Our Favorite Hotel Hacks in 2021

Now that travel has begun again, even in the best of circumstances at the finest hotels, there are usually a few things we all find that need our help or improvement in order to make our stay even more perfect. We’ve curated some of our favorites here for you. Some are pre-trip planning, some are ingenious repurposing of what is available to us in a hotel guest room:

• The insidious slight, not-quite-closed gap in the black-out curtains – one reader used a clothes hanger with trouser clips to pinch and hold the curtains together vertically to prevent the “gappage.” (This hack was originally posted on Twitter – and it caused a tweet-fest!)
• Frequent travelers often bring their own pillow on the road. While it may sound crazy at first, the right pillow is one of the most important elements of getting good sleep, and hotel pillows can be might not match your sleep position. Bringing your own pillow is the most reliable way to get the right pillow for your sleeping position. Here are a few additional tips on how to get the perfect pillow for your next trip.
• The TV remote handset - bring antibacterial sanitizer wipes and wipe it down. Most people will be traveling with their own sanitizing wipes for the foreseeable future – but, if you find yourself out – read the next hack.
• Shower caps:
  • If you forget sanitizer wipes – wrap the remote in the shower cap, do a slip knot on the end to keep it securely in the cap
  • Shower caps can also be used to wrap around the bottoms of a pair of shoes so the soles won’t soil your garments.
• Keep an air freshener in your travel kit that can clip onto the air vent in your room.
• And while you are stocking your travel kit – here are a few more items to throw in that don’t take up much space, but will make a world of difference:
  • Multi-socket electric plug-in adapter. I have found that the one free socket is always most inconveniently located – and usually behind something heavy. Having a multi-socket – my fav has room for six – I can have everything at my fingertips next to my side of the bed.
  • HDMI cable so you can stream from your personal device through the larger TV screen
• The ironing board, with its adjustable height, can double as a standing desk – or – if you have little people traveling with you, you can adjust the height so that it becomes a table at the end of the bed where at least 3 littles and 2 grade-schoolers can sit comfortably.
• A properly made hotel bed with hospital corners will provide a “pocket” for your mobile phone and/or the remote. In fact, hotel bedding can be used for a variety of things, including pillow fights, pillow forts, and creating a nest to stargaze.
• Towels: In one of my favorite Chicago hotels in which I stayed regularly, I was invariably given a room with a fantastic view of the lake, but it had an adjoining room. I learned to request extra bath towels to stuff them under the door to the other clearly occupied room as well as the door to the hallway to prevent unwanted noise and light from disturbing my slumber.
• Another personal favorite hack is hair conditioner – not only can it be used on hair, but it can also be used for shaving lotion. AND it can double as cuticle cream – who knew?!
• Lighting is crucial for setting the mood, especially on romantic getaways. Bringing your own mood lighting is an easy way to transform a neutral hotel room into an alluring experience for your mate. Consider a night light, LED candle, or galaxy light to create a unique ambiance.
• A ceramic cup or a glass can be used to help amplify the music or podcast on your cell phone – it also helps keep it dry while you are listening as you get ready in the bathroom.
• And – saving the best – and simplest - for last: Ask. (Politely, of course.) As with most areas of life, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. The business of hospitality is the business of attending to others’ comfort and enjoyment – so check out the perks offered and ask for them. And also ask about whatever else you would like such as free or reduced-fee parking, free WiFi, complimentary breakfast, cocktails.

We hope you leverage and enjoy using these hacks as much as we’ve enjoyed collecting and compiling them for you. Bon voyage!

Photo by Anastasia Shuraeva from Pexels.