Atlantis Hotel, Dubai – photo by Sergio Boscaino on Flickr CC

6 Ways to Check if Your Hotel Is Really Clean

Hotels are still popular places of lodging for travelers on a vacation and people who are on a business trip. This is because they offer a variety of features and amenities that can help make their guests’ stay even more special. From the different types of suites to the infinity pool on the roof deck, there are a lot of elements that can entice visitors to book a room in a particular hotel. However, one thing many travelers forget to check when looking for a place to stay is the establishment’s level of cleanliness.

Checking in a clean hotel is vital. When a hotel applies up-to-date cleaning policies and uses state-of-the-art cleaning equipment and procedures, you can rest assured that the establishment’s environment won’t be a detriment to your health. Nevertheless, it can be difficult to know if the place you’re staying in is clean, especially when the hotel is known for offering low-cost rooms. After all, not all affordable hotels have the means to keep every corner of their property spotless or to implement hospital-grade sanitization methods like Westgate’s cleaner hotels approach.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can do to check if your hotel is really clean. Here are 6 simple ways how.

1. Begin the Inspection Once Inside

Once you step inside the hotel lobby, it’s crucial that you start observing the establishment’s cleanliness levels from there. The lobby is where hotel personnel greet and receive their guests, so if they fail to impress you the moment you arrive, it’s best to book a room elsewhere. You can immediately tell if a hotel has poor cleanliness standards if the reception desk is riddled with dust and dirt, and the floors are sticky and covered with stains. Seeing grime and smelling a foul odor inside the elevators are also telltale signs that the hotel needs a deep clean.

photo by Dan Taylor-Watt on Flickr CC

2. Check the Different Areas of the Room

If you’ve gotten past the lobby and the hallway of your floor, the next area you need to inspect is the room you’ll be staying in. Whether it’s a standard single bedroom or a luxury suite, it pays to visually check the conditions of each of the room’s areas. This means you have to be extra vigilant when examining the overall condition of the room’s bathroom, kitchen, and living area. When checking these spaces, be on the lookout for the following:

• Poorly wiped kitchen counters and sink

• Pots, pans, and kitchen utensils covered with bits of leftover food

• Fingerprints on mirrors and glass surfaces

• Stray hairs on the bathroom floor

• Gummy stains on the shower curtain and base of the toilet

• Dirt on the back of the toilet seat

• Stale or foul-smelling odors

If any of your senses pick these up, have the hotel staff send the housekeeping crew to clean the room.

3. Inspect the Bed, Glassware, and Other Items

There are a lot of things in your room that past hotel guests have touched and used. As such, hotels need to make it a point to clean and disinfect the following items to ensure that they’re not riddled with germs:

• Bed linens

• Kitchen appliances (e.g. coffeemaker, microwave, and toaster)

• Glassware

• Utensils

• TV Remote

You can easily tell if these items haven’t been properly cleaned if you see visible stains on their surfaces or feel a sticky substance whenever you touch them.

photo by StewartWebster on Flickr CC

4. Inspect the Doorknobs, Cabinet Handles, and Light Switches

You should also check the condition of the room’s doorknobs, cabinet handles, and light switches. These areas are some of the most commonly touched surfaces in a hotel room, so if you see any fingerprints, smudges, or feel a grubby texture, it most likely means that these areas haven’t been cleaned.

5. Make Sure the Bathroom Amenities are Replaced

If the hotel you’re staying in uses mini bathroom amenities, you need to make sure that you received a brand new set. Personal hygiene items like toothbrushes, toothpastes, shampoos, and conditioners must be changed every time a new guest is occupying the room or if a current guest requests for it. If you notice that these hygiene products have been used, it’s a clear indicator that the hotel you’re staying in is filthy.

6. Move Stuff Around

Don’t be afraid to grab the bedside tables by their ends and give them a good shake. Moving things around can unveil a lot of nasty things that may have gotten stuck in narrow areas, like the space between a piece of furniture and the wall. Thus, if you see dust, dirt, trash, or a creepy crawler emerge from your actions, it’s best to call the attention of the hotel management and voice out your displeasure with the way they keep their establishment “clean.”

Hotels are expected to keep their establishment’s cleanliness levels high. However, there are some hotels that skimp out on maintenance, sanitation, and hygiene. If you suspect that the hotel room you’ve booked is unclean or unhygienic, you can use these 6 tips to help convince yourself whether or not it’s worth staying in that establishment.

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