Checking In

ARRIVING AT YOUR DREAM destination is the moment when your trip truly begins. Whatever anxiety and stress you might have been feeling vanishes as excitement sets in.

ENJOYING YOUR HOTEL

I prefer to stay in hotels when possible, and what follows are my tips for making the most of your hotel and its amenities. I like to spend a few minutes first unpacking my suitcase, setting up my toiletries in the bathroom and figuring out how the TV and thermostat work. Once I’ve familiarized myself with my new surroundings, I can truly relax.

BUTLER’S TIP: STAYING IN HOTELS

Bring your own toiletries. They will nearly always be better than those provided by the hotel.

Freshen the air in your room. If it is the dead of winter and your hotel room does not have a window that opens, the air is often very dry. I fill my bathtub halfway with hot water and leave the bathroom door open. This really helps to humidify the room.

Bring your own entertainment. A good book you’ve been meaning to read and a glass of your favourite beverage provide just the right touch when you need to relax and recharge before another busy day.

Take a few minutes to read the hotel directory in your room. It is filled with great information and can help you make the most of your stay.

Don’t be afraid to ask. If you don’t like your pillow, the room is too cold, or it is just too noisy near the elevator, ask for assistance.

SECURING THE BEST ROOM

Not all hotel rooms are created equal. When your objective is to get the best hotel room available, or possibly an upgrade, keep these tips in mind. And whatever happens, smile and be nice!

• Join the hotel’s loyalty program to collect points towards upgrades and other benefits. Elite-status members get preferential treatment.

• Call the hotel directly to book your reservation. Often reservations booked through an online discount site get lower priority and are less likely to be assigned the best rooms.

• When booking your reservation, request a room that is away from the elevators, ice machines and other noisy, high-traffic areas.

• Check in early while room selection is good.

• Inspect the room before you unpack. If you need to change rooms, make the request as soon as possible.

CHANGING ROOMS

If you do need to change rooms, be friendly, respectful and courteous when you are making the request. Have a reasonable explanation, and be specific with details: noise, odd smells or unsuitable bed configurations are reasonable reasons to request a change. Speak with the front desk staff, who will handle your request. Be calm and patient, and manage your expectations: the hotel will be working under the constraints of availability.

CONCIERGE

The concierge is the hotel’s oracle, knower of all things, and an invaluable resource. The job of the concierge is to make sure hotel guests are well looked after. Among other things, they will happily make reservations, secure tickets, book transportation or offer sightseeing and dining suggestions. Don’t be shy to make unusual requests, as long as they are reasonable and legal. If you can, give the concierge some notice when making your request to increase the likelihood of success.

BUTLER’S TIP:

Remember to thank the concierge and tip to show your appreciation. Tip well if they have gone above and beyond. I prefer to tip with each request rather than at the end of my stay.

UNPACKING

To unpack or not to unpack? It’s personal preference, and will depend on the length of your stay. I generally unpack and hang wrinkle-prone garments, but keep my packing cubes as is. Here is my routine:

1. Put passport, money and other valuables in the hotel safe.

2. Open your suitcase in an out-of-the-way spot.

3. Hang all items that need to be as soon as possible.

4. Put the toiletries bag in the bathroom. Pull out toiletries and have them rest on a face cloth placed on the vanity.

5. Leave everything else in the luggage.

BUTLER’S TIP:

Leaving clothing and personal items scattered all over the room is a sure way of leaving something behind. Always put back what you pulled out from your suitcase, or place items in one specific spot in the room.

LAUNDRY ON THE ROAD

Doing laundry on the road is a good way to minimize what you need to pack. However, most hotels prefer that you do not do laundry in your room. I will hand wash the small, simple essentials, but I am always careful and respectful of the room.

HAND WASHING LAUNDRY

1. Rinse out the bathroom sink to remove any residue. Fill the sink with water (cool or warm depending on the garment) and add a drop or two of laundry soap (if you have it) or shampoo.

   

2. Swish the items through the soapy water until clean. Drain the sink and squeeze the items to remove the excess soapy water. Refill the sink with clean water.

3. Rinse garments thoroughly. Rinse again if there is still soapy residue. Squeeze the items to get rid of the water.

   

4. Lay the items flat on a clean towel and then roll the towel up from one end. Squeeze the roll to remove as much excess water as possible.

5. Unroll the items from the towel. The items should no longer be dripping wet at this point. Hang or lay the garment on a fresh towel to dry.

STEAMING

Most good hotels can offer this service for you, for a price. Or you can try steaming your clothing yourself in the bathroom. Run a hot shower, then hang your wrinkled suit or dress on the rod but away from the shower stream. Be aware that condensation from over-steaming might ruin the garment, so don’t let the shower water run too hot or too long. Keep an eye on the garment until most of the wrinkles are gone.

GOLDEN RULES FOR AVOIDING JET LAG AND ADJUSTING TO TIME ZONES

No matter how seasoned a traveller you are, jet lag is a fact of life. There is no simple solution—the key is to adapt to the local time zone as soon as possible.

If you are on the night flight from North America to Europe:

Try to have a meal on the ground before you depart.

Then have a drink on the plane after takeoff to relax.

Get some sleep. Put on your noise-cancelling headphones and your eye mask. It will take effort, but force yourself to sleep, and try to ignore the rest of the plane. This is where the window seat is helpful.

Stay awake on arrival. When you arrive at your destination, shower, change your clothes and force yourself to stay up. Have a maximum two-hour nap in the afternoon, followed by an early dinner and bedtime. This always works for me.

If you are on the day flight from North America to Asia:

Stay awake on the flight. Watch a movie, read, doodle, anything that will keep you from drifting off.

Sleep on arrival. When you get to your destination, have a light dinner and go to bed.

Melatonin—a natural hormone supplement that encourages sleep—works well for some people. If it works for you, you are one of the lucky ones! Sadly, it does nothing to help me.