20+ Intelligent Hotel Strategies That Enhanced Our Travel Adventures

Hotel WIFI Is Not As Safe As You Think

Utilizing a hotel’s WIFI could be risky. Most hotel networks are designed to prioritize ease of use over security measures. Consequently, anyone using these networks potentially exposes themselves to threats such as malware, ransomware, cyber-attacks, and identity theft. These risks stem from the fact that when a guest connects to the hotel’s WIFI, their personal data is transmitted over the network in an unsecure format, making it easy for unauthorized individuals to access and exploit.

Furthermore, there’s no protection to stop a cyberthief from directly hacking into your laptop or mobile gadgets. If you’re unable to access your mobile network, professionals in security encourage setting up your device firewall and employing a VPN while linked to the hotel’s network.

It Is Okay To Bag The Items In Your Hotel Room

If you’re a fan of the TV series Friends, you’ll likely recall the episode titled The One With Rachel’s Dream, in which Ross and Chandler stay in a Vermont hotel and take all items from their room. However, we’re not directly implying that you should take away everything in your hotel room.

Taking small items, such as shampoo, mouthwash, body lotion, or conditioner is generally acceptable. These items are provided for use and hotels typically do not object to guests taking them. However, refrain from taking towels! This is not considered good conduct!

No Light

If you’re the type who struggles to sleep with even the faintest light, you might find it a challenge to catch some shut-eye in bright cities like New York, Hong Kong, or Miami. An inadequate amount of sleep could lead to irritability and a sour mood, which wouldn’t be ideal for your vacation.

Luckily, there’s a simple trick to prevent lights from invading your room via the windows. Remove a trouser hanger from your wardrobe and use its clips to fasten the curtains together. This trick can also prove useful when you return from vacation.

Nicer Room

Tipping the reception staff doesn’t always guarantee that you’ll receive complimentary upgrades or a more superior room, and in certain cases, your tip may not even be accepted. So, what should you do if the room assigned to you by the hotel doesn’t align with your expectations?

Request the hotel to present alternative rooms to you. It’s very straightforward. Numerous hotels generally try to rent out their less desirable rooms first. Depending on your arrival time at the hotel, there’s a chance you might land a room that meets your needs at no extra cost.

Improvise With The Shower Cap

A shower cap, although valuable, is one of the least utilized objects in a hotel room, primarily because many are unaware of its importance. A variety of hotel hacks can be executed simply by using this overlooked item. To illustrate, one could avoid clothes getting dirty from their shoes by wrapping the shoes in a shower cap prior to packing, which is just one example of its practical applications.

Thus, no matter if you place your garments near your footwear, they stay clean. Another distinct purpose of the magical shower cap is for storing food. It can act as a plastic seal for leftovers, allowing you to safely store them for future consumption.

Plastic vs Germs

In a hotel room, the remote control is probably one item you’d definitely want to avoid handling barehanded. Unlike bed linens and pillow covers, which are often cleaned by the housekeeping team, the remote control rarely gets the same attention, leaving it exposed to repeated contact by successive guests.

You have two options to avoid physical contact with this “bacteria incubator”. The first one is the plastic bag for the ice bucket – provided the hotel gives you one. The second is a shower cap, typically located in the bathroom. You can envelop the remote control with either of these items to maintain your hands devoid of germs.

No Key Card Needed?

In many modern hotels, it’s necessary to keep your room key card lodged in the designated slot to maintain electrical supply in your room. This power-saving feature is implemented by hotels to cut down on energy use and reduce expenses. However, this can be inconvenient, especially if you want your gadgets to continue charging or wish for your room to stay cool all the time.

You don’t have to stay in the room. After all, you can’t leave your key card in the slot and leave unless you plan on getting robbed. But, guess what? Slotting in any card of the same size in the key card slot can keep your room powered on. Why is that able to work, you may ask. That’s because the card is simply holding down a switch at the bottom of the slot to keep on your electricity. 

Corner Rooms Rule

Are you aware of corner rooms? Whether in corporate structures or hotels, rooms positioned in corners typically tend to be more spacious and generally boast of superior vistas along with larger bathrooms. This essentially means you’ll enjoy higher grade accommodation for the same price.

When you go to check in, it may be beneficial to ask for a corner room. Ideally, the hotel will be able to accommodate your request. Keep in mind, though, that there are some hotels that understand the distinctions between a standard room and a corner room, including any potential downsides of the latter. They may request additional payment for such rooms. Regardless, we believe it’s a worthwhile attempt.

Not A Single Drop

Have you ever experienced a scenario where you’ve tucked your toiletries into your bag, only to unzip it later and find that they’ve burst all over everything – inside your bag, saturating your clothes, books, and even infiltrating your shoes? That certainly has the potential to spoil your day.

Luckily, you can employ a simple technique to avoid this. Simply secure a tiny plastic bag over the open end of your soap or shampoo container, once you’ve fully twisted off the lid. Then, reinstall the cap over the bag. This easy trick effectively safeguards against possible leaks from your toiletries.

Be Creative With The Doors

After an exhausting yet thrilling day, you finally find some solace in the coziness of your hotel bed. However, just before you surrender yourself to sleep, you realize you fancy a chilled beverage. You scan the area to the left and right of you, but to your dismay, there’s no bottle opener in sight. What should be your next step?

You don’t want to head down and request a bottle opener from the receptionist. Stress yourself not. Your door closer can do exactly what a bottle opener does. We haven’t yet figured out whether the door closer is going to like it or not, but if you are too bored to use a lighter or an edge of a table, why not this?..

Towels Will Block It All

The summer and Christmas holidays are among the most packed times of the year. Seeking out solitude and quietness in your hotel room can prove challenging if you happen to be traveling during these seasons.

By inserting a towel into the gap beneath the door, you can effectively reduce the amount of noise entering your room. This method also helps in soundproofing your space to a certain degree and lessens the light that seeps in from the hallway.

Stop It From Closing

The convenience of a self-closing hotel room door is appreciated, especially due to its robust nature. However, this feature can pose challenges while moving in with a lot of luggage. If a door stopper is not within reach and the door is located close to a closet, it won’t be a bother to keep it propped open.

Unlock your wardrobe and select a hanger that you can utilize to hold your bedroom door open. This can be achieved by connecting it with the latch or upper lock. It’ll ensure that your door remains open, allowing you a substantial amount of time to carry in your baggage comfortably.

Staying For Longer, Saving Some Money

Do you intend to stay for over a week? Contact hotels beforehand prior to finalizing your reservation. Inform the hotel about the duration of your stay and inquire if there are any discounts available for the room.

It has been observed that hotels are often inclined to offer discounts to guests planning extended stays. This is because it’s simpler and less costly for hotels to retain a current guest than to acquire a new one. Keep in mind, to find the best deal, it might require contacting several hotels.

No Advice

While there’s absolutely nothing wrong with inquiring the hotel owner or staff about the best places for dining, shopping and entertainment, particularly if you’re unfamiliar with the area, conducting your own research is always the optimal strategy.

The reason is that what they perceive as the best might not necessarily be the superior choice. Their recommendations might be motivated by potential commissions they receive for funneling new clients to particular places. Hence, while you can solicit their advice, it’s important to verify the information independently through your own investigation.

Humidify

Does your room’s atmosphere feel somewhat parched? This typically results from using your radiator or air conditioner at maximum capacity – unless it’s due to external weather conditions. In most cases, it’s the AC or heating system. But, you don’t wish to reduce its power.

You can increase the humidity in your room by leveraging a damp towel. Place your suitcase stand in front of the heater or air conditioning unit and hang the towel over it. Ensure the towel is thoroughly squeezed out to prevent the floor from becoming damp.

The Front Desk Is Your Friend

Most people interact with the hotel’s front desk only during check-in and check-out. This is largely because they aren’t aware of the wealth of information and assistance that the front desk staff can provide.

Should you inadvertently leave behind any of your everyday items, do not hesitate to ring up the reception. There’s a strong likelihood that they will be able to supply what you require. Anything from a phone charger, a hair iron, to a nail cutter could be available. Additionally, if you’ve brought food, you can request dishes and cutlery. Additional bedding like extra pillows and blankets can also be requested.

Hygiene Matters

Almost everyone is guilty of setting their luggage directly on the bed after checking into their hotel rooms. This is an incorrect action which could potentially lead to a less than pleasing hotel stay, even if the bags are put on the bed cover and not the sheets.

Why avoid doing it? The reason is that if your luggage is infested with bed bugs, these pests can swiftly transfer to your bed. You certainly wouldn’t want to experience the discomfort of sleeping on a bed overrun with bed bugs.

Transfer Miles

It’s usually advised to reserve your flight using universal miles. This is because when you do, you are officially rewarded with points by the airline or travel company. This arrangement is equally beneficial to both you and the company.

You are able to redeem and transfer those points to secure a hotel booking at a discounted rate or even for free. Shifting rewards points towards hotel reservations has been made simpler by airlines or travel agencies that offer combined services for hotel and flight bookings.

Breakfast Butter Advice

Booking a hotel room usually comes with the assurance of a breakfast meal. Nonetheless, oftentimes the butter served with the breakfast is quite stiff and difficult to spread. While there are individuals who prefer it this way, some would rather have it more spreadable.

To ensure you fully enjoy that premium butter spread you’ve invested in, you might want to soften it. How do you do that? Simply position it atop the toaster while your bread is being toasted. This process will heat and melt the butter slightly, producing a spread that is delightfully smooth and tasty.

Remember To Tip

It’s often said that “money makes the world go round,” and this applies to hotels too. As per Ovolo Hotels, when you’re about to check-in, handing over a $15 or $20 bill along with your card and inquiring about any available room upgrades could work wonders.

Observe the outcome once you do this. A simple act of generosity towards the reception staff or bellhop can lead to high-quality services from the hotel and may even unlock certain amenities that may normally be off-limits to you.

Keep The Hotel Staff Informed

Informing the hotel about any significant event you plan to celebrate during your stay may result in a special treat from them. Whatever the celebration might be – a birthday, honeymoon, anniversary, or christening – doesn’t matter.

Inform the hotel beforehand, and you could be treated with chocolates or champagne in your room or perhaps be granted a free upgrade. Thus, should any special event coincide with your hotel stay, remember this advice to get a pleasant surprise for yourself.

It’s OK To Complain A Bit (But Only A Bit)

In case you believe that the hotel has not provided its best services, you have the option of lodging a complaint with the hotel’s management. This could be due to numerous reasons such as unclean rooms, unmade beds, or a lack of hot water in your room.

Should you deem the services lacking, courteously address your concerns to the management – provide beneficial feedback. The hotel may opt to redress by offering a lowered rate or a room upgrade, depending on its policy. At the same time, your remarks would aid the hotel in enhancing its service quality.

A Simple Tip For Avoiding Bed Bugs

It’s always advisable to be extra careful when it comes to hotel rooms. Given that it’s not your permanent residence, there could be various types of insects or pests present that you’re unaware of. It’s a standard guideline, particularly in budget hotels, to steer clear of using their beddings.

Bring your own linens and move the hotel’s bedspread aside. If not possible, research the hotel online, particularly looking for feedback regarding the state of the rooms. Use this information to make an informed decision about whether to stay at this hotel or look for different accommodation.

Fix Your Foggy Mirror

It can be frustrating when the mirror consistently fogs up, especially when you’re trying to shave, style your hair, or put on makeup. An effective method to clear the mist from your mirror involves smearing it with shaving foam or rubbing it with soap, after which you wipe it off with a dry piece of cloth.

This will effectively rid the mirror of fog and maintain its clarity for numerous weeks. If you possess a hairdryer, it can serve as a quick solution to defog the mirror. To achieve the best outcome, set the hairdryer to a low heat setting and direct it straight at the mirror.

Keep Your “Do Not Disturb” Sign On The Door

The “Do Not Disturb” sign serves various functions apart from its apparent purpose. Using this sign on your door can lead others to believe that you are present in the room, even in your absence. Essentially, things aren’t as straightforward as they might seem.

Putting up a “Do Not Disturb” sign can be protective of your personal space by dissuading others from attempting to encroach on your privacy, dissuading the cleaning staff from entering, and deterring possible burglars from attempting to access your room and take your belongings. Essentially, this sign can serve as a safeguard to preserve your privacy and uphold tranquillity.

Be On A Lookout For Better Hotel Deals

When preparing for a hotel stay, it’s crucial to remain open-minded. A conscientious search can often lead you to hotel deals significantly better than the first one you stumbled upon. The internet is teeming with hotel booking and deal websites. Leverage these resources to secure additional free amenities or get hotel rooms at discounted rates, or even at no cost at all.

Despite securing a hotel reservation, your search doesn’t have to end there. Shifting conditions mean hotels are generally receptive to issuing a refund provided you haven’t yet checked in. Thus, if you stumble upon a more enticing offer, you have the liberty to request a refund. If a better deal escapes you, you can still stay content with your current booking. In any scenario, there are no losses on your part.

Cooking In Your Hotel Room

For those exploring on a shoestring budget, discovering cost-effective solutions when it comes to mealtime is crucial. Affordable options such as instant noodles or ramen, along with bread and eggs, can be handy. However, the question is, how do you prepare these foods? Conveniently, two cooking tools that are often easily accessible come to the rescue – coffee pots and irons.

The coffee pot is an effective tool for preparing your ramen. Just heat the water using the coffee pot and then mix in your ramen. The iron is a useful appliance for making eggs and heating your English muffins. Just cover the heated iron with some aluminum foil and put your eggs on it.

Are There Bonuses?

Hotel credit cards are capable of offering access to privileges and perks typically reserved for high-level guests. These cards are provided by hotels upon inquiry and they are ready to propose incentives if you utilize them in your transactions with them.

Significant welcome incentives, immediate premium rank, and exclusive advantages such as free room enhancements and late departures are available to you. Long-term travelers like Matt Kepnes, who has been exploring the globe since 2006, believe that hotel credit cards have value. Therefore, you might want to consider utilizing them to cut down your expenditures on hotel accommodations and amenities.

Take Care Of Your Valuables

When staying in a hotel, it’s crucial not to leave important items like your phone, laptop, wallet, or keys in your room when you go out. There have been numerous instances where individuals have left their valuables behind, only to return and find them gone.

Being in such a predicament can be quite disheartening. It’s important to make every effort to avoid this. Therefore, always take your important possessions with you when you leave your room, and ensure your luggage is secure, ideally with padlocks if available.

Notifications For Discounts

The inconvenience of frequently scrolling through numerous hotel reservation sites to keep abreast of the price fluctuations is unnecessary with the advent of technology. This tech eliminates such repetitive tasks so you don’t have to exert yourself just to stay updated on prices.

Simply register for updates on the reservation website or activate notifications on the mobile application. This guarantees that you receive alert messages or emails every time there’s a fluctuation in room costs. Moreover, you’ll also get informed about any special discounts or time-sensitive deals from the site.

Divide One Bed Into Two

Having to share a bed can be problematic when staying in a hotel with your family. Often, children do not want to share their bed and may quarrel with their siblings about who gets the larger portion. Moreover, if you have a partner who moves a lot in their sleep, it could hinder you from receiving sufficient rest.

You can resolve all of these issues by simply dividing the bed evenly. Use a few pillows as a partition. If you find there aren’t enough pillows available, don’t hesitate to contact the reception desk and ask for more.

Anti-Wrinkle Method

Is your shirt or dress showing signs of wrinkles? This can easily be fixed by borrowing an iron from our front desk if you didn’t pack one. But what if ironing is too time-consuming for your schedule? A fast solution to smoothen out your shirt or dress is to steam them while you’re in the shower.

Before you take a shower, place your wrinkled clothes nearby, turn up the shower heat, and let the steam accumulate. Let it sit for a while, and soon enough, the creases will naturally straighten out. You can achieve similar results with a hairdryer; simply glide it up and down the fabric. The same process can be applied using a steamer. To get one, you can just phone downstairs and request it.

Charge Your Phone With The TV Set

You may encounter regions during your travels that have completely different socket types than what you’re used to at home. If you fail to carry a compatible adapter for your phone charger, your device could quickly run out of power, disconnecting you from the internet.

Luckily, the majority of modern TVs come equipped with USB ports either on the side or rear, which you can utilize to charge your phone. All you need to do is connect your phone to it using your phone’s charging cable. This could help you save money as you won’t need to purchase an adapter.

Be Environmentally Friendly

Specialists suggest carrying a water bottle is essential when embarking on international journeys. The price of water can vary greatly depending on your destination and may exceed what you’re used to paying domestically. Such additional costs can effortlessly be avoided.

Keep your water bottle at hand and refill it at a water cooler once it’s depleted. Besides, having a water bottle with you aids in lowering your carbon emissions, and also helps curb environmental pollution as it eliminates the need to purchase packs of water in plastic bottles.

The Perfect Time To Pack

It can be quite irritating to start settling into your hotel room only to realize that you forgot to bring some crucial items from home. A useful guideline for when you’re preparing to travel is to get your bags ready the night prior. Make a checklist of all the things you’ll be needing and cross them off one by one as you put them in your luggage.

Choosing to pack on the same day you’re traveling increases the likelihood of you forgetting a few items. On the other hand, preparing your luggage a night before your trip enhances organization, decreases stress, and ensures punctuality for your plane, bus, or train departure.

Laundry Trick

Utilizing hotel laundry services can often be costly and can potentially disrupt your budget. If you find yourself in need of clean clothes urgently, consider washing them in your bathroom sink or tub. While it may not be the most convenient solution, it’s certainly better than not having clean clothes at all.

Plug the drain using spare change and plastic, fill up the sink or bathtub with warm water and detergent, and manually clean the clothes. This method may feel somewhat inconvenient, but it helps in economizing and maintaining your budget.

Look for Business Hotels

You may be aware that hotels come in various types, each offering a set of services curated for their specific customer base. For instance, the amenities offered in a business hotel generally include complimentary WIFI, considering their primary audience comprises business professionals.

On the other hand, a standard hotel may not, as their main clientele are guests who are just temporarily staying. Regardless of the kind of traveler you are, tourism specialists advise staying at a business hotel to access deals that may not be available at a conventional hotel.

Avoid Extra Fees When Paying By Card

Here’s a travel advice to always remember: make it a point to pay in the local currency. The reason for this is when you settle in a foreign currency, you are often charged an additional percentage by the service provider, which leads to you paying more than the actual amount.

Your bank may additionally levy a 1-5% fee for the conversion of money to the domestic currency. Ultimately, this could result in you shelling out twice the sum compared to if you had paid in the domestic currency. This is applicable to reservations for flights and hotels, as well as dining at a restaurant.

Feedback Matters

If you’ve had a less than satisfactory stay at a hotel, it may be beneficial to discuss this with the hotel manager. Wise Bread recounts the story of a traveler who voiced her initial hotel experience by emailing the manager.

Ever since her initial stay, she’s been regularly upgraded to the king suite during her subsequent visits. Therefore, sharing your experiences with the manager could potentially lead to beneficial future perks and upgrades. However, steer clear of exploiting this approach excessively as nobody appreciates an attitude associated with excessive complaining and a sense of entitlement, often attributed to ‘Karens’, which can make you appear immature. Always try to maintain the highest degree of civility.

Look for Price Guarantees on Booking Sites

Many travelers often ignore the best price guarantees offers due to their numerous caveats. Nevertheless, comprehending the functioning of price guarantees could lead to securing up to a 50% discount on your reservations. Thus, conducting some preliminary research before making your reservations is likely to be beneficial.

Typically, your task is to reserve a room through a hotel reservation platform. Afterwards, search for another reservation platform that provides the same benefits but at a lower cost, and submit your claim to the initial booking platform. They will investigate and confirm your claim, and then offer you a discount equivalent to the price difference.

Offer To Give The Hotel A Good Review

Expressing your plan to post a review following your hotel stay could potentially encourage them to provide you with better service. Upon arrival, inquire with the reception personnel if the hotel is listed on TripAdvisor, mentioning your interest in sharing your experience.

This could potentially motivate the hotel personnel to provide you with an upgrade or additional amenities that you would certainly appreciate. However, they should not be led to believe that it’s a ploy to obtain a discount, as it’s not intended to be.

Binge-Watch Your Favorite Shows On The Hotel TV

Yearning for the big-screen experience of your beloved TV shows while you’re away? You can connect your device to the hotel’s television and stream them directly. Just ensure the television unit has an HDMI port and that the room is equipped with WIFI access.

Access your Netflix account from your laptop, tablet, or smartphone and link it to your television using an HDMI cable. This way, you can begin a marathon of your most-loved series on a wider screen. If you do not own an HDMI cable, you could request one from the reception desk. It’s likely that they might have a few available.

Book Everything In Advance

It’s a common practice for numerous individuals to head straight to a hotel and get a room without making any prior reservations. This approach, however, might deprive them of certain benefits and discounts. Hence, it’s always advised to secure a hotel booking simultaneously with your travel ticket purchase.

Several reservation platforms often provide attractive discounts for reservations made via their sites, a benefit you might not enjoy if you walk in and book at the reception. However, according to Ovolo Hotels, booking directly through the hotel’s official website or contacting them via a phone call is the most advisable approach. This method may likely avail you more enticing deals or bonuses compared to utilizing an intermediary.

Put the Pressing Iron to Use

Should you decide to heed our suggestion of preparing your own meals rather than relying on the hotel’s room service, you can repurpose a number of appliances in your hotel room to act as a cooking device. All you need is a dash of creativity, which can offer you a novel method of cooking while also saving you some cash.

A nifty trick to consider is employing a flat iron. Set a sheet of aluminum foil on it and utilize it to toast your bread or heat up your food. It’s swift, effective, and frankly, quite amusing. However, exercise caution as it remains an electrical instrument.

Ask for Dishware

Are you considering having snacks or takeaways while you’re at the hotel as a cost-saving move? However, you might be unsure about how to consume these snacks without any tableware, right?

You can contact the reception desk to request your desired utensils and plates. They will promptly collect these from the hotel’s dining facility and deliver them directly to your room, providing utmost convenience. This way of having your meals is definitely more agreeable than consuming pasta from a disposable container.

Make Use of Virtual Private Network

The top advice you often receive when searching for affordable flight or hotel deals is to utilize a virtual private network (VPN). This task is not that complicated to accomplish, even for individuals not proficient with computers. It doesn’t require you to possess the advanced skillset of a character like Neo from the Matrix to get it done.

Cookies are utilized by websites to monitor the online activities of users. If they detect a continuous search for hotels on your part, they may hike up their prices accordingly. However, you can conceal your identity and halt websites from tracking your activities by using a VPN.

The Closer to The Airport, The Better

Opting for a hotel near the airport can be extremely convenient if you have a red-eye flight. Granted, it might be more expensive, but occasionally, it’s the only practical option unless you’re prepared to spend several hours sprawling on an airport floor trying to catch some sleep.

Choosing to stay near the airport can offer you the convenience of gaining extra sleep and plentiful time to arrange your baggage without the necessity for haste. In addition, airport-proximate hotels often charge less, which could mean significant transport cost savings for you.

Don’t Be Reckless

Merely hanging the “Do Not Disturb” sign isn’t sufficient. You must also secure your hotel room by locking the door. The sign might cause individuals to reconsider entering your room, but it does not guarantee that the housekeeping staff won’t attempt, particularly if it is during the hours they are scheduled to clean rooms in the hotel.

Thus, securing the room from within will thwart any attempts to gain entry. If the door has a traditional keyhole as opposed to the modern card slots used today, the simplest countermeasure would be to leave the key inserted in the keyhole from the outside.

Room Service

Frequent use of room service might drastically impact your budget if you’re not careful. It’s common knowledge that room service can significantly strain our finances. Obviously, we’re fully aware that it wasn’t part of the package when we initially booked the room.

Consider acting as your own personal room service and visit the hotel’s dining establishment to get your food. If your research revealed the hotel lacks a restaurant, it’s a good idea to carry food items that can be simply prepared in your room. We are not suggesting that you completely stop utilizing room service, but rather encourage judicious use of it.

A Paper Cup For Your Toothbrushes

It’s common practice for hotels to tidy up a room after one guest’s departure and before the arrival of the next. However, can we fully entrust the cleanliness of the space, particularly the bathroom, to the housekeeping staff? The majority of hotels do not supply toothbrushes, and it’s unappealing to place an item in your mouth if you’re unsure about the cleanliness of the area it was in.

To prevent this, take a disposable paper or plastic cup, carve a hole at the bottom, and invert it to function as a toothbrush holder. This way, you can assure that your toothbrush remains sanitary as it won’t come into contact with the bathroom surfaces.