If you’re traveling with your family, make it a point to put a small power strip into your suitcase.
Many hotel rooms leave families facing a dire shortage of outlets. With the need to charge cell phones, MP3 players, laptops, and other gadgets, a power strip can prevent battles over whose turn it is to plug in their cherished device.
Moreover, when traveling alone, sometimes the outlet is too far from where you may want to work to be convenient, and a power strip can help solve this.
If your hotel room has a mini-bar, check to make sure that all the bottles are sealed as soon as you arrive.
Some guests drink the beverages and refill the bottles with water or tea to avoid the high charges. If this goes undetected by hotel staff until after your stay (they do check for it, but aren’t necessarily always diligent about it), the items will be charged to your credit card.
If you find unsealed bottles, report it to the front desk right away.
When visiting a foreign country, especially one with an unfamiliar language, grab a book of matches from the hotel where you’re staying as soon as you arrive.
If you get lost in town during your stay, and you know just a little of the language, the book of matches will be a great way to show locals where you need to go, and have them direct you to the right place.
If you’re traveling with a pet, make sure you read all the fine print about pet fees and policies when booking a hotel room.
Many hotels require that pets must either be kenneled in the room or not be left alone at any time. Pets may also be banished from lobbies and other public areas. Some hotels place size restrictions on pets. Still others even have “breed restrictions” in place.
Finally, some hotels place pets and their owners in the same rooms or floors that are designated for smokers, so if you have allergy issues, call or email ahead before checking in with Fido or Fluffy.
To get the most out of what you pay a hotel, you may need to work your way into getting a better room. This particular trick really only works for couples. When checking into a hotel make sure to cling to together, be very physical, energetic, and happy. A clerk may ask “Are you here for any special occasion?” You must then say something like —
Any one of these must be said by the woman for it to be more touching and convincing, because the clerk knows that those are very special occasions for her.
Claiming a honeymoon or anniversary may score you a room upgrade. Claiming a birthday may just get something special sent up to the room.