Ex-Hotel Employees Are Sharing The Things They Would NEVER Do While Staying At A Hotel
Working at a hotel can be a…wild experience. From unwashed sheets to third-party booking secrets, there’s likely nothing hotel employees haven’t seen.
Because they know the ins and outs of hotels so well, we recently asked former and current employees of the BuzzFeed Community to share what tips they have for staying at a hotel. Here are their responses:
1.
“Quickly remove the decorative pillows and bed runner. They hardly ever get washed. You don’t know where they’ve been.”
—rodriguez1814
2.
“Former hotel GM here. I wear socks in my room all the time. Even in high-end places, the carpets are not cleaned between every guest.”
—surprisedfish60
3.
“I would never let my toiletries touch the bathroom countertop. As a former housekeeper, the tub, toilet, and sink are cleaned with the same cloth.”
—Anonymous, Tennesse
4.
“Don’t keep the top comforter or bedspread on the bed. They rarely get washed, so just think of all the fun stuff that could be on them. Take them off ASAP and shove them in the closet until you check out.”
—48, California
“I 100% would never EVER use the bedspread or any blankets besides the sheets. They get washed maybe twice a year.”
—35, PennsylvaniaÂ
5.
“After six years at two major US hotel chains, I will NEVER get in a hotel hot tub. I’ve seen masses of condoms, feminine products, and diapers pulled from those filters!”
—48, US
6.
“Check every hotel bed for bed bugs before bringing anything into the room. Never put your suitcase or clothing on a fabric chair. Move decorative shams and blankets into the closet asap.”
—originalcactus94
7.
“Use a disinfectant wipe on all high-touch surfaces: phone, light switches, door knobs, clock, etc. Most of the time, if there isn’t dust, they do not get wiped after each guest. There is a push to clean a room as fast as possible so not every surface will get cleaned.”
—rodriguez1814
8.
“The TV remote should go in a one-gallon ziplock bag.”
—Anonymous, 35
9.
“I’d never have a bath because the tub never gets cleaned.”
—39, United Kingdom
10.
“Check the toilet for hair and bath tub for soap scum before settling in.”
—originalcactus94
11.
“Don’t use the glasses in the room. If they don’t look used, housekeeping just wipes them down and moves on.”
—38, New York
12.
“I’d never pay for french fries anywhere, but especially not at hotel prices, they’re insanely cheap to make and hotels notoriously hike food costs.”
—38, New York
13.
“I’ve worked the front desk of hotels for almost 10 years. I can personally tell you the more of an A-hole you are, the less I will do. I have gone over and beyond for a calm, understanding guest (even when they were wrong). For a loud, angry guest, you get the bare minimum…and it won’t help to tell the manager because technically, I did my job.”
—Yo-Yo, 42, Michigan
14.
“I’d never ask for an upgrade — you’ll probably get one if we have the rooms, but it’s such an overdone douche move, and we absolutely hate you for starting the interaction with ‘any upgrades?!’ instead of ‘hello.'”
—38, New York
15.
“I’d never book via a third party. Just keep checking rates. Rates are so prone to fluctuation based on what is expected to happen in an area. Keep checking rates and if you see it decrease, take a screenshot and ask at the desk. It takes 30 seconds for us to adjust, and we don’t care. We make the same $20 an hour no matter what you’re paying.”
—38, New York
16.
“NEVER DRINK FROM DISPENSERS. Get everything from a can or a bottle. I worked closing shifts at a five-star resort. The spigots on drink dispensers are supposed to be taken apart and sanitized, but our managers said it took too long and ordered us to just run soapy water through them once and then move on to the next area. If we took the time to clean them properly, we would receive disciplinary strikes. Too many strikes, and you’d get fired. It was humiliating when clumps of mildew washed out with the water and guests found it!”
—30, Texas
17.
“Never use the coffee maker in your room. I have seen housekeepers clean the toilet and the coffee maker in the bathroom at the same time.”
—71, Ohio
18.
And finally, “For the love of god, tip your housekeeper on day one.”
—originalcactus94
Have you ever worked at a hotel? Share your tips in the comments!
Note: Some submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
