Those who travel frequently know how a handy hint can transform your hotel stay from a nightmare to a dream.
Luckily, well-traveled Redditors are always willing to share their two cents with the rest of us.
Use some of these 28 hotel hacks we found for your next trip and create your own Shangri-La experience without breaking the bank.
1. Use Binder Clips to Keep Curtains Closed
Hotel curtains often don’t close all the way, letting in unwanted light. Bring a binder clip or two to keep them tightly shut. This small hack ensures a darker room and a better night’s sleep.
2. Hangers Can Work Too
But if you prefer to travel light and don’t want to lug around office supplies, remember that improvisation is the mother of invention. Many hotel rooms have trouser hangers with clips—use those to keep the curtains shut.”
3. Turn Tea Kettle into a Humidifier
During the cold winter months, hotel rooms can get pretty dry and uncomfortable. Good thing is you can use the coffee/tea maker in your room as a mini humidifier. Just add water, leave the lid open, and let it run.
4. You Can Use It as a White Noise Machine as Well
Electric tea kettles make great white noise machines, too. The soft hum of boiling water can help drown out any annoying noises, making it easier for you to catch some Zs. For safety, just make sure the tea kettle in your hotel room turns off automatically once the water is boiling.
5. Turn Your Shower Into a Steamer
If you forgot your portable steamer, take advantage of the hotel bathroom. Hang your clothes in the bathroom, crank up the hot water, and let the steam do its magic. In no time, your clothes will look wrinkle-free.
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6. Turn the Electric Tea Kettle Into Portable Steamer
Yet again, the almighty tea kettle can come in handy for your wrinkled clothes. Heat some water until it’s steaming, then hold your clothes a safe distance above the spout and let the steam smooth out those wrinkles in no time.
7. Pack Utensils
Packing utensils might sound a bit over the top, but they’ll come in handy when you’re ordering takeout and the hotel doesn’t provide any.
8. Bring a Fire Stick or Roku
Bring your Fire Stick or Roku so you can avoid flipping through boring channels and binge your favorite shows right from your hotel room.
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9. Towel Under the Door
Stick a towel under the door to muffle hallway noise or block out light creeping into your hotel room. As a bonus, it will stop drafts and keep your room cozy and warm.
10. Book Directly With the Hotel
It’s a common misconception that booking websites like Expedia or Agoda always have the best hotel deals. While they can offer great prices, you’d be surprised to know that booking directly with the hotel can often get you the best rate.
11. Dim the Lights with a Menu or a Magazine
Some hotel lights just won’t turn off, so you can at least dim them with a menu or magazine to set the mood and unwind after a long day.
12. Bring an HDMI cable
If you’re on a business trip, an HDMI cable can come in handy, allowing you to connect your laptop to the TV for a larger display to get some work done.
13. Use the Ironing Board as a Table
Here is a great hack for a tiny hotel room: Use the ironing board as a makeshift table — perfect for holding your laptop, snacks, and other essentials.
14. Ask the Front Desk for Vouchers
When you check in, ask the front desk if they have any vouchers for local events available. Many hotels offer discounts or free passes to nearby attractions, shows, or restaurants.
15. Reuse the Ice Bucket as a Mini Fridge
Here’s a cool hack for keeping perishable goods cold in a hotel room without a fridge: Put your snacks and drinks into ziplock bags, place them in the ice bucket usually found in the room (or ask for one), and cover them with ice overnight. Most hotels have at least one ice machine, so finding ice should be easy.
16. Notify the Front Desk of Special Occasions
Many hotels offer complimentary upgrades or perks for birthdays, anniversaries, and other celebrations. A little heads-up can make your stay extra special.
17. Repurpose an Old Card
This hack is perfect for hotels outside the U.S., especially in Europe and Asia, where your key card controls the electricity. Use a sturdy card to keep the electricity on when you leave the room. Simply insert it into the card slot to maintain power for charging devices or keeping the air conditioning running.
18. Cover the TV Remote with a Shower Cap
Hotel TV remotes are notoriously dirty, and a flight attendant Esther Sturrus, shared with her 223,000 TikTok followers, a handy tip for you: Cover the remote with a shower cap and keep the germs at bay.
19. Use Your USB Cable and Charge It in the TV
Here’s another great tip from the experienced flight attendant: If you forget your travel adapter just use your USB cable to charge your devices from the TV. Most modern TVs come with USB ports that can charge your phone, saving you a trip to the store for an overpriced charging block.
20. Use the Heated Towel Rack as a Clothes Dryer
Seasoned travelers know that doing laundry on the road is inevitable, no matter how many clothes you pack. Here’s an ultimate hack to help you skip the pricey hotel laundry service: Use the heated towel racks in the bathroom to dry your hand-washed clothes
21. Ask for a Room Away from the Elevator, Stairs, and Ice Machine
The elevator, stairs, and ice machine are the noisiest areas in the hotel. To avoid elevator dings and the clatter of people getting ice, request a room farther from these hotspots.
22. Use a Car Vent Air Freshener on the Room’s A/C Unit
Those who know, know. It only takes one stay in a musty room to appreciate this hack. Many hotel windows are sealed tight, and the A/C units are rarely cleaned. A simple car vent air freshener can make your room smell fresh and pleasant. Fabric softener strips can work, too!
23. Be Nice to the Stuff
This is more common sense than a hack, but being extra nice to the hotel staff can go a long way. You’d be surprised at the perks you can get just by being a decent human being. They also accept tips most of the time, and a little kindness can really boost their day and improve your stay.
24. Ask for a Complimentary Room Upgrade
It never hurts to ask, and you might be pleasantly surprised. A friendly request at check-in can often land you a better room, especially if the hotel isn’t fully booked.
25. Carry a Small Powerstrip
A small power strip can be a real lifesaver when outlets are scarce in your hotel room, and they often are. You can charge all your devices at once, keeping everything powered up and ready to go.
26. Bring Disinfecting Wipes For Extra Cleaning
Hotel rooms often aren’t as spotless as you’d like them be, and wet wipes can help you wipe down high-touch surfaces like remote controls, light switches, and door handles.
27. Pack an Extra Old T-shirt to Use as a Pillowcase
Hotel pillowcases can be a bit sketchy, so bringing a clean T-shirt from home can be a game-changer. Just slip it over the pillow, and you’re good to go.
28. Repurpose the Room Glasses as a Toothbrush Holder
Not to sound alarmist, but you really don’t want to drink from the hotel room glassware. However, you can still put it to good use and reuse those glasses as a handy toothbrush holder to keep your toothbrush off the counter.
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