Do you check your hotel room for corpses?
May 27, 2014, 3:17 pm
#16
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Didn't the last housekeeping person notice this when they finished their operations?
May 27, 2014, 3:23 pm
#17
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Columbia, SC
Posts: 21
I'm so used to checking in hotels for mystery shopping purposes that even when I am not on a shop, I find myself doing my standard room checks or at least noticing things like dust on windowsills, location of remote, and whether the seam of the lampshade is faced toward the wall. Sigh.
May 27, 2014, 3:36 pm
#18
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Join Date: Jun 2006
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doesnt take that long to walk through a huge hotel suite/villa/etc.
in luxury hotels sometimes they will show you around room unless you tell them not to.
May 27, 2014, 3:37 pm
#19
Moderator: UK and Ireland & Europe
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Location: Biggleswade
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I do none of this. I dump my stuff and, depending on time of day either a) fall asleep, preferably after disrobing or b) head out as quickly as I can. Life is too short to spend any more time awake on your own in yet another chain hotel than is strictly necessary.
May 27, 2014, 3:51 pm
#20
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: AVL
Posts: 216
I usually take a perfunctory look around the room and almost immediately put the do not disturb sign up. Even if I stay for more than 1 night I prefer not having housekeeping coming in since in most cases they are still knocking as they enter (past experience, or if I forgot to put up the sign).
Guess I will take a little longer look see to make sure no corpses or zombies now.
Guess I will take a little longer look see to make sure no corpses or zombies now.
May 27, 2014, 6:09 pm
#23
Join Date: Aug 2004
Programs: UA 1K, DL Diamond, Hyatt Plat, AA Plat, SPG Plat/Lifetime Plat, Amex Plat / PRG, DClub
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Whenever I walk into a hotel room (~50 times per year) I always think of two things:
* That scene in Oceans 13 where they booby trap the room for the guy writing the hotel reviews (bed bugs, no hot water, etc etc)
* The time I walked into a room at midnight and someone was in there sleeping! front desk gave me the wrong key
Not much I can really do about the first one. On the second, I always padlock when I'm in my room...
* That scene in Oceans 13 where they booby trap the room for the guy writing the hotel reviews (bed bugs, no hot water, etc etc)
* The time I walked into a room at midnight and someone was in there sleeping! front desk gave me the wrong key
Not much I can really do about the first one. On the second, I always padlock when I'm in my room...
May 27, 2014, 6:45 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Mass
Programs: Independent
Posts: 4,829
Now I am scared to stay in a hotel. 
For me, I open the door, reach around and grab the do not disturb sign, close the door and immediately latch it. Any time I come in the room I always latch the door not just turn the lock. The door not disturb sign does not come off unless it is day 6 and the trash needs emptying, or I am leaving the room with my suitcase.
For me, I open the door, reach around and grab the do not disturb sign, close the door and immediately latch it. Any time I come in the room I always latch the door not just turn the lock. The door not disturb sign does not come off unless it is day 6 and the trash needs emptying, or I am leaving the room with my suitcase.
May 27, 2014, 7:13 pm
#25
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Southwest
Programs: HAL Platinum, JetBlue, KrisFlyer, NWA, USAirways, Alaska Air
Posts: 105
I thought the article made sense. It's just common sense, really.
I would add: check the window/door to the patio. I was burglarized once because I didn't do that. The cops told me that burglars will dress like tourists and wander down the halls while housekeeping is cleaning. When the housekeeper is in the bathroom scrubbing the tub, they run in and unlock the patio door or window to the outside and run back out. They will do this with several in a row. This gives them access into a string of rooms next to each other: they can go from balcony to balcony grabbing a few things and bolting. They will often have accomplices on other floors or in the stairwells who take the pillowcases full of the stolen goods.
Also - don't bank on having the unplugged clock be off. I did that and some idjit had the alarm set for 4AM after I'd gotten in late. I had yanked the clock from the wall, but it had a battery, so.... to my credit, I didn't throw it when it kept going off. I just wrapped it in towels in the bathroom and put it in the tub.
One other thing I do is check for bedbugs. I rip the sheets off the bed on the corners and look for the little critters. Ever since it was reported that no class of hotel is immune, I just don't take any chances. And my bags always go on those bag racks or on a table until I know for sure. No setting things on a couch or chair. We have to remember, no matter how clean and careful we are, our bags sit next to other people's bags in taxis, on baggage carousels, in luggage compartments and in the belly of the plane. Like lice, it doesn't take much for those little critters to make a home. I usually spray the edges of my bags with a mixture of eucalyptus oil and cedarwood oil to ward the creepy critters off, and (knock wood) so far I've been lucky. But nothin' like a little awareness and prevention to keep me lucky!
I would add: check the window/door to the patio. I was burglarized once because I didn't do that. The cops told me that burglars will dress like tourists and wander down the halls while housekeeping is cleaning. When the housekeeper is in the bathroom scrubbing the tub, they run in and unlock the patio door or window to the outside and run back out. They will do this with several in a row. This gives them access into a string of rooms next to each other: they can go from balcony to balcony grabbing a few things and bolting. They will often have accomplices on other floors or in the stairwells who take the pillowcases full of the stolen goods.
Also - don't bank on having the unplugged clock be off. I did that and some idjit had the alarm set for 4AM after I'd gotten in late. I had yanked the clock from the wall, but it had a battery, so.... to my credit, I didn't throw it when it kept going off. I just wrapped it in towels in the bathroom and put it in the tub.
One other thing I do is check for bedbugs. I rip the sheets off the bed on the corners and look for the little critters. Ever since it was reported that no class of hotel is immune, I just don't take any chances. And my bags always go on those bag racks or on a table until I know for sure. No setting things on a couch or chair. We have to remember, no matter how clean and careful we are, our bags sit next to other people's bags in taxis, on baggage carousels, in luggage compartments and in the belly of the plane. Like lice, it doesn't take much for those little critters to make a home. I usually spray the edges of my bags with a mixture of eucalyptus oil and cedarwood oil to ward the creepy critters off, and (knock wood) so far I've been lucky. But nothin' like a little awareness and prevention to keep me lucky!
May 27, 2014, 7:26 pm
#26
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I thought the article made sense. It's just common sense, really.
I would add: check the window/door to the patio. I was burglarized once because I didn't do that. The cops told me that burglars will dress like tourists and wander down the halls while housekeeping is cleaning. When the housekeeper is in the bathroom scrubbing the tub, they run in and unlock the patio door or window to the outside and run back out. They will do this with several in a row. This gives them access into a string of rooms next to each other: they can go from balcony to balcony grabbing a few things and bolting. They will often have accomplices on other floors or in the stairwells who take the pillowcases full of the stolen goods.
Also - don't bank on having the unplugged clock be off. I did that and some idjit had the alarm set for 4AM after I'd gotten in late. I had yanked the clock from the wall, but it had a battery, so.... to my credit, I didn't throw it when it kept going off. I just wrapped it in towels in the bathroom and put it in the tub.
One other thing I do is check for bedbugs. I rip the sheets off the bed on the corners and look for the little critters. Ever since it was reported that no class of hotel is immune, I just don't take any chances. And my bags always go on those bag racks or on a table until I know for sure. No setting things on a couch or chair. We have to remember, no matter how clean and careful we are, our bags sit next to other people's bags in taxis, on baggage carousels, in luggage compartments and in the belly of the plane. Like lice, it doesn't take much for those little critters to make a home. I usually spray the edges of my bags with a mixture of eucalyptus oil and cedarwood oil to ward the creepy critters off, and (knock wood) so far I've been lucky. But nothin' like a little awareness and prevention to keep me lucky!
I would add: check the window/door to the patio. I was burglarized once because I didn't do that. The cops told me that burglars will dress like tourists and wander down the halls while housekeeping is cleaning. When the housekeeper is in the bathroom scrubbing the tub, they run in and unlock the patio door or window to the outside and run back out. They will do this with several in a row. This gives them access into a string of rooms next to each other: they can go from balcony to balcony grabbing a few things and bolting. They will often have accomplices on other floors or in the stairwells who take the pillowcases full of the stolen goods.
Also - don't bank on having the unplugged clock be off. I did that and some idjit had the alarm set for 4AM after I'd gotten in late. I had yanked the clock from the wall, but it had a battery, so.... to my credit, I didn't throw it when it kept going off. I just wrapped it in towels in the bathroom and put it in the tub.
One other thing I do is check for bedbugs. I rip the sheets off the bed on the corners and look for the little critters. Ever since it was reported that no class of hotel is immune, I just don't take any chances. And my bags always go on those bag racks or on a table until I know for sure. No setting things on a couch or chair. We have to remember, no matter how clean and careful we are, our bags sit next to other people's bags in taxis, on baggage carousels, in luggage compartments and in the belly of the plane. Like lice, it doesn't take much for those little critters to make a home. I usually spray the edges of my bags with a mixture of eucalyptus oil and cedarwood oil to ward the creepy critters off, and (knock wood) so far I've been lucky. But nothin' like a little awareness and prevention to keep me lucky!
I got into a hotel late at night and went right to sleep. When I woke up I had several bed bugs crawling around. I did a thorough decontamination when I got home and kept them out of the house but I now always do the precautions that you mention except the spray and I may start that.
May 27, 2014, 9:58 pm
#27
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: California
Posts: 2,731
Usually the first thing I need to do on getting to my room is use the bathroom, anyway, so I end up checking "hiding places" and making sure there are towels/glasses/soap/working water without any extra effort.
I absolutely do check for bedbugs. I've had to deal with infestations of fleas, roaches, and ants in the past (none of which were my doing--hooray for slovenly roommates and naighbors). If I can avoid home pests that are even more difficult to get rid of by making a few simple checks, it's time well spent.
Next step: DND sign on the door, which stays up until I check out.
I also check/lock the balcony door if I have one, after discovering at home that this is a more common entry point for theft than you'd think.
Love the bit in the article about the corpse "under the mattress." Wouldn't that be, uh, lumpy?
I absolutely do check for bedbugs. I've had to deal with infestations of fleas, roaches, and ants in the past (none of which were my doing--hooray for slovenly roommates and naighbors). If I can avoid home pests that are even more difficult to get rid of by making a few simple checks, it's time well spent.
Next step: DND sign on the door, which stays up until I check out.
I also check/lock the balcony door if I have one, after discovering at home that this is a more common entry point for theft than you'd think.
Love the bit in the article about the corpse "under the mattress." Wouldn't that be, uh, lumpy?
May 27, 2014, 11:05 pm
#28
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Peoria, IL
Programs: AA,UA,DL,BA,HH,*W,BW
Posts: 175
I do check for bedbugs as a rule. I guess I have been lucky so far. The dirty things in the room are the light switch at the door and the TV remote. So we carry wipes for those things. We make a good wipe over the bathroom counter, as well. And, we wash the glasses, as it has been pointed out many times, that many maids don't put clean glasses in the rooms.
May 27, 2014, 11:27 pm
#29
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Step one, make sure that there are plenty of towels. If there are , two are going on the desk chair. Next, put my baggage tag over the peephole of the door. Change the temp of the room to something agreeable. If the glasses aren't plastic disposable, i'll usually wash them quick as well. I'll also check the sheets to make sure that they're not gross.