Get The 5-Star Experience Every Time With These Hotel Hacks

Published on June 17, 2019
There’s no denying that traveling costs certainly add up. If you want to get the 5-star hotel experience, you may be looking at a price you simply do not want to pay. These hotel hacks will guarantee to elevate your travel experience, without any additional cost!

Insta-Humidifier!

Have you ever stayed at a hotel room where the lack of air caused you to feel really dry? To add some moisture back in the air, simply drape a damp towel on a suitcase rack in front of the radiator.

Insta-Humidifier!

Insta-Humidifier!

Total Darkness

Are you the type of person who simply cannot sleep without complete darkness in the room you’re sleeping in? If so, you most likely have blackout curtains at home. You can easily mimic these by using a pants hanger to clip the curtains together, eliminating the gap that my let light seep in and ruin your sleep.

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Total Darkness

Total Darkness

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Never Without Netflix

Many times we find ourselves turning on the hotel room TV in another country only to be disappointed to find out that every single channel is in a language we do not understand. An easy way to fix this is to connect your laptop to the TV and stream Netflix! Most hotel rooms these days have HDMI connections, so don’t forget to bring your cable!

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Never Without Netflix

Never Without Netflix

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Pocket Phone

One of the most annoying features of some hotel rooms is the lack of nightstands! I mean, where are you supposed to keep your phone otherwise?? There’s an easy solution, however, which involves fashioning a pouch or pocket out of your sheets in order to hold the items you need close by when you’re in bed. It’s not perfect, but it does the trick!

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Pocket Phone

Pocket Phone

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No Need For A Laundromat

When you see someone’s vacation photos, the last thing you think of is “where are they getting their laundry done?” But that is often a reality we face whilst traveling. An easy fix if you don’t have access to washing machines is by plugging up the bathroom sink with spare plastic and holding it in place with coins and using the sink as a basin.

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No Need For A Laundromat

No Need For A Laundromat

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Instant Fresh Air

We all know the feeling of walking into a hotel room, only to be greeted with a less than pleasant smell lingering around the air. While this may seem like an issue that you can’t overcome, there’s quite a simple fix you can try. Place a portable car air freshener directly onto the A/C vent, and your room will freshen up in no time.

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Instant Fresh Air

Instant Fresh Air

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Noise Canceling In A Snap

While it would be ideal if every room in every hotel room was completely sound proof, the reality is that this simply isn’t the case many of the times. You may not always be able to switch to a quieter room, you can manage the situation yourself by placing a rolled up towel to plug up the gap between the door and your room.

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Noise Canceling In A Snap

Noise Canceling In A Snap

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Directly Book

We know, vacations don’t come cheap. While you might be under the impression that booking through discount travel websites will guarantee the best prices for accommodations, that may not always be the case. Sometimes, booking through the hotel directly will yield better results, so always call ahead to check if you can get a better rate.

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Directly Book

Directly Book

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Backup Chargers

We’ve all been there. You made a packing list and were sure that you packed all of the essentials, only to find out you missed a crucial item: your phone charger. This may seem like the end of the world, but don’t panic just yet. Many times, hotels have spare chargers, so try to contact the front desk to see if they have an extra one that fits your phone before you lose your cool.

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Backup Chargers

Backup Chargers

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No Fridge? No Problem!

While having a mini or full sized fridge provided in your hotel room is convenient, not all hotel rooms include this amenity. However, you can still keep your drinks cold. Simply get yourself a bag of ice, dump it out into the sink, and submerge your drinks in the ice. The ice will melt right into the drain, leaving you with zero cleanup.

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No Fridge? No Problem!

No Fridge? No Problem!

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Door To Hotel Delivery

While ordering service can be a fun indulgence, sometimes we can’t justify the price, no matter how hungry we get. However, many of us forget that this is not our only option. You can always opt for delivery! Find a local eatery that interests you, and order directly to your hotel for more variety.

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Door To Hotel Delivery

Door To Hotel Delivery

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Improvised Diaper Station

Traveling with children is no walk in the park, especially when it comes to traveling with babies. Often, hotel rooms are not equipped for handling babies, but there are some clever workarounds that can help the situation. Easily convert a hotel desk into a changing table by placing towels and blankets on it.

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Improvised Diaper Station

Improvised Diaper Station

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Chill Out

While having an air conditioner in your hotel room is an important amenity to have, it may not be a given everywhere, particularly if you’re traveling in Europe. Easily remedy this problem by placing a damp towel next to the window in order to catch a breeze and having cool air blown into the room.

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Chill Out

Chill Out

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Warm Your Butter

While it’s always great when you find real butter at the hotel breakfast buffet, more often than not the little knob of butter provided is as solid as can be. This can make spreading the butter a challenging task, but there’s a simple solution. Place the butter on top of the toaster until it has warmed, softened and become easy to spread!

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Warm Your Butter

Warm Your Butter

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Low Tech Speaker

One of the limitations of traveling is the amount of things you’re able to bring with you — especially if you’re flying. Since space is limited, necessities obviously come first. If you don’t want to lug around speakers for your phone, try this trick: put your phone in a mug for a low-tech solution.

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Low Tech Speaker

Low Tech Speaker

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Appliance Meals

While room service is fun once in a while, we all know how expensive it can get. If you feel like saving money or want to control what you’re eating, you can find make some meals using the appliances in the room. For example, you can use your coffee machine to boil water for instant oatmeal or noodles. Some rooms provide microwaves, allowing you to bring pre-prepped meals as well.

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Appliance Meals

Appliance Meals

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Any Card Will Do

Many hotel rooms nowadays use cards that are placed into a slot, that keep the power going in the room. If you want to avoid turning off the power completely each time you leave the room, you can ask for an extra room key or simply use any card to keep in the slot.

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Any Card Will Do

Any Card Will Do

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Ask The Front Desk

Packing is one of the most stressful parts of traveling, and some people seem to always forget one thing or another. If that person is you, don’t fret! You can always check with the front desk of your hotel, as they often have a supply of many common items you might need, including toothbrushes and other toiletries.

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Ask The Front Desk

Ask The Front Desk

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Caps, Not Just For Showers

While shower caps are useful items provided by many hotel rooms, how many times have you actually used one? Instead of leaving it behind, consider this alternative use for it: to keep dirty shoes covered and make sure the rest of your clothes stay separate from the sole of your shoe.

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Caps, Not Just For Showers

Caps, Not Just For Showers

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Dining Board

As all parents know, traveling with kids can get tricky. Eating before heading out on an excursion is quite important, but often there isn’t enough space in the hotel room for all of the kids to sit and eat at a table. Try using the ironing board that comes in the room as a makeshift table instead!

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Dining Board

Dining Board

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Try Tipping Extra

If you’re bold, then this tip is for you. While checking in to your hotel, you are asked to provide the staff with a form of ID. While you pass them your ID, try to slip in an extra $20 bill while asking for a room upgrade. This may not always work, but is certainly worth the try!

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Try Tipping Extra

Try Tipping Extra

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Tell Them It’s An Occasion

If you’re traveling for a specific occasion, you should always let your hotel know in advance! Many hotels will have complimentary little extras, or you may even be eligible for room discounts or free upgrades! There’s no harm in trying, worst comes to worst, they’ll only offer you kind words of congratulations.

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Tell Them It's An Occaision

Tell Them It’s An Occasion

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Toothbrush Holder Hack

If you’ve remembered to bring your toothbrush, good for you, you’re already ahead of the game. However, most hotels don’t really provide a place to place your toothbrush. If you want to avoid putting it directly onto the counter, poke a hole in a paper cup and you’ve got an instant toothbrush holder!

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Toothbrush Holder Hack

Toothbrush Holder Hack

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Give Honest Feedback

Was your hotel experience less than ideal? When checking out, don’t hesitate to be straightforward and give honest feedback to the person you’re dealing with. If you speak respectfully, they’ll be happy to hear your input, and they may even want to compensate you with a discount for a future visit.

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Give Honest Feedback

Give Honest Feedback

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Ask About Other Rooms

If you don’t feel comfortable asking for an upgrade with the “cash method,” you can always try by asking to see several room options. Hotels tend to want to book their less desirable options first. You never know, you could end up with a beautiful view as opposed to a view of a neighboring building’s wall.

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Ask About Other Rooms

Ask About Other Rooms

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Prevent Mirror Condensation

For anyone who’s short on time in the morning and wants to avoid fogging up the mirror while showering, listen up. Prevent the fog by rubbing the section of the mirror you want clear with a bar of soap. Next, buff it dry with a washcloth, and feel free to shower. The best part? This will last up to a few days!

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Prevent Mirror Condensation

Prevent Mirror Condensation

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Multi-Use Toiletries

Many hotels provide free toiletries to their guests, and many times they’re like a sample size of high quality products. If you find that the conditioner is good quality, you can use it for things apart from your hair too. Conditioner can double as cuticle cream and also shaving cream! You can also use it as a delicate soap to wash clothes by hand.

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Multi-Use Toiletries

Multi-Use Toiletries

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Do Not Disturb

If you happen to be staying in an area that isn’t exactly known for being safe, you may be worried about leaving your things unattended in your room. A good way to try to prevent any theft or damage is to leave your “do not disturb” sign on the door – that way you avoid any extra foot traffic into your room, as it implies you’re in the room, deterring potential thieves.

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Do Not Disturb

Do Not Disturb

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Price Competition

A great way to make sure you’re getting the best possible price in the area is to first book a refundable price at one hotel. Next, speak to other hotels in the area to see if they’re less expensive. If you find one that is less expensive, get a refund from the original hotel, and move on. If not, stay right where you are!

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Price Competition

Price Competition

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Never Enough Juice

Have you ever noticed that many hotels place smaller cups near the juice at breakfast? If you love having a big cup of juice in the morning, simply take one of the larger coffee mugs and fill it up as much as you’d like. Check to see if they have lids so you can take some to go with you as well.

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Never Enough Juice

Never Enough Juice

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Bed Division

Traveling with kids can be a wonderful experience, but some people are wary of cramming so many people into one hotel room. Adding extra cot beds can take away valuable space in an already cramped room. Diving the bed by creating a divider with extra pillows, giving each child enough room for their own!

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Bed Division

Bed Division

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Free Steam Iron

While there are hotels that do provide irons in each room, that is not always the case. If you find yourself heading to a special occasion and in desperate need of ironing your outfit, you can simply hang it up in the bathroom as you shower, letting the steam iron out the wrinkles for you!

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Free Steam Iron

Free Steam Iron

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Multi-Tasking Electronic

If you’re traveling abroad, you should know that many times, your electronics will need an adaptor. If you forgot or simply don’t have enough, check to see if the TV has a USB port in the back. Many modern TVs have them and they can really come in handy if you need to charge a phone without an outlet.

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Multi-Tasking Electronic

Multi-Tasking Electronic

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Endless Supply Of Water

Staying hydrated isn’t always at the top of our priority list when we’re traveling, but that doesn’t mean it is any less important than usual. Getting water can be tricky and expensive when traveling, so make sure to check if your hotel has a fitness center, where there is always free water supplied. Make sure to bring an empty bottle with you!

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Endless Supply Of Water

Endless Supply Of Water

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