Top 10 Surprising Free Hotel Amenities

Parking, Wi-Fi and a 24-hour front desk are the minimum of free services that you should pay attention when you want to choose a hotel. What else can you get for free? We have gathered a whole range of opportunities that will make your rest more pleasant. We also advise you to be friends with the staff: even if the required service is not in the list, they will try to help you at the reception.

1. Take a compliment

Newlyweds know: if you loudly announce a recent marriage on arrival, there is a chance to get a gift – a bottle of champagne, a basket of fruit or a discount on spa treatments.This is a “compliment from the hotel.” In this case, to marry that to receive a compliment is not necessary. The occasion may be the anniversary of a long past wedding, or a birthday. And perhaps in the room you will have to wait for some kind of surprise.

Photo by Brigitte Tohm

2. To get a bed for a child

If you travel with a small child, ask for a cot or an extra bed. The main thing is not to forget to inform the hotel that you have children. Write about it in the comments when booking. The service is provided if the room is spacious enough, and there is where to put another bed in it – this is done according to the regulations that are strictly in hotels.

3. A cup of tea before bedtime

Among all you could want, a cup of strong tea, perhaps, can be more pleasant and most important. It can be ordered in the room.

Photo by Suhyeon Choi

4. To use print, scan or fax

Paper and office equipment still exist. If you need something to print, scan or fax: return tickets, a copy of your passport and so on, you could ask at the reception and they will help you.

5. Wake up from someone else’s pleasant voice

Many travelers from exhaustion used to turn off the phone alarm without waking up. So you can miss an important event. Therefore, you can ask at the front desk to call you at the right time. Phones in hotels usually ring loudly, and the staff is remarkable for caring persistence: if you don’t andswer the phone,  they will call you back several times, or knock on the door. There is one condition: reception should work around the clock. Specify in advance.

Photo by bruce mars

6. Leave luggage for storage

If you need to move out of the room, and you still have half a day or more before the departure, it is not necessary to walk around the city with a heavy suitcase or look for a luggage room. In almost all hotels, luggage can be left for the whole day after you check-out. So, you just have to specify where you can leave things.

7. To visit the gym and spa treatments

In big hotels, there are gyms, saunas, swimming pool, massage rooms, and other recreational facilities. You can not only relax but also get in shape right during the trip: to improve stretching, to learn to jump on a rope. You could practice for free.

Photo by alan caishan

8. To get to the hotel for free

After booking a room, check if the hotel offers a free transfer service from the airport or the station. So you will save on public transport or taxi.

9. To read at breakfast

For breakfast, it is good to read the latest press, especially in another country, to keep abreast with news. Most often, newspapers and magazines are free for guests. You could read them in English, French, Greek, etc.

Photo by Natalia Ostashova

10. To know about discounts and ask recommendations

In many hotels near the reception, there is a counter, at which the surrounding cafes and restaurants post announcements of events, as well as discount coupons. Ask the receptionist to recommend a good place, where you can eat cheaper and more tastier lunch than on recommendations from the Internet. By the way, it’s not necessary to reserve a table yourself (especially if you don’t know the local language), the hotel employee will also be happy to do this for you. A satisfied customer is the best customer!

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