12 Hotel Tips From The Pros You Need To Know Before Your Next Stay

4. “It doesn’t hurt to ask if there’s a better rate. Depending on the property, if you’re nice, the front desk has the power to do a lot with your rate. At one property I worked at if we were almost full, and it was past 9 pm I could cut $50 off the rate if I felt like it, at most though I can only really give a 10% discount, but I can do it for almost any reason.”

5. “Spread a towel out on the counter before putting your stuff on it, because I know some of my coworkers would go from floor to shower to toilet to sink with the same rag. I know people who would do twelve rooms or more with two rags: bathroom and not bathroom. Nobody cared, the goal was to remove all traces of the last guest and make it smell nice.”

6. “Never sleep directly on a pillow in a hotel. Always bring your own pillowcase and cover it. We can’t tell guests this, but the hotel pillows are actually rarely washed.

The pillowcases get changed, sure, but the pillows themselves? They’re only cleaned if there’s an obvious stain or odor. Most of the time, they just get reused over and over again. I’ve seen pillows in rooms that have been there for months, maybe even years, without being properly cleaned.”

7. “Noise complaints will be promptly ignored. Why? Because sound carries from several rooms above you, and most people don’t know which room is being loud even when it’s right next to them.

Being one room off is the difference between asking someone to keep it down, and waking up the Rage Lady at 3am. I’ll go up and listen to see if I can pinpoint the room, but if I can’t, then you’re just gonna have to deal with it.”