How to Have a Better Hotel Experience During Covid

We recently stayed in a hotel which we have not done much since Covid began.  There were a lot of changes.  The purpose of this post is to help you to be aware of some of the changes and what you can do to have a better stay during the pandemic.  Hotels have taken a big hit with the pandemic, but now that people are getting vaccinated their prices hav gone back up.  In fact, I have been surprised at the cost increase in recent months.

First, look online to see what kinds of information you can find.  Now is the time to find out what is offered, not when you show up at the hotel.  The pandemic has given hotels the option to do away with services that they usually offer to customers and they use the pandemic to blame.  It reminds me of a hotel in California, where we stayed a few years ago.  They said they were being eco-friendly by not cleaning your room during your stay.  So, they still charge a premium price, but they got all the benefits without passing any benefits on to the customer.  I have the desire to be eco-friendly, but if I am paying that much for a hotel, they could at least offer me points in return for them saving money by not having to pay someone to clean my room.  

Breakfast:  We went to a Doubletree, expecting their usually great breakfasts, but they ended up having a very limited menu.  When I called ahead of time, they said that you could get breakfast to go, but I didn't take the time to ask about a limited menu.  I was just focused on the fact that I could eat it in my room.  So, if that matters to you, call ahead and ask about breakfast options.  A different hotel experience was at a Hampton that gave you the option of granola bars, bagels, bananas and apples to go.  Holiday Inn offers much better breakfasts than that, if that makes a difference to you.  Each individual hotel is different, so if this is a deal breaker, all ahead so you will know what to expect before you go there.  At the Embassy we stayed at, they discontinued their manager's reception.  Some other places have discontinued the dinner meal.  So, if food makes a difference to you, check ahead and maybe think of staying somewhere cheaper and buying your own meal.  

Housekeeping is also different now.  The hotel we stayed at has you put your wet towels outside in the hall and they replaced them by putting clean towels out there in return.  If you want housekeeping to service your room each day, it would be wise to call ahead and find out what they do and if they will clean each day if that is what you want.  In a recent stay at the Embassy, there was no housekeeping at all.

We brought swimsuits, planning on enjoying the pool and hot tub on our stay.  Even though the website said the pool would be open, it wasn't.  The Embassy, on the other hand, had very limited hours for their pool to be open.  They also shut down every 2 hours to clean the pool.  If you or your family want to swim, this may be a deal breaker.  

To sum things up, before you go staying in a hotel, check on the internet and do some calling around to help you to have proper expectations so you can have a better experience that meets your expectations.