Hotel Etiquette

Hotel rooms are supposed to be your home away from home, so hoteliers are interested in making you feel comfortable and welcome. Being an appreciative guest involves more than just leaving the hotel maid a good tip.

Hotel Rooms and Your Comfort

Hotel owners have many stories about guests who have left their rooms in deplorable conditions, particularly bathrooms. While you are a paying customer, it''s common courtesy to leave your room in a decent condition. Otherwise, your hosts will remember you as "those Americans" or "the couple from Florida," so you should think twice before leaving your hosts with the impression that everyone from your state or country of origin is a born slob.

• Many hotels are committed to the preservation of natural resources, such as the water and electricity needed to launder towels that may have been used to wipe clean bodies only once. If you want your towels replaced, leave them on the floor, otherwise, hang them on towel bars, hooks and shower curtain bars.
• Hotel rooms have trash receptacles in the bathroom and sleeping area for your use. If you have more trash than the small receptacles can hold, use plastic bags or call housekeeping for suggestions. Don''t leave trash in the common areas.
• If you''re traveling on hot summer days, you''ll be tempted to fill your cooler from the ice machines. Clearly, the icemaker can''t produce that much ice for each guest. As a courtesy to other hotel guests, stop at a convenience store or service station and spend a couple bucks on a bag of ice.
• Speaking of hot summer days, if your accommodations include a pool or spa, respect the posted hours and refrain from loud conversations that are likely to annoy guests occupying poolside hotel rooms.

International Travel

Accommodations in foreign countries are usually quite similar to those in the U.S., if a little less spacious. Again, take your ambassadorship seriously and leave a good impression.

• Make sure your children don''t make too much noise. The walls may be thin and your neighbors have a right to their sleep. Don''t allow children to turn up the volume on the TV or video games, and make sure they don''t run in the hallways.
• Most kids love to jump on beds, and it''s tempting to let them, but this is a good chance to teach them about good citizenship. It isn''t right just because no one''s looking.
• If you''re staying in a small inn or a bed-and-breakfast, be aware that you''re all but living in someone''s home. Respect the quiet hours and make an extra effort to keep things tidy.
• If your neighbors are noisy or imposing on you in some way, don''t get steamed and start banging on walls. Instead, call the front desk and ask them to handle the matter.
• If your stay was less than comfortable, leave a note or speak quietly to the manager about the problem. Remember that in many foreign cultures, loud complaints are considered rude. Don''t expect a reimbursement. There''s a chance that your expectations were too high.

Pet-Friendly Hotels

Most hotel rooms weren''t designed with dogs and cats in mind, but you can make their stay pleasant and impress your hosts by following a few simple etiquette rules:

• Keep pet hair off the bed by taking along an old sheet to cover the bedspread.
• When walking your dog, follow the same pooper-scooper rules as you would back home. Some pet-friendly hotels have designated areas for walking dogs; respect them.
• Clean up after you pet''s accidents and don''t use the bath or shower to bathe your pet.
• Don''t allow your dog''s barking to disturb others. If your dog barks when left alone, order room service.