How to get rid of annoying light sources in hotel rooms

[Mattg]

@JessicaTam, @Aeolus, @sudoer and I were just talking about those small sources of light in hotel rooms that emit light during the night when you really just want to sleep in pitch black. For example, the TV often has a small red light or sometimes there is a flashing green light coming from the smoke alarm. Or, sometimes the curtains don’t fully close so external light enters the room in the morning.

Does this bother anyone else, and what tricks do you use to remove or cover over those annoying sources of light in hotel rooms?

 

[CaptainCurtis]

@JessicaTam, @Aeolus, @sudoer and I were just talking about those small sources of light in hotel rooms that emit light during the night when you really just want to sleep in pitch black. For example, the TV often has a small red light or sometimes there is a flashing green light coming from the smoke alarm. Or, sometimes the curtains don’t fully close so external light enters the room in the morning.

Does this bother anyone else, and what tricks do you use to remove or cover over those annoying sources of light in hotel rooms?

Unplug devices that are easily accessible - alarm clocks, televisions etc. Blu-tack for anything else that's small.

 

[jakeseven7]

@JessicaTam, @Aeolus, @sudoer and I were just talking about those small sources of light in hotel rooms that emit light during the night when you really just want to sleep in pitch black. For example, the TV often has a small red light or sometimes there is a flashing green light coming from the smoke alarm. Or, sometimes the curtains don’t fully close so external light enters the room in the morning.

Does this bother anyone else, and what tricks do you use to remove or cover over those annoying sources of light in hotel rooms?

Yup annoys me and I just turn everything off at power source.

Hotel staff must hate resetting all the clocks after me…

 

[Seat0B]

Oh yes it annoys the heck out of me too. I turn things off if I can. I cover other things with face washers, hand towels, socks or pieces of cardboard from packaging. I have never thought of using Blu Tac, but I will from now on. Honestly, some places I have stayed it has been very difficult to sleep because of this, and even worse because several of the items flash their red, blue or green lights rather than just sending out a steady beam. I find the flashes even worse than just a light.

And I absolutely hate cheap curtains that don't meet in the middle and/or leave the edges exposed so that a shaft of sunlight hits you in the face at 0430! I literally cheer when I find a set of curtains with a split track so that they overlap in the middle. I haven't really found a good solution for this problem, although I have certainly tried to cover the gap with my coat, bath or pool towels or even plastic shopping bags stuck up with sticky tape - which the cleaning staff removed very diligently every day, even though I left a note pleading for them to leave it...

 

[VPS]

A number of people travel with a large bulldog clip to make sure curtains meet in the middle. Light doesn't bother me as much as noise

 

[Larko1]

Oh yes it annoys the heck out of me too. I turn things off if I can. I cover other things with face washers, hand towels, socks or pieces of cardboard from packaging. I have never thought of using Blu Tac, but I will from now on. Honestly, some places I have stayed it has been very difficult to sleep because of this, and even worse because several of the items flash their red, blue or green lights rather than just sending out a steady beam. I find the flashes even worse than just a light.

And I absolutely hate cheap curtains that don't meet in the middle and/or leave the edges exposed so that a shaft of sunlight hits you in the face at 0430! I literally cheer when I find a set of curtains with a split track so that they overlap in the middle. I haven't really found a good solution for this problem, although I have certainly tried to cover the gap with my coat, bath or pool towels or even plastic shopping bags stuck up with sticky tape - which the cleaning staff removed very diligently every day, even though I left a note pleading for them to leave it...

I've used the coat hangers with the trouser clips on them when the curtains don't meet int the middle. Good idea with blu tac for when they don't reach the wall.

 

[kpro]

sometimes the curtains don’t fully close so external light enters the room in the morning.

One of the better social media 'hacks' I've seen is to use a hanger with clips to clip together the curtains.

 

[RooFlyer]

Yes, the light emitters bother me, and I use blu-tac for the lights on devices I can't turn off.

Blu tac can also help with the odd vibrating louvre in air con outlets.

A number of people travel with a large bulldog clip to make sure curtains meet in the middle.

Clothes pegs for me

 

[SYD]

Repurpose the eyeshades from your flight!

 

[Seat0B]

I've used the coat hangers with the trouser clips on them when the curtains don't meet int the middle. Good idea with blu tac for when they don't reach the wall.

Thanks @Larko1, great suggestion which I will shamelessly steal! And welcome to posting on AFF!

 

[Seat0B]

Repurpose the eyeshades from your flight!

I hate sleeping in an eyeshade. I find them really uncomfortable and they don't seem to stay put on my face, so I keep waking up with it over my nose or falling off the top of my head, or pulling on my ponytail, which kind of defeats the purpose .
I must just be a crazy sleeper, as many other people I know seem well able to sleep in an eyeshade

 

[Princess Fiona]

@JessicaTam, @Aeolus, @sudoer and I were just talking about those small sources of light in hotel rooms that emit light during the night when you really just want to sleep in pitch black. For example, the TV often has a small red light or sometimes there is a flashing green light coming from the smoke alarm. Or, sometimes the curtains don’t fully close so external light enters the room in the morning.

Does this bother anyone else, and what tricks do you use to remove or cover over those annoying sources of light in hotel rooms?

Masking tape
Always have a small roll with me

 

[SYD]

I hate sleeping in an eyeshade. I find them really uncomfortable and they don't seem to stay put on my face, so I keep waking up with it over my nose or falling off the top of my head, or pulling on my ponytail, which kind of defeats the purpose .
I must just be a crazy sleeper, as many other people I know seem well able to sleep in an eyeshade

I have a couple of good ones from flights that I pack with me - just in case. I can’t sleep on planes without one (and usually earplugs)…. Repurposed some of those last night in Jakarta…

 

[Seat0B]

Clothes pegs for me

Another great idea - and I always have clothes pegs with me on international flights. I don't know why I have never thought of these things for myself! Must be from the lack of sleep from all the light in my room!!

Post automatically merged: Jun 12, 2023

I have a couple of good ones from flights that I pack with me - just in case. I can’t sleep on planes without one (and usually earplugs)…. Repurposed some of those last night in Jakarta…

Yes I use the earplugs on the plane, and try to use the eyeshades, but they cause me a bit of grief...

 

[TheRealTMA]

Always travel wth earplugs, for light, underpants on head (clean ones) <image redacted>

 

[Aeolus]

Unplug devices that are easily accessible - alarm clocks, televisions etc. Blu-tack for anything else that's small.

Yup, blu-tack and post-it notes are my go to

 

[JessicaTam]

I turn alarm clocks face down. In the Washington HH there was a light under the mirror I couldn’t find the switch to, so I shoved a whole bath towel under it to stop the light.

 

[Pushka]

I wear a well washed buff. Softer than an eye mask and no pesky elastics over ears.

 

[JessicaTam]

I wear a well washed buff. Softer than an eye mask and no pesky elastics over ears.

So you sleep in the buff then?

 

[kpc]

I hate the bar fridge / mini bar noise...i have been known to turn it off!