Things I like To Do When I Stay At A Hotel

Things I like To Do When I Stay At A Hotel

Β© destina

I don’t know about you, but I love staying at hotels. Germaphobes will be absolutely horrified at the idea because goodness knows how dirty hotel rooms are since they’re never really that thoroughly cleaned (my aunt used to bring a black light with her to every hotel room she stayed in to see how dirty the place was. I don’t know why she tortured herself like that given that she wasn’t really that fussed about a super clean room. She stopped after a while when even the most expensive hotels she’d been to gave her a fright). I, on the other hand, practise the very important mantra of “ignorance is bliss” so unless there are remnants of chips or blood under the bed, I’m good. I want those crisp, white sheets. πŸ˜›

I didn’t actually realise this until a few months ago when I was away at Gold Coast for the Problogger Event conference and I stayed on my own at the RACV Royal Pines hotel that when it comes to staying at hotels, I have a sort of ritual or a set of things I have to do when I first step into a hotel room. I’ve been very fortunate to be able to stay in many different hotels in my life so far and as such, I’ve started to do all these on autopilot.

I thought I’d share some of what I do when I stay at a hotel with you today, in no particular order. Maybe you do these on autopilot too!

  • The first thing I always check out is the bathroom. It doesn’t matter if the bed is tiny; if the bathroom is big, then the hotel is a very good one in my books!
  • Check where my nearest fire exit is.
  • Take my shoes off right outside the bathroom or near the door. It’s probably cleaner to wear shoes but like a typical Asian, I don’t like wearing shoes indoors, especially in a bedroom. If there are bedroom slippers in the room, I’d put them on but if not, I go barefoot in the room.
  • Take photos of the room before I mess it up. I like to look back at photos of hotels I’ve stayed in.
  • Clear away magazines, brochures, information folders, etc to one corner. These usually go on the desk or coffee table. This way, I don’t miss any of my things amidst the clutter.
  • Remove the bed runner. It only serves to make a white bed look better and nothing else. Between you and me, I prefer a white bed anytime. Housekeeping always puts it back and I always take it off. Ooops.
  • Remove unnecessary cushions. How do people sleep with 10 cushions and pillows on the bed??
  • Immediately decide on a side of the bed to sleep on, especially if I’m travelling with Tim or someone else. I usually like to sleep further away from the door.
  • Check where the powerpoints are.
  • Hang all tops, jackets, dresses and pants.
  • Pop toiletries bag in the bathroom. Take out what’s necessary for daily use and put on the counter top. Makeup stays outside the bathroom.
  • Pop my toothbrush and toothpaste in a clear glass, which is usually provided in every hotel room.
  • Place a cup/glass/saucer beside the bed where I’ll be sleeping. I place my wedding band, rings, watch (only if it doesn’t tick loudly) and other valuable jewellery in the glass. This way, I don’t lose track of these items (less risk of them rolling or falling onto the floor without my knowledge) and I always remember to check the cup/glass/saucer for those items before I leave.
  • If I’m staying on the first floor (this is rare because I dislike staying on the ground or even first floor), I check that all doors and windows are locked and I draw the blinds. Even if the view is gorgeous outside. Privacy and safety are very important to me, particularly if I’m traveling alone. Even if I’m staying on a higher floors, windows are always locked.
  • Boil water using the room kettle if tap water is not potable. My in-laws once told me that a very fancy international hotel they stayed in didn’t provide rooms with a room kettle and staff gave them funny looks when they requested for one. I thought a kettle in hotel rooms was standard issue!
  • Boiled water goes into all glasses and cups the room comes with. I’ll either leave them on the table and if there’s space, in the mini bar.
  • Lock the room door with the dead bolt and/or chain. Closing the door will lock it but it doesn’t prevent people from accidentally coming in with a room key. I’ve had incidents when I’m taking a shower and housekeeping entered my room because I couldn’t hear their knocks on the door due to the running shower. Or when I’m just walking about in my underwear, which I tend to do when I’m getting ready to head out.
  • Wedge a door stop on the door to prevent intruders from breaking in (when I remember to bring one!).
  • Turn on all the lights, especially if I’m traveling alone. I don’t like dark hotel rooms.

There are more that I do on autopilot, I’m sure, but I’ll leave it here for now. Perhaps there’s a tip or two in there that you can pick up for when your next hotel stay. If you have any tips for hotel stays, please do share them with us in the comments below. I’d love to know more! πŸ˜€

Do you have any “hotel room rituals”? What are the first things that you do when you enter one?

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29 comments… add one
  1. Swati Murti

    I love to check out the bathroom to make sure it is clean or not! Then, clean bed, remove the runner and the extra stationary and brochures and everything. Put my ipad and books out near the table! I love to check out the toiletries provided by the hotel and pop them in my bag and get some extra if I remember them and time permits!! I love staying in hotels as well but not more than 2 nights in a row. The extra soft mattresses hurt my back after that!!
    Swati Murti recently posted..How Many Calories do we Need? – Diet 101 {Part II}My Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha me too me too! I love checking the toiletries too and if they’re the “good stuff”, I’ll stash them in my bag and wait for housekeeping to replenish, and I’ll stash them even more. Tee hee!

  2. Di from Max The Unicorn

    I head straight for the bathroom to see how big it is and what the light is like in there, then I check out if the freebie shampoo, conditioner and body washes are any good. Then I check out all the mirrors and work out where I can most effectively do my makeup. Then I take a photo of the main bedroom which I never look at again (lol), then I look in the mini-bar, put anything I have that needs refrigerating in the fridge, then see if there are free biscuits alongside the free tea and coffee! Then I make a mental note to stash said free biscuits in my bag so it’s replenished by housekeeping each day so I get maximum biscuits for the duration of my stay. πŸ˜€
    Di from Max The Unicorn recently posted..Jamberry Nail Wraps!*My Profile

    1. Tine

      LOL to stashing the free biscuits! I DO THAT TOO! Well that and all the free shower caps I can grab. Ahem. πŸ˜›

  3. xin

    love this post!
    i usually dive into the bed first if it’s a king size mattress. then after rolling for a good minute, i get up to check the bathroom πŸ˜€
    and and i MUST wear hotel slippers in the room, can’t bear the thought of stepping on those germs ><
    and my favorite thing to do in hotel bed? eat some chips and junk food! LOL. things that i don't do on my own bed!
    xin recently posted..Dr Bronner’s Castile Soap – For face, hair, body, brush, laundry detergent and everything else!My Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha I used to do that but these days, I don’t anymore. Rolling on the bed I mean πŸ˜›

      Most hotels don’t provide hotel slippers. Do you bring your own as well?

      I’ve heard that there are hotels in the US which have sensors below the mini bar food. If you lift the item, they’ll automatically charge you. Ridiculous!

      1. xin

        i usually bring a set of slippers ^_^ just in case they don’t provide. I tapao a few pairs from my past hotel stays for emergency use like this πŸ˜€ if by just lifting the item then you will be charged, i feel its too much laaaaa. but now some hotels are clever, they have special labels for their minibar so you can’t replenish. LOL
        xin recently posted..Dr Bronner’s Castile Soap – For face, hair, body, brush, laundry detergent and everything else!My Profile

      2. solo woman traveller

        They do the same in UK too. Once in London, I casually lifted a bottle of wine to read the label & then replaced it but got charged for it anyway! I could see the debit on my tv screen. Had to call front desk & room service to have the charges reversed

        1. Tine

          Sigh I know they’re trying to curb people using up room items and then replacing them later but this is ridiculous. People are naturally curious; we will lift things up to see what it is, etc. Heck, children definitely will. Very sneaky, just in case the hotel lodger doesn’t realise the extra charge. Hmm …

  4. Bee Chin Ooi

    This is a good topic! Never give much thought of what we do auto pilot. It makes me smile, a lot of similarity. Check out bathroom, remove shoes, remove runners and pillows/cushions and put them out of sight if possible (gotta tell Rob I am not the only one that do that! he gives me this ‘I am fussy’ look, especially if I asked for his help to put it high up in the closet). Check out powerpoints, stack all brochures and notes together and place in a corner, place toiletries bag in bathroom.
    What I don’t do: boil water (usually I get bottle waters when travel, afraid that I can’t get use to the water), toothbrush in glass (because I use electric one? But even when I am not I don’t do that either). I usually don’t unpack clothes unless I am staying in the same room for many days and the room is too small to have a couple of luggage open up a one time, but will hang up jackets, shirts and dresses if I packed any. I never bother with the complimentary toiletries, I think is because I realized if I take them home, I will create more junks at home πŸ™‚ Also every time Rob sees a nicely made bed, he will want to pick me up and throw me on it, initially was a nice surprise, and thought it was funny. Now I usually wait patiently so that he could get over with that, then I can go tinker around the room πŸ™‚

    1. Tine

      Ooooh this Rob of yours sure knows how to treat a gal. KAKAKAKAKA! (PS: Photo!! :D)

      Nope, not fussy at all. What’s the point of leaving them about when those cushions, runners, etc will just serve to add clutter anyway? After forgetting one too many chargers and cables, I’ve learned that all papers and cushions and whatnots have to go to one corner and stay there.

  5. Mag

    Interesting article! I never thought that i have a ritual too. Hehe.

    Mine would be heading to the bathroom, flushing the toilet bowl, turning on the taps and shower to ensure that water runs.

    Check the bed and powerpoints. Unpack the toiletry bag (things that i need to use daily), clean the kettle ( rinse, boil water n then pour away, boil again and rinse all the cups with the hot water) . Hang up clothes that need to be hung, rest just leave in luggage. Check windows and doors.

    Haha by the time i finish, about 1 hour gone. Hubby always complain take so long

    1. Tine

      Flushing the toilet bowl! Hahaha I never thought to do that!

      Oh yes I forgot to add that too – clean the kettle! I know that the brown stain in kettles are from lots of use of the kettle but still, I just have to wash it too.

      Hehe Tim knows better than to complain now. Especially after I gave him the task once of cleaning the kettle. Never again! πŸ˜›

  6. Keen On Beauty

    Oh, you are back! I was so busy recently that I missed the moment you arrived. Lovely post! I also had an incident when i locked a hotel room but a cleaner still came in, that was an embarrassing situation haha I see that you take so many safety precautions! I usually rarely travel alone, may be that’s why I take things more relaxed and easy when I am staying at a hotel. But when I go by myself I have to make sure I print this post! πŸ™‚
    Keen On Beauty recently posted..Let’s Talk PrimersMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Aww no worries at all! I don’t travel alone all that much anymore but I used to, hence all those safety precautions. Tim likes to leave the balcony door unlocked and slightly open for the air to come in, but I keep it tightly locked. I’m too paranoid!

      That’s the thing I hate most about hotel rooms – housekeeping coming in and out with just one knock. There was an instance when I was in the room, there was one knock and a few seconds later, I heard the key swipe and the door opened. Let’s just say that the hotel manager had a bit of an earful from me after that. Hotel room doors are heavy and a light knock usually cannot be heard. All hotel rooms should have a doorbell instead!

      Oh dear, I really can go on and on, can’t I? πŸ˜›

  7. Megan

    You have a much longer routine than I do! But I guess I stay at the same hotels week after week so I’m usually always familiar with where everything is. My favourite thing is dumping all my toiletries onto the bathroom counter, that makes me feel at home immediately. I also like keeping the tissues from the bathroom by my bedside, lipbalm, a bottle of water and set my phone charger up next to the bed.
    Megan recently posted..Updates!My Profile

    1. Tine

      You’re always on the run so you’d have gotten your routine down to a T! πŸ˜€

      Oh yeah I take the tissues out to the bed too. It would be lovely if they had two tissue boxes instead of just one. Of course, I’m just nitpicking. πŸ˜›

  8. Daniel Hamza

    Reallu nice…….
    Daniel Hamza recently posted..Two old friends meet again for inexpensive hair productMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

  9. Wendy@BlushandBarbells

    I clean the heck out of the bathroom with Lysol wipes whenever I stay at a hotel!
    Wendy@BlushandBarbells recently posted..The most miraculous top coat I’ve ever usedMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahahahah I never thought to do that! πŸ˜›

  10. MonicaP

    I usually leave the bathroom light on and close the door slightly .. I’m not fond of dark hotel rooms either!

    Monica.
    MonicaP recently posted..A summer style cami dress that’s ready for fallMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Oooh me too! Forgot to add that one in. I hate dark hotel rooms. I have no problems at all sleeping in a pitch black room in my house but in hotels, I must always leave the bathroom light on and close the door slightly.

  11. Paris B

    First thing I do is always to check out the bathroom too! Haha… The more gaudy gold and glitz in there, the better. As for the slippers thing, don’t want to alarm you but I’d highly highly recommend wearing one at all times in all hotel rooms, regardless of how many stars it has. I always have one in every suitcase. Usually, the more lux hotels give better quality ones so I just sometimes ask for an extra pair *ahem* and take it home and you can reuse it if it’s just you wearing it. If the hotel provides, then I use theirs unless it’s the crummy paper ones, in which case I whip out my luxe slippers πŸ˜€
    Paris B recently posted..Your Say: What’s your guilty pleasure at the hair salon?My Profile

    1. Tine

      Oh dear, I reckon I better start bringing my bedroom slippers with me when I stay in a hotel next! πŸ˜› If the hotel provides a pair, I wear them and nick an extra pair home. πŸ˜›

  12. Kai

    Decide on the best corner for my open luggage, as I like to live right out of the suitcase, even for extended stays, I don’t like to unpack. Decide on my clutter corner, I place anything I need to use a lot here, so that I won’t miss packing them up at check out time.
    I have been to hotel rooms so small I had to hop over my open luggage to get in bed. Can’t stay more than a couple of days there.

    1. Tine

      Tim and I stayed at the tiniest apartment we’ve ever seen in Paris where it was the size of a small room that has a sofa that converts into a bed, along with a tiny kitchenette, bathroom and TV. With our luggage open on the floor, there was no room to move and we had to hop over our bags. When the sofa is converted into a bed, we had to climb over it to get to the other side. It was almost claustrophobic in there. πŸ˜›

  13. Cocoa

    Wow! You have a long list of to-dos! I only have two things on my mind once I enter a hotel room – boil water and take photos. The rest? I could do them any time later.
    Cocoa recently posted..Cee’s Black & White Photo Challenge: Things with Engines or Motors – The Daily Mode of TransportMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha it does look crazy long, doesn’t it? I’ve done so many of them on auto-pilot that I don’t even think of them as a list of things I must check off once I enter a hotel room! πŸ˜›

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