How to survive hotel germs, bedbugs, noise, & light

Ah, hotel rooms—a home away from home where you can make a mess and someone else will clean up after you. But it’s late, and you need a good night’s sleep for that big meeting tomorrow. Geez, let’s hope that sea of kids in the tiny hotel pool isn’t on your floor. As someone who spends 120+ nights a year in hotels, here are some tips to make it through.

Photo by Marten Bjork on Unsplash


Cleanliness

Hotel rooms take a lot of abuse. Hundreds of people could use the same room in a year, and we don’t exactly treat hotel rooms like our own homes. Even with the best cleaning staff, rooms build up grime, dirt, and germs. I’m not a germaphobe, but I do get a little squeamish about “hot spots”—like TV remotes, light switches, door handles, and phone handsets. And don’t forget the glassware. I’m all about being green, but from hotel friends, I know that glassware sometimes doesn’t make it to the dishwasher. I stick to the paper or plastic cups provided. I don’t blame the cleaning staff—it’s a tough job with tight time pressures. So, when something looks clean and unused, it might get skipped. I never plan to lick the TV remote, but I do take a moment when I arrive to wipe down these “hot spots” with a sanitizing wipe. It only takes a moment and at least gives me some peace of mind.

Sheets are another area of concern. If a bed doesn’t look used or you’re staying at a less-than-stellar hotel, check the sheets for signs of use. If you suspect they haven’t been changed, call the front desk and ask for a new room.

One last cleanliness tip from a hotel friend: be wary of the in-room coffee machines. I’ll leave it to your imagination as to how those might get, let’s say, “contaminated.”

Bedbugs

This one’s a bit gross, but bedbugs can happen at any hotel, no matter how many stars it has. While they don’t carry disease, their bites can cause itchy marks. Bedbugs love to hitchhike, so never leave your suitcase on the bed, couch, or floor. Use the luggage rack and keep your clothes off the bed too. Bedbugs prefer soft materials with seams to hide in during the day. They’re attracted to the carbon dioxide we exhale and move around at night. You can check for signs of bedbugs by pulling back the sheets and inspecting the mattress seams for bugs, shells, or blood spots. If you suspect bedbugs, most hotels will quickly move you to a new room.

If you’re worried about bringing bedbugs home, here’s what to do as soon as you get back:

If you think bedbugs have made it into your home, don’t be embarrassed—call a professional exterminator immediately. This is not a DIY project.

Noise

Hotels pack a lot of people in close quarters, so some noise is inevitable. Downtown or highway-adjacent hotels contend with more external noise. It can be especially annoying when hotels have thin walls or when you’re sharing a floor with a youth sports team. For flight crew, normal sleep hours aren’t so normal, so here are a few strategies for a quieter night.

If you can choose the hotel, check reviews on Trip Advisor for chronic noise complaints. Many good hotels accommodate requests at booking, like placing you on a “quiet floor,” away from elevators, and facing away from busy streets. Most people are woken by sudden noises, like the AC unit powering up, so try leaving the fan on to create white noise. It’s continuous and can mask disruptive sounds like the housekeeper’s intense conversation right outside your door. If the fan isn’t an option, use a free white noise app on your phone. For light sleepers, earplugs may help—just make sure you have a backup alarm plan if you need to wake up early.

Light

If you can sleep through a rock concert next door but the smallest sliver of light wakes you up, here are some tricks. Hotel curtains are often a pain if they don’t overlap well. No problem: grab a hanger with pants clips and use it to hold the curtains closed. For light coming under the door, lay a bath towel along the gap. This might also help with noise. For flashing fire detectors, it’s best to ask the hotel for help. You don’t want to accidentally set off the alarm and end up standing in the parking lot in the middle of winter. Some hotels may use small sticky notes to cover the light without affecting the sensors.

Extra

Not a fan of dry air? Hotels can be notoriously dry, so check out this post on how to keep humidity in your hotel room—don’t be so dry.

I wish you a clean, bug-free, quiet, dark night!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Choosing an Alternate Aerodrome with a TAF (Canada)

Image
When filing an IFR flight plan in Canada, pilots are required to list an alternate aerodrome—a suitable airport other than the destination, in case landing at the destination becomes impossible. Photo by Ilyas Dautov on Unsplash Choosing an alternate involves careful consideration of: Location Available approaches Services offered Weather conditions If an aerodrome isn’t suitable as a destination, it likely isn't suitable as an alternate either. Not using a TAF? Learn more about alternate weather requirements using GFAs: Calculating Alternate Weather Requirements for Aerodromes with GFAs. Regulatory Requirements The Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs) state: CAR 602.122  Except as otherwise authorized by the Minister in an air operator certificate or in a special authorization issued under subsection 604.05(2), no pilot-in-command shall operate an aircraft in IFR flight unless the IFR flight plan or IFR flight itinerary that has been filed for the flight under section 602.73 incl...
Read more

Understanding BECMG, TEMPO, and PROB in IFR Alternate Planning

Image
When filing an IFR flight plan in Canada, selecting a legal alternate isn't always as simple as checking the TAF for good weather. If a forecast includes BECMG, TEMPO, or PROB, those modifiers directly affect whether an airport qualifies as an alternate under the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). Photo by John McArthur on Unsplash Here’s how each term works and what it means for your IFR alternate decision-making. Why Do Alternates Matter? Under CAR 602.122 , unless specific conditions are met, IFR flights must file an alternate aerodrome that has forecast weather above alternate minima during the ETA. However, forecasts using BECMG, TEMPO, or PROB must be interpreted according to specific rules outlined by Transport Canada, notably in the CAP GEN – IFR Alternate Aerodrome Weather Minima. ✈ BECMG (Becoming) BECMG indicates a gradual and permanent change expected to occur over the specified time frame. The change is not instantaneous but occurs progressively during the window. ...
Read more

Understanding Commercial Approach Ban for Canadian Operators

Image
Canada’s approach ban rules are more complex for commercial operations than for general aviation. This post aims to explain how to interpret the approach ban for commercial operators, both with and without an Operations Specification (ops spec). When you’re ready, try this interactive Commercial Approach Ban Quiz . Quick Review Commercial operators in Canada fall under Part VII of the Canadian Aviation Regulations (CARs). CAR 700.10 states that for an aircraft to conduct an approach, the required visibility must meet what is outlined in the Canadian Air Pilot (CAP). If the visibility for the intended runway is below the required value, the approach cannot be started or must be discontinued unless: The aircraft has passed the Final Approach Fix (FAF) inbound or is on the final approach course where there is no FAF. The aircraft is on a training flight, and the pilot-in-command (PIC) has informed air traffic control (ATC) that a missed approach will be conducted at or prior to the decisi...
Read more