Having travelled a lot around Europe and Canada, I've seen a few hotel rooms in my time. I like staying at hotels; there's nothing quite like fresh towels and bed linen against the skin, or making as much mess as you like in the bathroom. However; as hotels try to provide a "better" service to guests, they're starting to do things that irritate me. Here's my to five things that drive me crazy at a hotel:
1. Putting unnecessary crap all over the bed.
A hotel bed is for sleeping in; I don't want to see teddy bears, fluffy cushions or flower printed comforters on the bed - it takes me time to throw it all off, and even more time for the cleaner to put it all back on. Save everyone's sanity and don't put that crap in the room.
2. Preventing the guest from opening a window, or restricting the amount the window will open.
I'm an adult with a relatively decent amount of common sense - I managed to navigate your booking site. I solemnly promise that I will not throw myself out of the window during my stay. All I want is some fresh air in the room, therefore allow me to open the window as little or as much as I want. If your excuse for this is that the room has air conditioning, either allow me to select the temperature that I want (not restrict between 21c - 23c) or have something that kills the air conditioning when the window is open to save energy.
3. Not giving the internet password/key/login at check in and/or charging for the internet.
I'm 30 years old. I was there at the birth of the internet, I have a smart phone, I have a laptop so hand over the wireless details? You charge for it? get lost... what is this? 1993?
4. Stupid breakfast hours...
In a mainly business hotel, 6.30 to 8.30 breakfast might be acceptable, in a more 'leisure' hotel, 7.30 - 10.00 might suit better, but I won't be down for breakfast before 8.30 if I'm on holiday.
5. Providing a trouser press instead of an iron.
Corby of Windsor must have made a mint from selling their eponymous trouser presses to hotels across the globe. But have you ever tried to press a shirt in a Corby Trouser press? No? I can confirm that it's almost impossible; for this simple task, you need an iron and an ironing board. Ditch the trouser press and give me an iron and ironing board. Did you know you can press trousers with an iron too?
Anyway, there you go - my five hotel pet peeves.