when you first go into the bathroom...