by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 7:00 PM ET, Thu July 16, 2015
Photo courtesy of Thinkstock
This week, Frequent Business Traveler Magazine published its Fifth Annual Hotel Pet Peeves Survey. Feel free to weigh in on the survey, but don't be surprised to find that your personal pet peeves aren't included.
The term "Pet peeve" indicates a problem that bothers you more than it does most people. But when taken in the context of a hotel, these should really be issues that can't be fixed by a simple visit to the front desk. For instance, cigarette smoke odor makes the list. If you truly have a problem with that, go down to the front desk and get it fixed. Ignoring a Do Not Disturb sign is another; don't you have the door locked? Take it up with the manager upon checkout. Anyway, here are the pet peeves listed on the survey:
It's not a bad start, but there are a few more we would submit for inclusion of any list of hotel pet peeves:
Badly Purchased Furniture
Somewhere along the purchasing chain there was a disconnect between the height of the desks ordered and the sitting level of the chairs ordered. It is wrong to sit at the desk and feel like a third grader sitting at the bar at the local VFW lodge. As a tangent to this pet peeve we would include the television credenza that doesn't have a pull out or swivel so you are stuck watching TV straight-on from the bed only.
Thermostat Governor
Frequent Business Traveler has "too complex room controls" on their survey, but most everyone nowadays knows how to work a thermostat. But can we take the temperature governor off it already? It never fails that when you want 68 degrees, there is a mandatory low temperature of 73.
Non-Powder Creamer
The hotel you are staying in was kind enough to place a coffee maker in the room. They gave you all the accoutrements, and even gave you Starbucks to drink. And then all they gave you was powdered creamer. Really? There are plenty of shelf-stable liquid creamers on the market that can be offered. Get it done!
Tiny Towels
We know that the hotel is trying to save on laundry and water and energy and carbon and yes, we agree with all of that, but when you only give us tiny towels, we need to use two and that brings us right back to where we started. While we are on the subject, if we do exactly as you instruct, and hang up our towels to help the Earthly cause, don't take the used ones anyway and put out new!
The Disaster Area Otherwise Known As Free Breakfast
Let's face it; there is only so much room in a hotel for amenities. But trying to crowd 150 rooms worth of people into a space about the size of an average living room with only one attendant means that typically there is nothing left by the time we get there, or it is an absolute zoo. There has to be a better way.
So there are a few things we think should be on the list. What else did we miss? What really steams you up? Let us know in the comments below!
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
