This Is What You Should Do When You Enter a Hotel Room

Few things feel better than stepping into a clean hotel room after a long travel day—and few things feel worse than having to move rooms after you’ve already settled in.

Before you toss your suitcase on the bed and kick off your shoes, you may want to do a check of your room first. From safety to cleanliness, hospitality experts recommend taking some time to review these simple steps to create a smoother, stress-free stay.

Here’s what you should do when you enter a hotel room, according to housekeeping.

Start with safety.

Before cleanliness, security should be your number one priority.

“When you first enter your hotel room, start with safety,” says Afi Anifrani, executive housekeeper at Thompson Savannah. “Make sure the door closes and locks securely, and if you plan to use the safe, check that it’s functioning properly.”

Mary D’Argenis-Fernandez, founder and CEO of MDA Hospitality, also recommends verifying if any adjoining doors are locked. “If the peephole has a cover, ensure it is fully closed,” she says. “Take a moment to review the emergency exit map on the back of the door and note where the stairwells are located in case of an emergency.”

Test essential functions.

Once you’ve double-checked your room’s safety features, ensure that everything functions properly. Anifrani recommends seeing if “the essentials are in working order—outlets, thermostat, TV, bathroom fixtures, and coffee maker—so there are no surprises later.”

Other things to take a look at include light switches and clocks, says Denise Perry, executive housekeeper at the Brenton Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island. “Also, open any curtains or shades to get as much light into the room as possible and take a good look around the room,” she adds. 

Wipe down hotspots.

Anifrani notes that high-touch areas, such as remote controls, thermostats, and coffee makers, are disinfected daily. However, it’s still smart for guests to be mindful of these hotspots. Some guests, like Travel+Leisure A-List advisor Laura Asilis, always makes sure to wipe down a few items, even in luxury properties. 

“The TV remote control is famously one of the dirtiest objects in any hotel room—if you’re particular, a disinfecting wipe goes a long way,” says Asilis. “Light switches and bedside phone handsets are also high-touch surfaces that aren’t always cleaned thoroughly.” 

She also performs a quick wipe-down of the faucet handles and the toilet flush button. If there is a fabric couch or armchair, she often lays a shawl or scarf over it before sitting. 

Settle in comfortably.

Checking that everything is in place before settling in can save you the hassle of repacking if you have to change rooms. But once you’ve confirmed that the room has everything you need, settle in. 

“If your hotel offers a digital key, ensure it has been activated on your phone,” D’Argenis-Fernandez says. She also suggests setting the thermostat to your preferred temperature right away and organizing the bathroom counter to your liking.