{"id":19665,"date":"2016-07-11T16:00:41","date_gmt":"2016-07-11T16:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?p=19665"},"modified":"2021-10-28T16:53:38","modified_gmt":"2021-10-28T16:53:38","slug":"hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/","title":{"rendered":"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you ever encountered hallway racers or mobile phone menaces at a\u00a0hotel<\/a>? Yeah, those people\u2014they can make or break your stay as much<\/em>\u00a0as an accommodation’s service and style.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Etiquette exists at hotels<\/a>, too!\u00a0<\/span>From what to wear, to how to act, to what to tip, here are seven ways to stay well, keep it classy, and avoid hotel faux pas.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Appropriate attire<\/b>
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Starting on an obvious note: Mirror your environs with your ensemble. Whether you\u2019re staying at a far-flung five-star, a hipster haunt in Palm Springs, or a rustic beach bungalow in Mexico, dress the part. And if you\u2019re ever in doubt, channel your inner Coco Chanel or Tom Ford. Remember: You can never be overdressed. <\/span><\/p>\n

When packing, assemble items that \u201cfit\u201d the location. For example, what I pack for a boutique hotel in Italy<\/a> is very different from the wardrobe I bring to a mid-century stay in the California desert<\/a>, or a beachfront resort in Maui (Style Guide: What to wear in Hawaii<\/a>). <\/span><\/p>\n

And finally, don\u2019t traipse through the lobby in your bathing suit, hotel robe, or a sheer cover-up. Getting caught in your private clothes in the<\/em>\u00a0most public area of the hotel is a no-no! <\/span><\/p>\n

2. Roam well<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

In corridors and hallways, guests get tunnel vision as far as their volume and awareness of others, forgetting there are people behind every door. With this, refrain from talking in the hotel hallway like you\u2019re giving a keynote, roaming like you\u2019re in a cackle of hyenas, or letting your kids use it like a track and field course. Hotels host travelers from a number of different time zones, so your 3 p.m. might be someone else\u2019s 3 a.m. Inside voices, please!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Viewfinder Tip: Good manners go a long way. Practicing your “please” and “thank you” maintains a positive domino effect that extends to every person and department in the hotel. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

3. Respect the vibe<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

This all-encompassing rule relates to every part of a stay\u2014rooms, lobby, spa, pool, restaurant\u2014and is a reminder to be hyper-mindful of those around you. For example, if you\u2019re traveling with your boo\u00a0and seeking calm, head to the adult pool, or find a quiet spot at the main pool (away from the group or family set); talk with a whisper in the spa; and if you\u2019re traveling with a baby<\/a> (like I do, often), leave the public area if your little one begins to cry. To sum it up: Survey your surroundings and respect the vibe the hotel\u2014and its guests\u2014are putting out. <\/span><\/p>\n

4. Good vibrations<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

One etiquette error I see at almost every hotel I visit around the world is mobile (cell phone) misconduct. Individuals turn into different creatures when they are holding a phone, and forget there are others around them. To avoid this common guest gaffe, keep your smartphone on vibrate (unless you\u2019re in your room), don\u2019t answer it unless you have to\u2014that goes for the pool, too\u2014and if you do need to chat, find a quiet space and use your inside voice (because nobody<\/em>\u00a0cares about the deal you\u2019re brokering).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Won\u2019t you be my neighbor <\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

When you\u2019re living in community\u2014versus a cabin in the middle of the woods\u2014it\u2019s important to think of others and bear in mind that most hotel walls are thin. Yes, you\u2019re there for relaxation and enjoyment, but that shouldn\u2019t come at the expense of others. Practically, this means respecting hotel quiet hours\u2014yes, most stays have them from 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.\u2014and refrain from watching MTV or partying in your room at 1 a.m. <\/span><\/p>\n

Practice this same politeness to your housekeeper, too. They have one of the hardest jobs in the biz, and should be shown your utmost respect by piling used towels together, keeping the room tidy, and putting trash in the bin. If you want to be messy for a day, hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on your door. <\/span><\/p>\n

6. Speak to the source<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Should you encounter a snafu throughout your stay, speak first to the source in an effort to get it resolved. It\u2019s appropriate to escalate when you don\u2019t feel like you\u2019re getting anywhere or being heard. Just don\u2019t go straight to the general manager if the pool staff miss you on their first morning order run. Begin with the benefit of the doubt, and move on from there. <\/span><\/p>\n

7. Tipping point<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

Like it or not, tipping is expected in hotels throughout North America\u2014especially in the luxury realm\u2014so make sure you bring a bevy of US$1s and $5s to acknowledge staff for standout service. <\/span><\/p>\n

Tipping guidelines for hotel staff in North America (USD)
\n<\/b><\/span>Valet (paid upon pick-up): $3\u20137
\n<\/span>Bellhops: $1\u20132 per bag
\n<\/span>Bag storage: $1\u20132 per bag
\n<\/span>Housekeeping: $5\u201310 a day
\n<\/span>Food and beverage staff: 15\u201322% of your bill
\n<\/span>Spa services: 15% of your treatment(s)
\n<\/span>Concierge: $10\u201320 for securing tickets or a hard-to-get reservation<\/span><\/p>\n

Want more hotel hacks? Check out\u00a0<\/span>7 hacks for booking the perfect hotel room in Vegas<\/a>. Stay tuned for more in our hotel hacks series!<\/span><\/p>\n

What ways do you practice being five-star guest?<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Avoiding faux pas for a fabulous stay<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":19666,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1786,1859,1780,1797,1787,1802,1781,1776],"tags":[1328],"authors":[2232],"class_list":["post-19665","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-company","category-hotels","category-inspiration","category-luxury","category-news","category-top-lists","category-travel-tips","category-type-of-vacation","tag-boutique-hotels","authors-trip-styler","entry"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests | Expedia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests | Expedia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Avoiding faux pas for a fabulous stay\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Expedia Travel Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2016-07-11T16:00:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-10-28T16:53:38+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1230\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"377\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jamie McNeely\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jamie McNeely\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/\",\"name\":\"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests | Expedia\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2016-07-11T16:00:41+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-10-28T16:53:38+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/593dbd40dd1d061c8d049105752b2c5e\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg\",\"width\":1230,\"height\":377,\"caption\":\"Hotel hacks: Guest etiquette\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Explore\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Inspiration\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/inspiration\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":3,\"name\":\"Hotels\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/inspiration\/hotels\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":4,\"name\":\"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/\",\"name\":\"Expedia Travel Blog\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":\"required name=search_term_string\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/593dbd40dd1d061c8d049105752b2c5e\",\"name\":\"Jamie McNeely\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c6c5fcb9612549bc286e9121c24dc652?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c6c5fcb9612549bc286e9121c24dc652?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jamie McNeely\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/www.waveinteractive.com\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/author\/jamie-mcneely\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests | Expedia","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests | Expedia","og_description":"Avoiding faux pas for a fabulous stay","og_url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/","og_site_name":"Expedia Travel Blog","article_published_time":"2016-07-11T16:00:41+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-10-28T16:53:38+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1230,"height":377,"url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jamie McNeely","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jamie McNeely","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/","url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/","name":"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests | Expedia","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg","datePublished":"2016-07-11T16:00:41+00:00","dateModified":"2021-10-28T16:53:38+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/593dbd40dd1d061c8d049105752b2c5e"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/IMG_0833a-copy.jpg","width":1230,"height":377,"caption":"Hotel hacks: Guest etiquette"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/hotel-hacks-7-etiquette-rules-guests\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Explore","item":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Inspiration","item":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/inspiration\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Hotels","item":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/inspiration\/hotels\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Hotel hacks: 7 etiquette rules for guests"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/","name":"Expedia Travel Blog","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":"required name=search_term_string"}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/593dbd40dd1d061c8d049105752b2c5e","name":"Jamie McNeely","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c6c5fcb9612549bc286e9121c24dc652?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/c6c5fcb9612549bc286e9121c24dc652?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jamie McNeely"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/www.waveinteractive.com\/"],"url":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/author\/jamie-mcneely\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19665"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=19665"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19665\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":56811,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19665\/revisions\/56811"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/19666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=19665"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=19665"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=19665"},{"taxonomy":"authors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.expedia.com\/stories\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/authors?post=19665"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}