Make Sure You Do These 7 Things When Checking Into a Hotel
Explore what to do when checking into your hotel room, plus tips for hotel safety
When checking into a hotel room, it’s easy to settle in right away. However, as soon as you step through the door, it’s important to check for certain details within your room right away.
Lock your door
“Sometimes the door can get jammed and you want to make sure the door shuts properly without you having to forcefully close the door,” said Stephanie Leger, chief excellence officer at First Rate Hospitality. “The same goes for your balcony door or a connecting door (if your room has one).”
Check for other things
Perhaps due to human error, it might be possible that your room might already be occupied or give access to by someone else.
Do a scan of your room to make sure there are no other persons or belongings. “I know that key mix ups occur and people have entered rooms where others are still in them,” said travel writer Charles McCool. “That actually did happen to me one time but I had the lock latch secured!”
Be alert for bedbugs
Bedbugs are small and flat insects with oval-shaped and wingless bodies and usually brown or red in color. Adults are about the size of an apple seed.
“Bedbugs hide in bedding, furniture, luggage, or just about any place where there is a crack or crevice,” said Ian Williams, BCE, technical services manager at Orkin.
Check heavily along the seams, box spring, or headboard of a bed, plus baseboards near the edges of the room’s carpet; the areas around a bed, couch or drapes should also be looked at.
“Bedbugs might also leave behind drops of blood after they feed,” said Williams. “Bedding that has been infested with bedbugs might also smell sweet and musty.”
Williams also advises keeping your luggage within bathroom, especially within the tub, to reduce the risk of bringing bedbugs home with you.
Pick up the phone
It’s easy to assume you’ll get a dial tone when picking up your hotel phone but it’s always good to check.
“I test the direct line to the front desk and ensure I can reach external numbers, including emergency services,” said Hammer Tsui, co-founder of the travel blog, “A Fun Couple.” “Having access to a functional phone provides reassurance in case of any unforeseen situations.”
Check on overall cleanliness
While hotel housekeeping commonly prepares your room before your arrival, it’s also okay to double check. Fully look around, especially with the carpet and bathroom shower, to see if there’s anything dirty or damaged.
“Check the sheets visually; if there are stains, let the front desk know immediately,” said Leger. “Check the bathroom for any signs of mold or mildew, as well as general cleanliness.”
It’s also suggested to bring disinfected wipes to clean common high-touch surfaces, including the TV remote, door knobs, light switches and thermostat.
Look at safety
In the case of an emergency requiring an evacuation, become aware of your surroundings outside of your hotel room such as the nearest elevator and stairway. Caz Makepeace, co-founder of yTravelblog.com, advises to read the evacuator map posted in your room to learn about fire escape routes.
Listen for background noise
Tsui advises taking a moment to listen and learn if there’s any ambient noise to assess the room's comfort level.
“Thin walls or loud appliances can disrupt sleep and relaxation,” said Tsui. “If noise levels are concerning, I may request a room change to ensure a restful stay.”