The best magazine
Location and a good rate are just two aspects of an enjoyable stay.
Here are some "inside" tips and hotel etiquette to help ensure you have a safe, healthy, and happy stay.
Beware of CO in hotels.
You're probably aware of the dangers of carbon monoxide (CO), and may even have a CO detector in your home.
As a refresher, CO is an odorless, colorless and toxic gas.
Because it is impossible to see, taste or smell the toxic fumes, CO-often called "the silent killer" - can kill before a person is aware of it.
The effects of CO varies from person to person, but symptoms generally include headaches, dizziness, disorientation, nausea and fatigue.
CO, is such a threat that the National Fire Protection Association says CO alarms should be near bedrooms in every home.
However, only a handful of state or municipal laws require hotels to have CO alarms, even though there were 30 incidents of fire departments or government officials finding elevated levels of CO at U.
S.
hotels between 2010 and 2102, according to a USA TODAY analysis of more than 1,000 media reports and local fire departments.
And in early 2012, CO leaking from a swimming pool heater exhaust pipe hospitalized 16 guests, and killed one, at a West Virginia Holiday Inn.
No CO detectors sounded because there were no CO alarms in the hotel.
So, when booking a room in a hotel room, ask if they have CO alarms installed in the rooms.
If not, don't book or accept a room equipped with a fuel-burning device, such as a wood-burning stove or gas fireplace.
If you stay there anyway, definitely do not let the unit run through the night.
Also, do not book a room that opens onto an enclosed parking area, or next to an indoor garage.
There could be CO gas in the air.
You may also want to invest in a portable carbon monoxide detector.
If symptoms such as headache, dizziness, nausea, weakness, and/or confusion occur, get to fresh air quickly.
Think twice about valet parking.
Remember that scene in the movie, Ferris Bueller's Day Off when the garage parking attendants took Cameron's father's prized 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California convertible for a joyride? "Borrowing" parked cars goes on more than you may realize.
Granted, it usually happens with really nice cars, so if you're just tooling around in a rental, you probably don't have to worry.
Beware of bedbugs.
It's not pleasant to think about, but bedbugs are a problem in many hotels across the nation.
In fact, CBS News recently reported the 15 worst cities for bedbugs.
If you're worried about bedbugs in a hotel, you can check for them yourself in the bed, sofa, and chairs.
Pack a few useful items for identifying bedbug infestations, including a flashlight and a magnifying glass.
You can also use an old credit card to scrape and dig for signs of bedbugs.
Here are some telltale signs to look for.
- Adult bedbugs are flat, brown, oval, and wingless, about 1/4 to 3/8 inches long..
They change from brown to purplish-red after they eat, becoming larger and more cigar-shaped.
Young bedbugs look like adults, but smaller. - Check the bed's mattress, box spring, and sheets for any signs, such as rusty or reddish stains on bed linens, pillows and mattresses.
- Look at carpeting or flooring around and under beds.
Bedbug excrement leaves dark spots, about the size of a period on a printed page.
Bedbug waste "bleeds" on fabrics like a pen or marker would. - Inspect the furniture for bedbug eggs and eggshells, which are white and about 1 mm in size.
Open and inspect zippered coverings on furniture and pillows, and at frames and feet of sofas and chairs. - Check walls, wall hangings, paintings, clocks; baseboards, floorboards, and electrical outlets.
Use an old playing card or credit card to probe and scrape out any live bedbugs, remains, or waste.
It's a little known fact, but hotel housekeepers sometimes use furniture polish to ensure the hotel room glasses sparkle, and don't have any spots.
So, it's probably a wise idea to pack your own drinking glass, or ask the hotel bartender if you can borrow a clean glass during your stay.
Don't sleep with the duvet.
Most hotels wash the sheets and blankets on a regular basis, but few, if any, ever wash the duvet covers.
So, do yourself a favor and strip that bad boy right off the bed when you get there.
If you think you might get cold at night, call the front desk and (nicely) request a clean extra blanket.
Be nice to the staff.
It goes without saying, but basic manners go a long way in hotels and restaurants.
Be kind and appreciative to the staff, especially the front desk agent who checks you in.
He or she, more than anyone else, can make your stay either a pleasure or disaster.
Don't be cheap-tip well.
That leads us to the next insider tip: tip well, especially a bellman if he brings your luggage up to your room, or downstairs, in a timely manner.
Don't forget to leave a tip for the housekeeper on your room desk or night stand before you check out, and again, the all-powerful front desk agent - give this person a $10 bill when you check in, and it will help ensure you're stay is a pleasant one.
Double check incidentals and mini bar bill.
If you're billed for incidentals and/or the mini bar, be sure to review the bill and make sure charges are legitimate.
Hotel staff has been known to steal from a room's minibar, sticking the guest with an unwarranted bill.
If the charges aren't yours, dispute it - and try to avoid room extras and bring your own supplies.
Source: ...