If you consider yourself a tidy person, when you’re at home, everything likely has its place. You know exactly where to put your clean and dirty clothes, leftovers go straight into the fridge, and towels are hung up on racks and over shower doors. If you have kids, their toys are (hopefully) put away on shelves and in baskets every night before bed.
When you’re staying at a hotel, keeping your room neat is tough. And while housekeeping services exist for that reason — hotel employees want you to relax and not have to think about cleaning when you’re on vacation! — it’s normal to feel a little self-conscious as you wonder exactly what they notice when they clean your hotel room.
To find out, we consulted hospitality and housekeeping experts. Here’s what they had to say:
Some staffers do notice a guest’s sustainability habits.
Housekeeping isn’t necessarily judging that pile of dirty clothes in the corner, but our experts said housekeepers are definitely paying attention to your sustainability habits.
For example, “such things as discarded plastic used for amenities, water bottles, and plasticware, as well as styrofoam cups and pileups of bath towels (though it certainly doesn’t end there),” said Andy De Silva, CEO of Hotel Emporium, a hospitality service that creates hotel amenities.
Luckily, making more environmentally friendly decisions while on vacation is fairly simple — and De Silva believes hotels themselves could do a better job of encouraging this.
“Simple modifications can be made like stocking rooms with paper cups, utilizing dispensers and environmentally-friendly packaging for amenities, and encouraging towel reuse,” he said. “Even simple signage in the bathroom that encourages water conservation is a great start. In the end, adopting a sustainable approach to operations is something that housekeeping and guests will notice and appreciate.”
They also notice if you have trash all over the room ― but not for the reason you think.
A few belongings left here and there isn’t an issue. However, excessive trash or leaving the room in complete disarray put staff in a time crunch.
“I notice when I see all the trash people leave in their room because then I know I’m going to have a hard time cleaning that room. Trash everywhere, toothpaste in the sink, ring on the bathtub. That all means I’m going to have to put more pressure on myself to get it all clean in time,” Kim Randall, a housekeeper at Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor, told HuffPost.
They notice if personal electronics are in their way or if you misplace the hotel’s devices.
“I try to make the guest stay as comfortable as possible without worrying about invading their privacy, so I always notice when people leave their computers on their beds,” Randall said. “I don’t want to touch your stuff, but I want to make your bed nicely.”
According to Mary D’Argenis-Fernandez, founder and CEO of MDA Hospitality Solutions, a company that trains hotel staff, one thing they’re always looking out for is the remote, which tends to get lost easily.
“Inevitably, this tiny, elusive device is often lost between sheets, behind the bed, under the bed, or somewhere in the most obscure crevices of the room,” she said. “Falling asleep with the television on may result in a scavenger hunt for the room attendant the following day. Placing the remote on the nightstand or where you found it when you checked in saves valuable room attendant time.”
Housekeeping also works hard to keep your personal belongings in places where you can see them so you don’t leave them behind. “A phone charging cord, a child’s favorite stuffed animal, or jewelry are just a few of our favorite things that we unwittingly leave behind,” D’Aregnis-Fernandez explained. “If a room attendant does find them [after the guest has checked out] they make every effort to find these items and send them promptly to the hotel’s lost and found.”
Some do notice whether or not you tip.
Last but not least, while it’s certainly not required, housekeeping will notice whether or not you leave a tip.
“While not the first thing a room attendant looks for when entering a room, a tip is a thoughtful way to say ‘thank you’ for preparing your room as if no one else ever stayed there,” D’Aregnis-Fernandez said. “Recognizing the amenities you enjoyed, designing towel art to surprise your children, or ensuring your comfort are examples of room attendants delivering acts of kindness. So, the next time you are in a hotel room, use the notepad and pen left by the phone as an opportunity to leave a thank you note and a few extra dollars.”
Above all, the experts consulted want you to know that the housekeeping staff at a hotel isn’t judging you and your family when they clean your room. For the most part, they’re focused on making sure they do their job!
With that in mind, taking a more sustainable approach to your travel habits, keeping track of the remote and your personal belongings, and leaving a tip can go a long way in keeping everyone happy.