Helpful Accommodation Hacks
When staying at a hotel, we all want to be as comfortable as possible.
Tour and TakeIn offer you the chance to get a good night’s kip/sleep. After all, who wouldn’t want a good night’s sleep after a long day on the beach:) How? helpful accommodation hacks:).
Hopefully making it a home from home with helpful accommodation hacks ( More to follow as when we find them on our travels.)
Unfortunately, not all hotels are perfect. Unless you’re staying in a 5-star luxury hotel with all the modern amenities and conveniences you can ever ask for, not everything will be up to your standards, and not all of your needs will be met. We sometimes have our own needs:)
Thankfully Tourandtakein has some things you can do, to make your stay a much more pleasant one, all without requiring too much effort, and without breaking the bank! Or the shirt off your back.
From money-saving tips to do-it-yourself solutions, here are some clever hotel/accomadation hacks that every traveller needs to know.
Take a boat trip in Antalya
1. Inform the hotel about special occasions
Before you begin planning your trip, seek out the sites with the best deals. You can find excellent last-minute deals on the Last minute’s website, and there are also cashback and online promotions that can make tickets and excursions even more affordable.
Whether it’s your birthday, graduation, honeymoon, or wedding anniversary, be sure to let the hotel/accomadation know all about it! Write a note in the comments box when booking online, or mention it if you’re making a reservation over the phone.
Don’t forget to tell the hotel in your booking!
Chances are, you may get a free room upgrade, or they’ll give you a special gift like a bottle of champagne, fingers, and toes crossed. After all, the hotel would want nothing more than to make your stay extra memorable so you will talk to your friends and family about it!
Even mention that you like to leave great recommendations on your social media accounts.
Of course, stretching your savings isn’t the only way to make travel better.
2. Use the TV to charge your phone.
If you left your phone charger at home, there’s no need to panic! If you have your phone’s USB cable with you, just plug it into the USB port of your hotel room’s TV. Most smart TVs these days have one!
If this isn’t an option, try dropping by the front desk to ask if they can lend you a charger. They most likely have a bunch of chargers in the lost and found that you can borrow.
Every hotel should have a smart TV by now!
Tourandtakein Tip: Don’t leave your connectors charging when you’re not in the room or sleeping, as many come from China and are copies!! (Fire)
TIP: Use a Wise Exchange Visa Card (Formally known as Transferwise.)
As you’re aware through our previous articles, we use Wise on our travels for three reasons. 1. An extra safety net, if we lose our main bank card. 2. It offers fast/effective and cheap exchange rates that can be converted and 3. Well, a lot of reasons.
Send money cheaper and easier than old-school banks – spend abroad without the hidden fees – receive payments like a local in 9 currencies – convert and hold 54 currencies – pay at the real exchange rate – always pay in the local currency – pay online securely with instant notifications – convert your money in seconds.
You can register in minutes for an account and finally, possibly the most important safety net is? Regulated around the world. Link here
Our Wisecard, best thing we did for exchange rates.
3. Block out light and noise with a towel
Some hotel rooms have a huge gap under the door, allowing light from the hallway to enter the room, or they have a corridor light sensor, which can be annoying if you’ve had a long day and all you want is to get a good night’s sleep.
To block out the light, take one of the used bath towels in the bathroom and place it under the door. Depending on how thick the towel is, this can also be a good way to muffle the noise coming from outside.
4. Use a mug as a makeshift speaker
Packing light is a must for any traveler, cost-wise and health-wise. This means leaving your bulky Bluetooth speakers behind! If you want to play some music while you unwind in your hotel room, here’s one cool hack that you can try out. A must for us 20kg travelers.
Simply get a mug or bowl and place your phone inside it. While you can’t expect the same sound quality as a high-end Bluetooth speaker, the sounds will surely be louder! Just don’t play the music too loud to avoid disturbing the other guests.
More helpful accommodation hacks and I love the next one:)
5. Connect your laptop to the TV
When you’re visiting a foreign country and don’t speak the local language, the chances of finding anything good to watch on TV in your hotel room are pretty slim. If your room has WiFi and a smart TV, why not stream your entertainment through your phone or laptop instead?
A quick YouTube guide by The Tech Guru
Just plug in a Chromecast device (or something similar) and watch a movie or TV show from whatever streaming service you’re subscribed to. You can also connect your laptop to the TV using an HDMI cable.
Bob’s your Uncle and Annies your Aunt and you have a home cinema:)
More helpful accommodation hacks
6. Stash your cash in unlikely places
Your hotel room is supposed to be your home away from home. However, unlike your actual home, other people – like hotel cleaners, security, and managers – can easily access your room. If you have some extra cash lying around, remember to hide it before you leave your room.
Remember also, your secondary safety net – credit card, just in case you lose your wallet while outside, passport. This is a must, unfortunately not everyone’s honest and sometimes temptation gets the better of people. Thus giving you helpful accommodation hacks in the process.
Tip: Sock, used sock, who would steal a smelly sock or look in a sock, remember don’t hide when you’ve had a drink. Done that, got the T-Shirt, can’t find it or spent time looking for it with a hangover!
If your room doesn’t have a safe, you can also hide your money in your hairbrush. Just peel the rubber portion of a flat hairbrush then place your cash underneath. Put the rubber part back into position, then keep your brush in your suitcase.
I prefer to keep it out of the suitcase as a thief may use your suitcase to steal your belongings. As a suitcase kills two birds with one stone. Theft of many items in one go allows the thief to look like an ordinary guest.
7. Accomadation Tip: Why not babysit an animal or a house?
Did you know, that Trustedhousesitters are looking for families that will sit in their homes while looking after their animals for FREE? This company may also be useful for the security of your own home or pet, while you away. Save on kennel bills and therefore Families With Kids Can Make Their Next Trip Easier
TrustedHousesitters is a global, pet-loving community on a mission to create a world where pets enjoy their owners’ vacations just as much as they do!
Founded in 2010, They have connected thousands of pet owners and pet sitters worldwide through their mutual trust and love of animals. This means when it comes to pet sitting, they’ve got it covered.
Hit this link if interested, by doing so it will also give 2 free months for every friend that joins. and you will get a 25% discount on your membership too. It’s a win-win!
More helpful accommodation hacks to MAXimize your stay as a hotel guest.
Arrive early, stay late. …
Celebrate good times. …
Know what’s what. …
Talk the talk. …
Loyal = royal. …
Ask and you shall receive. …Get to know the staff + tip well.
This article was brought to you by Tour and Take in, a team of professionals who have over 30 yrs of experience in travelling the world in-depth via living, working, and breathing within the local cultures. For more information about our services, please contact us today!
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