Nasty Secrets That Hotel Staff Will Never Tell You

2 years ago

1. Don't Use Drinking Glasses In Hotel Room

Image source: Reddit

Do not put your trust in hotel room drinking glasses. Cleaners are stretched thin at times and may end up cleaning the glasses with the same cloths they have used to wipe down in the bathroom. So we are talking sinks, showers .... and toilets! Their goal is to leave the room LOOKING. clean

2. Bed Bugs As Common As Guests In Hotel Rooms!

Image source: Reddit

Every hotel, from small, run down motels to five star resorts, all have one thing in common - bed bugs! A study in 2018 showed the nasty little things are becoming more common in the United States thank in the last 20 years. The more you look for them in your room, the more you'll find - sorry!

3. Cleaning Staff May Rest On Your Hotel Bed

Image source: Reddit

Even though they are obviously not supposed to, cleaning staff sometimes sleep in the guest rooms. If they are running ahead of schedule with their duties or have been given extra time to clean a large suite and they are tired, they might grab 40 winks on a guest bed.

4. Maids Try On Guests' Expensive Clothing

Image source: East Side

Most maids will only look at the clothes that guests bring but some have admitted to falling into temptation and actually trying them on in the rooms. This is true as some have been caught out doing this. If the maid is the same size as the guest, it can be hard to resist seeing how the other half live.

5. Hotel Hair Dryers House Lots Of Bacteria

Image source: Checkout

Hotels are required by law to sanitize commonly touched areas but the same level of attention is not necessarily given to less noticeable items such as hair dryers. As a result, these could go for ages without being properly disinfected - and the bacteria keeps on building up.

6. Cleaning Staff Will Occasionally Use The Facilities!

Image source: East Side

If cleaning staff need to go to the bathroom, they will use the one in the room they are cleaning instead of the staff bathroom. If they use the toilet after it has already been cleaned, they probably would not wipe over it again. This is information you might not want to know about!

7. Your Luggage May Be Used As A Football!

Image source: Insider

When you leave your luggage by the bell desk or a small room by reception, it won't be visible from the outside. Just as well as you would otherwise see it being manhandled in a rough way. If it's big, it may get sat upon and if it's small, it's can be kicked across the floor like a football.

8. Disgusting Things Could Have Happened In Your Room

Image source: East Side

Hotel owners and managers are not proud certain things that have gone on in the rooms and they would not be vocal in discussing it. We are talking, as an example, of guests marinating a whole pig in the bathtub. Staff members let this be known amongst themselves and it got out to the wider audience.

9. Staff Members Don’t Really Care!

Image source: Reddit

A former hotel worker spoke of an occasion where a guest broke a glass inside a water refill barrel. Two weeks later, when the staff member returned to work after a vacation, the glass was still there and guests had been drinking from the barrel throughout this time.

10. Vegetarian Food Isn’t Always Vegetarian

Image source: Quora

If you only eat vegetarian food, we suggest you look away right now. Hotel kitchens often don't care about accurately focusing on vegetarian requirements. Sauces can be prepared using chicken stock and the dough for flatbreads contains eggs. The same utensil can also be used to stir both meat and vegetarian dishes. Oops!

11. Bedspreads Are Hardly Ever Washed

Image source: Daily Mail

It's possible that a hotel bedspread might only be changed and washed four or five times a year. Also, if there is a top sheet between the duvet and the bed, the cover might not be washed after each guest. You are probably best taking it off the bed before you climb in.

12. They Often Find Vomit In The Ice Bucket

Image source: Reddit

People tend to let loose when they are away from home, staying in a hotel and we are talking alcohol here! Cleaning staff can confirm this as they find vomit almost anywhere including the ice bucket. Even if it's a top class hotel, guests behaviour is still unacceptable.

13. The Housekeepers May Claim Lost Items

Image source: Reddit

If lost items go unclaimed for a specified time, some hotels allow the maids to keep the items they have found in rooms they were cleaning. What is not allowed but does happen is when items are passed to the housekeeper, when guests have left them and the housekeeper takes them home. There have also been reports of staff "acquiring" wallets and purses left in rooms.

14. There Have Been Deaths On The Premises

Image source: Reddit

People die in hotel rooms more often than you think, either from natural causes or otherwise and hotel staff are instructed to keep hush on such sensitive matters. This information is tightly controlled to prevent bad publicity and "dark tourism" from those who want to stay in a room where someone has died.

15. You May Get A Cheaper Room Rate If You Go Direct

Image source: Reddit

Hotels get lots of their business from booking sites and some pay as much as a 25 per cent commission fee. If you are looking for a great deal, search online for something that takes your fancy and then contact the hotel directly in order to negotiate a good rate. Certainly worth a try!

16. You Could Get A Room Upgrade If You Ask

Image source: Business Insider

Asking for a room upgrade while other guests can hear you will put the front desk person in an awkward position and will lessen your chances of achieving this. A better tactic for snagging a more spacious room without paying any more is to request a "corner room." These are known to be bigger than a standard room.

17. They May Give Repeat Guests Special Treatment

Image source: Reddit

If you often travel to the same location and use the same hotel, consider turning on the charm and you may notice an odd free upgrade coming your way from the hotel receptionist. If none is forthcoming, it's worth mentioning you are a regular and giving a hint that you're up for a freebie.

18. You Can Get Kids' Meals Even If They Aren't On The Menu

Image source: Awayday

If you've got kids in tow with you, check the hotel offers children's portions on the room service menu. If not, you should ask the kitchen if they will a make a child-size portion. It's highly unlikely that they will refuse and they should charge you a discounted rate for the smaller portion.

19. You Get What You Pay For

Image source: Brightside

You got yourself a cheap hotel room on a website and you're feeling smug. Remember that the staff know you got a bargain and will match what you paid with the room they put you in. There's nothing wrong with getting an amazing deal but the amenities might not be as you would expect.

20. There Might Be A Cheaper Room Rate At A Nearby Boutique Hotel

Image source: Brightside

Independently owned hotels are not as expensive as hotel chains, as a rule. A chain has to stick to the rate whereas a privately owned place can adjust the price according to its occupancy. They will also be forthcoming in advising you where to go and what to see.

21. They Charge More For A Central Location

Image source: Quora

If you're planning on visiting a major city, have a think before paying for a hotel in the center of town. While it's convenient to be a short walk from, say, Manhattan's sights, you could save quite a bit of cash by choosing somewhere on the outskirts of the borough.

22. They Speed-Clean Your Room

Image source: Business Insider

Standard checkout is usually around 11 am while check-in is usually about 3pm. This means that hotel housekeepers don't have much time to clean up to 30 rooms. Bearing in mind they have to change towels and linens, replace glasses and coffee cups, check and restock the minibar and getting rid of all the trash, it's unlikely that cleaning will be thorough.

23. They Don't Mind Kind Complaints

Image source: Reddit

Even though the front desk is your point of contact when you have an issue, you should ask that person who they think would be best to deal with the matter. Stay polite and don't raise your voice and believe it or not, no one will think badly of you when you complain.

24. They Can't Always Find Your Gratuity

Image source: Reddit

A hotel maid who was working at a four star hotel in New York, estimated that only 40 percent of guests left gratuities. If you decide to leave a tip, you should put it under the pillow and leave a note with it so it is clear who it is for. Otherwise it could get into the wrong hands.

25. The Waiter' Recommendation Is Always Most Expensive Item

Image source: Reddit

There is nothing wrong in going with the waiter's recommendation but be mindful that it's highly likely to be the most, or one of the most, expensive foods on the menu. Alternatively, if a particular food is slow in selling, the waiter could encourage you to order it.

26. Their Star Ratings May Not Be Totally Accurate

Image source: Reddit

Traditional star ratings are based on the number of amenities a hotel has, the size of the rooms and their furnishings, the number of electrical outlets they have and so on. You get the picture. What they don't cover is the people who work there and there are now some apps that tell you this exact information.

27. You Can Ask For Free Stuff

Image source: Flickr

If you don't ask, you don't get! Not only can you get free toiletries from the front desk but you can also get other stuff such as stamps, bottled water, alcohol and fruit baskets. It's worth asking for complimentary meal vouchers, if your hotel has a restaurant. You might even get free VIP entry to a nearby nightclub!

28. Higher Floors Are Quieter

Image source: Reddit

If you’re looking for some peace and quiet during your hotel stay, check this out! Ask for a room on a higher floor and not only is it further up from the street but hotels tend to book louder guests, such as party groups , on the lower floors. Be persistent if staff say they have already allocated you a room.

29. Room Service May Not Be A Good Idea

Image source: Reddit

If you fancy treating yourself to room service, be aware there are certain things you shouldn't order. The coffee sent up to your room is highly likely to be stale and burnt, not as good as the coffee maker in your room and seafood teds to be not the freshest. Stick to a burger and fries!

30. Avoid Cancellation Fees By Rescheduling First

Image source: Reuters

If you need to cancel your hotel reservation at the last minute, there is a way to avoid being charged a fee. Call the hotel and ask to push your reservation to a later date, one outside of the window in which you will be charged for cancellation. A few days later, you can call again and cancel the reservation, with no additional charges.