30 Hotel Secrets The Front Desk Doesn't Want You To Know

Cancel your hotel room without a charge. Call the hotel, ask to move your booking to a later date. Then, call back a few hours later and cancel.

The fee does not matter because you moved the date, which changed the cancellation time.

Source: Lifehacker

Do not ignore the bellhop. He might give you free water bottles, free valet parking, free tours, free dry cleaning, or an upgrade to a better room. Just ask. He could even get you food if you check in late and need snacks.

Source: Reddit

The Marriott has turned the 30-minute clean idea into a science. Cleaning staff follow a strict routine. This routine includes how to wipe the lamp, how to strip and remake the bed (move in a clockwise position), and checking for a "neutral" smell.

The internal cleaning manual covers all 66 steps.

Source: Forbes

Use the plastic bag the hotel provides for the ice bucket. People often use the ice bucket to vomit when they cannot reach the toilet.

Source: Hotel Online

Consider upgrading your stay. A maid shared that the budget hotel rarely changed pillows and bedding after checkout. At the luxury hotel she worked at, they replaced everything after guests left.

news.com.au

Rumor suggests every Ritz-Carlton employee has a $1,500 allowance to make customers feel special. Next time you stay at a Ritz, tip! Staff might tip you back with a Rolex.

Source: PhocusWire

The Ritz-Carlton club level seems free. Ask the butler. After the butler granted every request, a guest asked if he could ever say "no."

The butler replied, "We cannot perform sexual favors or sell you drugs, but what you do in your room is your business."

Source: Reddit

Hotels overbook because the average daily no-show rate is 10%. If you arrive and they cannot give you a room as promised, they will 'walk' you to another comparable hotel.

Source: Mental Floss

Hotel staff can offer free items and upgrades. They do not have to, but they can.Be nice to the staff! Show them affection, and they will return it. A tip helps a lot!

Source: Quora

Book your room through the hotel's website to get a better view or location. Vacationers who book elsewhere often get leftover rooms.

Source: USA Today

Tell staff if your room is bad or unclean. They can likely get you a new room. Check the room before unpacking. This saves you and the cleaning crew time.

Source: FindLaw

Hotel staff can key-bomb you if they get angry. You try the key fifteen times and it still won't open. You then go back to the front desk. You likely got key-bombed. Maybe you were rude at check-in.

Staff will fix it once you calm down.

Source: New York Post

Many hotels worldwide let you sleep with fish, but not in a scary way.Jules’ Undersea Lodge in Key Largo, FL, and the Poseidon Underwater Resort in Fijiwill let you spend the night under the sea.

Sources: Jules’ Undersea Lodge, Poseidon Underwater Resort

Being a guest does not mean you can mess with hotel staff. They have special revenge tactics, like calling your room any hour. They can always blame other guests to avoid trouble.

Source: Reddit

People like relaxing on vacation and making themselves at home. Sometimes this means being naked. Use a towel as a barrier between you and the hotel desk chair.

If you see a strange stain, you might not want to think about it.

Source: Reddit

Join a guest membership if you visit a hotel or chain often. The hotel makes a guest profile based on your likes and dislikes. You might even set your own cleaning schedule.

Source: Elliott Advocacy

People like their minibar. Check the seals before grabbing drinks. An employee found a guest drank whiskey but then urinated in the bottle. The guest then put the bottle back in the mini-fridge.

The employee thought the guest just wanted to avoid a charge.

Source: Reddit

Saying a hotel is "family friendly" does not mean they screen guests. Stay safe: Don't let kids run at night and always lock and close your door.

Source: Reddit

Hotels give a new meaning to shouting "Don't touch that remote!" They rarely clean.

Source: news.com.au

It is awkward staying in the room during cleaning. Your cleaning staff likely feels the same way.

Source: Budget Travel

If your room looks messy, the cleaning staff will move your things. They must do this to actually clean your room. So, if you don't want staff touching your stuff, put up a "do not disturb" sign.

Source: Yes, The Cleaning Staff Will Move Your Things in 30 Hotel Secrets The Front Desk Doesn't Want You To Know.Woman's Day.

The glasses and mugs they give you for that "at home" feel are probably not clean enough. They often use the same towel for the bathroom. Stick to those simple, clean disposable cups.

Source: Wash Those Glasses... Again.ABC News.

A whirlpool tub offers appeal. A bath plus a mini massage? Why not? Bacteria builds up in the pipes for long periods. Turning on the jets releases stuck water, plus whatever got stuck last time someone soaked in the tub.

Source: Texas A&M.

Concierges give many suggestions; that is their job. But the suggestions might not always be good places. Often, a concierge gets a kickback for always suggesting a restaurant or a specific town tour.

Be careful if they suggest something like, "mention I sent you."

Source: The Concierge Gets A Kickback.BuzzFeed.

Though the duvet is never cleaned.cover.gets cleaned, the duvet itself is never cleaned. Do not think taking the cover off makes you safer.

Source: The Duvet Is Never Cleaned.New York Post.

Sometimes, tired cleaning staff nap while working. This happens especially if they have extra time.

Source: news.com.au.

Someone claiming to work at a five-star hotel in central Hong Kong said employees had to follow any VIP request, including one for a sex worker.

The individual stated, "We just make a phone call and girls arrive faster than pizza."

Source: You Might Be Able To Get A Sex Worker As Fast As A Pizza... If You're A VIP.Reddit.

Vacuuming feels slow. Instead of vacuuming, staff sometimes just pick up big crumbs and stop. What about the small crumbs? Maybe next time.

Source: Why Even Use A Vacuum Cleaner?Budget Travel.

Tubs let you relax. Drawing a hot bath, pouring wine, and unwinding from sightseeing or a long day of information overload. The fastest way to stop relaxing is to look under the tub.

That step seems missed during cleaning.

Source: Don't Look Under That Tub.Reddit.

Bed bugs appear more often than you think. Hotels seem like a clear place to find them with hundreds or thousands of guests. This thought makes anyone want to learn how to spot those bugs!

Source: Beware The Bedbugs.Business Insider.