Travel Discussion on How to behave in a hotel and money saving tips

Just returned from a trip to Pennsylvania and DC (stayed in Alexandria).

So after a week in a hotel thought some people might find themselves described here.

PLEASE DON'T SLAM THE DOOR TO YOUR ROOM....especially if DO NOT DISTURB sign is hung on the door across or next to you (or at anytime). Planned on waking up at 3:45 this morning to leave. Had sign on door (when we went to bed about 9PM people around us had their signs on doors too---should be quiet right). NOPE....the yahoos were out and came back about 11 and slammed doors, then a few minutes later start knocking on each others doors. Then it gets quiet for about 15 minutes. Then knocking and HOLD IT DOWN IN THERE in loud voices in hall, also kindly discussing Jerry Sandusky verdict (heard he was guilty from our hotel neighbors). Just be aware there are people around you who might be trying to sleep (get up for an early drive, flight, etc). So be polite and don't slam door.

IF YOU USE LUGGAGE CART...return it to where you got it. Don't leave it in the hall---one sat at our hotel down the hall for over a day (this was embassy suites too---would think the staff would move but NOPE).

If there is a managers reception or breakfast DON'T ACT LIKE YOU ARE STARVED AND TAKE ALL THE FOOD. If you have kids don't send them up and let them take everything (numerous times watched kids take all the salsa, bacon, etc. If you do take it all go tell someone it needs refilling.

Don't hog 2-3 tables for a family or group of 4. With limited seating people wait for tables, saw a family of 4 take up an area meant for 8.

Clean up after yourselves at buffet or reception.....yes people do clear tables, but if super busy and people waiting for your table at least throw away what you can.

Don't let kids run the halls, yell, make noise.

Think what gets me most is slamming doors....WHY??

Don't take all the ice from the ice machine to fill your coolers!

Show that you do get out in public and know how to act~

Sorry no travel deal but this is travel discussion. Think lots of people could benefit from an etiquette lesson.

Am I guilty of some....yep. I took ice for cooler but the machine was NOT empty and I took 2 ice buckets full. Did I slam a door----HECK YES this morning when the people around us were sleeping at 4:30 I slammed the door good and hard so hopefully they knew. Immature yes but felt good!

Added
To save money we used the MVP code at the embassy suites
We also used code at hampton inn
As good money saver I checked hotel rate weekly and rebooked when rate lowered
We try and stay at hotels that provide breakfasts and were lucky embassy suites had managers reception
We usually find nearby grocery store to buy snacks and soda
Try to stay with chains that have small refrig

We only use codes we qualify for

we stayed at the kimpton near DuPont circle and had none of your issues.
thanks for the headsup. 9-)

SinglePapa said:   We're trying to ban RED color in this dying sub-forum; however, anything not dealing with thickness of one's wallet should also be banned

Great idea coming from all the things you post...comments that are irrelevant and topics that are not pertinent to the forum.

This forum has changed to a begging one.
It is travel discussion.
This is a topic that needs to be discussed.
People act like they have never been out in public and don't know how to act civilized in hotels.
I posted my experience (a travel discussion).

I won't even discuss your posts and advice and 'great deals' here because it is not worth having this deleted or get banned from what I truly want to say.

noticed (by luck) you added some codes now. Maybe if switched your two parts around, we wouldn't have another RED topic in this sub-forum...

You glorify "only using..." - no wonder you are not putting your %saving upfront. If you saved 50% - this could be a worthy topic

This IS a travel discussion forum.....

People are rude and stupid. Having spent a lot of time in hotels over the years, I've noticed that it seems to be worse in hotels. I think it may be because they're away from home and they get to drop the pretense of being decent people. Maybe I'm a cynic.

As far as the slamming doors, most hotels set the automatic closing doors to a tension that ensures they will close. That means they slam. Frequent guests of Marriott refer to it as the Patented Marriott Self-Slamming Doors. Granted, it sounds like you just had some real asshats on your floor.

I love this type of topic when people who have multiple ID's use them to vote...notice the reds are non-contributors who you never see posts from.

SinglePapa- it is difficult to put an amount on the % I saved using the code as the rate changed and depending on the 'package' you chose to compare with. In the end I paid $207 per night for the hotel. When I first booked it was $240 for the same room using the MVP code. In all honesty I don't remember what rate without the MVP code was since reservation was initially made in January. Like rental cars I do check my hotels every couple of weeks to watch rates and see if they go up or down.

I also carefully read the details of what my rate included (was not 'shocked' by the $24 per day parking fee).

Another FW tip is to read everything before agreeing to the terms....I knew that my rate did NOT include parking so that was an added expense. But rate drop 'covered' parking fee when I totaled everything out I was paying for.

Think the who reason for this post was that people need to think about how they are acting when they are traveling. Treat people the way you want to be treated. THINK before yelling in the halls, slamming that door, yes you can close the door quietly (just pull it shut behind you), don't be a rude person in the food area, etc. Just think how you would want to be treated. If you are rude, loud and nasty chances are it will come back to bite you sometime. You will be trying to sleep and someone will make lots of noise by you and you will be complaining. That door next to you will slam and you will realize just how loud you were.

Money saving tips....that is what this forum needs. I googled the MVP codes for Hilton and knew we qualified for them so I used them. I checked rates with and without the codes. Also, there is the Holiday Inn Friends and Family which at times can give good rates (you can google that and usually pull up a coupon)--but read all the conditions of what you need to bring in order to get that rate.

Green for itemization; but your deal was indeed nothing to write to Fatwallet about.

Everyone should start coming up with shrewd ideas - or you'll end up "discussing" yourselves on here

DSJ said:   we stayed at the kimpton near DuPont circle and had none of your issues.
thanks for the headsup. 9-)Madera, Palomar, or Topaz?

I stayed at the Medera and the Palomar, never tried the Topaz - loved the free happy hour.

ok...just to show ignorance: what is an MVP code? I know about AAA and AARP, but have never come across MVP.

So what's MVP ?