Excellent tips. Of all the times in my life I have never had cleaning service in a hotel/motel. I've always hung out the do not disturb hanger and also told the maids. If I really needed something I would just ask the front desk but 99% of the time I had everything I needed. How many people change their sheets everyday at home? Being a maid is hard work, so if I can help out and give them and the earth a break its a good thing. Wish more people would.
Absolutely agreed +Global Adventurer . Also, some hotels and guesthouses are independently owned by locals, so that's an additional cost to them to use additional resources.
OMG!!! Thanks you so much for answering my questions. I was overwhelmed when I heard my name. My trip is this month end and I will surely use all of your advise. Just getting a bit nervous. Being all by myself, but I watched your other videos. Thank you for making all those videos. They all give me interested tips that I would use and thanks again for answering my questions. 😊
+GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa Believe it or not, it is Orlando, Florida. I am from Guyana, South America. I know the USA is not so bad with security but this would be the first time I will be visiting on my own and it had been a while since I had stayed in an hotel. someone else usually take care of me so this is the first time I have responsibility over me and my stuff. I am celebrating my 35th birthday at Magic Kingdom on the same day of Magic Kingdom 45th Birthday. so I am very excited about that. As for my toothbrush, I wasn't wondering if they would steal it. I was just wondering if it would still be clean...use your imagination how it can not be clean if the washroom had be CLEAN. I've read that sometimes they still clean your room even when you have the sign on your door. But I will put the sign out and still put away my stuff. Always good to be safe than to be sorry.
+Fiona R For U.S. travel I'd use my video on safety travel tips ! While the hotels usually tend to be pretty good, the U.S. has more crime than a lot of countries. The tips I share are ones I use in the U.S. ;)
Fiona R I'm also from Guyana. So surprised to see my fellow Guyanese here taking up solo travelling. It's my dream to do the same and I hope sometime soon I'd be able to do so
Thanks, very useful info. On a personal note when I'm leaving a hotel I usually carry 2 'spare' locks one on my room door and another on the cupboard door inside the room. On two occasions in India and Sri Lanka, I've had thieves who have scaled two floors up to my room and using long sticks put these through the 'window bars' to hoist my trousers ( or bags) of the chair to pull it to them.Fortunately, on both occasions, I was disturbed and managed to prevent the robbery. Been traveling in India now for 40 years.
Good call on the do not disturb sign. I always used to assume you had to let cleaners in every day... of course you don’t! In most hotels cleaners open a load of doors and clean multiple rooms at once. If you’re happy with your room left open and unattended, then go right ahead - personally I think that’s the biggest theft hazard right there!
Thank you so much for this!! I needed this so much as a first time Traveller alone (especially as a female) so nerve wracking scary lol this made it so much easier
Using the Do Not Disturb sign is a great idea. Just try to be as neat as possible during the stay. Ditto the storing of your items in drawers - leave them in your luggage. Do watch out for bed bugs...
totally understand all this. When I was in New York this past December, I wiped down my dresser with lysol wipes before putting clothes in. I typically left private sign on door most of the stay, did request towels and such when needed, other than that like things to be the way they are and how i leave them when I come back to hotel. Just feels comfortable :)
I use safes all the time. It's one of must haves when booking never had any problems. I have had few experiences with pick pocketing. I few safer leaving some things in the safe than carrying them in crowded streets.
Check windows! More than ½ of the hotels I've stayed at had unlocked windows. I also use the Do Not Disturb sign I keep my items out in full view as well. Our safe malfunctioned in Thailand. They came to our room, checked my id and we reset the code. It was logged in a book. It's easy to reset a safe!
Block your hotel doors and sliding doors and windows. Always have a weapon of choice, when entering , exiting your room, or on the street. Check food takeout 100%, or they will give you empty shrimp shells, and leave off items. Rotten ox tails in the take out soup. All happen in Bali. Taxi driver quickly cutting off the meter, near your destination, and asking for a higher fare. Korean Air is super racist! Use Singapore Air, for they are simply the best! Thank you Singapore and Singapore Air.🇺🇸💯💯💯❤️❤️❤️💐💐📚😇💕✈️✈️✈️😊
I went to Rome and stayed in a nice hotel in a nice location with a friend. We left our stuff out during the day. The maids stole her clothes, the only people to enter the room while we were out exploring. Of course the snooty hotel manager backed them up and nothing was done. Thieves are everywhere. I for one will lock up my suitcase from now on, look for a hotel with a safe in the room so I can leave whatever I need to behind...medicine, extra money, extra copies of ID etc.
I also have had a few fabulous experiences with hotel staff & owners of the places I've stayed. In some cases it would have been really uncomfortable for me to not interact and I would have missed out on some of my most memorable experiences of my life. Be safe just don't over think things if you are in that boat perhaps go on a package tour.
i've been in a lot of rooms where the safe isn't even bolted down...in vietnam, my friend had money stolen out of his stash in the safe. they didn't take the whole stash but they took out a little by little. its better to just leave it in your suitcase and lock it up. unless they have the TSA key too then idk
+Sam P Unfortunately, Vietnam is a country where theft seems to happen a lot. Leaving your bags even in hotel storage is vulnerable. Another tip to leaving your money in your luggage is to split it up and place it in different parts of your bag.
I'm a university student, visiting a city to attend exams, there is a hotel near my university which is a little bit expensive BUT its relitvly clean, comfortable, and U clear your mind to focus on studying. Other "hotels" are like a 10 minute drive from Uni, but they are dusty, and not good for my mental health, I could stay there for like 2 days tops, then I have to leave to another place, because I would be anxious all day over whether or not it's worth it to stay there, and the sheets are not clean or changed at all, U feel itchy all the time. I wake up about 3 times a night there. But I would feel guilty if I stay in the "expensive" hotel since I'm on a tight budget, but if I stay at the other hotels where I'm feeling like compromising peace-of-mind, I would not feel good all day and I wount be able to focus that day on anything... HELP :'(
when i stay at hotels i just ask for towels and toiletries, the sheets are fine unless it has cum, housekeeping has more than enough workloads, i prefer the safe at the front desk and i always place the do not disturb sign, a knock on the door, first i would look who it is and if i can't recognize the person, i would call the front desk for help
In addition to the dnd sign, I leave the tv on, just loud enough that it can be heard from outside the room. This way it appears there is someone in the room.
Do Not Disturb Sign. See or there is one in the local language and use that one. (Don't advertise you're from a foreign country )Jam it inside the door a little you will notice that way if someone has been inside.Check the escape route the moment you check in. If there is a power failure or a fire it makes it much easier. Hotel Safe don't trust them 0000 or 1234 often opens them check this. If they are not bolted and secured don't use them at all. Just place say $500 in them and note the serial numbers. The burglar will stop looking and you claim the insurance. Passports are worth a fortune on the black market don't put them in the safe.
did you know that with a lot of insurance policies, if there was a safe available and you didn't use it they won't pay out? I know it's easy to forget things, but I'm just in the habit of checking all the draws, cupboards and under the bed before I leave the room. Regarding the tipping thing, in the UK we don't have the same tipping culture as in the US. It would never cross my mind to tip the hotel cleaning staff, however I have left money on my bed in Thailand, just because I know how little they get paid. I guess the same could be said for most chamber maids, but it doesn't seem the done thing here.
+rackstar Didn't know about the insurance policy thing or that the UK doesn't have tipping. Do they have tipping in other situations like restaurants and cafes? The U.S. has gone quite overboard with it.
yes, i would tip in a restaurant for sure (some places even add 12% on to your check automatically!) I sometimes round up to the nearest £ in a taxi and I usually give my hairdresser a couple of £ extra for a good job, but it's not expected. I get flustered when I'm in the US though because I'm not sure who or how much I'm meant to be tipping! haha
GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa oooh there is tipping in the UK. 10% when eating out is normal. Tipping cleaning staff is, too, as everywhere in Europe. It is not expected as in the US, but with a wage of $10 or less an hour, it's definitely good manners to leave a small tip anywhere. But a lot of people are tight arses in the UK as well as the rest of Europe... (signed, a German who has lived in the U.K. for a decade) I do not believe in excessive tipping, but I do go by the idea that if a cannot afford to pay an extra 5-10% for a service, I shouldn't use that service in a place where it is customary. I know lots of people all over Europe who work in service, and everybody scoffs at the folks who don't tip or at least round up the bill to the next £1/€1 what not (while they also laugh at Americans who tip 15-20%). If you go to Europe, please tip a tiny bit.
The people that work at hotel can break into the safe so i would not use them either. It so simple to break in u would not believe it but it youtube videos on it. My luggage is my safe.
take pictures before leaving out your room don't leave anything like money and jewelry commicate with the front desk and make sure you get all there names.
It all depends on personal finances and budget ; no one can impose financial choices on another traveler, unless they're responsible in paying for their income and travel budget. Also, some countries house keeping, by making them work, ...you're only adding their work, because tipping isn't a part of their culture..
+GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa I was revering to not let them doing their job with the don't disturb sign. If too many people does it, some house keeper may lose the job. I don't mean to tip if it isn't a cultural thing. I don't like the US tipping culture. The companies should pay a real salary to their employees. It shouldn't be the responsibility of the customers.
Thanks a lot for a tip about “ Do not disturb” sign. Have never thought about the implications of cleaning the room every day.
Excellent tips. Of all the times in my life I have never had cleaning service in a hotel/motel. I've always hung out the do not disturb hanger and also told the maids. If I really needed something I would just ask the front desk but 99% of the time I had everything I needed. How many people change their sheets everyday at home? Being a maid is hard work, so if I can help out and give them and the earth a break its a good thing. Wish more people would.
Absolutely agreed +Global Adventurer . Also, some hotels and guesthouses are independently owned by locals, so that's an additional cost to them to use additional resources.
OMG!!! Thanks you so much for answering my questions. I was overwhelmed when I heard my name. My trip is this month end and I will surely use all of your advise. Just getting a bit nervous. Being all by myself, but I watched your other videos. Thank you for making all those videos. They all give me interested tips that I would use and thanks again for answering my questions. 😊
+Fiona R Good questions. Glad you got to see it; made it especially worthwhile for me then. ;) BTW-- what's your destination?
+GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa Believe it or not, it is Orlando, Florida. I am from Guyana, South America. I know the USA is not so bad with security but this would be the first time I will be visiting on my own and it had been a while since I had stayed in an hotel. someone else usually take care of me so this is the first time I have responsibility over me and my stuff. I am celebrating my 35th birthday at Magic Kingdom on the same day of Magic Kingdom 45th Birthday. so I am very excited about that. As for my toothbrush, I wasn't wondering if they would steal it. I was just wondering if it would still be clean...use your imagination how it can not be clean if the washroom had be CLEAN. I've read that sometimes they still clean your room even when you have the sign on your door. But I will put the sign out and still put away my stuff. Always good to be safe than to be sorry.
+Fiona R For U.S. travel I'd use my video on safety travel tips ! While the hotels usually tend to be pretty good, the U.S. has more crime than a lot of countries. The tips I share are ones I use in the U.S. ;)
Fiona R I'm also from Guyana. So surprised to see my fellow Guyanese here taking up solo travelling. It's my dream to do the same and I hope sometime soon I'd be able to do so
Thanks, very useful info. On a personal note when I'm leaving a hotel I usually carry 2 'spare' locks one on my room door and another on the cupboard door inside the room. On two occasions in India and Sri Lanka, I've had thieves who have scaled two floors up to my room and using long sticks put these through the 'window bars' to hoist my trousers ( or bags) of the chair to pull it to them.Fortunately, on both occasions, I was disturbed and managed to prevent the robbery. Been traveling in India now for 40 years.
Good call on the do not disturb sign. I always used to assume you had to let cleaners in every day... of course you don’t!
In most hotels cleaners open a load of doors and clean multiple rooms at once. If you’re happy with your room left open and unattended, then go right ahead - personally I think that’s the biggest theft hazard right there!
Thank you so much for this!! I needed this so much as a first time Traveller alone (especially as a female) so nerve wracking scary lol this made it so much easier
Using the Do Not Disturb sign is a great idea. Just try to be as neat as possible during the stay.
Ditto the storing of your items in drawers - leave them in your luggage.
Do watch out for bed bugs...
Honestly and sincerely I never thought about using the DND sign as a "safety" & eco-friendly tool. Thanks for that! Truly
totally understand all this. When I was in New York this past December, I wiped down my dresser with lysol wipes before putting clothes in. I typically left private sign on door most of the stay, did request towels and such when needed, other than that like things to be the way they are and how i leave them when I come back to hotel. Just feels comfortable :)
Absolutely 🙌
I use safes all the time. It's one of must haves when booking never had any problems. I have had few experiences with pick pocketing. I few safer leaving some things in the safe than carrying them in crowded streets.
Check windows! More than ½ of the hotels I've stayed at had unlocked windows.
I also use the Do Not Disturb sign
I keep my items out in full view as well.
Our safe malfunctioned in Thailand. They came to our room, checked my id and we reset the code. It was logged in a book. It's easy to reset a safe!
+A Graham Good to know resetting a safe is easy. I always wondered a bit about that.
Good tips and ideas.good video👍💯💖😍
Great tips Christine! Some real talk in there too! Love it.
Glad you found it helpful +UberDan !=D
Block your hotel doors and sliding doors and windows. Always have a weapon of choice, when entering , exiting your room, or on the street. Check food takeout 100%, or they will give you empty shrimp shells, and leave off items. Rotten ox tails in the take out soup. All happen in Bali. Taxi driver quickly cutting off the meter, near your destination, and asking for
a higher fare.
Korean Air is super racist!
Use Singapore Air, for they are simply the best! Thank you Singapore and Singapore Air.🇺🇸💯💯💯❤️❤️❤️💐💐📚😇💕✈️✈️✈️😊
I went to Rome and stayed in a nice hotel in a nice location with a friend. We left our stuff out during the day. The maids stole her clothes, the only people to enter the room while we were out exploring. Of course the snooty hotel manager backed them up and nothing was done. Thieves are everywhere. I for one will lock up my suitcase from now on, look for a hotel with a safe in the room so I can leave whatever I need to behind...medicine, extra money, extra copies of ID etc.
Isn't the American tipping thing come from workers getting paid less because companies assume the workers are getting tips.
I also have had a few fabulous experiences with hotel staff & owners of the places I've stayed. In some cases it would have been really uncomfortable for me to not interact and I would have missed out on some of my most memorable experiences of my life. Be safe just don't over think things if you are in that boat perhaps go on a package tour.
+Ettianne Anshin So agreed! Interaction is a key experience of travel. Everyone offers a great and new perspective to life! =D
i've been in a lot of rooms where the safe isn't even bolted down...in vietnam, my friend had money stolen out of his stash in the safe. they didn't take the whole stash but they took out a little by little. its better to just leave it in your suitcase and lock it up. unless they have the TSA key too then idk
+Sam P Unfortunately, Vietnam is a country where theft seems to happen a lot. Leaving your bags even in hotel storage is vulnerable. Another tip to leaving your money in your luggage is to split it up and place it in different parts of your bag.
Hi, thanks for the video. I will visit india next week, do you have a suggestion about guest house that makes me as a woman feel safe?
i can go around the world videos ,never go abroad ..you r lucky ..thanks for sharing interesting videos .....curious to watch you
As always great tips👌🏽.
Yes it was helpful Thanks
I'm a university student, visiting a city to attend exams, there is a hotel near my university which is a little bit expensive BUT its relitvly clean, comfortable, and U clear your mind to focus on studying.
Other "hotels" are like a 10 minute drive from Uni, but they are dusty, and not good for my mental health, I could stay there for like 2 days tops, then I have to leave to another place, because I would be anxious all day over whether or not it's worth it to stay there, and the sheets are not clean or changed at all, U feel itchy all the time.
I wake up about 3 times a night there.
But I would feel guilty if I stay in the "expensive" hotel since I'm on a tight budget, but if I stay at the other hotels where I'm feeling like compromising peace-of-mind, I would not feel good all day and I wount be able to focus that day on anything...
HELP :'(
What is the brand of your bagpack? Thank you! 😊😊😊
+Lara Jeev I've done a video reviewing my carry on and one stating the vlogging equipment I use. 🎥
when i stay at hotels i just ask for towels and toiletries, the sheets are fine unless it has cum, housekeeping has more than enough workloads, i prefer the safe at the front desk and i always place the do not disturb sign, a knock on the door, first i would look who it is and if i can't recognize the person, i would call the front desk for help
0:48 1:27 1:51 4:02 5:52
In addition to the dnd sign, I leave the tv on, just loud enough that it can be heard from outside the room. This way it appears there is someone in the room.
Do Not Disturb Sign. See or there is one in the local language and use that one. (Don't advertise you're from a foreign country )Jam it inside the door a little you will notice that way if someone has been inside.Check the escape route the moment you check in. If there is a power failure or a fire it makes it much easier. Hotel Safe don't trust them 0000 or 1234 often opens them check this. If they are not bolted and secured don't use them at all. Just place say $500 in them and note the serial numbers. The burglar will stop looking and you claim the insurance. Passports are worth a fortune on the black market don't put them in the safe.
some great tips!
Glad it helped +Tabitha Laker !
Nice video! Very useful :) thanks :)
You're welcome +Melissa Paquet. =D
make sure there is a safe
did you know that with a lot of insurance policies, if there was a safe available and you didn't use it they won't pay out? I know it's easy to forget things, but I'm just in the habit of checking all the draws, cupboards and under the bed before I leave the room. Regarding the tipping thing, in the UK we don't have the same tipping culture as in the US. It would never cross my mind to tip the hotel cleaning staff, however I have left money on my bed in Thailand, just because I know how little they get paid. I guess the same could be said for most chamber maids, but it doesn't seem the done thing here.
+rackstar Didn't know about the insurance policy thing or that the UK doesn't have tipping. Do they have tipping in other situations like restaurants and cafes? The U.S. has gone quite overboard with it.
yes, i would tip in a restaurant for sure (some places even add 12% on to your check automatically!) I sometimes round up to the nearest £ in a taxi and I usually give my hairdresser a couple of £ extra for a good job, but it's not expected. I get flustered when I'm in the US though because I'm not sure who or how much I'm meant to be tipping! haha
GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa oooh there is tipping in the UK. 10% when eating out is normal. Tipping cleaning staff is, too, as everywhere in Europe. It is not expected as in the US, but with a wage of $10 or less an hour, it's definitely good manners to leave a small tip anywhere. But a lot of people are tight arses in the UK as well as the rest of Europe... (signed, a German who has lived in the U.K. for a decade) I do not believe in excessive tipping, but I do go by the idea that if a cannot afford to pay an extra 5-10% for a service, I shouldn't use that service in a place where it is customary. I know lots of people all over Europe who work in service, and everybody scoffs at the folks who don't tip or at least round up the bill to the next £1/€1 what not (while they also laugh at Americans who tip 15-20%). If you go to Europe, please tip a tiny bit.
The people that work at hotel can break into the safe so i would not use them either. It so simple to break in u would not believe it but it youtube videos on it. My luggage is my safe.
take pictures before leaving out your room don't leave anything like money and jewelry commicate with the front desk and make sure you get all there names.
I have a question?
great videos :) what is your background? You look sort of asian or native american
Try human and have a wonderful day
We were Robbed in Saigon Vietnam Alagon Zen hotel in District 1
The jobs of house keeping are important to them to make their living. Don't make them jobless.
It all depends on personal finances and budget ; no one can impose financial choices on another traveler, unless they're responsible in paying for their income and travel budget. Also, some countries house keeping, by making them work, ...you're only adding their work, because tipping isn't a part of their culture..
+GRRRLTRAVELER | Christine Kaaloa I was revering to not let them doing their job with the don't disturb sign. If too many people does it, some house keeper may lose the job. I don't mean to tip if it isn't a cultural thing. I don't like the US tipping culture. The companies should pay a real salary to their employees. It shouldn't be the responsibility of the customers.
I feel not "I few"