Make the most of your stay with these 10 travel hacks .
Julia Gralberg
Hotel Travel Hacks
Although you might have booked an epic 5-star hotel, there are always tips and tricks to make your stay that little bit more amazing.
However, if sneaking well-buttered bread rolls from the breakfast buffet into a shower cap or making a grilled cheese sandwich by using an iron is a bit too much for you, there are easier and classier ways to join the hotel hack club.
Whether you’re travelling for business or leisure, there are some seriously slick travel hacks available to ensure you’ll never have to pack muddy shoes with crisp clean shirts, run out of exfoliator or miss out on your favourite TV-shows, ever again.
We are talking hotel hacks so clever you’ll never stay anywhere without them. Some of them are, quite frankly, genius.
Use a trouser hanger
We all love amazing views from our hotel room until a sliver of sunshine wakes us up in the morning. If your hotel curtains won’t behave, use a hanger with clips to keep the curtains together and the lights out. Simply nail the curtains together by using the two clips on the trouser hanger. Easy!
Connect Netflix to the hotel room TV
You don’t need to be a tech whiz to master this travel hack. If your hotel room has a flat-screen TV with an HDMI port and your room has WIFI, bingo! Now you can hook Netflix up to the TV directly from your laptop, tablet or smartphone and binge-watch all your favourite TV shows. Of course, staying at a hotel like Ovolo makes this even simpler thanks to them hooking you up with an Apple TV and Smart TV with media hub.
Keep the power on
This hotel room hack is a favourite. Always ask for two key cards when you check in. Leave one card in the slot by the door to ensure the air-conditioner is on whilst you’re out and your laptop, camera and iPhone are being charged.
Slip ’em a $20 note (for an upgrade)
Fluttering your eyelashes may only get you so far. In our experience, cash is king! Slip the front office staff your credit card together with a $20 note and ask if there are any ‘complimentary upgrades’ available, and just wait for the magic to happen.
Pack your favourite tea
Sadly, sometimes your favourite hotels don’t stock your favourite tea. Not every hotel can be like Ovolo with a full supply of popular T2 Teas! Oh, the horror. Solution? Bring a plastic zipper bag with your teabags.
Turn your shower into a steamer
For business travellers eager to impress, this life hack is for you. Sort out your wrinkled clothes by hanging them in the bathroom while you enjoy a hot shower. The steam will smooth out any wrinkles, ensuring you are looking sharp for your meeting.
Make (real) use of the shower cap
Leave those bread rolls alone! There are by far more valuable ways to make use of the magic shower cap. For example, place your dirty shoes in the plastic cap before packing them in your suitcase.
Use the heated towel rack as a clothes dryer
If you’re a full-time traveller, a little hand laundry is impossible to avoid. Instead of spending a small fortune on the hotel laundry service, use the towel heat racks in the bathroom to dry your hand-washed clothes. The ultimate hotel hack!
Make use of those sugar packs
Tired of travelling with your seven-step skincare products making your wash bag look like a small suitcase?
Save on the number of products you pack by mixing your facial cleanser with a packet of sugar and voila (!) you’ll have an exfoliator.
Create your own surround system
Drop your iPhone into an empty glass to host your very own hotel room party. This is the best travel hack to turn the beats up! Chances are, though, you probably won’t need to do this little hack at Ovolo, thanks to their booming Bluetooth speaker systems.
De-crinkle your clothing without the help of housekeeping
If you are one independent individual who doesn’t need a housekeeper to give your clothing that crisp crinkle-free look, this hotel hack is a must. The time spent washing and ironing your clothing ahead of a hotel stay quite often is very dishearteningly made redundant by the time you unpack your bag and see your hard work has gone to waste.
This hotel hack is not only a saviour for you well-planned vacay or staycay looks, it’s also a two-in-one timesaver. While you’re having a shower, shut the bathroom door for optimal steam build, placing your fit in the bathroom with you to steam out those creases. Your other option, if your clothing is not moisture friendly, is to use the hairdryer. Alternate between blowing your do dry and smoothing out those unwanted clothing creases. Or, save the hassle altogether and make use of a hotel hack people often forget, call the crew at the front desk and send up a steamer.
Let the hotel know about special occasions
It is rare that we as busy individuals take the time to treat ourselves without the purpose of a special celebration. This hotel hack is as simple as it is effective. Let the hotel know ahead of your stay what special occasion you are celebrating and watch them put their best foot forward for you with special treats to amplify your celebratory stay.
Don’t just let this hotel hack guide your stay, let it be a life hack lesson to follow. With every booking (restaurant, tour, etc.), let them know what you’re celebrating. It will forever be our gift to you that keeps on giving.
Book directly through the hotel
Too often, we at Ovolo hear people seeking the lowest price as guidance for the stay. How wrong they are. Here’s our hotel hack to you. BOOK DIRECT. By using the hotel’s own website for bookings, or even calling the hotel directly, you may find some very enticing and price justifying discounts, offers or upgrades. The off-season is usually when you’ll find the best deals about.
But, at Ovolo, we offer The Perks all day every day. Book direct through ovolohotels.com to receive a wonderful array of fabulous inclusion to be enjoyed at your leisure, on us. Savour sundowner drinks at social hour, midnight treats from the minibar and complimentary continental breakfast to kickstart your day. Plus, get superspeed wifi, 24-hour gym access and self-service laundry to keep you looking and feeling fresh, all with no more to pay when you book directly at ovolohotels.com.
Julia Gralberg is a freelance travel writer, editor of Hotel & Resort Guide, Lux Nomade and founder of Boutique Communications Consultancy, Lux Collective. When she isn’t busy jumping in hotel beds and eating her way through breakfast buffets you’ll find her on her yoga mat.