Hotel Room Tips for Travelers

By Editorial Staff, 

Every traveler has experienced walking into a hotel room only to find that the pictures of the room you saw online were either taken in a different hotel or in the "show" room. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to be prepared to handle the bad hotel room.

Be Specific

If you stayed in a particular room last time and it was a great room, ask for the same room. If you're a frequent traveler, it is a good idea to jot down room numbers. If you can't remember, the hotel keeps records. If the room is not available, ask for a room that is as similar as possible. The flip-side of this is also true. If your last room was terrible, ask that you get a completely different room.

Be Price-Wary

If a deal seems too good to be true, follow your instincts, and ask questions. Many hotels in the remodeling phase will post pictures of new and upcoming rooms and imply that the great deal will get you this room. When you arrive, you get a room in the "old" wing. Do comparison shopping and check various travel websites to find the "average" price for rooms in a particular city. If there's one hotel that is offering rooms at far lower rates than every other hotel in the city, be wary. It may be that the hotel is new and it is trying to build a good reputation by offering great deals, but you have to ask questions to find out what is going on.

Take Reviews Seriously

The Internet allows you to read user reviews of hotels and hotel rooms. Every hotel has at least one dissatisfied guest, but you shouldn't be paralyzed by these reviews. However, reviews serve as a good starting point for finding out the current state of the hotel. A review dated a month before your visit complaining of construction noise allows you to prepare for that eventuality. Indeed, reviews are often the only current information available about a hotel.

Don't Unpack

When you walk into a room you may be tempted to quickly unpack and go out or relax. Resist this urge. Walk through the room. The broken shower door, the musty smell, the unclean towels -- they're not going away. Do a walk-through, then walk outside to assess noise levels. If the room is not satisfactory, immediately go to the front desk and ask for a different room.

Complain Constructively

Yelling at hotel staff, many forced to behave a particular way by corporate policy, is not constructive. When you complain, offer a list of alternatives that will make you happy. For example, if your room is not satisfactory and the hotel is full, ask for additional privileges, like free parking, drinks at the bar or spa services.

Complain to the Head Office

If the hotel is unsatisfactory, do not simply forget your displeasure when you get home. Write to the management of the hotel. Remember that many hotels are franchised chains. Simply writing to the particular hotel's manager is not enough. Instead write to the head corporate office of the franchise. The corporate office must be told that their brand is being damaged by a shoddy franchise owner. And remember, you have a voice and you can write an online review. Don't let other travelers suffer your fate.

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