50 HOTEL HACKS TO SAVE YOU MONEY AND IMPROVE YOUR STAY

In this video, we are taking up the 50 smart hotel hacks to save you money and improve your vacation. If you are planning on traveling due to business or leisure reasons, you are going to spend time in your hotel room. It means that a bad hotel experience can either make or break your entire trip. So, here are 50 hacks that can improve your hotel experience and save you some money as well. From isolating annoying noises to protecting yourself from dirty objects, let's discover these awesome tricks. 1. Say goodbye to germs. Experts believe that one of the dirtiest things in a hotel room is none other than the remote control. It makes sense as it isn't usually cleaned like the bedsheet, pillow, etc. This item is usually left alone by the room cleaning staff, and you have no idea how many people previously held the remote control in their hands. So, it is best to cover the remote with a shower cap or a plastic gap. 2. No more annoying key card use. It can be really annoying to use a room key card every time you need to turn on your lights. But not many people know that any other card can serve the purpose as well. Just use any used card or a metro card of the same size and stick it in the slot. That'll do the job perfectly for you. 3. A solution to leaky toiletries. One thing that can quickly ruin your trip is leaking toiletries in the bag. But don't worry as there is an easy solution for it. Just use a small plastic bag and simply screw it under the cap of your soap or shampoo bottle. It will ensure there are no future leaks. 4. Instant bottle opener. You come to your room all tired and sleepy and you feel like cracking a cold drink before going to sleep. But wait, there's no bottle opener in the room. Don't worry as you can easily open a bottle with a door closer. 5. Quick noise cancellation tip. If you get a chance to travel in high seasons like summer, there is a possibility that you might be staying in a quite busy hotel. It can get pretty noisy with a lot of people, thin walls or a loud neighbor. You can reduce the noise by taking an extra towel and wedging it inside the space under the door. It will help reduce some voices. 6. Keep the door open tip. Traveling with a lot of luggage and a bunch of people has its own perks, but it can get annoying to go into the hotel room back and forth. In case the door is near the closet, you can simply use a hanger to hook the door. It will help keep the door open while you bring the luggage to your room. 7. Make your room completely dark. Some people find it difficult to sleep when they travel. In most cases, it is because of the bright lights of the new city. If you are one of those people who like to sleep in an almost completely dark room, all you need to do is grab the pants hanger from the closet and press the drapes with the clips. It will help shut the drapes and block unwanted light. 8. The key for staying for a long time on a budget. If you are visiting a new city or country and want to stay there for more than a week, it is best to let them know in advance. Call the hotel in advance, let them know that you're planning on staying for longer, and then ask for discounts. You may have to call a few hotels but it will certainly help save your money. It is because hotels find it much better to keep on a guest for a longer period than getting a new one. 9. Avoid taking recommendations from hotel owner or employees. It is not a bad option to get an insight from the hotel owner or employees, but we would highly recommend you to do your own research. 10. No more humidity problem. Although some people hate humidity, there are people who like it and they usually feel that their hotel room is very dry. If you feel there is less humidity in your room, you can fix it by taking a suitable rack and putting a damp towel on top of it. Once you do it, simply place it by the radiator. 11. No need to worry. Packing can be stressful and sometimes you forgot daily use things such as a hair straightener, nail clipper, etc. Instead of buying new things, just go to the front desk and ask for it. In most cases, they have what you want. 12. Don't make this mistake. Almost everyone put their bags on the bed after entering their hotel room. Never do it. It is because bed bugs can transfer from your luggage to your bed and make your stay at the hotel quite uncomfortable. 13. Use room service wisely. Did you know that people who travel a lot often advise others to never overuse the room service? Of course, using it every once in a while is not going to affect your budget, but you need to refrain from using it too much. Bring along things like instant noodles that you can make in the coffee maker or carry some portable appliances to make food without much hassle. 14. Transfer miles wisely. Experts recommend universal miles, especially travel rewards credit cards. It is because you can then move your accumulated points to hotel systems. You can easily transfer the points to various hotel loyalty programs and redeem them for rooms free of cost. 15. Breakfast without butter is incomplete. Most of us have had the experience of using cold butter on the bread only because the butter at a hotel is too hard to spread. Instead of waiting for the butter to soften up, place it on top of the toaster after the bread pops. It'll do the job just fine. 16. Don't underestimate the importance of the shower cap. Most people don't like using the shower cap and they even deem it useless. However, you can put your dirty shoes inside the shower cap to avoid them from damaging your clothes. 17. Spend a little money for better service. Although you need to implement all the hacks mentioned here to save money, this one encourages you to spend a little money. Giving a tip can help you get better service. Giving it to the front desk can even help you get an upgrade. 18. Special notice for a special occasion. If you are traveling for a special occasion, like birthday, honeymoon, or even a christening, you need to let the hotel know in advance. It is because they will most likely offer you a special deal for your special event. Who knows you might get an unexpected upgrade. So, we do recommend you to use this card. 19. Keep your toothbrush clean. Most hotels don't give you a toothbrush cup. It means that you have to place the toothbrush somewhere in the bathroom and it seems unhygienic. Therefore, it is best to take a paper cup, cut it in the middle and place your toothbrush through the hole. By doing it, your toothbrush will not touch surfaces in the bathroom. 20. Don't hesitate while filing a complaint. It is understandable that people can make mistakes, but something you have to file a complaint if the services are unsatisfactory. For instance, if you had no hot water in the room or the room service wasn't good, then you can file a complaint in a respectful manner. There are chances that the hotel manager will offer you a discount to compensate for their shortcomings. 21. Look for a better room. If you are not comfortable in giving a tip to the front desk or they don't accept your tip, ask them to show you other rooms. It is because most hotels try to fill their worst rooms first. You might get lucky and find a much better room at the same price. 22. Tip to avoid the horrors of bed bugs. The bedding in the room must be avoided at all costs. Although most hotels wash and change their sheets on a regular basis, there is no guarantee to it. So, we would recommend you to put the bedspread in the corner. 23. No more foggy mirror. Most men hate to shave when the mirror keeps on getting foggy. It is so irritating to clean the fog again and again. The best hack for you is to rub a bar of soap on the mirror and use a dry cloth to buff it. It will instantly stop the mirror from getting foggy. 24. Use the sign. The, do not disturb sign, is a better solution to not only get a peaceful stay but also to stop worrying about stolen items. When the sign is on the door, it can keep everyone away as people assume you're in the room and no one tries to enter it. 25. Search for better hotel deals. The best thing about booking a room is getting a refund. But most people book a room and don't search around the area for better hotel deals. After booking a room, start to search for a better deal. If you can't find any, you always have a booked room. 26. Save money by making your own dinner. There's nothing close to the food that you cook by yourself. Chances are that by the end of your travels, you might be tired of the hotel buffet. We recommend you to go to the local convenience store and get some quick snacks that you can easily make in your room. For instance, you can make ramen in the hotel room's coffee pot. 27. Don't forget trying the hotel credit card and bonuses. Matt Kepnes has been traveling to various parts of the world. According to him, there's no harm in applying for the hotel credit card and adding the sign-up bonuses. It can help save you money in the long run. So, do give it a try. 28. Don't forget your valuables. It is understandable that you're on a trip and you like to feel relaxed without worrying about anything major. However, it is recommended to take your valuable items, e.g. wallet, keys, and phone wherever you go. 29. Get notified when there is a price drop. As we are living in an era of technology, you don't need to search various hotel websites to check if they have reduced their prices or not. Many apps can notify you on your phone or email about updates on prices. 30. One bed for everyone. As families often travel together, there can be bed space issues. You can solve them quite easily. All you need to do is ask for an extra bed cot and this way you can easily divide one bed into separate spaces. 31. No more need to iron. You can find irons at the front desk of many hotels and there are ironing tables in rooms as well. Instead of ironing all your clothes, take the ones you want to wear and place them in your bathroom while taking a shower. The steam from your hot bath can take care of wrinkles on the clothes. 32. Charge your electronic devices with the television. If you forget to bring an adapter for the power outlet, you can find it difficult to charge your phone. Luckily, you can use the USB port of your television to charge your phone. Many people don't know about it and they end up spending money to buy an adapter in another country. 33. Always carry a water bottle with you. You may not notice spending a lot of money on water in your home city, but it can cost a lot when you are traveling. Always carry a water bottle that you can refill from a water cooler. 34. Pack the night before leaving. Most people tend to remember that they forgot something while unpacking in their hotel room. Therefore, you need to pack the night before leaving so that you have everything organized and you don't miss anything behind. 35. Avoid expensive hotel laundry. While traveling with kids, you may need to wash some clothes, but the hotel laundry is pretty expensive. Therefore, it is best to use your sink. Take some coins and plastic to seal the drain and wash your clothes. 36. Look for business hotels. According to one travel expert, there are many business hotels that have better offers than popular commercial hotels. It holds true even if you are traveling to Europe. So, don't forget to look into business hotels. 37. Better use country's currency. Now here is a good tip for you. Try to use the country's currency to get discounts. You can use a travel credit as well but make sure it has fair currency conversion rates and it doesn't charge fees for foreign transactions. 38. Talking to the hotel manager helps get an upgrade. If you ever have had a bad experience at an establishment, it is best to talk to the hotel manager. You can email the manager and there are chances you might get a better upgrade. 39. Look for price guarantees on booking sites. It is not a bad option to go for booking sites with guaranteed lowest prices. It means that there are some hotels that can give you one free for every 10 nights or other discounts. 40. Don't forget to give them a review. You can negotiate the price of your hotel room by letting them know that you can give them a review. However, the trick here to let them know it in a manner you don't seem like begging them for a discount. 41. Bring your HDMI cable with you. Why spend money on some on-demand movies, when you can easily watch your favorite show on your laptop. When you go to a foreign country, make sure you don't forget to bring your HDMI cable with you. 42. Book your hotel room. It goes without saying that not booking a hotel room is like intentionally missing out on great deals. There are many booking sites that offer great deals. So, avail them to save your time and money. 43. Ask for dishes. Avid traveler Ronnie Speed recommends that it is best to keep things simple when it comes to meals. She recommends that it is best to always ask for dishes for your room. 44. Beware of public network. As it is not safe to use a public network, make sure you only use it by turning on your firewall. It is best to turn on the firewall and use an antivirus while using the hotel's Wi-Fi. 45. Save money on breakfast. As we've mentioned earlier that room service can be expensive, so you can save some money by making your breakfast in the room. All you need to do is to buy bread and jelly and toast it up using the in-room iron. 46. Follow Ross Geller's steps. Please tell us you have watched the television show Friends as it'll make this tip easier to understand. Well, Ross Geller takes every amenity in his room and you should do it as well. After all, there are plenty of items in the storerooms of hotels and all you need to do is pick up your phone and ask for them. 47. Always use private browsing for booking hotel rooms. Whenever you are booking hotels or even airlines, make sure you are using private browsing. It is because these sites use cookies and they might increase the cost of travel in case you have already checked for hotel rooms before. 48. Book a hotel room near the airport. If you have a flight that is particularly early, you should get a last-minute room at a hotel that is closer to the airport. It can help you get some extra sleep and these hotels can be a bit cheaper as well. 49. Never forget to lock the door. Apart from using the Do Not Disturb sign, it is best to lock the door as well. It is because sometimes people accidentally enter the room and the cleaning staff can enter your room unannounced as well. 50. Request for the corner room. The corner room is bigger, so make sure you politely request for it. It is like an upgrade as the room is bigger, so make sure to ask it politely and with a smile on your face. And those are some smart hotel hacks to save you money and improve your vacation. Thank you for watching. Let me know your opinions in the comment box below.