Tapping my keycard onto my hotel room door always leaves me filled with anticipation, excitement and dread. Lurking behind that door, I know there will be an unwanted item waiting for me on arrival, and it’s something everyone should steer clear of.
Having previously worked as a hotel receptionist for several years, I gained a few useful insights into the hospitality industry and how it operates behind the scenes. From how upgrades really work and the hidden costs of the mini bar, to securing a cheaper rate and handling awkward guest requests, it was a very valuable experience.
Today, it helps me with my own trips, particularly after witnessing just how hotel rooms are cleaned. And let me tell you, those decorative pillows scattered on the bed and the perfectly placed bed throw are not what you want to encounter in your hotel room.
From my years working in a hotel, I rarely, if ever, saw hotel decorative pillow covers, blankets, or bed throws washed. Perhaps they received a quick spritz of air freshener or a gentle dusting, but there they sat, still unwashed and covered in other guests’ germs and grime.
So now, without fail and on every room check-in, I will grab the decorative cushions and bedspread and toss them into a corner of the room, never to be handled again for the rest of my stay. I don’t just adopt this approach in budget hotels.
Even if it’s a luxurious four-star hotel with rave reviews, I will steer clear of those pillows, throws and blankets like the plague. And if that wasn’t sufficient precaution, I will ensure I flip over the bed pillow that the decorative pillow was touching to prevent any cross-contamination.
While it might appear somewhat extreme and transport me back to the period when antibacterial gel and toilet paper vanished from shop shelves, I can’t dismiss the notion of grubby pillows and throws in a hotel room that previous guests have used. Once you’ve worked at a hotel and seen the other side of hospitality, it opens your eyes for better and for worse.
Yet, that’s not the only element of a room I recommend you steer clear of. The mugs are also problematic. Now, I’m not suggesting this is the case at every hotel, but more often or not, the mugs are not properly washed before the next guest’s arrival.
On more than one occasion, I’ve witnessed housekeepers rinsing the mugs out in the bathroom sink, wiping them with a cloth, and simply placing them back on the table. While it removes coffee or tea dregs, it doesn’t quite cut it for washing a mug used by guests repeatedly.
As part of my personal check-in routine, besides discarding pillows and throws, I always make a point to boil the kettle to rinse out the mugs and glassware with hot water as a safety measure. I’ll also use a bit of hand soap. I’m not going to be that guest who insists on a fresh mug and glass just in case they haven’t been cleaned; a simple home sterilisation is sufficient to give me peace of mind.
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