First Vacation at a hotel - Tips?

[elaine amj]

I would add ...

• For a longer vacation, I'm pretty tidy. For a couple of night's stay though, we can sometimes be pretty messy in a hotel room. It never seems to bother the housekeepers. They just move our stuff to the side to make the bed. They don't touch the rest of the surfaces or throw anything out.
  
  
• I toss used towels under the sink or in the bathtub. Any towels I want to reuse, we hang up.
  
  
• You can call housekeeping (button on the phone) for extra towels, extra blankets, toiletries, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, whatever. It's typically all free. Sometimes, they even have extra charger cables. Do expect it to take a while - especially in the sprawling WDW resorts. I usually try to figure out what I need and call before I go out for the day. That way, it will "magically" appear in my room while I am out.
  
  
• There is always a plastic laundry bag hanging in the closet. It's purpose is for you to put your laundry in for the hotel's laundry dept to wash. I just take it off and use it for my own laundry - perfect for socks and underwear. I often also bring a popup laundry hamper and get the family to toss their dirty clothes in there. Neater than a pile on the floor or wherever.
  
  
• tipping is nice, but not mandatory. I do tip bell services/valet if I use them. But I rarely use them - I just bring deal with my bags/car myself.
  
  
• After you check out, you can leave your baggage at bell services (or pack them straight into your car) until the end of the day (or even the next day). They will give you a ticket. You can then return later to pick up your stuff. It is free - but you should tip, typically $1/bag. Since I fly, I use this a lot.
  
  
• Do use the "do not disturb" sign. But take it off in the morning or housekeeping won't enter to do their daily clean (unless you don't want housekeeping). Housekeeping is usually done in most hotels between 8am and 4pm (I don't know Disney's schedule though).
  
  
• We don't usually use the room safe and leave our electronics (phones, laptops, tablets) out charging or whatever. I stay in a hotel usually at least 1-2 times a month, sometimes more. (between travel for work and for leisure). Haven't had anything stolen yet. In fact, my last trip, I managed to somehow forget my tablet in the hotel room. I called a few days later and housekeeping had it. They mailed it to me, just charging me the shipping fee. Our passports are usually hidden deep in our bags or kept in the safe.

 

[dekraut]

So many great tips. I really appreciate it everyone. Thank you very much. We are so excited!

 

[4crazykidz]

Thank you for all of the tips on this thread.