Laundry services and experiences while travelling

[Quickstatus]

I like laundromats where it's handover and pickup later with a folding service. Too boring waiting for cycle to finish .

 

[Quickstatus]

In the US

An excellent SS laundry is in Gouldings Lodge, Monument Valley AZ. Where they get the water from I have no idea. Maybe borewater. Cheap cheap. No waiting due to the excess of machine.

 

[bookworm]

Last year, we went on a 10 week trip, mostly SW US national Parks ( Colorado; Utah; Arizona; California) and then to Alaska/Yukon and Northern BC . And didn't find laundry rooms in some of the chains where we expected to find them. ( We had never had this experience previously)
Like most posters on here, not prepared to pay $5 to wash socks.
Now I knew that some places in the national Parks would have no laundry, but I didn't expect not to have a laundry in Las Vegas en route to Death Valley.
So I did a Google search and found a local laundromat in a Latina area. The people were so helpful. I explored the nearby local supermarket whilst waiting, I love visiting local supermarkets to see what groceries the locals buy.
We did the same in Fresno, California , after visiting Yosemite.

In Jordan, my guide assisted and got his family to do my laundry.

In Jerusalem, the hotel gave me a bag to fill and told me it would cost 50 Shekels. The clothes came back cleaned and folded .


I always carry a little plastic honey bottle of soap powder , wash and dry undies in the hotel bathroom.

I will ensure that my next trip research includes laundries at accommodation, where I usually took this for granted.

 

[SYD]

+1 for at least one AirBnB with washer/dryer to punctuate longer trips.

 

[dylarr]

I agree laundry logistics are definitely a consideration when I'm planning a trip.

For longer trips where multiple hotels are involved I'll usually break the trip up by booking a serviced apartment or some other type of accommodation with washing machine. Failing that, a decent nearby laundry is a good option however I don't like having to wait around.

My favourite laundry arrangement is when travelling around places like Vietnam. Find some random shop with a laundry sign out the front and drop off a full garbage bag full of clothes. Charged by the kilo, a full bag is only a few $ and return a few hours later and everything is clean, ironed and folded. It's the best.

 

[andye]

I made a mistake in a 5* hotel in Istanbul. Thought the laundry service was very reasonably priced until I discovered at checkout it was priced in USD not Lira. The exchange was much better than now but glad I only did a few items

 

[Quickstatus]

I always carry a little plastic honey bottle of soap powder , wash and dry undies in the hotel bathroom.

Anyone used laundry detergent sheets?
Worth a go for travel?
Woolies have them.

 

[Quickstatus]

a 5* hotel in Istanbul. Thought the laundry service was very reasonably priced

Per item like a lot of 5*?

 

[I love to travel]

I agree laundry logistics are definitely a consideration when I'm planning a trip.

For longer trips where multiple hotels are involved I'll usually break the trip up by booking a serviced apartment or some other type of accommodation with washing machine. Failing that, a decent nearby laundry is a good option however I don't like having to wait around.

My favourite laundry arrangement is when travelling around places like Vietnam. Find some random shop with a laundry sign out the front and drop off a full garbage bag full of clothes. Charged by the kilo, a full bag is only a few $ and return a few hours later and everything is clean, ironed and folded. It's the best.

I always worry though that they do not differentiate between what needs to be washed hot and cold.

 

[Quickstatus]

I always worry though that they do not differentiate

When I travel my clothes do not need to be differentiated - none of this darks and whites and standard whatever wash.
All in no fuss

With washing mashing at home I have only used the one setting. It's called "Mix"

 

[Fifa]

Anyone used laundry detergent sheets?
Worth a go for travel?
Woolies have them.

Yes, we still have a stack from previous trips to the US. They’re really good and when the wash finishes you throw the ‘washed’ sheet in the dryer where it acts as a softener.
Make sure you keep them in a double zip lock bag or similar or everything in your suitcase wilI stink!

 

[Quickstatus]

washed’ sheet in the dryer

Doesn't it dissolve in the wash?

 

[dylarr]

I always worry though that they do not differentiate between what needs to be washed hot and cold.

They probably don't but I'm not too concerned as I don't differentiate at home anyways.

 

[Fifa]

Doesn't it dissolve in the wash?

The sheet minus the powder coating remains after the wash and you then put that in the dryer with the clothes or toss it.

 

[OZDUCK]

We used laundry sheets for our German trip last year and they worked well. The sheets we had dissolved completely - 'Earth Rescue'.

 

[SCM]

After many years of travel and experimentation - my method is as follows;

- Japan or Korea: Very easy to find even cheap hotels with coin operated laundry. All countries should be like this, but oh well.
- If staying in a managed apartment or airbnb, try and find out with a laundry
- Never waste time and money booking a hotel with laundry. It will be stupidly overpriced, and you are going to pass by so many good hotels because of a worthless feature. Also, it's usually found only in 4+ star hotels, meaning you're also overpaying just to overpay on the laundry as well
- For hotels;
A) Pack enough clothes to last roughly ~2 weeks without needing laundry
B) For longer trips, the hotels in cities you are staying at the longest, at approximately 1.5 week intervals, make sure to find the hotel within a short walking distance of a self-service laundromat

Also doing things like staying with friends (who will have a washing machine), or using your m8s airbnb laundries if possible (when mixing and matching your travel with friends).

But overall, booking a hotel close (~500m) to a laundromat is the single best and easiest protip I have ever found, then you never have to worry about this at all. Just go in the morning to do some laundry, grab a coffee, then put it in the dryer, watch some videos, read the news, whatever for 20 minutes and it's all done.

I keep dirties in 2 laundry bags I bought off Amazon - best purchase ever, and then you can carry them around easily to the laundromat, on the way back just put them inside your backpack, can put it in a plastic bag if you need to for cleanliness (I always have a roll of large plastic bags with me during travel).

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm afraid the proximity of a hotel or apartment etc to a laundry, or the laundry facilities in a hotel is well down the list of things I consider when booking accommodation.

If HLO on holidays, trip up to 7-8 days in one climate, then its likely to be a basin wash once or twice or one hotel launder and grit teeth at the cost. I'm on holidays! I can't recall ever using an external laundry.

When taking luggage, longer trips, my policy is take the kitchen sink while I'm at it (ie more changes of clothes) and will inevitably find an in-house laundry solution somewhere, or else its the basin again. I don't usually go out after dinner so evenings are usually available.

As mentioned up-thread, Scrubba bag will be christened in up-coming trip to Europe where yes, hotel laundry cost will probably be high.

 

[annier]

When travelling for more than just a few days, one of the most important items on the checklist along CarPark View, Room Upgrade, Executive Lounge Freebies, is the Laundry.

I would put Laundry as the number one amenity, It is often a make or break for me.

I hate Hotel Laundries which charge by the piece.

Self service Laundry onsite is a plus as is an easily accessible offsite laundromat. And sometimes even a pickup/drop off service. Increasingly short stay apartments have been my go to because of this one amenity. No amount of chain hotel status (which may toss you a free laundry item or three) will beat that.

What laundry services do you use and what have been your experiences while travelling.

For those doing trip reports, I would appreciate a laundry report as well... thanks

Also should I create a "Laundry Trip Report" and maybe move this there?

I am 100% with you. I have a 6-week Europe trip coming up in June and that has been my priority, along with location and standard of accommodation of course. I always use the laundry or washer/dryer filter when I search, so apart from a couple of properties, it's apartment living all the way and where it's not, I have communicated and booked based on easy access laundry amenity.

 

[andye]

Per item like a lot of 5*?

Yes it was. Not totally sure if was USD or EUR

 

[Bundy Bear]

I found New York and San Francisco had lots of cheap laundromat options; take to place after breakfast and come back end of day or same time next day.

I always pack washing powder so if really stuck can wash smalls in the sink. One family member suggested always take extra pairs of undies and socks as they take up so little room.