Hotel rooms are cleaned in a hurry, and housekeepers often have a long list of rooms to get through. If you want to be a good guest, it helps to know the things housekeepers hate. None of these are big crimes, but small changes can make life easier for the people cleaning your room, and might get you better service too.
Leaving a mess that hides hazards
The biggest complaint is items that make the job unsafe: used razors or needles left loose in bedding or trash, broken glass wrapped in nothing, and food left to rot. If something is sharp, wrap it and tell the front desk. Never hide needles or sharps in the bin without a note.
Dirty towels and sheets in odd places
Towels hidden in the bed, stuffed behind furniture or thrown in the bath are annoying. A simple system works: leave towels you want replaced on the floor and ones you want to reuse on a rail. Many hotels also have a card to explain their policy.
Ignoring the Do Not Disturb sign
A Do Not Disturb sign can stay on all day, which is fine for privacy, but for multiple days it can cause trouble. Housekeepers may need to check that all is well and keep the room clean. If you don’t want service, tell the front desk you’ll call when you’re ready.
Not tipping
Tips matter a lot in the housekeeping world. Many guests forget to tip because the person is invisible. Leave a few dollars or the local equivalent each day, with a note saying it’s for housekeeping, since staff change daily. Our guide to how much to tip in the US gives sensible amounts.
Other common annoyances
- Leaving trash on the floor rather than in the bin
- Pet hair and pet accidents when pets are not allowed
- Stains on bedding from food, make-up and spills without a note
- Taking items that belong to the room, like robes and hair dryers
- Smoking in non-smoking rooms
- Moving furniture and leaving it blocked
Small kindnesses that matter
Put loose items away so the room can be cleaned, stack dishes on a tray, and say hello when you meet a housekeeper in the corridor. If there is a spill or damage, let the front desk know. A short thank-you note can brighten a day.
Travelling in cities with a lot of hotels
If you stay in a big hotel in New York, you will find that rooms turn over fast; our post on the 6 Columbus Central Park hotel discusses what to check before booking a stay in that area.
Summing up
Treat the room with respect, be careful with sharp items, leave a tip and avoid hiding things. It costs little and makes a difference. For more general information see Housekeeping on Wikipedia). Find more tips at invisionfree.com.
