Do Not Disturb Signs
Jan 2, 2007, 3:47 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2000
Location: Indiana
Posts: 548
Do Not Disturb Signs
Why is it that the do-not-disturb signs hotels have that you hang on the door handles fall off the handle 99% of the time when you open the door to go out? I'm at a Hampton Inn at the moment but most hotels have the same problem.
Jan 3, 2007, 8:36 am
#4
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The ones that slip into the key card slot seem to stay put most of the time. The ones that hang on the door handle are usually worthless.
Jan 3, 2007, 9:28 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2003
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A very drunk friend once switched around all the "Do Not Disturb" signs to "Make up my room" while walking down the corridor to his room. Must have been some very angry people on that floor the next morning...
Jan 3, 2007, 9:30 am
#6
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Right here
Posts: 2,940
I've been a couple places where they have two plastic cards, one for DND, one for MUMR, each one saying the same thing on both sides. I figured it was to prevent exactly this sort of activity.
Jan 3, 2007, 9:36 am
#7
Join Date: Dec 2001
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I do agree that the cardstock door tags fly off too easily. When I used to stay at the Renaissance Saigon four years ago, they had hard plastic tags instead, so much better!
Jan 3, 2007, 1:56 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 1999
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You are correct they dont stay on the door. Last week it fell upon 4 of 4 exits from my room. I sometimes use 1-2 inches of masking tape to hold it in place if I remember to take a the usual small roll of tape. Some HI have a small sign that will fit in the key slot.It workes very well
MisterNice
MisterNice
Jan 4, 2007, 12:24 am
#9
Join Date: Apr 2005
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I was told 15+ years ago not to put the "make up the room" sign out (or switch it on) as it generally indicates you are not in the room to anyone going by. They will check anyway (and as earlier posted), sometimes when you are genuinely not wanting to be disturbed! I still don't put the sign out.
These days the level of security at many hotels is better, but not everywhere.
These days the level of security at many hotels is better, but not everywhere.
Jan 4, 2007, 4:52 am
#11
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Sydney, Australia (from time to time)
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I used to use the DND sign a lot when I had late checkout to stop housekeeping from making my room up and the implied "we don't want to have to do it again - and you should have gone by noon", but it hasn't been necessary for a while now. I guess most of the hotels I stay and need it, know that I am serious about my late checkout.
Jan 4, 2007, 5:25 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: DTW
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On my last trip to Las Vegas the maid knocked on my door waking me at 8:00am despite the DND sign...I had 3 hours of drunken sleep at that point and had to checkout at noon and drive several hours that afternoon.
Jan 4, 2007, 9:21 am
#13
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The Best I have seen about this, is the Four Seasons in Vegas. I had a 4pm checkout through Amex FHR, had the DND sign up, and, the maid saw me walking in the hallway, and asked (about 12pm) if I wanted her to make up the room before I left so it would be fresh. Other than that, that is the only time I ever heard from her.
The worst was the Hyatt Key West (the one by the airport). I had the DND sign up, and was sleeping in due to a late night. I had the deadbolt and the chain on, and at 8am the maid just kept knocking and knocking, and at one point actually overrided the deadbolt (I didn't know this was possible). I called the front desk, and they did nothing about it. It was absoutely amazing.
The worst was the Hyatt Key West (the one by the airport). I had the DND sign up, and was sleeping in due to a late night. I had the deadbolt and the chain on, and at 8am the maid just kept knocking and knocking, and at one point actually overrided the deadbolt (I didn't know this was possible). I called the front desk, and they did nothing about it. It was absoutely amazing.