Ahhh…Vacation. Doesn’t that word just ease out of your mouth? You get a little glimmer in your eye and even a bit giddy thinking about a little R & R. Let’s face it, you work hard all year so that you can enjoy a week or two with family and friends, see new sites and enjoy the finer things in life…like staying in a hotel.
Who doesn’t love staying in a hotel? You wake up, get ready for a day of fun/sightseeing and when you come back from a long day – everything is done. The bed is made, the bathroom is clean, there are fresh towels, and in some cases, even a mint on your pillow! It just doesn’t get any better than that. But in reality, there are things about your hotel stay that can cause you to spend more money or totally gross you out if you don’t do some research before you book.
So whether your going to a beach town, major city or large amusement park, here’s what you need to know about your hotel stay.
#5 Parking
If you happen to drive to your vacation destination or rent a car in the area, make sure you know the policy on hotel parking. If you’re visiting a major city (New York, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, etc.), there’s a very good chance that you have to pay an additional fee for parking – which can run up to about $50 per day. Be in the know and do your research on parking when booking your hotel. A weeks parking can easily add HUNDREDS of dollars to your hotel bill!
#4 Wi-Fi
Believe it or not, in this age of everything digital – not all hotels offer free Wi-Fi. In some cases, high-end, luxury hotels charge up to $20 per day for 24 hours of Wi-Fi. Why? Because…Well, they can. The basic answer is that if someone is paying $500+ per night for a hotel stay, chances are they will not balk at a $20 Wi-Fi fee. However, not everyone is staying at a super-high-end-hoity-toity establishment – but even some middle of the road hotels charge as well. So don’t assume it’s free…check out the amenities on the website. If Wi-Fi is not listed, chances are there’s a fee. Although, you may want to call the hotel directly to confirm.
#3 Wooden Luggage Racks
I know what you’re thinking…luggage racks? Why do I need to know about luggage racks? I put my suitcase on it- end of story.
Yeah, not so much.
What do bed bugs love? Wood. How do you transport bed bugs home? Luggage. See the connection here? You’re actually better off unpacking on the bathroom floor than taking the chance on a wooden luggage rack. Your best bet is to unpack, seal up your suitcase and put it away – unless your hotel has a metal rack – (below) and in that case, you’re fine.
And speaking of…
#2 Bed Bugs
Just to be clear, a bed bug infestation can happen in the cleanest of environments. Even a 5 Star rated hotel is not immune to bed bugs. Because bed bugs are so small, they can easily sneak into one’s luggage, clothes, vehicle, etc., without anyone noticing. That means not only are you dealing with bites, rashes and the like – you also are at risk of bringing these little buggers home with you. And let’s face it, that can turn your dream vacation into a nightmare! So when you pick your hotel, do a quick search on bedbugregistry.com to see if your hotel has ever had issues. Better safe than sorry!
The Bed Bug Registry is a free, public database of user-submitted bed bug reports from across the United States and Canada.
#1 Glassware in the Room
DO NOT USE IT!
Why?
Let me ask you this…on previous hotel stays, when housekeeping came in to clean your room, did you ever notice them using/carrying a clean sponge and bottle of Dawn Dish detergent? No? Well, there’s your answer. Chances are, they used the same rag they cleaned the bathroom sink – and possibly the toilet, (eeeewwwwwww, gross!) to clean the glassware.
Don’t believe me? Google it. There have been many undercover reports showing housekeeping using the same rag throughout the entire room. Think about it…these people have to get an entire block (if not whole floor) of rooms prepared in a very short window of time. Do you think they’re washing the glasses in hot/soapy water and drying it off? No way. And some may say, “they replace the glasses”…and to them I say, “Oh, you mean from those really nice carts that has toxic cleaners, cleaning rags and your dirty towels thrown on it?”. Trust me on this, stay away from the glassware. Most hotels have switched to individually wrapped paper/plastic cups- which is fine. However for the hotels that still use glass? Call the front desk and ask for paper or plastic cups.
The best way to enjoy your hard-earned vacation is to be prepared in every possible way!
Photos – Shutterstock
