Is there an onsite shop?
No matter how prepared you thought you were, there’s a decent chance you forgot something while you were packing. Just in case, check to make sure the hotel can provide what you need, whether it’s free travel-sized toothpaste or aspirin from the lobby’s mini store. “It’s good if the hotel has a small shop inside it so you don’t need to go hunting around a strange city for basics,” says Goldman.
Can you use a printer?
A business centre might be the last thing on your mind when you’re on holiday, but it’s a good idea to check for a place to print, says Avery. The last thing you want is to be rushing to check out, only to realise your phone won’t load your departure boarding pass. In foreign countries where you don’t have mobile phone data, you might also want to print out tickets for attractions.
Is the room carpeted?
Setting your bare feet on a soft carpet when you get out of bed might seem appealing, but Goldman prefers bare floors. Carpets are vacuumed but rarely shampooed, while hardwood and tile are cleaned well every day. “You can’t imagine the kinds of things that you find embedded in the carpet at a hotel – even great hotels,” Goldman says. “If you have the choice, go for bare floors.