6 Big Mistakes People Make When Checking Out Of A Hotel
July 17, 2019
source: HuffPost / Getty Images
Staying in hotels certainly isn’t cheap nowadays, so you want to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck and having a positive experience. Surprisingly, one tip for achieving both of these things is dependent on the checkout process. Keep in mind the following six mistakes people commonly make when checking out of hotels so that you can avoid making them yourself!
Thanks to Smarter Travel for sharing these great tips!
1. Rushing Yourself
It’s not realistic to think that your checkout process will only take a few seconds. At large hotels with lots of guests, you may have to wait in line to checkout. If you have a plane, train, or bus to catch, you don’t want to miss it! Leave yourself enough time to checkout so that you’re not rushing.
2. Not Scanning Your Bill
Don’t assume that your hotel bill is completely accurate! You may have been accidentally charged for a service you didn’t use, or there might be a hidden fee or two somewhere in your receipt. Always scan your bill upon checkout to avoid overpaying.
3. Failing To Tip
Remember that real people are to thank for keeping your hotel room neat, clean, and stocked. Keep in mind that hotel staff and maids are usually severely underpaid as well. You should leave a small tip in the room at the end of your stay to thank these hardworking employees.
4. Not Booking A Shuttle
If your hotel offers a shuttle to and from the airport, you should never assume you can just hop on at any time without reserving a spot. Always check with the hotel ahead of booking if there is a shuttle, how often it comes, and if you can reserve your spot on it ahead of time.
5. Letting The Hotel Call You A Cab
If you don’t have your own transportation, it might be best to resist the hotel’s offer to call you a cab. Cab fares tend to be quite expensive, especially in tourist-driven cities. Uber or Lyft are far cheaper services.
6. Not Being Honest
When you go to checkout and the hotel staff asks how your stay was, don’t be afraid to be honest. If you didn’t enjoy your time there because of one issue or another, let the hotel staff know (in a polite way). There’s a good chance they will give you a discounted rate in the future or take money off of your bill if you were unsatisfied.