Travel has become more than a hobby—it’s a lifestyle for many. According to Corporate Traveller, the top 10% of frequent travelers spend an average of 88 nights per year in hotels. While hotels strive to make every stay feel like home, being a considerate guest can make a big difference for the staff who work hard behind the scenes.
Surprisingly, some acts you think are polite may actually create more work for housekeeping. Here are six etiquette tips every traveler should know before checking out.
1. Don’t Fold Used Towels
You might think folding your used towels is courteous—but it actually causes confusion. Housekeepers can’t tell whether the towels have been used or are still clean, so they often have to wash them all just to be safe, which wastes time, water, and energy.
Instead: Leave used towels in one corner of the bathroom or place them in the bathtub. This clearly signals they’ve been used and need to be replaced.
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2. Don’t Make the Bed
Tidying up your room a little is fine—like picking up loose hair or arranging chairs—but don’t remake the bed. Housekeepers are trained to strip and reset the bed completely, and your well-meant effort could actually slow them down.
Save time for both sides by leaving the bed as it is.
3. Leave a Small Tip
Tipping is a small gesture that goes a long way—especially in countries where service staff rely on gratuities due to low base wages. Housekeeping is physically demanding, and tips are genuinely appreciated.
Pro tip: If you’re staying multiple nights, leave a small tip daily rather than all at once. Different staff members may clean your room on different days.
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4. Gather Your Trash
Before you leave, try to put your trash into the bin or a plastic bag. A room littered with wrappers, empty bottles, or used tissues can make the cleaning process unpleasant and time-consuming.
A small effort for you, a big relief for housekeeping!
5. Return Items to Their Original Places
Not mandatory, but highly considerate: placing the TV remote, chairs, cups, and other items back where you found them. Housekeepers are on tight schedules and often have just 20–30 minutes per room. Your small gesture helps keep things smooth and efficient.
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6. Avoid Using What You Don’t Need
If your room has two beds but you’re only using one, try to leave the second bed untouched. The fewer linens that need changing, the lighter the load for staff—especially when hotels are at full capacity.
Being a polite hotel guest doesn’t require grand gestures—just a little empathy and awareness. A tidy space, a thoughtful tip, or even just not overusing what you don’t need makes the job easier for the people working behind the scenes.
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