Hotel Travel Manners: Learn How To Behave Like A Good Traveler!

Author: Megha Agarwal on Dec 20,2023

A hotel might be a place for you to hang out, but remember, it is also someones workplace. Today, travelers expect a lot from hotels for a good experience. On the other hand, hotels are also working hard to deliver an amazing service to the customers. So, as guests, it is our duty to appreciate their efforts and make their job easy by showing our gracious travel manners. Yes! Manners or Etiquette exist at hotels as well. Right from your attire to your behavior to the way you leave the room, there is a lot to consider during a hotel stay. Although we wont think about it much, there are a few manners that we must adhere to in hotels. We understand that vacations are a time to unwind...but it doesnt mean that you forget all the manners to make your stay enjoyable. 

Heres how to make your stay at the hotel pleasant for you and others.

Travel Manners To Follow While Checking-in To The Hotel

1. Wear An Appropriate Attire

Starting the list with an obvious one- Dress Appropriately! Undoubtedly, hotels want their customers to feel at home, but this doesnt mean we roam here and there wearing anything. It is one of the travel manners that we tend to forget. We should always match our outfits with the surroundings. It is never a good idea to trapeze through the corridor or dining hall or else in the hotel wearing a bathing suit, underwear, bathrobe, etc. Remember- walking in a public area wearing private clothes is a big No-No..!!!

2. Obey All The Hotel Rules

Remember- Different hotels have different rules! Especially at the time of check-in, travelers tend to get angry about fulfilling all the formalities and obeying the rules. If you are asking the staff for an upgrade or any other facility that is not allowed by the hotel, then you should always understand. Even if you get that facility somewhere else, it doesnt mean that you will get it everywhere. Always understand the rules and follow them. 

3. Dont Rush While Completing The Formalities

Even if you have arrived tired, you have to complete the formalities before getting to the room. At times, formalities take a little time to get done. Dont rush and complain unnecessarily. Asking the staff to do it in a hurry, again and again, will irritate them and hamper your work even more. It is important to be a good traveler and follow travel manners. One of them is to stay calm and corporate with the staff for the formalities. 

4. Be Polite to the Staff And Respect Them

Remember- Whether a staff of the hotel, guest, or owner, everyone deserves love and respect. It is one of the travel manners that demonstrate whether you are a good guest or not. Talking rude or ugly with the staff shows more about the guests, not the staff. Even if the hotel makes a mistake, you must think before you shout. If you want to complain about something, try to do it politely and you will see how fast they will resolve your issue. 

5. Keep In Mind The Elevator Etiquettes

Today, every hotel has elevators. But most of us forget the elevator travel manners and use it as our personal property. It is not a good gesture to press the buttons repeatedly, go up and down in the elevator, again and again, push others to get out of the elevator, talking loudly, etc. Doing this will leave a bad impression. Even though it is a short ride, it says a lot about your behavior. 

Hotel Travel Manners That You Must Keep In Mind During Your Stay

1. Roam Well In The Corridors

Have you ever experienced corridor racers? Well, such people are just like the hotels service that can make or break your whole travel experience. It is incredibly important for the guests to respect public places. Many guests leave their kids free in the hotel who run in the corridor, make noises, and play like it is a garden. Also, people walk by the corridors talking on call loudly. This disturbs the other guests and irritates them. So, it is advised to demonstrate good travel manners and keep your voice and kids in control.

2. Treat The Rooms With Care

Hotels refurbish their rooms with quality materials and decorate the rooms nicely to make the guests feel special. While hotels understand our needs, we must respect that and not destroy the furniture. Even though the properties at the hotel rooms are not ours, we should take care of it just like we do with our stuff. We should not use it carelessly or damage or destroy things. Doing so will not just show your bad side but will also make you pay heavy fines. Always remember- It is incredibly important to be respectful and careful to the property even if it does not belong to you.

3. Be An Eco-friendly Guest

This is one of the hotel travel manners that is important to protect your planet. Today, with the world walking on the path of eco-friendliness, we should also do our part. Whenever we are in a hotel, it is our duty to turn off the television if it is not in use. Along with this, we should always leave the room by turning off the lights, air-conditioners, coffee pots, and other energy-consuming devices. If we behave as we do at our home and focus on conserving energy, it will show how good we are. 

4. Keep Your Voice Slow

Being on a vacation and enjoying every moment of it is important. But, it is also important to behave like a good traveler and don't disturb the other guests. When you are in a hotel, always remember that you are not alone. There are several other guests too who are also paying for the accommodation. Laughing out loud, making noises, playing loud music, dancing at night, screaming like a baby, etc. This might be a way for you to enjoy it but it will disturb the other guests.

5. Dont Fill Your Plates With Food

If you are lucky to get breakfast free with your stay, it doesn't mean you fill your plates because it's free. Nowadays, many hotels provide options to guests to add lunch and dinners at lower prices. When we step out of a restaurant to have breakfast or other meals, we must show our travel manners and not fill the plates with food. When we see the display of mouth-watering food, instead of resisting, we put extra food on our plates and end up wasting a lot. Even if you are allowed to carry your leftover food with you, it is not a good manner. 

Hotel Travel Manners While Leaving The Room

1. Do A Light Cleaning

A good hotel guest is someone who doesn't leave rooms like a mess. When we enter the room, we get it all clean. The hotel won't ask us to clean the whole room while checking out, but we should at least clean it a little. It is one of the most important travel manners to keep in mind. We should always put all the trash in the bins, towels in the corner, pillows, and blankets on the bed, etc. Along with this, we should always leave the bathrooms clean. It is important to understand their hard work and appreciate them by doing a little cleaning. This will not just make it easy for them, but will also show how good you are. 

2. Fill Out The Survey Or Provide Your Feedback

While leaving the hotel, it is yet another important point to remember. Although it is not compulsory, it is a part of travel manners to fill out the survey. Hotels usually mail the survey or ask the guests to provide feedback online. Yes, it will take just a few minutes of your time but will help the future guests in the long run. Providing feedback or sharing your experience helps the hotel in improving their services and focus on the areas that need more attention.  

3. Tip The Staff Where Appropriate

Like it or not, you should always give tips to the staff. It's a matter of good hotel travel manners to offer a tip for the efforts the staff has made to enhance your experience. When it comes to the service industry like hotels, tips play a vital role. They are really appreciated. It is a gesture of how thankful you are to the staff who made your stay comfortable and enjoyable. It is always preferable to give a tip either while checking out or when you especially ask for a service. These small tips won't matter to you a lot, but for the staff, it surely does.

4. Don't Feel That All Stuff In The Room Is Free

It has been a long time since the guests are loving the free toiletries and other amenities that come at no cost. Almost all travelers take the small shampoo, cream, and other bottles with them when they leave the room. There is nothing wrong with this. But, this doesn't mean we think that all the stuff in the room is for free. It is not a good idea to take hangers, remotes, hairdryers, bulbs, towels, etc. with you. This will show how greedy you are and creates a bad impression. In fact, doing this will also make you pay charges. 

5. Check-out On Time

Another most important hotel travel manner that we all should keep in mind is to check-out on time! At times, due to laziness, we delay in checking out and leave the room a few hours later. This will not just enable you to pay extra but will also create a lot of trouble for the staff. Hotels usually keep a gap of one or two hours between the check-in and check-out timings so that the staff can clean the room and prepare it for the next guest. Staying for long in the room will make it difficult for the staff to clean it properly.

If you are in doubt about hotel travel manners, then obey this general rule- Smile, greet people, say Thank you, talk respectfully, and show a positive attitude. This will demonstrate a good side of yours no matter where you go. For the longest time, hotel staff handled even the demanding customers with politeness. Now its time for us, travelers, to brush up our manners and act as a good traveler.