I always make sure I put a comment in my hotel booking for a quiet room. I wouldn’t be able to stand a room right in front of the elevators and have the ‘ding’ go off every 3 seconds or people congregating right outside. To be frank, if I wanted to have interrupted sleep, I would stay at a hostel. Please put me at the end of the corridor next to the fire escape and let the rooms on either side of me be empty.
Photo by Markus Spiske on Unsplash
I get into the elevator and push the button to my floor forgetting everything the receptionist has just told me about needing to scan the card inside the lift.
I’ve figured out how to get into the room. Is it a insert and pull out then push down on the door handle or other? The swipe card works. I’ve been in that situation before of having to go back and forth between reception and my room multiple times with bags in tow because the swipe card to the room didn’t work. The receptionists are always so friendly. I wonder if I would have fun doing their job.
I leave my bag on the stand or cupboard for suitcases. I have heard one too many bed bug stories to leave my bags on the bed. Plus outside germs. I get rid of the runner (is this even what it’s called?) and any decorative pillows. Why do they still put these on the bed? If I’m travelling with work clothes, I’ll iron and hang them. I open the curtains and check out the view. I love being up on the higher levels looking over the town. But sometimes it’s a drab and looks onto another building or into a carpark.
I check out the bathroom. I love massive bathrooms and how they always have so many lights. Don’t even get me started on the marble benchtops. I check to see what freebies they have and if there are any unexpected ones. Nowadays, you’d be lucky to get any freebies. I then open all the drawers and wardrobe. I’ve never worn a hotel robe before even if it was in the room. I do love slippers though if they are there. Nowadays, they are never there.
I unplug the bedside table alarm clock-radio. I once stayed at a hotel on a work trip and the alarm clock had gone off at an obscene time waking me up. Never again. When it’s time for bed, there is always the struggle to get a certain light to turn off. It’s like some secret agreement all the hotels have. I lie in bed and wonder where this blue glow is coming from. The TV. I move whatever I can to cover the light. I hope I fall asleep fast.
Lingo in Transit 
The worst is arriving at a hotel, finding you are on an upper level, there is no lift or assistance with luggage .. so up you go .. slowly .. lugging it .. step by step!
Oh no! That is one way to stay motivated to keep fit.
Yes, the room key…I’ve been in situations when the room key wouldn’t work, and since then, I’ve been paranoid as to whether it’ll work or not whenever I go on trips. Thankfully, most room keys I’ve used have worked on recent trips, haha. Hotels over hostels these days, but even then, they come with their flaws! Well-written piece!
Gone are the days when hotels were everything! Thank you so much for your comment
Interesting read! I guess many of us have our own quirks and preferences when it comes to travelling. At the airport, I want to browse and try perfumes in the Tax Free shops, and buy 1-2 bottles of water, just in case. At a hotel, I store water bottles, too. I don’t mind staying next to the elevator, because I always sleep with earplugs, but I hate it when people dwell on the corridors, talking loudly, running back and forth between rooms or if there’s lots of luggage hauling constantly – earplugs don’t block those sounds. I check that the towels and there, as well as pillows and blankets, because I usually freeze at night in hotels, and turn down the air-co. I’d turn it off entirely, but then it usually starts smelling of mould, no matter how nice the hotel is.
I always browse perfumes when I’m in an international airport! I also wear earplugs to sleep which have been such a lifesaver. No thanks to noisy fridges and hearing the whole water system when the people next door are showering! Yes the rooms start smelling when there’s no air going.
What a fun post that brings back so many memories for me of hotel room hijinks! I am with you on the ‘outside ‘germs and the decorative pillows. Yuk!
When I read about your experience with the alarm clock, I was reminded of the time I was in Christchurch NZ at an airport motel, and the small bar fridge was so noisy starting up every now and again. I had to unplug it in the end. We only stayed one night so there was little point in complaining to reception.
Japanese hotels are the best for freebies. Toothbrushes, brushes, slippers, hair bands, ties etc etc. I only had to take some special personal toiletries last time I went to Japan.
I have become more and more picky when it comes to hotel stays, and I totally agree I still don’t understand why they insist on adding all that decorative paraphernalia that is likely almost never washed on top of (what I hope) and clean sheets. I always carry with me earplugs and a sleep mask, as I’ve also had situations in hotels that guest are simply disrespectful, arriving late at night, talking and laughing out loud in the corridor, banging their doors, having no consideration whatsoever.
I love a spacious, bright bathroom as well.
When we travel in Germany and Austria, there are always fresh flowers, apples, cookies or candy to welcome you along with water that is replenished as needed. Wish I could say the same for most US hotels but unfortunately no.