Hotels That Really Outdid Themselves With Their Clever Ideas
One of the best things about traveling is staying in a hotel. There's something about it that feels so exciting and relaxing. Maybe it's that you don't have to do any of the cleaning yourself, or maybe it's because hotels like to go above and beyond to make you feel at home and comfortable.
These are some hotels that really knocked it out of the park with their neat ideas and customer service.
Isn't That Sweet?
This guy had been staying in his hotel for quite a while, and before checking out, he got a little treat from the hotel staff thanking him for being so tidy and respectful.
That Is A Five-Star Fort
You know when you see those "special instructions" sections when you make a reservation, and you want to fill it out but don't have the guts? These people did, and the hotel definitely met the challenge of building them an awesome fort.
Everywhere Should Do This
Instead of throwing things out after using them only once, this hotel has offered to let people take the soaps home and even offered a little bag. It's these little things that will make a big impact on the environment.
This Probably Saved A Lot Of Trouble
Each hotel room in this place has a card that you can keep in your wallet to give to cab drivers in case there is an issue with communicating with one another when you want to get back to your hotel.
Who Doesn't Love A Rubber Duck?
Not only do you get soaps and shampoos in cute little bottles at this hotel, but you also get a little rubber duck to keep all your toiletries company while you're away for the day.
Why Doesn't Every Hotel Do This?
This hotel has way later checkouts on the weekends so that you don't have to worry about being up super early if you were out enjoying yourself the night before.
OK, This Is Really Cool
In Germany, there is a hostel that is literally an indoor trailer park. This would be an especially fun place to stay with kids, don't you think? It's almost like an indoor theme park.
What An Interesting Choice
A lot of hotels are moving away from keeping the Bible in the bedside table, but replacing it with George Orwell's 1984 seems like a really bold choice to make.
That's Really Beautiful
Any time I see something like this at someone's hotel, I always wonder how long it took someone to make a towel sculpture that beautiful. Maybe it's part of the training that goes into getting that job.
This Is Such An Adorable Idea
Some people travel for work or like to travel alone, but sometimes that might get a little bit lonely. This hotel has plants in the lobby that you can take up to your room!
This Should Be A Thing In Every House
Tired of having towels that were ruined by makeup that wouldn't wash out? This place started leaving a black towel specifically for makeup in the bathrooms so that they won't get stained when guests need to remove their makeup.
A Fun Trip For Everyone
This hotel has a tiny bathroom with a small, child-sized door for kids to have a little bit of privacy, too. Did anyone else looking at this think it was a mirror at first?
Everyone Loves Bacon
Sometimes you want to add a little excitement to your life, so why not put out one of these fun "do not disturb" signs instead of the boring old traditional ones?
How Thoughtful!
In order to help their visitors save on roaming charges, this hotel has a cellphone in every room that has important phone numbers in it and a maps function so you can get around.
Who Doesn't Love A Little White Noise?
When you're trying to sleep in a new place, it can be a little bit difficult. That's why it's such a good idea to have a white noise machine in each room to help a little bit.
You Never Know What You Might Forget
This hotel has a lending locker that's full of appliances you would need if you were staying long-term somewhere and forgot something like a blow dryer, or want to make your own coffee.
No More Getting Wet
This should be something that you have at every shower, not just in hotels. Now you can turn the water on and test it without having to get yourself all wet.
People Love To Eat Pizza
Hotel staff were finding pizza boxes where they didn't belong, so they decided to do something about it. They made a garbage specifically for pizza boxes, which is basically genius.
How Cute Are These?
Just when you thought a breakfast buffet couldn't get any better, you roll up to see these adorable little bottles of ketchup and hot sauce. That bottle is so cute and tiny, but let's be real, you'd need many.
No More Craning Your Neck
These alarm clocks have the time on each side of the clock so that you can tell what time it is even when you're lying in bed. No one likes bending their neck to check the time.
What Kind Of Magic Is This?
This device gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "magic mirror". At this hotel, the mirror has a section that won't fog up after using the shower, so you can still see your face. I'm not sure how it works exactly, but I need one of these in my home.
A Helpful Reminder List
There's nothing worse than leaving something behind at a hotel. Thankfully, one hotel came up with a brilliant idea: each guest gets one of these useful checklists to ensure they packed up the most forgotten items. While this is very clever, I am a bit concerned that "kids" are mentioned on this list.
Which Pillow Do You Prefer?
Usually, hotels don't give you a choice when it comes to your pillow's softness, but this one does! On top of that, they are labeled, too. A small gesture like this goes a long way to improving a guest's comfort.
A Surprise Visitor
Hotel staff must have been having some fun when they made this guy out of towels and placed him in the bathroom. I've seen hotels make swans out of towels, but nothing like this! How do I get housekeeping to make me one the next time I check in?
An Eco-Friendly Solution
These toilet/sink hybrids use recycled water from the handwashing sink as toilet water. That way, people use less water overall and do their part to conserve this valuable, natural resource. There's nothing better than a hotel that cares about the environment.
Another Way To Be Environmentally Conscious
This hotel went one step further and installed these water meters in their showers. They let guests know how much water they're using, and if they use too much, the iceberg graphics will begin to melt. That's one way to tell guests to conserve water.
The Future Is Here
Robots are becoming more common in daily life, but I'm still not used to them. Whether it's a robot cleaner at a store or those electronic waiters at restaurants, I get excited every time I see one. At this hotel, a robot butler brings guests their room service order. So cool!
Another Alternative To The Bible
Instead of a Bible in the nightstand, this hotel includes copies of the American Constitution and the Declaration of Independence. I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume this hotel is located in the United States.
Feline Guests Are Welcome
More and more hotels are becoming pet-friendly to help out guests who are traveling with their furry companions. One guest was pleasantly surprised when they discovered that the hotel set up a bed, litter box, and scratching post for their cat. That's top-quality service!
Every Hotel Needs To Do This
I don't know what it is about hotel lighting systems, but you can never tell which light switch controls the light you are trying to turn on. Thankfully, this hotel has one light switch panel, and all the buttons are labeled. It's a small idea that will make a huge difference.
You Have To Love A Hotel With A Sense Of Humor
We've all seen those elevator signs that let you know how many people are allowed at once. This one took it a step further to include the weight limits of bananas, horses, and nickels. I'm sure this gave a few guests a good chuckle.
Dogs Good, People Bad
Hey, this sign makes a point. In many ways, dogs cause less trouble than humans do. I'm sure the staff at this hotel prefer serving their canine guests over people any day of the week. Now, I just need my dog to vouch for me...
Smart Shower Design
This shower has a shelf that's always accessible – no need to open the shower door to grab your toiletries when you're packing up. Honestly, I could use something like this for my shower at home. A practical idea is useful anywhere.
A Chocolate For Your Troubles
In the past, hotels used to leave chocolates or mints on guests' pillows. It's not really a thing anymore, but this hotel brought back the idea with a twist. Since the hotel was undergoing some renovations, they gave guests these chocolates shaped like screws. I'm sure guests appreciated them!
Seems Like A Fair Trade
At this hotel, declining a daily cleaning service gets you a free drink at the hotel bar. I usually decline daily cleaning when I stay at hotels anyway, so this would be right up my alley. I'm sure it saves the hotel from washing towels and sheets that don't need it, thus saving water in the process.
How Do I Get One Of These?
At one hotel's breakfast buffet, there is a machine that makes you fresh pancakes right on the spot. This is such a dangerous idea because I would 100% stand there and make myself a huge stack of pancakes until someone stopped me. These are the technological innovations I live for.
A Free Library In A Hotel Lobby
Not only is the idea of a library in a hotel awesome, but I love how they designed it. If you look closely, you'll see that the shelves spell out "Take a book, leave a book." Every hotel should have something like this.
Accommodating Travelers From All Over
One person spotted these outlets in their hotel in Switzerland that will work for electronic devices from all over the world. This is such a helpful feature, especially since so many people rely on their phones when they're traveling these days. There's no need to bring all those adapters when things like this exist.
A Simple Solution To A Common Problem
When you travel, something happens to the space-time continuum that makes it impossible to remember the date. I've experienced this phenomenon myself, but one hotel came up with a simple solution to help guests. Every day, they change the rug in the elevator to show the correct day of the week. Honestly, this probably helps a lot of people when they are vacationing.
Nice Straw Alternative
We all know that single-use plastics have a negative impact on the environment, so many businesses are trying to reduce their use when they can. At this hotel, guests enjoying a drink are treated to a straw made from lemongrass. It's sturdy, and instead of going into the trash, it can be composted.
They Nailed It
Anyone with kids knows that getting them to eat food can be a struggle. This hotel took care of that with a hilarious kids' menu that covers all the bases. I have a feeling "I Don't Know" is a popular choice for their kitchen.
Safety First
Safety at a hotel is serious business. After all, if a fire broke out, dozens of people would need to find their way out of an unfamiliar building. At this hotel, the evacuation plans are located on the floor, so people crawling to prevent smoke inhalation can still see them.
A Simple Solution To A Long-Standing Problem
There's nothing worse than trying to sleep in and getting woken up by a sliver of light that is somehow shining directly in your eye. This hotel solved that problem by installing these curtain rods that overlap, eliminating any chance of sunlight streaming into the room.
Take A Bite Out Of Texas
I'm going to take a wild guess and assume this hotel is located in Texas. I've never eaten a waffle shaped like an American state, but there's a first time for everything. Plus, this would make a great memory from anyone's trip to the Lone Star State.
Complimentary Binoculars
Knowing that their guests would probably want to take in the gorgeous view, this hotel includes complimentary binoculars. This is one of those ideas that I wouldn't even think of, but now that I see it, I can appreciate its brilliance.
Just Leave A Pebble Out
Instead of those door hangers that let hotel staff know not to disturb a room, this hotel has small rocks painted with a message on them. It's definitely a unique idea that you won't see everywhere!
Eco-Friendly Room Keys
Hotel room keys have been plastic for as long as I can remember. One hotel decided to use a more eco-friendly solution and opted for these wooden keys instead. Not only are these more stylish, but they will decompose when they are discarded.
A Hidden Mickey Mouse
If you've ever stayed at a Disney park, you know there are hidden Mickey Mouse icons all over. One guest even found one in their hotel shower that only appeared when the tile was wet. Those Disney designers just think of everything, don't they?
An Album Of Their Favorite Guests
This hotel keeps albums out that have polaroid pictures of their favorite guests, and all the photos are of dogs. Ha, ha, that is amazing! Well, clearly, this hotel isn't hiding its fondness for its four-legged guests.
Hotel Weather Station
Checking the weather when you're on vacation is like a daily ritual, so this hotel decided to help guests out. With this coconut weather station, it's easy to get an accurate read on the current conditions. If the coconut is wet, it's raining. If it's dry, it's not raining. I just wouldn't want to be around when it gets into "typhoon" territory.
emiliegardham
