How to Get the Most Out of Your Hotel Stay
You might be planning a weekend getaway or perhaps a vacation and would like to get the most out of your hotel stay. You might think hotels are pretty much the same and you will receive the standard offerings with no real perks unless you are a member or travel a lot. This isn't always the case and in certain circumstances, you can get plenty of perks you might not have thought of.
Here are some tips on how to get the most out of your hotel stay.
Get an Earlier Check-in and a Later Check-Out
Hotels will give you certain check-in times and will also tell you the time you need to check-out. This doesn't have to be set in stone, however, and it is possible to receive an earlier check-in time especially if you are arriving at your destination earlier than your check-in time is.
Hotels will often extend your stay by a few hours if you ask them to. If you call ahead and let them know you will be in the area an hour or so earlier than your scheduled check-in if there are rooms available, they will often comply and let you have the room early. You can also call the front desk and ask for an extended stay and a later check-out time. If no guests are waiting for a room, you can often have your stay extended by a couple of hours.
If you are a frequent traveler or have a loyalty membership with the hotel, you are usually able to request certain check-in and check-out times.
Borrow the Hotel's Items
You might not know this if you don't travel often, but hotels allow guests to borrow items from them during their stay. Hotels have large caches of items stored and it's possible to either borrow them or even be given items for free.
It's possible to ask to borrow umbrellas, hairdryers or hair straighteners, accessories like cufflinks, lint rollers, and irons, phone chargers and adapters, slippers and robes, extra coffee and cream. You can even borrow bathrobes to wear. If you forgot any item like toothpaste or hairbrushes, you can also ask for those. Many hotels will let you borrow or give you items for free.
Use the Amenities Before and After Check-Out
In many hotels, you can use the amenities such as the swimming pool, spa, and fitness centers, and even hair salons even before you check into the hotel. As long as you have proof that you are going to stay there and are waiting for your room, many hotels will allow you to use their amenities since you are a guest anyway. You don't need to go elsewhere if you have had a long trip to get there, you can still relax while you wait for your room.
The same is true if you have already checked-out, it may be possible to still enjoy one last workout in the gym, or one last swim before you leave. Hotel staff will remember you and might allow you to use the amenities one last time before you leave.