After a long trip, it’s tempting to drop your bags, kick off your shoes, and get comfortable. But taking a few minutes to check your hotel room first can help you spot problems early, from a faulty outlet to signs of unwanted pests.
Frequent travelers often check a few things before unpacking. Here are 12 simple checks worth adding to your hotel routine.
1. Look Around the Room Carefully
Before settling in, take a quick look around the room, including the closet, behind the curtains, under the bed, and around the furniture. Most rooms will be perfectly fine, but checking these spots can help you notice anything unusual before you unpack.
Related: 14 Things You Should Never Do in a Hotel Room
2. Check for Bed Bugs Before Unpacking
Bed bugs can turn a pleasant trip into a stressful experience, and even upscale hotels aren’t completely free from them. Before placing your luggage on the bed, inspect the mattress seams, corners, headboard, and nearby areas for dark spots, shed skins, or small stains.
Some travelers leave their bags in the bathroom while checking the bed, since hard surfaces are less likely to harbor bed bugs than upholstered furniture and carpeting. If you spot signs of an infestation, avoid unpacking and contact the front desk about changing rooms.
3. Test the Important Things
There’s nothing worse than discovering a broken air conditioner or a shower with no hot water after you’ve unpacked and settled in. Turn on the lights, test a few outlets, run the faucets, flush the toilet, and check the heating or cooling system.
Give the television, refrigerator, and other amenities you’ll use a quick test, too. Report any problems to the front desk right away so they have time to fix them or arrange another room.
4. Make Sure the Door Locks
Before leaving your room or going to sleep, check that the door closes and locks properly. Test the handle, deadbolt, and any extra security latch to make sure they’re working.
If the lock feels loose or the door doesn’t secure properly, contact the front desk rather than leaving it as it is. This quick check can help you feel more comfortable throughout your stay.
5. Find the Emergency Exits
Look at the evacuation map posted inside your room and locate the nearest stairwell. It’s much easier to find your way out during an emergency if you’ve already checked the route.
Some frequent travelers also count the doors between their room and the nearest stairwell. This can help if smoke or a power outage makes it difficult to see the signs.
6. Wipe Down Frequently Touched Surfaces
Even a room that looks clean may have fingerprints and germs on surfaces guests touch throughout the day. For extra precaution, wipe down the remote control, light switches, door handles, telephone, and bedside table.
There’s no need to scrub every surface, but cleaning a few commonly touched spots can give you added peace of mind. This may be especially helpful during cold and flu season.
7. Check the Alarm Clock
A previous guest may have left an alarm set, which can be an unpleasant surprise when you’re trying to catch up on sleep. Check the clock when you arrive and turn off any alarms you don’t plan to use.
If you rely on your phone for waking up, you can skip the hotel clock altogether. Just make sure your phone has enough battery for the night.
8. Put Valuables Somewhere Secure
Don’t leave passports, cash, jewelry, and spare credit cards lying around the room. If there’s a hotel safe, test it before storing anything inside and check that you can lock and reopen it.
A room safe doesn’t guarantee protection against theft, but it can keep small valuables out of sight. Keep important travel documents together so they’re easy to find when you’re ready to check out.
9. Check the Bathroom and Towels
Take a quick look at the sink, shower, toilet, counters, and towels before using the bathroom. Check for stains, leftover toiletries, stray hair, or anything that housekeeping may have missed.
If a towel looks dirty or the bathroom needs attention, contact housekeeping or the front desk for help. It’s much easier to request a replacement before you need it.
10. Find the Charging Outlets
Check where the outlets are near the bed, desk, and other spots where you plan to use your devices. This saves you from searching behind furniture later when your phone or laptop needs charging.
Plug in your devices if needed and check that the outlets work. If you brought a charging block or travel adapter, keep it in one place so it’s easy to find when packing.
11. Wash the Hotel Glasses Before Using Them
Hotel glasses and mugs may look clean, but some travelers prefer washing them before drinking from them. Housekeeping routines can vary, so a quick wash with dish soap and water is a reasonable extra precaution.
If the room has disposable cups, you can use those instead. If you notice visible dirt or residue on the glassware, ask housekeeping for clean replacements.
12. Put the “Do Not Disturb” Sign on the Door
If you’d rather not have housekeeping knock while you’re sleeping or resting, hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. It’s a simple way to let hotel staff know you don’t want to be interrupted.
Some guests also use the sign when stepping out for a short time, but hotel policies vary on staff access to rooms. Check the property’s rules, especially if you’re staying somewhere unfamiliar, rather than assuming the sign prevents all entry.
