The Points Guy’s Top Hotel Etiquette Tips

You always want to be a considerate houseguest when you’re staying with family or friends, but there are etiquette rules you should follow when you’re staying in a hotel, too. To help us brush up on our travel manners, we chatted with Brian Kelly, travel expert, founder of The Points Guy, and author of the recently-released book, How to Win at Travel.

Kelly shares the dos and don’ts of hotel stays, including tipping etiquette, how to be considerate of other guests, and the best ways to communicate with hotel staff about your needs. Before you pack your bags for your next weekend getaway, read through these travel tips to help ensure a seamless stay. 

1. Always Tip Housekeeping 

Tipping culture has become somewhat of a hot topic lately, but Kelly says you should always plan to factor it into your hotel costs. “Always tip housekeeping! I know it’s an explosive issue, but in the United States specifically, housekeepers are rarely paid a living wage and they do the dirtiest of work, so I think $5 a day is reasonable,” he says. “If you’re in a suite or a super fancy hotel, it would require a bit more—$20 bucks a day, $10 bucks, whatever you can afford.” 

Of course, a tip represents your appreciation for the people tidying up after you, but it can come with perks during your stay. “I’ve also noticed that when you tip them, you’ll get more free water bottles, more toiletries, so you know, what goes around comes around,” Kelly says. 

If you find yourself checking out of the hotel with no cash on hand, Kelly recommends leaving a note of thanks. “You could always say, ‘Send a Venmo request,’ or just write a note,” he says. “I’d leave it on the bed and just say, ‘Thank you so much, I appreciate you!’ It’s better than nothing.” 

2. Tidy Up During Your Stay

Whether you have housekeeping come to your room each day or intermittently, Kelly says you should aim to keep things as tidy as possible. “Try to keep up your room; just because you’re in a hotel does not mean you should disrespect it any different than your home,” he says.

Be mindful of areas that housekeeping needs to clean when they come in. Clear your items off the bed, consolidate dirty clothes into a pile, and keep the bathroom as neat as you can, while still making yourself at home. 

3. Make an Effort to Be Considerate of Other Guests

If you order room service during your stay, it’s customary to place your dirty dishes outside your door when you’re done with them—but there’s actually one more step you might not have thought of. “When you put your room service outside of the room, always call them to come get it, so that it doesn’t just sit there for hours,” Kelly says. “They’re not just walking around the hall cleaning all day, so for the sake of the other guests, that’s a best practice.”

4. Work with Hotel Staff for Special Requests

No matter where you stay, Kelly says it’s perfectly acceptable to make requests that might make your visit more comfortable. He recommends calling ahead for things you know you’re going to want—in his case, it’s extra-firm pillows—so that they can prepare ahead of time, and no one has to scramble to get them for you upon checking in. 

Kelly also strongly suggests checking with the hotel staff before changing the thermostat in your room. Oftentimes, hotels will make it so that you can only adjust the temperature within a few degrees, and if you try to turn it too high or too low, it can affect the whole heating or cooling system. He explains that hotels usually have a manual override, and often they’re more than happy to make you comfortable—all you have to do is ask. 

“You can always ask for extra pillows, extra blankets, whatever you need,” he says. “If I’ve got my pillows, my blackout curtains, and my AC on point, we’re good to go.”