For me, when picking a hotel room, the biggest consideration is location. You may not think it’s such a big deal but after you’ve had one night of interrupted sleep, you’ll quickly reconsider.
Since this is going to be your home away from home, you want to be sure that it’s not only livable – but comfortable and secure.
So here’s what I consider or try to avoid when I get to my room:
Stay off the first floor whenever possible. It can be noisier than other floors. It’s also more of a security risk because people in the lobby can more easily wander the halls unnoticed.
Stay away from rooms near dining rooms, night clubs, bars or any other form of entertainment. Rooms located above, below or next to these locations tend to be loud. These establishments open early and close late, and have a lot of voice and foot traffic, not to mention food aromas.
Don’t take a room near the hotel spa, gym or pool. While the proximity can be convenient, it can also be noisy. Some health clubs and pools are open 24 hours a day. The last thing you need to hear is the clanging of weights all night long, not to mention the foot traffic and voices in the hall.
Avoid rooms that are next to elevators, ice machines, service elevators and stairwells. These areas have more noisy foot traffic and an intruder can more easily slip in and out unnoticed. You want to make it as difficult as possible for anyone to be able to get to you or your possessions.
If you have allergy problems (like I do), try to avoid staying in a room that’s been sprayed by deodorizer. I once had an allergic reaction to a room deodorizer at a very fine luxury hotel.
Sometimes even the best hotels have rooms where the water pressure is not as strong as you want. Large hotels have water heaters in several locations and water pressure will be strongest on the floor or floors nearby.
You can exit the hotel more quickly if you are on a lower floor. So a lower floor may be safer in the event of a fire or other crisis. A lower floor however, may have a less attractive view and concierge/club rooms are usually on the higher floors.
After all these warnings, you may be wondering if there are any rooms that are acceptable. The answer is yes: These rooms are typically in the middle of the floor above the first floor and on a part of the floor away from the facilities mentioned above.
See you on the road!
Kathy Ameche
Traveler-in-Chief
Labels: allergy problems, hotel rooms, hotel spa, security, water pressure
