Experiences with hotel wake-up calls

[Mattg]

Many hotels offer a wake-up call service, but few do it well in my experience.

I often request a wake-up call if I have an early flight or something, as a backup to the alarm on my phone. My experience with this has included:

• Receiving an automated call at the precise minute I asked for (this is great!)
• Receiving a call, but 15-30 minutes later than I actually asked for
• Receiving a call earlier than I asked for
• Not receiving a call at all

What's your experience been with this?

 

[kpc]

I no longer use hotel wake up calls. Use my phone alarm and +1s as backup.

Best one a few years ago was at IC OR Tambo airport where after a phone call for an early wakeup call, a few minutes later, someone came and banged on the door to make sure we really had woken up!

 

[VPS]

Interesting I can’t remember the last time I used to wake up call.

If I do have to be up at an ungodly hour I do said about three alarms

 

[p--and--t]

If I do have to be up at an ungodly hour I do said about three alarms

For very early departures, I set the alarm on my phone then wake early (If I do get to sleep at all) and then lie there semi-awake waiting to turn it off.

 

[Mattg]

a few minutes later, someone came and banged on the door to make sure we really had woken up!

Well that's good service.... I think?

 

[p--and--t]

Many hotels offer a wake-up call service, but few do it well in my experience.

I often request a wake-up call if I have an early flight or something, as a backup to the alarm on my phone. My experience with this has included:

• Receiving an automated call at the precise minute I asked for (this is great!)
• Receiving a call, but 15-30 minutes later than I actually asked for
• Receiving a call earlier than I asked for
• Not receiving a call at all

What's your experience been with this?

Been many years since I ordered a wakeup call from a hotel (since I bought a mobile phone).

However on group tours the tour leader seems to order them (especially Gate1 travel) whether you want one or not and they seem to work. They are largely automated nowadays in Western countries. I am usually awake before the call (musical chimes) comes in.

I notice more and more less expensive hotels don't bother with having phones in rooms as most travellers have a mobile.

 

[VPS]

For very early departures, I set the alarm on my phone then wake early (If I do get to sleep at all) and then lie there semi-awake waiting to turn it off.

Interestingly, when I have to get up early, that’s not when I have trouble sleeping. It’s when I don’t have to do anything that I can’t sleep.

 

[harryhv]

My experience has been
a) Unwanted early calls, often from housekeeping on checkout day "are you leaving today"
b) hotel alarm clock bristling with ineffective buttons none of which seem to prevent it from going off at 6am (and none of which can correct the wrong time displayed)

Always disable the clock and disconnect the phone on arriving in a hotel room.

 

[Katie]

I used the in-room tablet in our Disney resort in November last year. We, well I, was awoken by various Disney characters - Animal yelling and crashing drums, Donald Duck squawking, and so on.

 

[Ade]

A year or so back at Taj BLR, wake up call at the exact minute - 0310 for a 0605 departure to MAA.

But others noted above thread, I also had a few alarms set in my phone (every 10 mins or so until 0330, which was the absolute time by when I should be out of my bed, a minute more in bed, I miss the flight. Well not really, I told that to myself so that I won't be laying past 0330) and another call from mum at 0335 asking if I'm up, packed for my flight and ordered an Uber.

 

[Ade]

I set the alarm on my phone then wake early (If I do get to sleep at all)

I do this almost every time I had an early AM departure. I panic that I might oversleep (having done that once and had to run across the terminal in MEL to catch a flight to SIN, in 2018 I think). So I don't get a good/sound sleep, I keep using my phone or watch Netflix or do something, so that I either get tired, doze off and wake up with the alarm OR don't go to sleep, wait for the alarm, go to the airport and sleep on the plane.

 

[VPS]

Does someone want to give me a wake up call at 4am on Monday

 

[TheRealTMA]

Does someone want to give me a wake up call at 4am on Monday

AEST, EST, GMT, ECT?

That’s what mobile phones are for!

 

[VPS]

AEST, EST, GMT, ECT?

That’s what mobile phones are for!

CEST I'm travelling with two phones so will set both. Catching a ferry and you have to be there an hour beforehand - SIGH

 

[Scarlett]

Used at BNE Ibis last month and it was the automated (computer voice) system that rang exactly at the time requested.

Also used at Crowne Plaza and Sonesta Suites in the US over Xmas break and both had same computer generated call on time.
I probably did the same at Aerotel SIN T1 during that transit but can’t recall.

For those using phones: even if you set multiple alarms on the one phone, it’s still a single point of failure…

 

[DC3]

someone came and banged on the door to make sure we really had woken up!