16 Things You Should Never Overlook When Checking into a Hotel

On the surface, your hotel room might seem clean … but if you take the time to really inspect it, you might be surprised at how dirty it actually is. Sadly, many hotels focus on quick turnaround rather than a thorough cleaning after each guest. 

Use these tips to make sure you’re sleeping safe from creepy crawlies on your next hotel stay. 

This one you can do before even checking in. Drive around the hotel’s parking lot to see how well-maintained it is. Are there trash cans overflowing? Trash floating around the parking lot? If so, hightail it to the next hotel.

As soon as you enter your hotel room, run your finger across surfaces including tables and the bathroom sink. You’re feeling to see if dust or dirt stick to your finger, which is a pretty good sign that the room was cleaned in a hurry and not well.

Bed bugs are rampant in many hotels, but they’re tricky to find. Use a flashlight and thoroughly examine both the sheets and the mattress. If you don’t see bugs, look for small dark spots. This is the blood that they’ve sucked from other less-fortunate hotel guests. 

(Pro tip: Never put your suitcase or bags on a hotel bed! If you do, you can easily transport those bed bugs back to your home.) 

Even if your hotel room just looks out at rooftops and alleys, you want clean windows. Look for fingerprints and smudges, which tell you the windows (and likely other things) weren’t cleaned well. 

The toilet paper might be folded into a cute little bow, but how clean is the bathroom as a whole? Look at the tub to ensure it’s dirt-free and doesn’t have mildew accumulating in the corners. The sink should be sparkling, and you shouldn’t see trash or even (ew) stray hairs. The floor should be spotless, including areas around the toilet. 

Here’s a trick: Take a wet washcloth and swipe the carpet in various places in your hotel room. 

A little dirt on the cloth is okay (it’s impossible to completely clean a carpet) but if it comes up black, speak to the manager. 

A clean hotel room should smell like nothing or like cleaning products. If it smells like smoke or old food, the housekeepers didn’t air out the room properly. 

Hotel linens are typically white so they can be bleached of all stains. Check yours to make sure they are indeed snow white. They should smell slightly like bleach or detergent, and nothing else. 

If your hotel room has a couch, remove the cushions and see how clean it is. This is an easy place for cleaners to skip since most people don’t check it. And if you’re utilizing the foldout bed, check to make sure it doesn’t have used sheets from a previous guest. 

You might not think about the pillow you’re going to sleep on, but it can be pretty disgusting. Remove the pillow cover to see how stained it is. If it’s covered in sweat and drool stains, call the front desk and ask for a new one. 

Another often overlooked spot in a hotel room is the coffee maker. Make sure the coffee pot (if there is one) is clean and dry, and that there aren’t used coffee grounds or a pod in the machine. 

The mini fridge should be empty and clean. If there’s a freezer component, it shouldn’t be frosted over. If you find another guest’s Mexican leftovers, it’s time for another room. 

If your room has a mini kitchen, take time to ensure that the plates, dishes, and silverware are spotless. If there’s a dishwasher, make sure it’s empty and dry. If you have plastic or disposable cups, make sure those are sealed in plastic wrap. 

This one’s especially important if you have allergies that are aggravated by dust. Swipe your finger or a wet washcloth across the air vent to make sure it’s not covered in dust that will assault your sinuses all night. 

Many hotels don’t wash bed covers after each guest, which is pretty terrifying. If you see any noticeable stains, immediately ask for a clean replacement. Otherwise, remove the cover and use blankets, which are more likely to be cleaned on a regular basis.

Don’t wait until you come in late at night to discover that the bed is broken, the clock doesn’t work, or the couch is wonky. These are damages the hotel might try to blame you for, so make a quick inspection of all the furniture, lamps, wall art, and bathroom fixtures to make sure everything’s in good working order.

Don’t be shy about telling the front desk that you want your room cleaned properly, or that you want dirty items replaced. And if the room is beyond help, you have every right to demand a refund and find a hotel that cares more about the cleanliness of its rooms.