Whether you travel frequently or once a year at most, an uncomfortable hotel room can take its toll. For someone like travel writer, luxury hotel reviewer and all-around road warrior Nancy D. Brown, who typically spends around 12 nights a month in a hotel, knowing how to make a hotel room feel more like home is a must. Brown, who writes about hotels and travel for publications like hotel-scoop.com, Conta Costa Times and the San Jose Mercury News, is sharing her best tips and tricks for making a hotel room feel more like home:
What are some of the benefits of making your hotel room feel more like home?
NDB: When you are on the road a lot, sometimes you miss the feeling of home. I love when hotel rooms have a nice work area, with plenty of natural light and plug ins for all of my electronic gadgets. I am more productive in my hotel room when I feel comfortable. The same goes for reading my emails on my smartphone in bed. I want comfortable pillows and good light for reading those small texts.
What are a few amenities travelers should be looking for or asking for at a hotel?
NDB: I was recently at Ojai Valley Inn & Spa; this Southern California area is known for Pixie tangerines. They had a little basket of fresh fruit in my room. They do this for all guests – such a nice touch! Fresh cookies in the hotel lobby not only smell good, they are loved by children and adults. Fresh flowers, or a single flower in a vase are always an appreciated amenity for me.
What are your hotel pet peeves that stand in the way of comfort? And how can travelers overcome these inconveniences?
NDB: I don’t like the sunken mattress feeling where your body sinks into the space where the last guest slept. This is not always noticeable upfront. I’ve asked hotels to flip the mattress for me, on occasion, and they always oblige. One of my hotel pet peeves is hair in the shower from a previous guest. My advice is to always do a quick visual inspection before you step in the shower.
What do you always pack in your suitcase to make a hotel room feel more like home?
NDB: I always pack socks in my suitcase. If the air-conditioning makes the room too chilly, it’s a drafty room, the bed sheets are too thin or the floor is cold, warm toes make everything better.
Are there any types of travel gear you recommend to make a hotel room more comfortable?
NDB: More hotel rooms are offering docking stations for iPhones. Listening to your own music makes any hotel stay comfortable. I always carry a mini flashlight in case I need to move quickly in the middle of the night in an unfamiliar hotel room. Electronic chargers don’t necessarily make a hotel room more comfortable, but they are always with me when I travel.
What are your top tips for making a hotel room comfortable?
NDB: My top tips for making a hotel room more comfortable are to be aware of your surroundings. Make sure the door locks behind you and hang the “do not disturb” sign if you don’t want anyone cleaning your room during your stay. Certainly, returning to an unmade bed at the end of the day will remind you of home! If I have the pillow menu option, I like choosing feather pillows like I have at home.
What are your favorite ways to make a hotel room comfortable?
Nancy D. Brown is a travel writer whose work has appeared online and in newspapers and magazines nationwide. An avid equestrian, she publishes writinghorseback.com and the What a Trip blog, Nancydbrown.com. When not traveling, she lives with her family near San Francisco, Calif. You can follow her on Twitter @Nancydbrown.
(Main image: mrkathika used under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike license)
