Taking a few simple steps can really set the tone for a much safer and more enjoyable stay
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Stay safe
True safety awareness needs to begin the moment you leave the front desk. “Walk with purpose and avoid distractions when heading to your room,” says Daniel Loo, a security risk consultant and owner of North Star Group.
With years of experience in hospitality security and hotel and resort safety planning, he adds that once in the room, it’s important to use all locks, including secondary ones. He also advises placing the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, even when you’re away, to give the impression of occupancy.
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Study your surroundings
Always makes sure safety is part of your arrival ritual, agrees Matt Moore, who has worked in the hospitality industry for more than 30 years and is now general manager at the Winnetu Oceanside Resort on Martha’s Vineyard. “I ensure I know where the emergency stairwells are located and how far they are, counting doorways, in case of an emergency,” such as a fire, he says.
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Check for pests
Philip Swart, medical director at Altezza Travel, leads his company’s health and safety protocols for international travelers, so he has a lot of on-the-ground travel experience with hotel-room safety. His first order of business after check-in? A quick pest inspection. “I walk into a hotel room and within the first minute I want to know it’s clean, secure and mine to manage,” he says. “I set my luggage in the bathroom on the tile, not the carpet, and then I run an eye over the bed and soft furnishings for any sign of trouble. Five-star or budget makes no difference to pests or allergens—what matters is not bringing them home in your luggage.”
Moore recommends fully pulling back the sheets and moving the mattress away from the headboard. Bedbugs, he explains, leave behind telltale traces of blood, which look like sprinkles of rust water, and shed exoskeletons. “The more signs left behind the greater the risk,” he warns.
If you see evidence of pests, don’t unpack, document it, and notify the front desk immediately. You should request a room in a completely different part of the hotel. If the problems persists (or you just want more peace of mind), it might be worth changing hotels entirely.
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Test the essentials
There’s nothing worse to me than craving an ice-cold soda or sparkling water when I’m back in my room, only to discover the mini-fridge doesn’t quite work right. Mark Waller, hotel manager at the Waldorf Astoria Park City, in Utah, says his property has a dedicated team of room attendants checking for just this and other inconvenient issues—broken fridges, faulty lights and even non-responsive electric shades.
But if something does slip through, or unexpected issues arise, he recommends reporting the problem as soon as you spot it, ideally before you unpack, to get the process underway. “[Fixes] are often simple, like a light bulb, however, at times, they can be more complicated,” he says. “This could significantly impact the guest’s arrival experience and possibly their entire stay.”
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Get connected
The first thing Angela Berardino, founder of the Brouhaha Collective public relations agency, does is test the room’s outlets and plugs in her phone charger to see which are the most conveniently located. “This is so I’m not crawling around to find the one behind the bed that’s only half-working when it’s 12 a.m.,” she jokes.
Berardino also uses the moment to double-check her gear in order to prevent bigger problems later on. “I confirm I packed all my charging cords,” she notes. “I have a zillion, but I frequently forget adapters, and that’s the worst feeling.”
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Do some spot-cleaning
As a medical director, Swart understands that a lot of guest turnover probably means greater potential for germs and grime. “High-touch objects such as the TV remote and light switches get a pass with a disinfectant wipe that I bring in my kit,” he says. “Those surfaces are rarely prioritized by housekeeping and yet they’re among the dirtiest objects in any hotel room.”
Doing housework while on a trip doesn’t sound like a vacation to us, so if your room’s cleanliness isn’t up to par, don’t just grit your teeth and bear it. Immediately contact the front desk, tell them about the issue, and request a cleaning or, if the problem is more serious, a new room. Most hotels would much rather solve the issue than lose you as a client or get a bad review.
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Unsound the alarm
Berardino makes a point to check that the alarm clock isn’t preset to go off at an odd hour. “The number of times I’ve been awakened by someone else’s insanely early alarm setting from a previous guest…” she says, explaining this quick but simple step is now a non-negotiable.
I learned the same lesson the hard way, too. Now, if a room even has an alarm clock, I just unplug it right away. I rely on my phone for time and alarms, and this simple habit has probably saved me from more than a few unpleasant and very unnecessary 5 a.m. wake-ups. It also cuts down on the light at night, which can help you sleep better.
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Clear the air
The trapped air in unoccupied hotel rooms can be grim if they’ve sat for a while, especially in hot climates, like Las Vegas. “I freshen the air,” says Swart, since “hotel rooms can have a stale blend of cleaning agents and recycled air.” His routine: after running the air-conditioning or ventilation at full power for five minutes to flush the room, he then sets it to a humidity and temperature he prefers, about 68°F with a bit more moisture. Testing the HVAC system right away is also an easy way to ensure both are running properly, so you’re not stuck scrambling for a quick fix or needing to change rooms at odd hours.
Waller of the Waldorf Astoria Park City points out, “It can take anywhere between 45 minutes to two hours to clean a suite [after repairs], so promptly reporting any concerns is of paramount importance to allow the engineers the maximum amount of time to conduct repairs and to ensure the room or suite is ready.”
About the experts
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Sources:
- Daniel Loo, principal security-risk consultant and owner of North Star Group; email interview, August 2025
- Philip Swart, medical director at Altezza Travel; email interview, September 2025
- Matt Moore, general manager of the Winnetu Oceanside Resort, Martha’s Vineyard; email interview, September 2025
- Mark Waller, hotel manager at the Waldorf Astoria Park City in Utah; email interview, September 2025
- Angela Berardino, founder of Brouhaha Collective; email interview, September 2025
