Questions tagged [hotels]
For questions related to "hotels" specifically rather than "accommodation" generally. See also the "hostels" tag.
616
questions
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What are these chair-like things in hotels?
I've encountered them in most hotels but I can't figure out what they are for. Some are even mounted on the walls. What are they?
- 1,832
86
votes
18
answers
52k
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How to cope with too slow Wi-Fi at hotel?
So many hotels I stayed at (3~4 stars ratings) provided too slow Wi-Fi. The speed is somewhere around 2~3Mbps, and it frequently falls down to <200Kbps.
However, once you find that your hotel ...
- 14.6k
85
votes
7
answers
22k
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How to avoid hotels with bellhops in the USA
Many guides to tipping in the USA include a specification to tip a "bellhop" at a hotel, which is apparently an employee who expects to be paid separately for the "service" of accompanying the guest ...
78
votes
6
answers
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My hotel "blocked" 5,000 dollars when I arrived and now is taking again the money
I'm staying in San Francisco for 2 weeks. When I arrived I gave my European debit card to the hotel, and they (at least, I thought so) withdrew the 5,000 dollars I owed them for the whole stay.
...
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76
votes
9
answers
11k
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What kind of things can you take from a hotel?
Hotels normally provide a big amount of sets (well, depending on the quality, but however, many!) that can help you feel more comfortable there.
So for example you can get towels, slippers, candies, ...
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votes
4
answers
32k
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Why do some hotels ask you to leave the key at the reception when you go out to come back later?
Sometimes when I check in at a hotel I am asked to drop the key at the reception before leaving the premises, even if I will stay longer.
When this happens, I normally do like they ask me, but ...
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74
votes
7
answers
89k
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What is a continental breakfast and what other types of breakfasts are there?
When I look for an hotel I often see the "continental breakfast" expression when they refer to their breakfasts.
I looked up the expression on Google and found:
a light breakfast, typically ...
- 30.4k
70
votes
8
answers
13k
views
Why are some hotels asking you to book through Booking.com instead of matching the price at the front desk?
It's happened to me a few times when I've wanted to book a room the same day. I've researched the prices on various hotels before visiting a hotel. At the front desk I present how many days I want to ...
- 1,832
68
votes
4
answers
26k
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What is a "French bed room" in German hotel terminology?
I have booked a hotel room in Germany.
On the reservation confirmation, it says:
Room category: 1 × French bed room non-smoking
What is a French bed room?
- 51.2k
66
votes
6
answers
78k
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In US hotels, what happens if you skip checkout and just leave the hotel?
Every time I check out of a hotel, they ask me if my stay went fine, let me review my incidental charges and ask if they should charge the credit card used to check in.
But what if I simply walk out ...
- 79.3k
65
votes
5
answers
11k
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Should I not use double things in a double room if I have booked it as a single guest?
Some hotels physically don't have single rooms even if they can be booked so. The towels, soap, shampoo and so on are always for two guests. I'm not a wasteful person, but I wonder if I'm allowed to ...
user63373
63
votes
11
answers
20k
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How do I insist that American hotels accept my employer's credit card for payment, instead of asking for personal credit card upon check-in?
I work for a state government body in the United States. As a part of my work, I occasionally have multi-day travel. My hotel stays are paid by my employer and are tax-exempt.
I frequently run into a ...
- 1,131
60
votes
4
answers
21k
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Are hotel "safes" really a joke to open?
I have seen all kinds of videos on YouTube demonstrating trivial methods of opening hotel safes, the kind that are in the room. In one video the guy opens the safe with a potato.
Are these videos ...
- 5,788
55
votes
6
answers
52k
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What is the purpose of this cloth in hotel?
What is the purpose of the cloth across the bed? I see it at many hotels and it does not seem to serve any purpose other than make it look nice. Any idea what it can be used for?
Ps. The purplish ...
- 1,053
54
votes
4
answers
12k
views
Does declining housekeeping deny housekeepers of their income?
Whenever I stay in US hotels I typically decline housekeeping, as I don't want to cause them to have to do extra unnecessary work. But today I wonder whether by denying them the opportunity to clean ...
- 533
54
votes
2
answers
15k
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Navigating the layers of American hotel beds: where are you actually supposed to sleep?
Silly question perhaps but I'm a bit puzzled. The bed has a mattress, mattress pad, sheet 1, sheet 2, a thin white blanket, sheet 3, duvet with a removable cover and some more decorative stuff.
In ...
- 64.2k
52
votes
8
answers
15k
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Why would you cancel a non-refundable hotel reservation?
I was wanting to cancel a hotel reservation on Expedia but when I clicked on the cancel link I get this message:
The room/unit type and rate selected are non-refundable. Should you change or cancel ...
- 10.3k
52
votes
6
answers
15k
views
Is it normal to walk around an (American) hotel in pajamas?
I recently spent a weekend in a hotel with a bunch of friends and colleagues. To help cut down on costs, some of us shared rooms.
I like reading before I go to sleep, but my room-mate was tired and ...
- 1,293
50
votes
4
answers
11k
views
Host telling me to cancel my booking in exchange for a discount?
I booked through booking.com about 2 months ago, made a prepayment and everything. The place I booked has free cancellation up until 2 weeks prior.
Now, the host has e-mailed me offering me a ...
- 573
49
votes
6
answers
17k
views
Is there a reason for heavy doors in hotels? [closed]
Almost every hotel I've been in has had an enormously heavy door that bangs when it closes. Now, I've been to many homes, offices, and retail outlets with solid doors that have a definite pull-back ...
- 3,102
47
votes
6
answers
103k
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What happens if you cannot pay for a hotel?
What happens if you cannot pay for your hotel stay because you accidentally run out of money (can happen) or your credit card was blocked (much more likely)? I assume you cannot arrange the money on ...
- 4,939
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votes
8
answers
16k
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Can a hotel cancel a confirmed reservation?
I booked a hotel a yesterday though Booking.com for a special occasion in Barcelona (I'm traveling from another European country). The booking isn't for another few months.
The booking includes:
Free ...
- 463
45
votes
4
answers
20k
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How does Expedia manage to sell a room significantly cheaper than the hotel itself?
I was recently booked in to the Hyatt Ziva All Inclusive in Puerto Vallarta booked direct through the Hyatt website. The room rate was approx. $650 per night.
This evening, I was casually browsing on ...
- 3,135
44
votes
3
answers
25k
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Hotel booking: Why is Agoda much cheaper than booking.com?
I noticed that Agoda.com often offers significant cheaper prices than booking.com when comparing prices (looking at the same hotel, same room type, same dates...).
I wonder why that is considering ...
- 3,116
44
votes
1
answer
7k
views
What happens to the unfinished open soaps in hotel bathrooms?
Inspired by what I (and many others) thought this question would be about:
What happens to all the half-used (or more likely 5% used) soaps in hotel bathrooms?
You check into a hotel. You open a ...
- 2,150
42
votes
5
answers
28k
views
What is the hotel room card slot inside the room for?
Several hotels I've stayed in lately (in the Middle East if that matters) have a card slot just inside the door of the room, and it appears that the lights/AC in the room only work if you have one of ...
- 1,081
42
votes
5
answers
2k
views
Is there any way of evaluating the quality of a hotel's internet connection in advance?
I'm on the road a lot for work. I tend to end up staying at a lot of budget chain hotels that offer free wi-fi. So far so good. But sadly, not all wi-fi is created equal. The past few weeks I've been ...
- 10.3k
40
votes
6
answers
14k
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Can a mixed-Muslim unmarried couple share hotel rooms in Indonesia?
I am a muslima with Moroccan passport, and my boyfriend is European. Do you think that we might have problems sharing a room in Indonesia? We do not plan on going to Aceh. We will mostly go to ...
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votes
2
answers
168k
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Can a hotel kick you out if you let an unregistered guest share a room with you?
We are going to an event and because of this event all hotels are fully booked. Now a friend wants to join us, but can't find accommodation. We are okay with him crashing in our hotel room, either on ...
user141
39
votes
13
answers
16k
views
How can I deal with extreme temperatures in a hotel room?
Recently I've been on a business trip in Germany and I had a temperature problem in my hotel room.
Since it was an attic room without air conditioning the temperature rose to uncomfortable levels ...
- 551
38
votes
9
answers
75k
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I have discovered that the hotel room toilet is blocked, but too late. What should I do?
Ok, I have used the toilet after holding myself for too long because of a long haul flight and I am not comfortable using the airplane's lavatory. The problem is, after releasing all the damn load, I ...
- 93.9k
38
votes
5
answers
79k
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What should I do if I forgot to turn in a hotel room key card after checking out?
I recently stayed at a hotel and received two room key cards to access the room: one for me and one for my brother. They are like credit cards with a magnetic strip to swipe into the door lock. My ...
- 2,582
37
votes
5
answers
25k
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What are the rates posted on hotel room doors / in the lobby for?
When I'm travelling, I often see hotel room rates posted on the back of the hotel room door (typically in the US) or in the lobby, behind the check-in desk. These rates are typically eye-wateringly ...
- 12.2k
36
votes
9
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28k
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Can I get a hotel room in the US when I am 18 years old?
A friend and I would love to visit Seattle next year. By then, we'll both be 18 years old. Is it possible for us to get a hotel room for about a week, even though we aren't 21 years old? If not, is ...
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votes
3
answers
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What is the etiquette around sex in hotel beds?
What etiquette is involved for copulation in hotel (not motel) beds?
There doesn't seem to be a lot of information about this around.
- 4,845
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4
answers
18k
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Why do hotels often not allow you to swim after dark?
I have seen many times, usually when the hotel swimming pool is an outdoor one (maybe that has something to do with it) that you are not allowed to swim outside certain hours (e.g. 10am to 8pm), even ...
- 1,141
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votes
4
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Hotel Pool FAQ and Etiquette
For quite some time when traveling I was happy when I had access to a shower with non-freezing water, when my bed was not part of a shaky triple bunk bed in a basement and noise-level was low enough ...
- 26k
35
votes
1
answer
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What is proper etiquette on bringing one night stands to a hotel room?
somewhat related to "Can a hotel kick you out if you let an unregistered guest share a room with you?":
In the, alas, completely hypothetical scenario where I'm out in a foreign town and just happen ...
- 1,529
34
votes
4
answers
6k
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Large shelves with food in US hotels; shops or free amenity?
While booking hotels in the US (Dallas, TX specifically) I found that many hotels have an area that features shelves with food, fridges and freezers. I see no price tags with the products. Does this ...
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5
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How do I find the cheapest date to book a given hotel?
I am looking for a site or service that allows me to search a hotel (or hotels, or a specific beach/location) for the cheapest date.
Most sites want you to tell them when you plan to visit.
I WANT ...
- 341
33
votes
13
answers
2k
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Is there any way to spend a night in a European castle?
I spent a night in a jail converted to a hotel in Switzerland, and it made me wonder if there is a real castle converted to an hotel in Europe.
And with "real" I mean the castle should have a ...
- 6,196
33
votes
4
answers
5k
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When should I book my hotel if prices are inflated due to a major event?
My problem: I recently booked a business trip about three months out, noticing slightly too late that there's a huge event (Formula 1 race) happening in town the previous weekend and all the remotely ...
- 100k
33
votes
3
answers
19k
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People in the next room in my hotel are having noisy sex; I can't sleep! What to do?
The people in the next room are having sex all night! it is early morning and I can not sleep and my flight is in a few hours! Their bed is hitting the wall because of the action which makes a great ...
- 93.9k
33
votes
3
answers
21k
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What are the signs of a bed bug infestation?
Bed bugs have become a real problem recently, with more and more places reporting outbreaks. What can you do to avoid being exposed to these nasty parasites?
If you do get exposed, what can you do ...
- 2,692
32
votes
4
answers
14k
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Buying hotel breakfast without having a room?
I'm wondering how common it is for hotels to allow people to pay for breakfast even if they don't have a room. In other words:
Come in the morning
Pay a fixed price in reception
Eat breakfast
Leave
...
- 462
31
votes
2
answers
20k
views
Am I entitled to a refund on a non-refundable booking that has been cancelled by the hotel
I made a non-refundable hotel room booking through hotels.com. The hotel has contacted me to inform me that they will not be open for business during my stay because of the Coronavirus. I know I made ...
- 329
30
votes
5
answers
35k
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What are mini-bar policies for one-night stays in hotels?
I've had this question on my mind for a while now because I've never understood how this works. I began traveling two years ago for personal reasons and sometimes I've stayed in various hotels for the ...
- 578
30
votes
3
answers
27k
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Is it ok to refuse housekeeping services at a hotel?
I'm about to stay at a 4-star hotel in Stockholm for 5 days. Is it ok to request that I don't want my room to be cleaned or the housekeeping staff to enter the room?
The reason for this is mainly ...
- 394
30
votes
4
answers
9k
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Expectations when dressing in a Dutch hotel room (no curtains)
I am traveling to the Netherlands. The hotel (I've been there before) has no curtains or blinds in the rooms - very typical for the country. In front of the window runs a street, not particularly wide,...
- 409
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votes
5
answers
9k
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Is it OK to play the piano housed in the lobbies of hotels?
I travel a lot and often find grand pianos in lobbies of hotels. Is it appropriate to just sit down and play them for a while (FWIW, I am good and play slow classical music. My playing will not ruin ...
- 301