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Staying in hotels

One of the big advantages of working for a large successful training company is the opportunities for travel. In my time working for Xpertise I have stayed in many, many hotels so I thought in this blog I would share some of the tips I have picked up to make staying in a hotel more comfortable. Bear in mind I tend to stay in hotels for a week at a time and on my own so most of these tips apply to that although they can work at other times too.

When checking in don’t take your luggage with you, firstly, you will have to drag it around whilst you find your room; second, if there is anything wrong with the room it is going to be a major pain to change.  If you are planning to use the internet at the hotel, check when you are checking in that your room is covered by the hotels wireless broadband as not all rooms will be.  If you are a light sleeper also check that your room is not over the lounge as people will be drinking until 3-4am, or over the kitchens as the fans will be going from 6am to about 2am the next day.  When you first go to your room check the following; that the bathroom is clean, that all the lights work, including the ones by your bed, that the TV works AND its remote, that you are not near any banging doors outside and finally roll back the bed covers and check that the beds are clean.  Once you are happy, THEN bring your luggage in.

When in the room, hotels are pretty much always freezing in the winter and red hot in the summer, so ask reception if they can lend you a heater or fan.  I always take my own as they only have a few.  Take your own pillow, or if space is a problem, your own pillow case, it will make the bed feel like your own.  Ear plugs are useful, as is a sleep mask; the hotel may have thin curtains.  If you need to get to get up early book a wake up call with reception, they generally don’t hang up until you answer.  Every hotel has spare blankets in the wardrobe so don’t forget those if you get cold.

For food, you can generally ask for anything if it is simple, a sandwich or a salad.  If you don’t want to be bloated with grease and butter by the end of the week ask for simple food.  It is great for a treat but if you eat like that every night for a week you will put on weight fast…Finally, remember that the hotel staff are there to help and if you ask they can generally provide it so don’t be shy, you’re paying remember!