I've always wondered about the turn-down service in hotels.

At a very top-end hotel, OK, maybe. You come back in the afternoon, and the bed is covered and protected, go out, come back in the evening, and it's all ready for you just to slip into bed (covers, lights, tidiness, etc.)

However, I was in a Crowne Plaza last night, working, and got a knock on the door for turn-down. The cleaner came in, folded over the corner of the quilt, handed me a mint, and left.

What exactly is the point of that?

Cleaner wanted a tip, man....

But if you hadn't been in the room, perhaps the service would have been more comprehensive. As you said, you were working, so if that was me, i'd be less than impressed if they started turning various lights on/off, moving things around, cleaning the bathroom etc....

True, it could well be because I was in the room. I'll find out what they do tonight when I'm out, but I suspect it's going to be exactly the same.

As far as tips go, well, it's in the Netherlands, so I don't expect to tip for anything other than the restaurant or a porter.

In some places I've stayed, for the turndown, they have removed the bedspread completely, folded it and put it away. The next day it is put back when they clean the room. That makes sense I guess.

I have generally found turndown service to consist of straightening up whatever may be lying around, putting fresh towels in the bathroom, Turning down the bedding so it is ready for you, and leaving a sweet treat for each person.

A good turn-down will put out clean towels, take away used ones, empty wastebaskets, tidy up the room, turn down the bed, put out service items for shoe cleaning, breakfast etc., turn down the lights, draw the curtains, replace ice in the bucket, and NOT turn the radio/tv on! We have found lately that a lot of hotels do not put the bedspreads back on the beds during the day, only using clean duvets - and if they do, they only put it on half way. The FS especially seem to be doing this. (If you want to take a nap, you don't have to remove the whole thing).

The only problems we have is with early turn-down, sometimes they come before you have dressed for the evening. We now tell housekeeping when we arrive what time we want turn-down. All in all, I like coming back to the hotel to see everything tidy and ready for bed!