Hotel Etiquette

Hotels can be so much more than places to sleep while traveling. They can be among the most interesting and memorable aspects of a trip. However, because hotels range from elegant luxury establishments to country inns to chain hostelries off the interstate, they can be a bit confusing unless you know what to expect from them and what they may expect from you.

Luxury Hotels

It's usually a good idea to book rooms in luxury hotels well in advance. These hotels provide many extra amenities and services. You probably can count on having bathrobes, hair dryers, and a minibar in your room. (Beware of minibars: You can be in for a very expensive and sobering surprise when you pay your bill.)

When you arrive, a doorman greets you, and a porter takes your bags. Tip the porter at least $1 per bag. If the doorman hails a cab for you, tip him $1. If he has to stand out in the rain, you might want to tip more.

Proceed to the registration desk and give the clerk your confirmation number. Married couples should sign in under both of their names. If a woman uses her maiden name in business, she should include that in registering so that telephone calls can be fielded accurately. Unmarried couples should both sign in as well. These details may seem unnecessary, but they are important for security purposes and, practically speaking, for things like telephone calls.

The porter takes the bags to your room. Sometimes the desk clerk will direct you to the room, and the porter will follow with the bags. The porter or bellman will open the room, turn on the lights, adjust the air-conditioning, put your luggage on stands, draw the curtains, show you the minibar, and explain how the television works. If you don't like the room, ask the porter to call the front desk about a replacement. Remember that the porter is not authorized to change your room and must clear your request through the front desk.

The next thing you should do, no matter what sort of hotel, motel, or inn you are staying at, is to find the emergency and fire exits. Check to see whether you need more towels, pillows, blankets, hangers, or an iron. If you do, call housekeeping right away. Calling late at night when there is a reduced staff can create difficulties and delays.

Luxury hotels have a concierge, in the European tradition. The concierge desk is generally located near the registration desk. Here you can obtain theater, concert, and sports tickets; look at local restaurant menus and make dining reservations; and find out about car rentals, sightseeing tours, babysitters, and even traffic and weather conditions. A good concierge is a miracle worker who seems to know everything about everything.

Commercial Hotels

These hotels, typified by those in the Marriott and Hyatt chains, are designed for the business traveler. They are clean, comfortable, and efficient. They also are cheaper and offer fewer frills than the luxury hotels. Available for business travelers are conference rooms, computers, facsimile machines, copiers, and secretarial services.

Pack a travel iron and hair dryer. You might be able to borrow these things from the hotel, but you might not be able to borrow them exactly when you need them. You can't afford to be held up for an appointment because you are stranded waiting for an iron.

Business people suggest you avoid doing business in your hotel room. And if you are on a business trip, never share a room with a member of the opposite sex—colleague or not. This behavior damages your credibility, as well as that of your company.

Room Service

Especially if you are traveling on business, put in your breakfast order the night before and allow yourself plenty of time to receive and eat it before leaving for your business appointment. It's fine to greet the room service waiter in your robe. The waiter will set up the meal in your room. When you're finished, call room service to come for the tray or cart, instead of leaving it in the hall. A service charge is added to the bill. If a tip is not included on the bill, the usual amount to leave is 20 percent.

Security

Hotel guests, even guests in the most prestigious hotels, must be aware that they always have at least some responsibility for their security. Here are some basic rules to remember:

• Never keep cash or valuables in your room.
• Never open the door when someone knocks unless you know who it is— especially at night. If the knocker claims to be a hotel employee and you have any doubts, call the front desk to ask whether this person has been sent to your room. If not, call hotel security, give your room number, and state that someone is at your door.
• Always double-lock your door. You may want to leave the television on to dissuade burglars.
• If the desk clerk announces your room number in a loud voice and this practice bothers you, as it should, quietly ask for another room and explain that you are being cautious in case someone overheard.
• Don't flash a wad of bills in the hotel bar.

Checking Out

Confirm your departure the day before and verify the checkout time. Usually, you can arrange a late departure if the hotel isn't full. Call the porter to collect your bags. Tip about $1 a bag. If you need to check your bags at the hotel for the day, the porter will take care of it and give you tickets to redeem them.

Motels

Motels come in many shapes and sizes. Some offer little more than a bed, bathroom, and television, whereas others resemble small resorts with pools, restaurants, and gyms.

The variety of possibilities is one of the advantages of motel travel. They are usually clustered at the convergence of major highways so that motorists have a wide range of options within the distance of a mile or so.

You can easily make your own reservations, since most major chains have toll-free reservation numbers. Most offer discounts for members of auto clubs, holders of certain credit cards, and senior citizens. In some cases “seniors” can be as young as 50.

When you check in, the clerk may want identification, your driver's license number, and a credit card, even if you are paying in cash.

You will carry your own bags. Ice, snacks, and some personal items like toothbrushes probably will be available at a vending center, usually located one to a floor. Dress is casual, of course, but wear a cover-up at the pool, and avoid dripping all over the lobby. Don't leave children alone in the pool or Jacuzzi.

If you arrive late at night or leave early in the morning, be considerate of those still sleeping. If there is a disturbance late at night, don't elect to straighten it out yourself. Call the front desk, and do not open your door. Tip the maid $2 or $3 for each night you stay.

The Bed and Breakfast

Antiques. A canopied bed. Tea or sherry in the afternoon. A convivial host. These are among the charms of the bed & breakfast.

For the price, often, of a good hotel, you can spend the night in a charming Victorian or colonial-era house, usually an interesting place with interesting owners who have an agreeably old-fashioned idea of comfort and hospitality.

And then there's breakfast. Some hosts offer a simple continental breakfast of juice, coffee, and a roll. Others offer such a variety and quantity of food that you'll feel dazzled—and quite sated after eating! The best ways to find out about B&Bs are from friends or from the many guidebooks that are available in bookstores and public libraries. Always call for reservations. Some establishments require a stay of at least two days.

When you arrive, the host will probably be on hand to greet you personally. He or she will take your bags, help you get settled, and show the dining room and other spaces devoted to the guests. It is very bad form to stray into the host family's living quarters.

A good rule of thumb is to behave much like a houseguest at a friend's home. Avoid loud conversations or television late at night. You may borrow books from the library to read in your room but be sure to return them. Don't use the owner's private telephone without asking first.

Many such places have shared bathrooms, so don't luxuriate in the tub while someone may be waiting. And be sure to leave the tub and the rest of the room as clean as you can reasonably make it.

At breakfast, which is included in the price, introduce yourself and say, “Good morning,” all around. If you don't feel chatty in the morning, just smile and give minimal answers, and people will get the message. Be alert for such signals yourself.

Leave your room reasonably neat and say goodbye to the host before leaving. No tipping is required.

Excerpted from The Complete Idiot's Guide to Etiquette © 2004 by Mary Mitchell. All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. Used by arrangement with Alpha Books, a member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

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