Business travel professionals use hotel tips and hacks all the time.

There is a business travel pro. The question is a great one. Before the Pandemic, they were the weekly road warriors. The people were traveling for work. The people who flew out on Monday and returned on Friday stayed in the same hotels. Many of them are still traveling despite the fact that the Pandemic has slowed them down. These are some of the savviest travelers around.

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They know how to find the right hotel. They don't waste time or money on stupid things. They get upgraded to a nicer room more often than you do.

The 31 Hotel Hacks / Hotel Tips are designed to help you level up your hotel game. These tips will help if you are a first time business traveler. If you want to improve your hotel game, just pick what works for you and discard the rest.

31 Hotel Hacks & Hotel Tips

This list of hotel hacks and hotel tips has been divided into different categories.

  • Hotels Hacks for picking or booking your hotel
  • Hotel Hacks for checking in / out
  • Hotel Hacks for staying safe
  • Hotels Hacks for the room or stay itself

We should jump in.

Hotel Hacks for Picking a Hotel

There are some practical hacks for booking hotels.

Stick with a single hotel brand

Staying with a single hotel brand will give you a better experience. With the ease at which mid-tier status can be achieved using credit card benefits, and the dilution of many loyalty programs, it's less important than it used to be.

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You can accumulate points more quickly. The majority of the time, I stay at theHilton properties. Free breakfast, room upgrades, access to the executive lounge, bonus points, snacks, and other perks are available to higher tier members of the hotel. Most hotel chains have similar programs.

I have lost track of the number of times that having a Diamond status has helped me sort out an issue with a stay or booking.

Use a credit card that will allow you to maximize your points

If you travel for work, your company will likely reimburse you for your travel expenses. Use your personal credit card if you can.

If you use a separate card for this, you can keep track of your expenses. Use a co branded credit card from the hotel and watch the points explode.

You can use these points to get cash back, free vacations, and more if you accumulate enough points.

My family and I took a week long trip to Hawaii with my family and I only had to pay for 2 days of rental cars, food, and entertainment. We were upgraded to a sweet suite.

  • Pro Tip: The savviest travelers know how to really work the points and reward systems. The use of the right credit card at the right time can earn you hotel reward points. Mix that with maximizing your use of the hotel’s rewards program itself (and any special incentives they have going on) and throw in the extra rewards you often get by booking directly with the hotel itself.

Always see what’s around the hotel before you book it

I stayed at a hotel once. I almost didn't get to be a part of the birth of my 4th child because they gave me ear plugs. If you want to see what's nearby, click on the magnifying glass on the map. It needs to be safe.

Stay close to the airport for those early morning flights home

It's a good idea to make the trek early in the morning. It is not uncommon for me to change hotels for the last night of my trip so I can get some sleep.

I don't usually stay at hotels near the airport. Planes are flying overhead in not-so- great areas. Those extra minutes of sleep can make a difference.

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Price isn’t the only factor to consider when choosing a hotel

Cleanliness, proximity to your destination, reviews, age of the hotel are all factors. Chances are there is some wiggle room if you are forced into the cheapest hotel by your company.

If you want to find out more about these hotels, you can check out the reviews of Orbitz and Travelocity.

Book Direct to Save Money

If your company doesn't have a travel portal you can save money by booking directly with the hotel. Call them directly if you want to try the online portal.

Negotiate a better rate

If you're going to be staying at a particular hotel a lot, try to get a better rate. The local manager will often be more than willing to work with you.

Hotel Hacks / Hotel Tips for Checking in

There are a few hotel hacks that you should keep in mind when you check in.

Be nice to the staff!

You might get a free upgrade if you work the counter. When your shower isn't working the desk clerk might actually work for you instead of telling you that you're stuck with it. Show interest and smile.

With your status, you can probably do a late check-in

Late check-in is when you can do it with status. With status, you can keep your reservation no matter what time of day you arrive. If you're stuck with a flight delay, this is helpful. You need to inform the hotel that you will be late if you don't have status.

  • PS, you can often do a late check out which can very handy too. It’s been my experience that when I am 1) nice, and 2) have status I often can get a very late checkout from the property.

Ask for the upgrade!

Sometimes you can get an upgraded room, car or even a boarding position if you work hard. If you are nice, this will happen more when you havestatus with the company. It's possible to give it a go.

Hotel Safety Hacks

People are more concerned about travel safety these days. You can use the hotel safety hacks.

Keep your computer’s firewall on when using the Hotel Internet

There is no need to explain this one. It's not safe to use networks. By now, you should be aware of that.

Always flip the door latch in your hotel room

I can't say how many times this has worked. You don't know when someone will break into your room, from someone who gave a key to my room to the cleaning crew. It's a good idea from a safety point of view.

Check out the alternate exit plan for the hotel

The emergency exit route is displayed on a sign inside the door of most hotels. The hotel I was in was on fire at 3 am and I had to leave.

If you really need it, you'll be one step ahead. Don't forget to grab your backpack on the way out.

image of do not disturb sign on hotel room door

Put the “do not disturb” sign on the door when you leave the hotel room

When I don't want the staff in my room, I use this trick. The sign needs to be taken down if you want them to clean the room.

I leave my laptop in the room when I go out for a drink. It's not necessary to make it simpler on the staff. They might be deterred by the illusion that someone is small. The TV can be left on to further the illusion.

Don’t leave valuables in your suitcase (and make it hard to get at)

Sometimes I have to leave my laptop in the hotel because I don't travel very much. Although I don't know, I use a little trick when I do.

I throw a pair of underwear on top of it because I bury it under a stack of clothes. Correct, gross? I think they aren't touching it.

Take your toothbrush with you during the day

The maid isn't allowed to jack after the Philly cheese steak lunch. Don't leave your toothbrush in the hotel room to learn why.

Bonus Hotel Hack: Bring some wet wipes and hand sanitizer!

The hotel room is a breeding ground for germs. Put the remote in a baggie or wipe it down if you're worried about it.

Target sells travel-size wet wipes.

Use a plastic baggie for the remote to keep away from the gross germs!

I don't want to know anything about that remote. You don't have to worry about getting pink eye if you bring a bigger plastic baggie.

By the way…if you are looking for Hotel Hacks for you and your kids…

Are you looking for some hotel hacks for your next family vacation? While some of what we talk about below will be useful, you should check out this video which gives you some hotel hacks for mothers.

Hotel Hacks – The Stay

There are a few hotel hacks that you can use to make your stay easier.

Have a good routine and stick to it once you get to the room

Immediately after I get to the hotel room, I unpack. I take care of ironing my clothes at home. I put out the rest of my things.

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  • Protip: Buy your travel toothpaste in bulk from Amazon and save money!

See the price to save on your next CarRentals CarRentals CarRentals.

I will lay out my allergy pill. When I am in a different time zone, I will be running on fumes in the morning.

I get a little buffer if I am running slow. At least that is what I say to myself.

Use the Hotel Shower to Steam Out Wrinkles

You don't want to get the ironing board out if you have some minorwrinkles. Put the pants or jacket on the back of the door and open the shower. Allow the steam to pull the wrinkled skin out. The wrinkled skin will usually disappear. A travel-size Downy Wrinkle Releaser is great to use.

Buy wrinkle-free clothes

I don't like ironing It's really serious. I don't like it very much. I hated it when I did a lot of it in the Marines. It is difficult to not do it when you are a business traveler. To minimize it, I wear non-wrinkle-free clothes.

I have to iron dress shirts because they are hard to find, andpolos are not a big deal. Wrinkle-free pants are a new technology. Pack them and hang them up in the closet.

The Haggar Men's Cool 18 Hidden Expandable-Waist Plain- Front Pant is one of my favorites. They expand in the event I forget to do those push-ups.

I have been experimenting with yoga pants for men with good results.

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Use the Hotel TV’s HDMI cable (or port)

The majority of modern hotels have high definition TVs. If you don't want to use your phone, hook your laptop up and watch the show. Bring the HDMI cable with you if you don't have it. Cast it to the TV if it supports it. I travel with a portable device. It's quite useful.

Set 2 alarms for the morning

I set my alarm for the next morning. 10 minutes apart It's important if you're dealing with a large time zone swing. The wake-up call is an option as well.

Workout BEFORE dinner

This is a hotel hack that has changed my life. I let my health go when I traveled a lot. I started running after getting it under control. I had a set of rules. I would like to eat dinner with the team but only after I work out.

I guarantee that you will not work out after the team dinner. It's not going to happen. It's difficult in the morning in a different time zone.

It should be done before dinner after you get back to the hotel. The 7 Habits of the healthy business traveler: how to stay healthy while traveling for business is an article I wrote.

Pack your clothes as a set then layer them in your suitcase for daily access

Some people like to unpack their suitcase and use the furniture they receive. I only do that if I stay longer than a week.

I pack my clothes by the day in order to have better storage. I can save time if I leave everything in the bag and pull it out when I need it. I usually get rid of the clothes that need ironing and hung up.

Avoid the Hotel Bar – and save money

Hotel bars tend to be more expensive than normal bars. Get out of the hotel and find a local place to stay. You may be able to save money as well.

Never use the Hotel Dry Cleaning Service

It cost a lot. It's crazy. You might pay less than that. Ask for quicker service if you need drycleaning.

Shut the blinds all the way (including the darkness divider) to get better sleep

A better sleep experience can be achieved by eliminating all external light. Almost all of the hotel rooms have curtains and a darkness divider to keep out the outside light. The clips on the clothes hangars can be used to clip light gaps.

Use a cup or glass to get better sound

You don't have to worry if you didn't have a portable speaker with you. Dropping your phone into a coffee cup is anywayanyday. The sound of your phone will be amplified by the acoustics of the container.

Stuff a towel down the bottom of the door to reduce sound

A noisier hotel room can be mitigated by using this old trick. It can be useful, but it won't kill it entirely. If you are in a hallway where people are smoking, it can help.

Bring a power adapter or surge protector

There are still an equal number of hotels that are stuck in the 90's and don't have a lot of plugs. You can maximize your output by bringing a small travel surge protectors with you. It means you are crawling under desks less often.

Business travelers have travel surge protectors with them to deal with unforeseen events.

Never leave your toothbrush in the hotel room…

In our very first Travel Tip Tuesday posting, we'll find out why.

  • Travel Tip Tuesday #1 – Don’t your toothbrush in the hotel room

Hotel Hacks for Checking out / Leaving the Hotel

There are a few hotel hacks that you can use when you leave.

Tip the Hotel shuttle drivers

They work hard for the majority of the time. Give them a small amount of money per bag. If you want a tip, you have to load my bag. Drivers won't load bags No tip, that's all.

If you grab my bag I will give you a tip. There is a hotel hack.

Skip the actual checkout process

It's not necessary to do that now. You will get a receipt in the mail and just leave your key in the room. Most of the time, you can use the TV in your room to checkout.

Pack the night before your flight/check out

The night before a flight is always packed by me. Get a few extra minutes of sleep in the morning, and minimize any of my low energy goofs, like leaving a $500.00 jacket in my hotel closet. It's really hard!

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Final Thoughts on Hotel Hacks

What are your favorite hotel hacks?

We hope you liked this list of tips and hacks for hotels. I think we gave more than 31. It's you. Is that the case? It's a pleasure to welcome you.

You can buy hotel bedding. A lot of it is for sale.

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