Do you use the maid service?

[nannyz]

I am wondering how many of you use the maid service when you are staying at a hotel, or do you clean your room yourself?
There are so many horror stories about how the maids clean rooms, and some I've learned from the guy on Hotel Impossible.

 

[starshine514]

We don't use it. When we get to our room the first time, I go around with a can of Lysol and sometimes a Clorox wipe. After that, we keep our "Do Not Disturb" sign up. If we need new towels, etc. my dad typically pays attention to when housekeeping is in the area and just trades out towels with them directly (my mom has a hard time getting started in the morning, so they are often still in the room when housekeeping comes by).

I saw something about cleaning glasses in the rooms online the other day as well - ick!

BTW - I'm weird when we stay at a timeshare resort with kitchen as well. That dishwasher gets run and I wash dishes before we've used any dishes!

 

[sherilaine]

Yes, we always use the maid service. We place valuables in the safe however and I also leave a tip.

When at DLR we stay at Hojo in the kids suites so that is two rooms and two bathrooms they have to clean - and they have always done a great job. They even put stuffies on the beds for the kids.

I know there are lots of stories out there, but there is also a lot of paranoia!

 

[seagodess]

Yes we do.
I recently saw a video about how a lot of hotel maids clean the drinking glasses in the hotel rooms with just glass cleaner and then rinse them off. I never use those glasses, so I dont have to worry about that. I dont know of what else I would need to be worried about. They clean toilet, replenish toiletries and towels and make the bed.

 

[Dizzy4DL]

We usually stay at the BWPPI. On one trip we left the do not disturb sign on the door. On the third day they left us a message saying that we had to let the maid in the next day or the management would let themselves in. We weren't happy about that, but we left the sign off the door the next day.
I wonder if they thought we had something going on in there? A quiet group consisting of a grandma, mom and 9 year old girl? lol!

 

[Dot2Vegas]

I am wondering how many of you use the maid service when you are staying at a hotel, or do you clean your room yourself?
There are so many horror stories about how the maids clean rooms, and some I've learned from the guy on Hotel Impossible.

Never. My DH has worked in hotel and casino security for many years. I used to work front desk. We never have another party in our room unsupervised, no matter where we stay. I would not feel comfortable asking them to clean the room while we are in there so we simply clean ourselves.

 

[BayGirl22]

Always. I travel a lot for business and if I let that kind of stuff bother me I would be insane. One of the perks of staying in a hotel is that someone else cleans. So whether on business or pleasure at Disney or elsewhere I always let them do their job. Never had any issue whatsoever.

We do put valuables like iPads in the safe while we're out in the park for the day.

 

[awdsmama]

Our last trip was 4 nights and I had the do not disturb sign up the whole time, we didn't need maid service. I got more toiletries at the front desk if needed. We didn't have any stinky garbage (banana peels, yogurt/milk smells etc) so it didn't bother us.

This trip is 7 nights and I will probably have maid service half way thru.

But I would tidy up first, making sure our dirty clothes are in a corner or out of the way somehow, not too much clutter on the counter/desk surfaces etc. I figure it makes their job easier, and I don't need to be a total slob on vacation haha!

I also wouldn't leave anything of value laying around, nor receipts with personal information etc.

 

[pwillunlv]

I didn't even know that some people don't use maid service, lol. I always do and just put valuables in the safe (if there is one).

 

[Luv2Diz]

We always use maid service and have never had a problem. We do use the in-roof safe for valuables we might have with us.

We don't use the glasses provided by the hotel and we also shy away from using the coffee maker. I've read stories about those!

 

[starshine514]

Yes we do.
I recently saw a video about how a lot of hotel maids clean the drinking glasses in the hotel rooms with just glass cleaner and then rinse them off. I never use those glasses, so I dont have to worry about that. I dont know of what else I would need to be worried about. They clean toilet, replenish toiletries and towels and make the bed.

Well, one of my concerns is that they clean the toilet and then may not clean their hands/gloves before wiping down or touching other surfaces. Another is wiping down surfaces with cleaning cloths that are dirty or have been used in multiple rooms. Do they clean the coffee maker the same way (with glass cleaner and a possibly dirty towel/gloves)? How about those nasty bedspreads (washed every few months, definitely not between guests) that some motels still have - I take those things off, fold them and put them in the corner when I arrive and Lysol the bedsheet that touched it underneath. I wouldn't want them putting those things back on my bed daily, either.

I just like to clean over that stuff when I get into the room and not worry about having to do it again on the trip (just the usual cleaning up after yourself thing). That first trip into the room and the initial once-over is typically the most stressful part of my hotel stay - I wouldn't want to repeat it every day if I let the maid in.

 

[pixiewings71]

We don't get maid services unless we are staying more than 4 days. If we need new towels we simply ask for them. It's never been an issue and if someone wanted to come in they could knock on the door when we are there. As a guest it should be my choice to have maid services and if my DND sign is on the door then I expect it to be respected. We also stay in timeshares regularly and we wash the dishes prior to using them. Who knows how long it's been since someone else was in the room.

 

[gunka]

Always. Would not imagine giving up the perk of someone else cleaning up. Can't live life worrying about all the what ifs.

 

[seagodess]

Well, one of my concerns is that they clean the toilet and then may not clean their hands/gloves before wiping down or touching other surfaces. Another is wiping down surfaces with cleaning cloths that are dirty or have been used in multiple rooms. Do they clean the coffee maker the same way (with glass cleaner and a possibly dirty towel/gloves)? How about those nasty bedspreads (washed every few months, definitely not between guests) that some motels still have - I take those things off, fold them and put them in the corner when I arrive and Lysol the bedsheet that touched it underneath. I wouldn't want them putting those things back on my bed daily, either.

I just like to clean over that stuff when I get into the room and not worry about having to do it again on the trip (just the usual cleaning up after yourself thing). That first trip into the room and the initial once-over is typically the most stressful part of my hotel stay - I wouldn't want to repeat it every day if I let the maid in.

I dont use the coffee pot, so I dont care. I also dont set things that I would worry about on the counter. I bring tooth brushes in a ziplock bag, so I just set them on top of that. I have also had family who worked as a maids in hotels. The ones they worked at the bedding was washed between each guest. Also, most hotels I've stayed at give you the option of having your sheets changed daily or not. They have a little tag to put on the bed if you want them changed. Their bathrooms are cleaned everyday. I dont even clean my own bathroom that much. I dont freak out over germs and stuff. I have bigger things to worry about.

 

[crystal1313]

We use it. We don't use the glasses in the rooms or the coffee pots. We rip the comforter off the bed right away and check the room for bedbugs. That's about it. I like coming back to a freshly made bed, and clean bathroom. I pick up all our stuff to make cleaning easier for the maids. I pack clothes away and put toiletries back in the bag. We put valuables in the safe, if there isn't one we hide them in our luggage. Never had an issue.

 

[wiigirl]

Always

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Moved to the Community Board.

I typically don't use maid service if I'm travelling by myself, especially for business. I'm used to cleaning up after myself. If I do want the maid to come in to pick up the trash, there is very little for her/him to do (once had a male housekeeper).

 

[starshine514]

I have also had family who worked as a maids in hotels. The ones they worked at the bedding was washed between each guest.

I think that overall:

Sheets changed between guest = Yes
Comforters/bedspreads changed between guests = No
Duvets changed between guests = probably

This is why I talked about the nasty bedspreads, not the sheets. Some articles say the bedspreads are only changed somewhere between monthly or a couple of times a year! The trend is moving away from the bedspreads, but we still run into them often.

I haven't found any recent actual articles on the subject, but here are a few that I did run across:

http://www.nbcnews.com/id/15318912/ns/travel-travel_tips/t/how-clean-your-hotel-room/#.UtbgwrB3vtQ

http://www.viamagazine.com/travel-tips/how-clean-your-hotel-room

http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/dirty-laundry

 

[nannyz]

I appreciate all of your responses.
I for sure will hide my toothbrush, and take my own paper cups.

 

[spacemermaid]

Yes; I use it. I'm 7487173740389018938982109840938X more disturbed/worried by what previous hotel guests have done in the room than I am by housekeeping coming in and making the beds/cleaning the bathroom. Of course I don't leave cash money or prescription meds or electronics in the room, so I don't fear theft...if someone wants to rifle through or sniff my dirty laundry (not that I think this has occurred at any of the hotels i've stayed in), that's their problem, not mine