4 Sins Not To Commit When Staying at Hotels

So, you’ve just checked into a plush hotel resort and are currently sprawled on your king-size bed, salivating at the prospect of a vacation filled with sightseeing, gourmet meals and tons of adventure.

Blissful at heart, you reach for the minibar to grab one of those cute miniature drinks and get the party started but wait…if you listen closely, you can hear hindsight screaming at you to put the drink down.

Often we end up committing all sorts of faux pas in hotels that end up costing us, literally and metaphorically. So let’s try and stay aware of the 4 sins not to commit when staying at hotels.

Kleptomaniac

 

We all remember that episode of Friends where Ross and Chandler try to make the best of expensive hotel charges by fitting all the room amenities into their suitcases (yes, even the toilet rolls).

Don’t be that guy.

Everyone makes off with the bathroom products and the odd pen – it’s almost as if the hotel staff put it there as a memento. But any more than that and the chances of you getting caught increase exponentially. Hotel staff are aware of this unfortunate tendency of their guests, so most take the precaution of sending cleaning staff to the room’s right after you’ve checked in to see if it is still in one piece. Moreover, those guesthouses which take a security deposit usually do a pretty thorough investigation of the rooms when you’re through, so stealing stuff from there is kind of asking for trouble.

If you don’t want to be in a situation where you’re sheepishly retrieving mantelpiece decorations from your bag in front of the staff and mystified guests, our advice is: stick to the pen and the toiletries.

Minibar and Wi-Fi Mania

 

This is the oldest mistake in the book. With the introduction of Wi-Fi, the mistake tends to get even costlier. We all know minibars are stocked with gourmet eatables for one reason only – luring guests to fork over more cash come checkout time. So be smart and keep your hands off the roasted peanuts – plenty of calories will go in, plenty of cash will come out.

Menu Mumbo

 

You remember that scene from Queen where Rani (Kangana Ranaut) orders the least-suspicious sounding dish on the menu written in French and is confronted with a full-size fish, complete with bulging eyes?

That happens more often than you’d think. If you’re travelling, especially in foreign countries where the menu is likely to be in a language you don’t understand, do not hesitate to ask the chef exactly what it is and what is used to prepare it. This can take a more serious turn for those with allergies – one second Pritam is looking forward to his Elegante Tiramisu Cake, the next he’s collapsing on the couch just because it contained the one thing he was allergic to: cinnamon.

Tiptoeing Around Tips 

 

Granted, Indians aren’t exactly big on tipping and most Indian hotels understand that – hence the service charge. But in most hotels abroad, not tipping the bellboy for bringing your luggage or the cleaning lady for making your bed is considered a mortal sin. Do the smart thing, and tip generously, or at least the least accepted figure if you have a light wallet already. That will guarantee that the next meal you receive does not have any, erm, human fluids in it- if you catch our drift.

Be a smart hotel guest. Be considerate. And be helpful and suggest more commandments whilst checking into a hotel in the comments section below.