How to improve hotel rooms

[Chuckanut]

My travel adventures have convinced me that many hotel rooms are designed by people who rarely use them. I am talking about then normal rooms people use, not the Presidential Suite or a run down room at the Flea Bag Motel.

For starters, I would love to see more shelf space in bathrooms and a few extra hooks for hanging things. Two people sharing a room can run out to shelf space and hooks very fast.

Any other gripes, err... suggestions?

 

[Christine]

In a hotel room right now. No hooks anywhere except in the bathroom.


When in bed - no master switch for killing all the lights. Have to get out of bed.



I understand that hotel rooms must be boring for interior designers but why make the mirror look like it's broken in several places? It's destroying it's function. Please be creative elsewhere.


Queen size beds are OK. But when you sit up against the head the bed should not sail out from the wall a foot or two. Glad I didn't fall in.


This hotel is far from beeing the cheapest in town btw.

 

[Ronstar]

Should have at least 4 usb chargers, 2 on each nightstand light would work. So I can surf online while iPad/phone are charging

 

[Sarah S]

Agree with the hooks and the charger issue.

I stayed at the Boston airport Hilton last year and they had a neat little hook near the door that folded up against the wall when not in use. Thought it was a great idea to hang a jacket coat or bag- very convenient.

As a tea drinker I hate places that give you a mr coffee type coffee pot and call it a coffee tea maker. Coffee has seeped into the plastic and coffee flavored hot water does NOT work for tea. Some kind of electric kettle please if there is not a microwave or stove top!

 

[scrabbler1]

At one motel I stayed at decades ago, the phone was on a table, not next to the bed, and its cord was too short to reach beyond the far end of the bed. The handset's cord can stretch out, of course, but it was annoying to play tug-of-war with it if I tried to get comfortable on the bed while on the phone.

 

[UnrealizedPotential]

One compliant that I have seen pop up regularly in reviews is that the walls between rooms are too thin. Guests don't like to hear what's going on in the room next to them when they are trying to sleep or watch TV.

 

[jimbee]

One compliant that I have seen pop up regularly in reviews is that the walls between rooms are too thin. Guests don't like to hear what's going on in the room next to them when they are trying to sleep or watch TV.

That's why I always bring earplugs when I travel. They help me sleep in noisy hotels.

 

[btdt22]

At one motel I stayed at decades ago, the phone was on a table, not next to the bed, and its cord was too short to reach beyond the far end of the bed. The handset's cord can stretch out, of course, but it was annoying to play tug-of-war with it if I tried to get comfortable on the bed while on the phone.

Are you telling us that some people actually use those dinosaur like 'landlines'?

 

[Rianne]

We categorize hotels as "thin" towel or "thick" towel hotels. I do appreciate the 4 pillows/per queen bed many hotels are providing these days. Many times we've stayed in hotels that don't have bathroom fans. So we have to shower with the door open.

 

[ivinsfan]

Are you telling us that some people actually use those dinosaur like 'landlines'?

Funny you say that, I keep expecting to go into a newer hotels and find there are no phones, but I'm guessing it might be a H and S zoning requirement.

Nothing bugs me as much as some of these hotel phones with flashing red lights that are almost impossible to shut off. I use earplugs and an eye shade to try and sleep. Don't get me started on all the people who think it's OK to let your heavy fireproof hotel door slam shut on it's own at 1 AM.

 

[ivinsfan]

We categorize hotels as "thin" towel or "thick" towel hotels. I do appreciate the 4 pillows/per queen bed many hotels are providing these days. Many times we've stayed in hotels that don't have bathroom fans. So we have to shower with the door open.

My number one rule about hotels, travel with my own pillow...

 

[timbervest]

They always put the electrical outlets behind the head of the bed and make them impossible to get to.

 

[COZICAN]

Sometimes I need the door to remain open!

 

[scrabbler1]

Are you telling us that some people actually use those dinosaur like 'landlines'?

Back in 1991, decades ago, they did!

 

[jollystomper]

The newer hotels I have stayed in of the chain I frequent due to the rewards points that I have built up over the years have added many of the things mentioned above. In the past year I have had rooms with:

- Many more outlets and USB ports
- Walk-in closets with both hangers and hooks
- A lot of bathroom shelf space (one even provided two bathroom sinks and toilets)
- A pushbutton shower that I really liked - set the water temperature, push the button, the water comes out at that temperature almost instantly
- Single switch at both entrance and near bed to turn off all of the lights
- Energy efficient lighting - leave your card in the door for the lights to operate, when you leave the room with your card, the lights automatically shut off
- Tea bags in the room (as I am not a coffee drinker but love tea)

These have been in newer/renovated buildings, so perhaps the message is getting out (at least with this chain)

 

[ivinsfan]

jollystomper which chain, that shower feature alone would be enough for me.

 

[justlikebike]

The Air Conditioner/Heaters that sound like a jet engine! FFS! I rent this room to sleep!

 

[cathy63]

The thing that's annoying me lately in hotels are those sliding barn doors on the bathroom that don't really close. Some of these "doors" are even made of frosted glass so the light comes through into the bedroom. This is fine if I'm traveling alone, but not if I'm with anyone else.

 

[jollystomper]

jollystomper which chain, that shower feature alone would be enough for me.

Hilton - this was in a DoubleTree built in the last year.

 

[Which Roger]

The Air Conditioner/Heaters that sound like a jet engine! FFS! I rent this room to sleep!

And the ones that rattle. Which is most of them.

 

[sengsational]

The trend I like is the smaller rooms that are outfitted almost like a cruise ship cabin. At a HI Express in the UK, they had a bathroom door that "closed" at both extremes of its swing, making two room configurations. The master power at the door by placing you key card in the slot is nice for "all off" when you leave, but see how that affects your charging while you're out.

 

[Ronstar]

Are you telling us that some people actually use those dinosaur like 'landlines'?

They still have rotary phones at the Blue Swallow Motel on Rte 66 in Tucumcari, NM. As a way to maintain their vintage charm. And the phones still work.

I was just wondering last week how long phones will be put in hotel rooms.

 

[pacergal]

Many times we've stayed in hotels that don't have bathroom fans. So we have to shower with the door open.

+1 on this! Why would they not have fans? We find this more often at the upper scale hotels we stay at!

 

[Lewis Clark]

I always bring a couple of clothes pins. They are handy to clip the drapes to ensure they stay closed and don't have a gap in the middle.

 

[Chuckanut]

Lack of adequate ventilation is common. The last room I stayed I had one window that opened, maybe a square foot of actual area for air to move through.