For most travellers to big cities, staying in a hotel has become so much the norm that the idea of staying in any other type of accommodation seems bizarre. But could the grass could be greener on the other side? Below are five awkward hotel situations that might make the case for trying someplace new.
The Wrong Room Moment
With floors of identical looking corridors, finding your own hotel room is never as easy as it sounds. One innocent wrong turn and you end up trying a wrong door and giving an unknowing elderly couple quite a scare. Even more awkward than not knowing where exactly to find your room is that in a hotel others are always watching. Whether it’s someone watching on the cameras or a passer-by on your landing, an embarrassing mistake like this won’t go unnoticed.
The Clingy Fellow Traveller
When getting on the transport to your hotel, you will very often meet a fellow traveller heading to the same hotel. That’s great for having some company and a laugh on the bus, but what about when you want explore the city later on, either by yourself or with your partner or family? Who will be waiting by the front door as you are leaving? Yes, that’s right — your new best friend from the bus.
Before you know it, you’ve been invited to spend the afternoon together or have dinner. It’s a friendly offer, but you might prefer some privacy. Refusing the invitation becomes another awkward situation.
The Last Slice of Toast
While many hotels put on huge breakfast buffets, some budget hotels have a limited amount of food at breakfast time. Sleeping in could mean you’ll be missing out. Arriving just after the last slice of toast gets taken is not the best start to your day in the city, but you wouldn’t experience that in a holiday apartment.
With your own kitchen you can cook when you like and take as long as you need.
The Housekeeping Team that Likes to Start Early
The general rule for a hotel’s housekeeping team is to knock, wait 10 seconds, knock again and then enter. If this is early in the morning, however, you could still be catching some Zs and won’t be awake to answer. That can lead to one of the most awkward situations as you wake up to find a complete stranger entering your room.
The Staff Who Treat Children like Aliens
Almost every parent knows that their children can be a little weird at times and act like they’re from another planet. But parents are the only one who should be allowed to think this – not the hotel staff. Walk into some hotels with a couple of children in tow and you may find strange looks coming your way from the staff. Avoid hotels that don’t make families welcome and stay in an apartment instead. You’ll feel a lot more at home!
So there you have it — five awkward situations that many travellers can relate to. Avoid all of them, though, by stepping out of your comfort zone and trying a stay in a holiday apartment. GowithOh.com is one website where you’ll find apartments in several European cities, with a website designed to make your search for your ‘home away from home’ as easy as possible. Try it out and see if the grass is greener on the other side of the hotel lobby.
