5+ Ingenious Hotel Hacks Every Traveler Should Know

Fortunately, there are certain things you can do to make your stay much more enjoyable, all without needing too much work or breaking the wallet! Here are some creative hotel hacks that every visitor should know, ranging from money-saving techniques to do-it-yourself solutions.

1. Forget about third-party booking websites.

Instead of using third-party services like Booking.com or Hotels.com, consider booking directly with the hotel!

Most hotels are happy to offer the best deals to guests who book directly with them so that they do not have to pay these booking sites a commission.

2. Inform the hotel of any special events.

If it’s your birthday, graduation, honeymoon, or wedding anniversary, be sure to notify the hotel! Make a note in the comments box when booking online, or mention it when making a phone reservation.

You’re likely to receive a complimentary hotel upgrade or a unique gift, such as a bottle of champagne. After all, the hotel would love to make your stay so unforgettable that you will tell your friends and family about it!

3. Keep all of your toiletries in one place.

The hotel’s towels and bathrobes aren’t yours to keep, but those small soaps and bottles of shampoo, conditioner, hand cream, and lotion are! Take as many as you can — you’ve already paid for them, even if they don’t appear on your statement.

Even if you don’t use them right away, they’ll be useful for camping trips, sleepovers, and long plane rides. You may also put them in little bags to give to the homeless.

4. Use a curtain hanger to keep the curtains closed.

If you’re jet-lagged, you may find yourself falling asleep in the middle of the day. However, no matter how tired you are, sleeping may be difficult if your hotel room has those curtains that always seem to leave a gap in the middle.

Grab a few hangers from the closet and use the clamps at the bottom to keep the curtains closed tightly. You’ll never have to be concerned about unwelcome light entering your room again!

5. Make use of an ironing board as a workstation or table.

If your room doesn’t have enough space for all of your personal stuff, look in the closet for an ironing board. If there isn’t one, ask the receptionist if you can have one delivered to your room.

Aside from serving as an extra shelf, the ironing board can also serve as a work desk or a dining table. Just remember to use a towel to cover the ironing board to avoid staining it!

6. Make good use of the laundry bag

Laundry bags are provided in each room because many hotels offer a laundry service to their guests. However, if you aren’t going to utilize your hotel’s laundry service, why not put the laundry bags to use for something else?

The laundry bag can be used to separate dirty clothes from unused ones in your luggage. It can also be used to store snacks or as a trash bag to keep your car clean on the long drive home.

7. Store your soiled shoes in shower caps.

Consider this scenario: you’re in your hotel room, packing your luggage before your trip, when you discover, to your dismay, that you don’t have anything to place your soiled pair of shoes in. It’s late at night, and all of the stores are shut. What are you going to do?

The solution is straightforward! Look for an unused shower cap in the bathroom. Wrap the shower cap around the bottoms of your shoes, drop them into your suitcase with the rest of your belongings, and you’re ready to go!

8.Wrap the remote control with plastic wrap.

With so many rooms to go through each day, it’s inevitable that cleaners will take corners. No matter how clean your room appears to be, there will always be areas and items that are covered in bacteria and germs.

The remote control, for example, is an item that is rarely disinfected. Consider how frequently you clean your remote control at home! Simply wrap the remote control in a transparent plastic bag to limit your chances of being ill.