Etiquette coach William Hanson has partnered with Hotels.com to identify the most common hotel faux pas, based on a survey of 2,000 people. The top breaches include reserving pool chairs with towels for long periods, smoking or vaping in rooms, and stealing items not intended for guests.
Survey Reveals Guest Behaviour
The research, conducted by OnePoll on behalf of Hotels.com, found that 90% of respondents consider themselves considerate guests. However, 39% believe hotel guests have become less respectful in recent years. The survey also ranked nationalities by politeness: Japanese tourists were deemed the most polite, followed by Sweden, with the UK placing third. Americans were viewed as the most impolite, just below Germans.
Top 20 Hotel Faux Pas
The list of faux pas includes: being rude to staff, being loud, putting incorrect guest numbers on reservations, becoming drunk and annoying others, not reading reviews, smoking or vaping in rooms, not looking at pictures when booking, leaving rooms excessively messy, washing undergarments in the in-room coffee maker, stealing items, jumping the breakfast buffet queue, reserving pool chairs with towels, playing music on personal speakers at the pool, allowing pets at the table in the hotel restaurant, bringing children into adults-only pools, sneaking extra guests into rooms, walking in hallways wearing only a robe, not collecting reward points, not checking out on time, and leaving rubbish or trays in the hallway.
Expert Advice from William Hanson
William Hanson said: “Better hotel etiquette doesn’t just benefit others, it can directly enhance your own stay. At the heart of my guide is the idea that small, thoughtful behaviours add up to big rewards: from a better night’s sleep and improved service to savings on future trips.” His ‘Grand Etiquette Hotel’ guide offers tips on treating staff with dignity, maintaining quiet in hallways, moderating alcohol consumption, avoiding smoking, keeping rooms tidy, using kettles only for hot drinks, not stealing items, queuing at breakfast, not reserving loungers with towels, and collecting loyalty rewards.
Hotels.com Rewards Programme
Hotels.com is offering £100 in ‘Hotels.comCash’ for future trips after staying for 10 eligible nights through its rewards programme. Melanie Fish, travel expert and spokesperson for Hotels.com, said: “Small tweaks can make a world of a difference. Taking the time to check reviews or making the most of rewards can turn a good trip into a great one, and help your travel budget stretch further, too.”
