Simple things that make a hotel great

[Cynicor]

On the topic of steam rooms- in a resort I want unisex saunas and jacuzzis, or at least a unisex option. Being able to have a spa and sauna with my partner rather than by myself is a major plus.

 

[Foreigner]

Many posters' comments suggest products and services likely to be provided at 5* hotels...sauna, extra large bath towels, 24 hour shoe shine service, et al. Good service is fundamental, whether hotels are luxury or budget or in between.

 

[simongr]

Also hotels which start their housekeeping early and have vacuuming going early. Even 8-9am is too early to start in my books.

Lucky you - I am normally in the office by 8AM when travelling and doing conference calls at 6AM...

Lights, lighting, light switches.

The ability to off ALL of the lights in a room and make it black as pitch, at least at night. Even better if you can do it during the day due to the heavy curtains.
Next, the ability to read a newspaper at any point in the room or on the bed, not just underneath the single bright desk light or entrance down light.
And finally, not relying on individual lamps or, if they do, making sure they are all able to be turned off from the bed.

I want to be able to turn the room in night during the day, and day during the night if I so choose. (Mostly because I can't read a book in the evening in some rooms, and not because I do anything fun past about 9pm...)

Totally this - I hate having to work which combination of twenty switches I need to click to get everything off...

So my list of bare necessities is:

- Housekeeping that don't empty and put away the iron every day.
- Lighting, lighting, lighting - I am not a predator or a mole or a bat and work on infrared/ultrasound vision - dear god let there be light!
- enough power points that I can access

Things that make a difference and bring a smile to my face

- International power points
- TVs that I can easily hook up to my iPad to play my video through the TV
- Sauvignon Blanc rather than Chardonnay in the mini bar...

 

[StevePER]

The place I stayed at in Siem Reap this week had:
- Free wifi
- All day breakfast
- Universal power adapters
- Airport transfers
- Personal tuktuk driver
- Copy of a guide book to borrow

That was pretty sweet.

 

[TonyHancock]

Carpet! (Oh the memories of the Formule 1 in Belo Horizonte still haunt me!)
Good wifi (Uncapped - I need to VC for work.)
Well placed power points
Fridge (Why can't they do this simple thing in the UK?)
Fitness Room
iPad connectivity on the TV
Decent room service menu
iron and ironing board

 

[flyingfan]

Some of the suggestions probably aren't so simple but the recurring themes, which I think are relatively simple, are powerpoints that don't involve grunting, sweating and dismantling to access, and friendly service!

 

[Drav]

At last a thread a young bloke can comment on!

To be honest, the one thing I just hope and pray for in any hotel regardless of the star rating is that its clean. The number of times ive stayed in hotels from 0-5 stars that have been filthy is just honestly disgusting.

I don't have OCD, but i'd like a clean room. Especially when i've paid in some cases a couple of hundred dollars to stay there.

If i had to have a list it would be this:

1. CLEAN ROOMS.
2. Decent service. By decent I mean people that know the little things that will make your stay easier. Its hard to articulate but thats what I think is good service.
3. Bathrobes - yeah im a bloke, but after a long day when you have a hot shower and slip into a nice fluffy bathrobe it just feels damn good. Better if there is two and a cute girl is there.
4. Hangars - its a small thing but I like them there. Some have only two, I'd like 5 or 6.
5. Iron/Ironing board - awesome to be able to have nice ironed shirts to wear.
6. Lighting - I want to turn on or off all the lights from multiple places. Yeah, the multiple places one is a bit wanky, but honestly have you SEEN the size of some hotel rooms?!
7. Temperature - the most frustrating thing is when the hotel has decided that -118 C or 96C is the best temperature. Just let me pick my own room temperature...that I can feel.

 

[Peabody]

Lucky you - I am normally in the office by 8AM when travelling and doing conference calls at 6AM...

I very rarely sleep in that late but am sometimes still in the room.

 

[Justinf]

Hot water. I am amazed at how many 'decent' hotels that I stay in that don't have adequate hot water for a shower after 9am.
Good water pressure. I hate having water trickle out of the shower nozzle.
Air-con that works.
Individually controlled air-con. The hotel-controlled air-con is almost always too hot. I have gotten to the stage where I will not stay anywhere where I cannot control the temperature in my own room.

 

[significance]

Things of primary importance that many hotels don't have:
* Comfy beds
* Adequate light
* Powerpoints next to the bed - preferably more than one not occupied
* Sound-proofing
* Windows that open or good, quiet, non-stuffy aircon
* Good showers

Nice to have:
* Free or at least reasonably priced wifi
* Pillow menus
* A decent hair-dryer
* A good sound-system that will connect to my iPhone
* Guest laundry facilities

Nice little touches:
* Complimentary biscuits with good quality tea and real milk (not long-life)
* Fluffy dressing-gowns and big towels
* Lights to direct you to your room from the elevator (having picked up your room-number from your key-card when you select the floor)

I never use hotel TVs - give me wifi instead.

 

[Joy6328]

Temperature control
light control
doonas!
Good bathroom products and water pressure
good variety room service
free wifi

My favourite hotel for most of the above is Pullman cairns
grand mercure TOWNSVILLE has an office desk with multi power points built in

 

[michaelj]

I asked once for a local paper in a regional NZ town when I checked in one afternoon. (I like to catch up on the happenings before dinner with the local managers.) I've been back to the hotel regularly since and everytime the local paper is in the room when I check in. Great service!

 

[Taezar]

Separate shampoo and a decent quality conditioner.

 

[fiscal]

1. unused power points near bed
2. multi pillows of differing density (for mix and match heights)
3. Cheap or free wi-fi (even 30 minutes free)

 

[VirginiaF]

The ability to leave power on when you leave the room. I hate those rooms that need room key to turn power on.

I usually ask for an extra room card to leave in the place where you leave the card to power on the room. I have found in some places housekeeping take it out so that power is not wasted, but they are generally exceptions.

 

[VirginiaF]

Readily accessible power sockets. I hate having to move furniture to reach a power socket next to the skirting.

A clock that doesn't put out the same amount of light as a small town

I often turn the clock to face the wall (after checking to make sure the last guest has not left the alarm set for their early morning flight), or just unplug it altogether. Having said that a few places now have clock/iPod/iPhone docks, which I find really handy and this usually outweighs the brightness of the display (perhaps the days of the red LEDs have perished, as they should have when they were at proof of concept stage).

 

[Barondupon]

Over the past year I have spent 2 nights a week at the same hotel every week. My corporate rate gave me internet access. My status now gives me access to the club lounge and free mini bar beverages. The hotel gives me fresh flowers in my room every week and sets the room up with my requested bedding (blankets rather than the heavy doona) and a decent pillow (I bought my own and keep it at the hotel). These are the things that matter to me in order: quietness, water pressure, room size, fitness centre, room service (I eat in), friendliness and efficiency of staff. The first few months of my trips were a bit hit and miss but an email to the GM was responded to very well and now I look forward to my stays. When you commute you want consistency and to feel home away from home.

 

[balsot]

Free wifi should be a must, selection of pillows,good exchast fan in bathroom so i can shave and my wife can do her face up,room service that does not take to long and most of all trained staff, when you pay hundreds of dollars for a good hotel room you expect top service.

 

[VirginiaF]

There seems to be a common need amongst AFF posters for power points and universal adapters. While it is an additional burden, I usually carry a power adapter anyway - they are useful on the plane, for example, not to mention airports. There are one size fits all types available now, so no need to keep several, depending on the country to which you travel. They are relatively small and unobtrusive. I also travel with a four plug power strip - that way, I only need one power adapter, and can then just plug all my gadgetry into that.

I would agree with everyone about free wi-fi, and free for multiple devices. Some hotels charge 100 times what I pay for broadband at home. There is no justification for that, and just makes the customer experience hollow (or maybe I'm just a geek).

One person mentioned fans in bathrooms. I agree. But in the absence of a fan (or even with a fan), anti-fog mirrors are also handy, as is good lighting to put on make up (OK - not a must have for everyone, I concede). And again, this may not be a universal requirement, but enough room to set all of your things out in the bathroom, not to mention hooks to hang a toilet bag.

Mini bars, I would have thought were anachronic - I'm not sure how many people use these at the rather usurious pricing normally charged, and the cost of monitoring and restocking them must make them questionable as profit centres. I would prefer them to be empty and the cost saving passed on to the guest.

 

[grigo]

Best Hotel ever is the LANGHAM at Mon Kok (Hong Kong). While you wait to check in (or out) they bring out wet facewashers to refresh you while you wait.
Staff are always very friendly and helpful