When you finally arrive at your hotel after a long day of traveling, the last thing you want is to run into a pesky problem. Whether it’s a lumpy bed or slow WiFi, every little inconvenience can put a damper on what’s supposed to be a fun trip.
Unfortunately, there is no guarantee that you won’t experience any problems in your hotel, even if you splurge on an expensive one. However, you don’t have to let them ruin your entire mood. Here are some quick and easy solutions when you run into one or more of these common hotel inconveniences:
1. An uncomfortable bed
Granted, an unfamiliar bed is bound to be at least a little uncomfortable. But when the hotel bed is too lumpy, too hard, or too dirty for you to get a good night’s rest, then your discomfort goes beyond the fact that your body is unfamiliar with it.
The easiest and fastest way to solve this problem is by requesting a bed change from the hotel management, or better yet, ask for another room. But if they don’t have another mattress or another room for you to use, you’re going to have to take matters into your own hands.
To avoid this particular problem, pack a travel-sized mattress liner or mattress pad before you embark on your trip. You can simply put it under the bedsheets and make a bed that’s either too lumpy or too hard comfortable enough to sleep in. If you don’t have a mattress liner, you can use the duvet or some extra linens to put some additional padding underneath the sheets.
2. Lack of hot water
If you book at least a mid-tier hotel, you can rest assured that there’s going to be enough hot water to last you an entire shower every time. However, if you’re going to be staying in a low-cost or budget hotel, then there is a chance that you will encounter this problem when you check in.
Lack of hot water can stem from the hotel needing a water heater replacement service or the entire area experiencing issues with water pressure that’s affecting the hot water availability. This issue is especially true for hotels in very busy areas, such as those near airports and city centers, where the high demand for water affects water pressure at certain points of the day.
If you hop in the shower and find that the water is cold, call management immediately. They can transfer you to another room if the problem is isolated to your room only. However, if the entire hotel is experiencing the same problem, then the next best option is to wait until other guests are done showering (usually after the morning rush) so that you can have a steady flow of hot water for your own shower.
3. Bad food
Hotel food can be unpleasant, but sometimes, it can be downright disgusting. Unfortunately, you can experience this problem in high-end hotels as well, but the chances are higher in budget hotels.
Avoid going hungry in your hotel room by packing some snacks or ready-to-eat meals. A little food in your luggage can go a long way, especially when you get hungry during the dead of night or are too tired to go out and find some food. If you don’t have any food and all the stores are closed, use a food delivery app to find a joint that’s open 24 hours.
4. Unclean rooms
Before you dive face-first into the bed when you get to your hotel, inspect the room first. Housekeeping cleans rooms between each guest, but it’s not exactly deep-cleaning. The standard method involves vacuuming the floor, wiping down surfaces, changing the linens, and cleaning the bathroom. But sometimes, they may not even do this as well as they should.
If you find smudgy drinking glasses, dusty surfaces, stained bedsheets, a slimy sink, or any other sign that housekeeping did not clean the room enough, request a do-over.
5. Slow WiFi
Fast WiFi is essential nowadays, and any hotel that doesn’t recognize that is risking a lot of bad reviews. A fast Internet connection is especially important if you plan to do some work in your hotel. But what if the hotel WiFi is glacially slow?
Call the management and ask that they fix the problem right away. Either there could be something wrong with your room’s WiFi only or it’s an issue for the entire hotel. If it’s the latter, request a discount or refund since you’re essentially paying for the WiFi, and then find a portable WiFi device that you can use in the meantime.
This is not the end of the list for hotel inconveniences, but they are, by far, the most common. If you run into one or more of these problems, don’t hesitate to bring them up to management; you’re paying for what they advertised, so don’t let these inconveniences downgrade your hotel experience.
