Hotel Hacks Every Traveler Should Know About

Few things can feel more luxurious than staying in a nice hotel when you’re away for a few days. But as comfy as a high-quality room can be though, being out of your own space can be a bit unsettling for many travelers. And even 5-star hotels will be lacking in some essential items you may need to rest easy. 

Don’t worry, though. Expert travelers have shared some of the most useful hacks out there that can completely salvage your trip. From small fixes to upgrade your room temperature to blocking out unwanted noise or light so you can get much-needed rest, we’ve got you covered. Check out some of the most useful hacks out there to ensure you will be comfortable, no matter what the accommodations may be…

A Paper Cup For A Toothbrush Holder

A lot of hotels give us places to put our things, but some don’t have everything we need. For example, we might not have a place for our toothbrush. Usually, we think our rooms are really clean, but some of us might want to be extra careful with our personal stuff.

If you don’t have a holder for your toothbrush, you can use a paper cup instead. But if you put your toothbrush in the cup, it might fall over. To keep it clean, you can turn the cup upside down and make a hole in the bottom. Then put your toothbrush in the hole, and it will stand up straight.

Use An Ironing Board As A Table

When we look for a hotel room, we usually want a place that has everything we need. But sometimes we need to be creative and use hotel hacks to make up for things that are missing. You may have found the perfect room, but realized late that it doesn’t have a desk.

Rest assured, many people have the same problem as you. There are some clever hotel tricks that can quickly solve your concerns. If your room has an ironing board, or if the hotel gives you one, you have a useful surface to work on. The best part is that you can adjust the height to make it comfortable for you.

Laundry Sheets To Keep Your Clothes Smelling Fresh

Everyday items can have many uses beyond what they were made for. It’s interesting to see how they can make our travels better too. For example, you might have some extra laundry sheets lying around that could be used for a great travel hack.

To keep your clothes fresh and clean during your trip, put a couple of dryer sheets in your suitcase before you leave. These sheets will continue to work while you’re on vacation. When you’re ready to go back home, put a dryer sheet in your laundry bag to keep your clothes from smelling bad after being packed together during your trip.

Make Instant Noodles With Coffee Machines

Hotel rooms often strive to enhance our experience in various ways. Nowadays, many rooms are equipped with coffee makers, sparing us the need to venture out and face the breakfast rush for a morning caffeine fix. Interestingly, these coffee makers can serve other purposes beyond brewing coffee.

A clever tip for thrifty travelers is to bring along some instant food options, saving you from overspending on the minibar or room service. You can conveniently utilize the hot water from the coffee maker to prepare a quick meal, and presto! Just don’t forget to pack a fork for your culinary adventures.

Use Shower Caps Creatively

Believe it or not, some people do use shower caps still. It might be necessary as you jump in the shower for a quick refresher between activities, but these little pieces of plastic have more surprising and practical uses than you might think.

Aside for keeping you hair perfectly coiffed in the shower, you can also use a shower cap to store dirty shoes in your suitcase. For those that are particularly concerned with germs, use a shower cap to cover those filthy television remotes and other commonly used items that might not get wiped down regularly.

Fog Proof The Bathroom Mirror

Bathrooms are not the most spacious rooms in a hotel setting. They are often designed for you to do your intimate business quickly and then get out. As such, it is a common occurrence for a bathroom mirror to fog up during shower time.

Extra steam can put a damper on efforts to shave, wash your face, and apply makeup.  Avoid this cloudy scene by rubbing a little bar soap on the mirror prior to shower time, and then it’s game on. 

Laundry Bags To Separate Your Dirty Clothes

Hotels often provide laundry services to keep our clothes clean while we travel. However, these services can be expensive, causing many of us to consider washing our clothes at home instead. But no one wants their luggage to smell like dirty clothes, right?

Rather than using expensive hotel laundry services, try a cheap hotel hack that uses your luggage. Collect your dirty clothes, put them in your suitcase, and close it tightly. This smart technique keeps any smells inside and makes it easy to see which items need to be washed once you get back home.

Do Not Disturb

Hotel theft can be a pretty common occurrence unfortunately, As careful as we might be, there are times when wayward guests wander in looking for jewelry, electronics, and other valuables that you have left unattended.

If you want the extra insurance that your room will remain intact as you head out for the day, place the “do not disturb” sign on the outside of the door. Hallway patrons will assume that your room is occupied, and they’ll leave your stuff alone.

Take Advantage Of Digital Room Keys

It’s fascinating to discover that digital room keys have become a reality. Considering the remarkable strides in technology over recent years, it’s not entirely surprising. Concepts once confined to the realm of science fiction are now becoming tangible in our everyday lives.

With digital room keys, you don’t have to worry anymore about losing your key or getting locked out of your room. Just check if your hotel has this service and download the app. Then, you can use your smartphone to get into your room without any problems.

Use Contact Lens Cases For Cosmetics

Many of us may not want to bring our entire vanity stand with us when we travel. Trying out different skincare routines can be a process, but it’s important to stick with it. Consistency is key, even when traveling. So how can we keep up with our skincare regimen when we’re staying in a hotel? It’s simple.

To make your trip easier, try using hotel hacks. Get some contact lens cases before you go and put your skincare products, like lotion, face masks, or makeup, in each one. This way you won’t have to carry big bottles and if you forget them at the hotel, you won’t lose all your stuff.

You Don’t Need Your Card Key For The Lights

Numerous hotels have taken significant steps to minimize their environmental impact. One innovative approach involves the implementation of a system where electricity in guest rooms is activated only when the key card is inserted into a designated slot. While this initiative is commendable, it can be inconvenient when you inadvertently leave your key card behind.

Furthermore, you need to leave devices charging or share access with another occupant in the room without the risk of losing power. Interestingly, many hotels have found that any card can be used in the slot to keep the electricity on, so you don’t need to worry about forgetting your key card.

Pack Bandaids To Babyproof Your Room

Traveling with young children can create special family memories. Getting the little ones ready for a long flight is just the first step. But when you arrive at the hotel, you have new things to worry about. Even if you’ve made your homes safe for your children, you need to remember that not every place is safe for them.

Fortunately, a set of ingenious hotel hacks comes to our rescue. With a simple supply of band-aids, we can easily cover potential hazards in the hotel room, such as outlets and switches. While vigilance in supervising our children is paramount, being well-prepared with these precautions can provide an extra layer of safety in case unexpected mishaps occur.

Wall Facing Couch As A Toddler Bed

When going on trips with young children, parents usually plan everything carefully beforehand. One important thing they may forget is to make sure the hotel they choose has a bed for toddlers. If they make a last-minute booking and the hotel doesn’t have the right bed, what can they do?

Luckily, creative parents can use clever tricks to solve this problem when staying at a hotel. You can use the furniture that’s already there, especially a couch, to make a bed for your toddler. Moving the couch so that the front faces the wall. There you go! You’ve cleverly made a cozy bed that your toddler can sleep in for the night.

Medicine Boxes For Your Jewelry

When preparing for a hotel stay, one of the common concerns is how to transport jewelry without it becoming a tangled mess in our suitcases during the journey. Despite our best efforts, it often seems like there’s an endless need for packing tricks. However, there’s a new solution to consider.

You can simplify this issue by grabbing an empty medicine organizer, the type with separate slots for each day of the week, and allocating a piece of jewelry to each compartment. This method ensures the safekeeping of items like earrings that tend to get misplaced, and it prevents necklaces from becoming entangled with each other.

A Convenient Bottle Opener

Some people find travel more stressful than performing daily duties at home. Uncertain schedules, flight delays, and business meetings that go long all threaten to cause unnecessary headaches when out and about.

Why not unwind in the comfort of your temporary surroundings with a cold beer at the end of the day? While carrying a bottle opener is a no-no when boarding a flight, you have an in-house option in your door hinge. Crack open a frosty, cold one and relax.

Pack Some Instant Meals

If you want to travel but don’t have a lot of money, there are tips to save money on hotels. You can also bring some food with you on your trip, just make sure it’s allowed by the airline and country you’re visiting.

This also allows us to bring different types of meals that are already prepared, so we don’t have to spend a lot of money on eating out or ordering room service. Just make sure to choose meals that you can eat in your room without needing to heat them up, especially if you don’t have a microwave or a way to boil water.

The Power Of Steam

You need that shirt freshly pressed for the board room conference tomorrow, and your clothes got wrinkled while tucked away in your suitcase. Hopefully, your room will have an iron, but if not, don’t fret.

Steam-iron clothes by placing them on hotel-provided hangars and take a nice, hot shower to wash off travel dirt. The steam from your shower will allow wrinkles to relax naturally, resulting in a just-ironed look for all of your business attire.

Hanging Bags For Your Toiletries

Sometimes, we need to invest in the future. This might happen when you want to learn some clever tricks for hotel toiletries. Why? It could be a good time to get a hanging wash bag for many reasons, such as making other travelers envy you.

Hanging bags for your toiletries allow you to pack everything you need in one place and easily hang it in the bathroom. This way, you won’t forget anything when it’s time to leave. They also help you save space in small bathrooms because you can hang them up instead of taking up valuable countertop space.

Hide Money In An Empty Chapstick Tube

When getting ready for a trip, we have to think about a lot of things. We need to make sure we have enough clothes, get tickets and passports, and have enough money for everything we’ll need. But even if we’re really careful and do all of this, there might still be things we forgot to think about.

When we travel, it’s important to keep our things safe. We can use some clever tricks in hotels to help. For example, we can use an empty chapstick tube to hide important notes or extra money. This is a simple but effective way to make sure our valuable things stay hidden and safe while we’re traveling.

Use A Towel As A Noise Barrier

As much as we’d like to achieve a peaceful night’s sleep in our hotel, too many sounds threaten to break through the barrier of restful reverie. Foot traffic, loud parties, and ice machines rattling at all hours can ruin getting some good shuteye. 

You might not get complete silence with this hack, but every little bit helps. Stuff a bath towel at the base of your room door, and it can effectively muffle those troublesome sounds coming from the hallway and beyond.

Create Your Own Nightstand

Standard hotel rooms usually have a nightstand between beds. This is an ideal place for keys, hotel cards, and glasses to rest at night while you drift off to dreamland in search of your perfect vacation day.

But if you’re not sleeping on that side of the bed, it can be an issue. Well, we’ve got a creative solution for you. Hotel bedsheets are tightly tucked in, allowing you opportunity to keep your valuables within arm’s reach without the danger of stepping on items as you make midnight trips to the loo.

Create Your Own Speaker System

Music listeners, listen up. Turn your preferred playlists into a way that you can broadcast throughout your room as you relax and unwind or get ready for a night on the town. 

Simply place your phone, speaker side down, into a glass cup or coffee mug, and your phone can become a sound system. The glass not only protects your phone from moisture and other debris, but it also instantly amplifies the sound, allowing for crystal clear listening enjoyment.

Use A Hanger To Darken The Room

After a long day of travel, nothing is more frustrating than not being able to sleep because of outside light. Hotels provide curtains, but there is still usually that annoying gap in between that allows light to still come through.

Peek in the closet for some help in keeping out light, day or night. Most industrial strength hangars contain pants clips on the bottom. Use this hanger to pull troublesome drapes together, darkening the room, and settle down for a quiet and peaceful night.

A Hair Dryer For More Than Hair

Taking a dip in the hotel pool or hot tub is a relaxing and enjoyable way to spend some down time.  Even if you wear street clothes to the pool, you may find yourself getting soaked by a random water slide incident or wayward spray from excited children.

Your hotel room is equipped with a power-packed hair dryer. Save yourself some time and excess stress by running hot air over wet clothing for comfortable, wrinkle-free clothing when you need it most.

Ask For A Corner Room

Those of us who might be a little claustrophobic can struggle in hotel room environments. An abundance of furniture, close quarters with others, and evacuation plans can add make some be a bit more on edge than at home.

We’ll let you in on a little hotel secret: corner rooms are more spacious than ones in the middle of a hallway. If you ask for one, you’re likely to get it. Call in advance to secure your extra space, and you can spread out in more ways than one.

Keep A Bread Clip Handy

While you’re sure to be stressed about all the things you need to pack for your next trip, there’s one little item that you can take with you that’ll make all the difference. A handy, square clip that you find at the end of a loaf of bread will take up almost no room at all.

This small, but wonderfully-useful item that can fit in your wallet can help keep those charger cords on a desk or dresser. Not only that, but if your headphones get tangled while you’re traveling, you can simply prevent that by adding a bread clip to keep them from getting bunched.

No Charger, No Problem

Sometimes the phone charger is the last thing we leave behind as we frantically pack bags to prepare for our departure. If you find of yourself without a cord as you arrive at your hotel, you don’t need to panic as you watch your phone battery dwindle.

Some hotels offer chargers for checkout, and still others may have cords that other guests have left behind. Ask a hotel employee at the front desk when you arrive, and make sure you return it before you leave to keep your cord karma clean.

Find A Makeshift Nail File

A nail file also makes the ever-growing list of “do-not-takes” as you pack those bags for your next trip. We know that traveling takes a toll on that manicure, but resist the urge to sneak a nail file in your carryon, lest you find yourself being questioned about your travel motives.

Many hotel front desks have matchbooks on hand, and these can come in handy for snagged and broken nails on the go. Use the strike pad side for a quick fix to clean up your nails, being mindful not to strike too hard.

Befriend Hotel Staff

Concierge staff are not the only staff available to serve you. Practicing kindness and befriending hotel staff will allow you to take advantage of extra perks that may not be available to gruff and grumpy customers.

Learn the names of those who help you check in and clean your room. The friendlier you are, the more helpful you’ll find they’ll be. You may soon find yourself in the market for some extra cream with your coffee, or some hot towels after a long day of walking.

Transform Your Sink Into A Refrigerator

Many hotel rooms now come with a standard small refrigerator and freezer. Perfect for snacks and small beverages, but it might not do the trick if you’re traveling with a larger–and hungrier brood. Grab some ice and get ready to improvise.

Even if your fridge and freezer combo is packed, you can still keep drinks and sealed snacks ice cold. Bring a bucket of ice back to the room and fill your bathroom sink with delicious things to snack on as the evening progresses.

Use A Coffee Cup For Juice

Breakfast bars are great but have pitifully small cups for juice? That morning OJ is liquid sunshine going down your throat, but it’s quite annoying to have to refill your cup repeatedly before returning to your room.

Grab a coffee cup instead for your favorite juice and take full advantage as your breakfast bill is included in the price of your room. Drink up, and know that there’s plenty more cranberry and grape at your disposal later.

Be Your Own Doorman

There are multiple points when you may regret bringing a lot of luggage. One instance is when you are struggling with hotel key, door, and suitcases. It can be tricky to navigate the ins and outs of that heavy door while still keeping an eye on all your valuables.

Be your own doorman by using another one of those industrial strength hangers to securely fasten around the top lock. In no time, you’ll be safely tucked inside your room without having to struggle with a keycard several times over.

Wet A Towel To Enhance Air Conditioner Power

Try as they might, most hotel air conditioner units come up dreadfully short in their cooling capabilities, particularly if they are working overtime in hot climates and steamy summer months. 

A quick and easy option for improving air conditioner efficiency is the use of a wet towel. Simply soak a couple of hand towels in the bathroom sink using cold water and place on top of the air conditioner. As the water evaporates, it provides extra cooling action for added comfort.

Ask For A Wake Up Call

Try as we might, sometimes it’s next to impossible to get up for that 8 a.m. meeting after a long night of sightseeing/carousing. If you’re like many, you can sleep right through an alarm, and may panic if you do.

Call your front desk the night before your big board room meeting and ask for a wakeup call, perhaps even two, to ensure that you get up and moving when needed. A hot shower, a couple of cups of coffee, and you’ll be raring to go.

Freshen Up Your Environment

Even though hotels claim to clean and sanitize their rooms daily, you still may experience unwelcome smells and stuffiness when entering a room. Pet odors, cigarettes, and years of guest traffic all contribute to some stale air. 

If you’re feeling not a fan of the smell of your room, consider bringing a car air freshener with you and clipping it on the air conditioning unit. It will give you a burst of familiar scent while cleaning up your olfactory environment.  Feel free to try dryer sheets as another option for adding freshness to a stuffy room.

Fill Up At The Gym

Staying hydrated while traveling is pretty important, yet most hotels don’t offer stellar options when it comes to purchasing drinks. Vending machine prices are often on the expensive side or only accept cash, leaving many travelers parched.

Fortunately, many hotel gyms have a complimentary water filtration system parked right amidst the rowing machines and treadmills. Fill up your bottles after a morning workout and before you leave the hotel for the day, and you’ll be set.

Childproof Your Room With Duct Tape

If you’re traveling with young kids you know that crawling infants and toddlers are not necessarily so safe in a hotel room. Sharp corners on furniture, exposed outlets and electric cords can all pose a potential danger to  your little one.

Pack a roll of duct tape in your suitcase, and use it to secure those crazy cords and dangerous outlets that tiny  fingers are just begging to experiment with. You’ll experience a more peaceful stay with these enhanced safety measures in place.

Consider A Credit Card For Extra Savings

Certain hotel chains will offer rewards as you sign up for specific credit cards. These package deals are designed to benefit both hotel and credit card companies, and you can take advantage of perks that may not be available to other customers.

Flight points, purchase points, and loyalty membership can all be used to take advantage of hotel perks such as free drinks, food, and even entertainment. Sign up and use with confidence, making sure that you know what you can take advantage of as you travel.

Use Amenities After Checkout

There are times when you find you find yourself in that limbo zone after checking out and before you’re on your way back to the airport. One little known secret that many hotels have is that they allow their valued guests to use amenities after checkout.

Sneak in an extra workout, have some additional swim time, or book a massage at the in-house spa. The sky’s the limit with ways to enjoy yourself as you gear up for your trip back home.

Avoid Paying Cancellation Fees

The best-laid travel plans sometimes get derailed. Illness, unforeseen events, and family emergencies all pop up and threaten to cause travel distress. Those who don’t stay on top of last-minute changes may incur cancellation fees.

Avoid paying cancellation fees by contacting your hotel directly and pleading your case. If your travel booking offers travel insurance for a low fee, consider taking advantage of this option to avoid more costly fees that could impact future travel plans.

 Not Pay-Per-View

This travel hack is not for the faint of heart, for it requires asking for a refund only after charges have been incurred. Pay-per-view options are many, and the temptation to take advantage of them at the press of a button is great.

While checking out, ask if the hotel staff would be willing to refund a portion or all your room entertainment charges. You might politely mention that your frequent travel miles could justify such a perk, and it can’t hurt to ask. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Multitask During Breakfast

We have great expectations for a morning breakfast at a hotel, yet many find ourselves short on time when rushing to that morning meeting or connecting bus to a vacation destination. Why not save some time when prepping your morning breakfast?

Spend those precious minutes getting all your breakfast essentials ready. Warm up those eggs in the microwave as you toast your bread. If you find yourself with frozen pats of butter, set them gingerly atop the toaster for an efficient and easy way to ensure easy spreading.

Sync Your Device To The Hotel Television

After a long day of meetings and/or sightseeing, there may not be much to watch on the TV in your room. Smart televisions has syncing capabilities, so if you have your phone or laptop handy, sync it to the hotel television. 

With so many streaming options at your fingertips, you can now do all of your favorite binge-watching on the big screen. Indulge in old favorites or choose an entirely new movie for your night in, and watch from the comfort of your bed. 

Read The Room Literature

Many hotels leave a guest letter and other literature in your room. As you check in and get settled, take the time to read through this valuable information, for it may offer services and insider tips for making your stay more enjoyable.

Hotel events and promotions, entertainment, and premier dining options may all be included in this information. As you read it, you’ll discover that you have an edge over those who fail to take advantage of these offers.

Think About Price Matching

Here’s a tip that you should do before your trip. Today’s savvy consumer can do tons of shopping around before finding a good hotel to settle in for the night. Try some price matching to find the best deal.

Find a rate that you think is reasonable for a desired hotel stay, then consider calling a few others and seeing if they can match or outdo their competitors. Many will offer you lower rates and more amenities to get your business.

Make Your Memberships Work For You

Signing up for memberships can save you both time and money, especially if you travel for work. Certain organizations offer discounts on travel and hotels, including groups like AARP and AAA, nationally-recognized clubs designed to benefit consumer.

Depending on what you do for a living, you may qualify for a significant discount on travel expenses. Signing up for hotel rewards programs offers you unique perks and incentives that are available to members only.

 Customize Your Pillow

Hotel pillows might be fluffy, but they are remarkably stiff and uncomfortable to sleep on. Many a stiff neck has been acquired after a night in a hotel as we toss and turn our way to daylight. Consider customizing your pillow for a better night’s sleep.

Remove the bulk and roll up a towel or your favorite sweatshirt for better slumber. If you are a real stickler for pillowed comfort, travel with your own favorite squish mallow for dreamy delight by night and pain-free comfort by day.

Look At Bidding Sites

Hotel bidding sites like Priceline and Hotwire may be the best, most affordable way to book a room. Though you may be getting a fair price on a two-room suite with kitchenette, you may not be able to get your first choice of hotel.

Look carefully at cancellation policies and restrictions when booking through third party websites that offer discount prices.  If you can live with their terms, it may be the best way to go for a rock bottom price on a good room.

 Explore Local Culture

One of the best things about travel is the opportunity to explore local culture and businesses. Sure, it’s tempting to grab some fast food staples on the way back to the hotel, bu take a risk and duck into that back alley to see what’s available to the locals.

Before frequenting businesses and eateries in your area, ask hotel employees for their recommendations. They are the local experts on the good, bad, and downright ugly. Enhance your travel experience with some out-of-the-box eating and shopping.

Stay Close To The Airport

Early morning flights are usually offered at a discount for business travelers. They are quiet, they are efficient, and they are the preferred method of travel for those who frequently travel as part of their work responsibilities.

Finding a hotel that is close to the airport will allow you to reduce travel time, eliminate stress, and make your whole stay more efficient. Ask about shuttle service to and from the airport to make transitions even easier

Take Advantage Of Virtual Check-In and Check Out

As an added safety and convenience measure, many hotels now offer virtual check in and check out via their specific apps.  This means you can sail in and out as needed with no need to wait in line after a long day of traveling.

Simply download your specific hotel’s app, follow the instructions for check in and room access, and away you go. You can even opt for email and text room statements to ensure there are accurate room charges, making travel even more convenient.

Use Concierge Services

Reputable hotels across the country offer concierge services, though not many people take advantage of the free services they offer. A concierge is specifically employed by the hotel to provide you with advice and services that allow you to utilize all that your destination city has to offer.

Book car services, get recommendations for fine dining and entertainment, and even purchase tickets via the professional concierge at your hotel. Not only are the services free, they provide you with the best options for entertainment and travel in their local area.