10 things to check when you check into your hotel
Most road warriors like to breeze through check-in as fast as possible to get into their room and hop into bed (or that cozy bathrobe hanging in the closet). But glossing over certain things at check-in and getting comfortable too quickly can potentially cause headaches later in a stay. These are 10 don't-miss things to check upon check-in.
At the desk, check:
If you can snag an upgrade. "Ask and ye shall receive" isn't always the case, but the person checking you in very well might have the power to give you that suite you had your eye on. Remember, sometimes all it takes to get an upgrade is a polity query... and perhaps a $20 bill.
Whether there are any extra charges or fees. There are some truly annoying extra fees out there, like resort and cleaning fees — and if you ask, you just might be able to get them waived.
Whether the hotel is putting a hold on your card for incidentals. And ask how much that hold is and how long it will linger on your account. It can make a difference with your available credit.
Your departure details. Even if you just arrived and want to push the return trip out of mind, it'll make things a lot smoother on the other end to have your exit all set. Double check checkout time, and if possible, make travel arrangements back to the airport. I once thought I could schedule my ride a few hours before only to find everything booked solid.
Who is staying nearby. If you plan to get to bed early or want to sleep in, politely inquire about whether you're staying in the middle of a wedding party, family reunion or anything that could be raucous. Similarly, if you anticipate you might be the loud guest for whatever reason (no judgment), it would be polite to forewarn the front desk. They hopefully will be able to shift your room around and keep everyone happy.
In your room, check :
Where the emergency exits are. This one is easy to forget, but it's really important. It also takes about two seconds because most hotels post a fire escape map right on the back of the door (or near it).
Everything is where it should be. If you're expecting the room to come with any extras like a bathrobe or a hair dryer, check that they're there. If not, or if anything looks off, let the front desk know so you'll preemptively squash any suspicion that you had anything to do with disappearing goods. And, of course, so you can get those comforts to use during stay.
For bed bugs. Bed bugs are not the souvenirs you want from a trip, and infestations are more common than you might think. The University of Minnesota has an in-depth guide to inspecting a hotel room for bed bugs (one place you'd never thought to look: behind pictures hanging on the wall).
The alarm clock. You don't want that thing going off at whatever ungodly hour the prior guest had it set for.
That the thermostat works. Jolting awake in the middle of the night sweating bullets from an overheated room or shivering uncontrollably from a frigid one is not the recipe for a good night's sleep.