[powerplantop]

I am curious what small things others like in a hotel stay. You know the thing that you can live without but you really like. For me it is a real glass and not a plastic one. I do wash them before I use them and recommend that you do as well. The plastic ones work but at the end of the day and I pour myself a drink I want a real glass.

[AaronJB]

A wide variety of channels on the TV.

[rc408]

I like real glasses as well. It feels less Motel 6 with glass.

I really like the shower curtains that arch away from the tub and give more elbow room. I'm thinking of getting one for my house.

[sheshbesh4u]

rc408, on Nov 13 2009, 07:51 PM, said:

I like real glasses as well. It feels less Motel 6 with glass.

I really like the shower curtains that arch away from the tub and give more elbow room. I'm thinking of getting one for my house.

Those glasses are often filthy, and rarely cleaned properly or more than a cursory rinse by the housekeeper. Yum!

[dahammer]

a newspaper in the morning and complimentary coffee in the lobby, I rarely use the in room coffee maker. I agree, having a real glass is a plus.

[rc408]

sheshbesh4u, on Nov 13 2009, 03:02 PM, said:

Those glasses are often filthy, and rarely cleaned properly or more than a cursory rinse by the housekeeper. Yum!

That's why I also like teh in room liquid soap. A quick wash in the sink and all is good. I am usually more concerned about the bedspread.

[Gallus50]

Really good curtains that black out light from outside and towels that are thick and fluffy, not thin and scratchy.

Good toiletries that actually smell nice are a bonus - once we had Crabtree & Evelyn Coconut Lime. Yum.

[Romelle]

Kleenix in one of those wall dispensers.

Heating and air conditioner controls that make sense.

A little bit of food. I arrived at a Holiday Inn in Moscow after the usual difficult overnight flight, challenges with obtaining rubles, public transportation in a different language, and then just finding the place. I was totally exhausted. Although I was hungry and thirsty and knew I couldn't drink the local water, I had decided to crash for a while first. On a small table was a plate with a paper doily. On the plate was an apple, a Twix candy bar, a complimentary bottle of drinking water and a knife for the apple. I still remember how absolutely beautiful that little still life arrangement was, and how much I appreciated it.

Those informative magazines about the local area.

A clock I can personally set for a wake-up call, or a system on the TV to do same.

An extra pillow and blanket.

Curtains that really close and black-out the light.

Romelle

[rc408]

Oh yeah, nice fluffy robes (2 of them so we don't have to fight over it).

[ufauxreal]

Pillows... lots of them! I want them more for when I'm stretched out on the bed watching TV or reading. At least two bath towels per person. Free Wi-fi. And please do not charge me to make a toll-free call!

In resort type areas a selection of menus from nearby restaurants is really appreciated. A small refrigerator in the room is nice.

JB

[Romelle]

I use the coffee maker when it is available. And for well beyond just coffee and tea, since with boiling water one can make soup and other various instant meals. I've even done instant oatmeal using the boiled water, an a large coffee mug for a dish.

I really appreciate finding the apparatus in a room. Especially since I usually travel by myself, and am not fond of wandering outside alone after dark in a foreign place.

With the refrigerator mentioned above, both breakfast and supper are very achievable.

Romelle

[powerplantop]

Gallus50, on Nov 13 2009, 07:06 PM, said:

Really good curtains that black out light from outside and towels that are thick and fluffy, not thin and scratchy.

Black out curtains are nice!

[powerplantop]

Romelle, on Nov 13 2009, 08:34 PM, said:

Kleenix in one of those wall dispensers.

Heating and air conditioner controls that make sense.

Good one. I love a thermostate that I can set a temp and not a dial of 63% of blue is good.

Quote

A little bit of food. I arrived at a Holiday Inn in Moscow after the usual difficult overnight flight, challenges with obtaining rubles, public transportation in a different language, and then just finding the place. I was totally exhausted. Although I was hungry and thirsty and knew I couldn't drink the local water, I had decided to crash for a while first. On a small table was a plate with a paper doily. On the plate was an apple, a Twix candy bar, a complimentary bottle of drinking water and a knife for the apple. I still remember how absolutely beautiful that little still life arrangement was, and how much I appreciated it.

Great example of a small thing that really makes a hotel stay.

[WordWideDan]

An ice maker and a mini-bar with reasonable prices are always welcome!

[powerplantop]

WordWideDan, on Nov 17 2009, 01:46 PM, said:

An ice maker and a mini-bar with reasonable prices are always welcome!

Until Sept I had free mini-par perks at Intercontinental Hotels. Now on my next stay at one I will have to pay thru the nose for the mini-bar.

[mbstone]

1. No negative small things such as resort fees, pay water bottles, or other petty charges
2. If the property has a looseleaf room service menu, I'd like to have all the pages
3. Working batteries in the remote
4. Curtains that can black out the room
5. Electrical outlets that aren't behind the middle of the mattress
6. A laminated card with a map of the area immediately adjacent to the hotel showing all restaurants, shops, and services within 1/2 mile
7. Speed-dial buttons on the phone that are correctly programmed to reach the bell desk, room service, etc
8. A deadly-efficient lost and found that will retrieve and send me anything I might have left in the room, for a reasonable shipping charge
9. If the hotel is in the MFN there should be something to eat available 24H

[powerplantop]

mbstone,

I forgot about batteries in the remote. A few times I have checedk in late and the remote only worked two feet from the tv.

as to number 9 that is why they put extra soap by the sink.

[Horn]

Coffee maker in the room. It's a must!

[trenhoel]

I find a hair-dryer important (although not much hair left...)

[sweetcurves]

A/C that actually works.
Flat screen tv. (I don't have one at home...so it's nice to have one in my hotel room)
Soft sheets and pillows.
Fluffy towels.
Clean floors/carpets.

[Armstead]

Clean sheets!

[Z3R0]

Pretty much the only thing I need is wireless internet in the room. It's nice to have a resturant/bar on premises as well, go down and grab a bite to eat or drink and catch a ball game. And believe it or not, staff that are friendly make a huge difference. I was chatting with one of the security guards during a trip while waiting for a colleague to show up. He showed me their camera system, which was pretty neat(had the 360 swivel cameras with high zoom).

Well, it was evening and there weren't very many people in the pool area. Well he switches over to the pool camera where there's a guy sitting in between two girls hanging out, who eventually gets up and walks off, and the two girls start making out. We got a bit of a laugh out of that, and sorry if someone thinks it inappropriate(edit if necessary). But the fact he was willing to give me a digital walk through of their hotel via the neat camera system was pretty neat.

[MurtleCake]

I like flat screen TV's... I dunno why, but I've been to some hotels lately that didn't have it and it just felt SO old and outdated (even if it was a nice place). I appreciate a good shower too, with good water pressure, and when they give you enough towels. (girls use more than one towel when they shower!!).

[collin12]

Nice towels are a must, I can't stand the cheap scratchy ones! And complimentary coffee is always nice!

[Valiquette]

A few things I appreciate are:

1. a bottle opener in the room. I remember being in NYC and after buying a case of nice cold beer there was not a bottle opener/corkscrew to be found in the room. I called to the front desk and they would send one up for a charge of $10. I've since learned to always carry a bottle opener when I travel.

2. Nice body wash, shampoo products in the bathroom. I go ga-ga over l'Occitane or Evelyn & Crabtree. Bliss isn't bad either.

3. Fluffy robes.

4. Plastic cups covered in saran wrap. I know its sounds cheesy but I've seen many of those "hidden camera" exposés about the glasses in hotel rooms. Shrinkwrap makes me happy!!!!

5. A cheerful person at the front desk when I check-in.