10 Checks To Make Sure You Are Staying In A Good Hotel
If you’ve ever watch Four In A Bed, or even Oceans 13, then you can see all the checks you should be doing when you go to a hotel to make sure it is up to scratch. But when you don’t have the high-tech goggles to check for the minute bed bugs and bacteria levels in the bed sheets, what else should you be checking for.
Here are 10 tips for you when you check in at a hotel or BnB to make sure you’re going to be well looked after.
1. Dust Check
This one is self explanatory really; when you are walking around the hotel as well as your room, check for any dust that could be lurking around. It will show how well the room has been cleaned by the housekeeping staff and other staff members.
Normally there won’t be any dust on the main surfaces, if there is then you should be worried about the standard of cleanliness you are surrounded by, but there’s a good chance you are going to find dust along skirting boards and other smaller areas. It is a mark of a good hotel if even these places are dust-free and you should have a happy stay.
2. Reviews Online
A lot can be found out about the standard of a place by the reviews previous guests have left online. Of course this can only tell so much because not every guest will leave reviews and you are more likely to leave bad reviews than good, so do be careful about how you interpret what is said.
But on a general basis recent reviews that have been left will give you a good idea as to what to expect from the place you are staying.
3. What’s Their Reception Like?
You can understand a lot about the place you are in by just the reception, if they have taken pride in their welcoming area than the rest of the hotel is most likely going to match that standard. A lot of people touch and lean on the desk that you sign in at so you will want to make sure that they are cleaning their reception like they clean their rooms. If they let it slide then you should be worried about everywhere else.
Fresh flowers are always a good sign, not only do they look nice but they will leave a nice scent in the air.
4. Water Spots
It isn’t just the bedroom that you can check at the hotel, but you should be double checking everything in the bathroom to make sure there are no water spots anywhere. A good hotel will have cleaned down the shower after every guest leaves to keep the hygiene and cleanliness level high, so any water marks that are left on the glass is a bad sign.
The same goes for the mirrors, if you can still see smudges or spots on there then you should be very worried because you don’t know if it’s water, dental spray from flossing or spot puss. Honestly the bathroom can be a disgusting place so make sure you are in a clean environment first.
And always rinse your glasses beforehand to make sure they are good for use, even if its just any dust that has built up over the bit of time they have sat there.
5. Staff Enthusiasm
A bad business means miserable staff, if the staff you encounter are happy then chances are you are in a good business. Their jobs are great because the hotel is great. Also it reflects well on the business if they have happy, competent staff that are always happy to help. If the hotel is happy to employ people that will be rude to their customers then you start to question the morals of the establishment you are in.
6. Breakfast Quality
Breakfast quality is a huge give away as to the standard of the hotel, if they are willing to serve sh*t quality meats then don’t expect much from elsewhere. This is check that you can’t do straight away I understand, you’re going to have to survive the night first to see if their breakfast lives up to your standards, but it is the most telling sign.
It isn’t just the quality but also the service that you should be judging, the time in which they get the food out to in, the temperature, portion size as well as the waiting staff. And again just general cleanliness of the dining area, are the tables wiped down and the floor hoovered, are the knives and forks clean, are the salt and pepper shakers full?
Breakfast will be a big giveaway as to the hotel standard, if its a good hotel then you will have an amazing breakfast.
7. Local Area
This can’t always be helped by the hotel itself, but it is a good idea to check the local area it is situated in. Are there going to be many shops around you, is there ease of access to transport to get to anywhere major city-wise?
If the hotel is in a good spot where you can go wandering about through the day or night, then it is a better hotel by default.
8. Guest Information
I know those books that have the guest information in in your hotel room seem like a waste of time and no one ever reads them, but the information you can find their shows what type of establishment you are in.
You should be provided with check in and check out times, general rules and expectations of the place, information on the local area, local taxi numbers or bus routes, as well as breakfast information. The more info that is provided the better, and obviously reflects better on the hotel.
9. Check Under The Bed
I’ve said you should be checking the skirting boards and mirrors for any marks of uncleanliness, but these areas can be cleaned easily. If you want to check for just how clean the hotel really is, try moving the bed. A good hotel will move the bed to clean under that as well because there shouldn’t be any fingernails or hair left anywhere; where as the lesser establishments won’t have gone to as much efforts, only doing the bare minimum.
10. General Provision
How far is the hotel willing to provide for your needs. In the room do you have a good amount of tea and coffee sachets, as well as milk and sugar. Is there a variety or is it just bog standard stuff? It seems small, but these little features reflect on the standard of the hotel. The bare minimum here means the bare minimum everywhere else because they are trying to save money.
