10 Polite Habits Hotel Workers Actually Dislike

Don’t make these hotel etiquette mistakes

Hotel workers deal with a lot of people every day … and a lot of personalities. It’s definitely not an easy job! You, as a kind and reasonable human being, understand this, so you do your best to be polite and follow hotel etiquette. Of course, you know that certain etiquette rules apply here, but you may not realize that some “polite” habits aren’t quite as polite as you might think. In fact, these things could actually be getting in the way of hotel workers doing their jobs and providing you with the best service possible.

It’s always good to use your best etiquette, especially in public places like hotels, but a little extra kindness to the staff can also make your stay nicer. People respond positively to kindness. Just be thoughtful in your approach.

1. Getting items you need from the housekeeping cart

Need an extra towel, pillow or bottle of shampoo? It’s tempting to just grab one off the housekeeping cart parked conveniently in the hallway or from an open closet. It’s right there, and—bonus!—that way, you don’t have to bother one of the employees by asking for it. But that simple action can cause “chaos." That’s because big hotel chains do daily audits of supplies, and everything is supposed to be accounted for. A pillow goes missing, and they get in trouble for it!

Do this instead:  If you see something you need, it’s OK to ask the housekeeper if you can take one, but it’s important to ask first, as they are often responsible for the inventory. They’ll likely be accommodating (a fact you should remember when tipping them), but if they can’t help you, give the front desk a call. They can get you fresh towels, extra bedding or whatever else you need. 

2. Putting dirty room service dishes out in the hallway 

Room service is one of the best parts of staying in a hotel. But what do you do with the room service dishes after using them? This confusion leads to a common mistake people make when staying in a hotel—it’s so common you even see it in movies and TV shows. It makes sense you’d want to stack the dishes outside your door to make it easier for staff to come pick them up next time they are making their rounds, but this isn’t good etiquette. It looks messy and can attract rodents or pests, not to mention, it isn’t necessary.

Do this instead: Calling room service and telling them you are finished is good hotel manners. People don’t realize it, but if room service brought them up to your room, they can pick them up when you’re finished. 

3. Helping them clean

Every once in a while, a guest will try to help housekeeping clean—either by cleaning alongside the worker (a big no-no!) or by trying to anticipate what the worker will need, like by stripping all the bedding and putting it on the floor. This is a problem because as long as it’s the same guests in the same room, they don’t change out the bedding every day, so now that’s more work for them. Even if you do things like wipe down counters or sweep, housekeepers will still have to do it again, so you might as well save your time. That’s one of the best perks of staying in a hotel!

Do this instead: Keep your things neat and tidy, and dispose of all your garbage properly. There’s no need to do extra chores to help the housekeeper.

4. Tipping a percentage of the bill

How much you should tip hotel housekeeping can be confusing. A common hotel etiquette mistake travelers make is tipping a percentage of the bill, as how much you tip depends on several factors: the length of your stay, if they had to do extra work, how often they cleaned and the type of hotel. Five-star hotel tipping etiquette is different from motel tipping etiquette. If you can afford to stay at a luxury hotel, then you should adjust your budget to pay higher tips.

Do this instead: On average, budget $2 to $5 per day. For higher-end hotels, $10 to $20 a day, or even more, is customary.

5. Saving the housekeeping tip for the end

Hotel tipping etiquette can get complicated, but for now, know that tipping housekeeping in any way is always a thoughtful and appreciated gesture—even at a lot of all-inclusive resorts. (The “all-inclusive” element doesn’t always cover all tips.) However, some guests, thinking they are streamlining the process, save the tip until their last day and leave it in one big amount. Unfortunately, it’s rare to have the same cleaners every day, which means that only the housekeepers working on that final day get the tip.

Do this instead: Tip every day, in cash. Just be aware that how and when you should tip can change depending on the country you’re visiting.

6. Destroying the key card

Guests who will destroy their room key cards [after their stay], thinking that they contain personal information about the guests, like their credit card data. Some guests assume they destroy the cards after they’re turned in, so they do this to save a step, while others are worried that they'll keep their information, so they destroy it proactively.

Do this instead: Leave key cards on the counter in your room, or return them to the front desk when checking out. They’re reusable, and they don’t store any of your personal information, so you don’t have to worry about identity theft. Plus, a [thief] wouldn’t need your key card for that, the hotel already have all your personal information, including your credit card, stored in their booking system.

7. Not telling them about problems with your stay right away

Hotel workers biggest pet peeve? When guests try to be nice by not “bothering” them when problems arise. They say seen guests sweat in sweltering rooms, sleep on the floor with no bedding, endure loud neighbors, pay erroneous charges and suffer other indignities—all because they don’t want to speak up. You can speak up for yourself in a polite way. In other words, don’t be so afraid that you accept poor service.

Do this instead: Tell the concierge about problems as soon as possible. Making sure you are comfortable and happy is literally their job, and you’re not making their job harder by alerting to problems. In fact, it makes the job easier. They much rather get a phone call that you never got your room service than have you go hungry and find out about it the next morning.

8. Trusting them to get your bill correct

These days, many people do automatic checkouts, but for those guests who check out at the front desk, a surprising number don’t even look at their bill. People will wave it away, say ‘I trust you’ and just hand me over their credit card. They mean it as a compliment to the service, and it’s nice that you trust them—but honestly, you shouldn’t, mistakes happen, and it’s your money.

Do this instead: Check over your bill for accuracy and bring up any discrepancies right away. They'd much rather hear from you immediately than two weeks later when your HR department spots the problem on your expense report. Plus, there’s much more they can do at that time to fix the situation. If you wait, their options are limited. On that note, here’s a little all-inclusive resort tip: Make sure to double-check your bill—and remember, not everything is included, so read the fine print before you book!

9. Keeping them company

Sometimes traveling is lonely, and you may crave a little human interaction. The front desk manager looks bored, so you may as well chat him up, right? That would be an etiquette mistake. Short conversations and questions are fine, but long conversations where you monopolize their time can be annoying.

Do this instead: Ask the concierge for recommendations on good, casual places to hang out and meet new people, like a nearby bar, club, library or church. Don’t ever involve hotel staff in your personal business or ask them for personal advice.

10. Flagging down the housekeeper for a simple request

You notice the air conditioning isn’t working or you’re out of toilet paper, and you see that housekeeping is just down the hall. The simplest solution is just to go talk to the nearest housekeeper, right? While it may seem nicer (and faster) to do that yourself, it’s actually a top pet peeve of hotel housekeeping. Each person is assigned to clean certain rooms at certain times, and they can get in trouble if you pull them out of their assigned tasks to help you. Like restaurant workers, hotel workers all have different roles to play, so housekeeping may not be able to handle your request. For instance, maintenance needs to handle any mechanical problems.

Do this instead: Call the front desk and explain the issue you’re having. They’ll send the appropriate person to help you.

In Summary:

Sometimes good intentions go awry, especially when traveling. These common hotel etiquette missteps help avoid turning your excellent experience into average at best. Enjoy the benefits of staying at a hotel that is their to serve you and keeps your best interests at heart.