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Readers response: What was the worst hotel experience you had?

<p>We asked our readers to share their stories of the worst hotel experience that have endured while on holiday, and the response was overwhelming. Here's what they said. </p> <p><strong>Deedee Cullum</strong> - At a 5 star in Beijing. Arrived from the airport after 1am. Let into the room to find it occupied with someone having a bath. Instead of changing our room we waited in the lobby for 1 and 1/2 hours while they changed to the correct room and cleaned ours. The wet towels were neatly folded on the towel rack and the used soap was on the basin. When I turned the bedside light on I got a shock. To be fair management were most apologetic and gave us free dining in their top restaurant for the 4 days we were there. It was a few years ago but never forgotten.</p> <p><strong>Bruce Hopkins</strong> - I stopped at a Hotel in Hobart, arrived in the afternoon, checked out the next day, the whole time I stopped there, I never saw anyone on reception or any staff at all. Creepiest hotel I stayed in.</p> <p><strong>Carol Henwood</strong> - When we went to have a shower, and the towels disintegrated! The shower had black mould in all the corners. The carpet was so sticky, we kept our shoes on.  We slept on top of the bed as the sheets were crumpled and smelly. What a night.</p> <p><strong>Sheila Kell </strong>- When my eldest son was about 2 years old we took a holiday to Shute Harbour in QLD and in middle of night we heard lots of scratching so turned on light and sat up in bed and there were hundreds of field mice crawling up walls and back of bed. They apparently were having a plague, but we dressed and left. Couldn't sleep in that motel.</p> <p><strong>Christine Warner</strong> - A country pub only option one night. Our room has no lock on the door, and there were gaps in the floorboards so we could see straight down to the bar where it was very noisy. We had already been warned of people breaking in to hotel and motel rooms in that region, so we slept in the car and returned to the room in the morning for a shower.</p> <p><strong>Helen Wilson</strong> - In Singapore, they gave us a “free” breakfast while someone rummaged through our belongings and took stuff.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Bindi Irwin's glam hotel receives huge award

<p>A Queensland hotel owned by Bindi Irwin has been named the World's Best Nature Hotel for 2024. </p> <p>The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, located in Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast, was given the honour at the Boutique Hotel Club Awards, which features the finest boutique hotels from across the world. </p> <p>Winners were announced across 18 categories, with 500-vetted nominees from 80 countries globally. </p> <p>The Crocodile Hunter Lodge is named after Bindi's father, the late Steve Irwin, who as known as the original Crocodile hunter capturing the attention of audiences worldwide. </p> <p>Judges commented that the property "really feels like you're entering into relaxation mode."</p> <p>Speaking of the huge win, Bindi said she and her team were "honoured" to receive the recognition for  their commitment to an exceptional guest experience.</p> <p>"These awards showcase our dedication to providing extraordinary accommodation at The Crocodile Hunter Lodge, where guests can immerse themselves in the natural world, allowing them to reconnect with nature and one another," she said.</p> <p>The Boutique Hotel Club's panel of experts hand-picked a selection of destinations all around the world. They quality test over 400 gold standards of hospitality excellence to find exceptional stays. </p> <p>The title of the World's Best Boutique Hotel went to Akademie Street Boutique Hotel in Franschhoek, South Africa.</p> <p><em>Images: Nine/ Bindi Irwin</em></p>

Domestic Travel

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Hotel booking sites actually make it hard to get cheap deals, but there’s a way around it

<div class="theconversation-article-body"><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-martin-682709">Peter Martin</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/crawford-school-of-public-policy-australian-national-university-3292">Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University</a></em></p> <p>Booking a place to stay on holidays has become a reflex action.</p> <p>The first thing many of us do is open a site such as <a href="https://www.wotif.com/">Wotif</a>, <a href="https://au.hotels.com/?locale=en_AU">Hotels.com</a> or <a href="https://www.trivago.com.au/">trivago</a> (all of which are these days owned by the US firm <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/accc-will-not-oppose-expedia%E2%80%99s-proposed-acquisition-of-wotif">Expedia</a>), or their only big competitor, <a href="https://www.booking.com/">Booking.com</a> from the Netherlands.</p> <p>Checking what rooms are available – anywhere – is wonderfully easy, as is booking, at what usually seems to be the lowest available price.</p> <p>But Australia’s Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh is concerned there might be a reason the price seems to be the lowest available. It might be an <a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/media-releases/supporting-tourism-and-accommodation-providers-set-their">agreement not to compete</a>, or the fear of reprisals against hotel owners who offer better prices.</p> <h2>Agreements to not compete</h2> <p>Leigh has asked the treasury to investigate, and if that’s what it finds, it may be the booking sites have the perverse effect of keeping prices high, especially when the substantial fees they charge hotels are taken into account.</p> <p>For now, the treasury is seeking information. It has set a deadline of <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/consultation/c2022-338978">January 6</a> for hotel operators and booking sites to tell it:</p> <ul> <li> <p>the typical fees charged by online booking platforms</p> </li> <li> <p>the details of any agreements not to compete on price</p> </li> <li> <p>whether hotels that try to compete get ranked lower on booking sites.</p> </li> </ul> <p>What’s likely to come out of it is a ban on so-called price-parity clauses that prevent discounting, or a ban on “algorithmic punishment,” whereby hotels that do discount get pushed way down the rankings on the sites.</p> <p>But in the meantime, there are things we can do to get better prices, and they’ll help more broadly, as I’ll explain.</p> <h2>Flight Centre precedent</h2> <figure class="align-right zoomable"></figure> <p>Back in 2018, in a case that went all the way to the High Court, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) forced <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/flight-centre-ordered-to-pay-125-million-in-penalties">Flight Centre</a> to pay a penalty of A$12.5 million for attempting to induce airlines not to undercut it on ticket prices.</p> <p>That the ACCC eventually won the case might be an indication price-parity clauses are already illegal under Australian law. But it’s a difficult law to enforce. This is why the treasury is considering special legislation of the kind in force in France, Austria, Italy and Belgium.</p> <p>The ACCC has known for some time that Expedia and Booking.com have included clauses in their contracts preventing hotels offering the same room for any less than they do, even directly.</p> <p>Rather than take the big two to court, in 2016 the ACCC “reached agreement” with them to delete the clauses that prevented hotels offering better deals <a href="https://www.accc.gov.au/media-release/expedia-and-bookingcom-agree-to-reinvigorate-price-competition-by-amending-contracts-with-australian-hotels">face-to-face</a>.</p> <h2>The concession that conceded little</h2> <p>From then on, hotels were able to offer better deals than the sites over the phone or in person, but not on their own websites. Given we are less and less likely to walk in off the street or even use the phone to book a hotel, it wasn’t much of a concession.</p> <p>Then, in 2019, with the Commission under renewed pressure from hotel owners for another investigation, Expedia (but not Booking.com) reportedly <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/business-advice/competition/expedia-allow-hotels-undercut-prices-online/">waived</a> the rest of the clauses, giving hotel owners the apparent freedom to advertise cheaper prices wherever they liked including on their own sites without fear of retribution.</p> <p>Except several appear to fear retribution, and very few seem to have jumped at the opportunity.</p> <h2>Algorithmic punishment</h2> <p>An Expedia spokesman gave an indication of what might be in store when he was quoted as saying a hotel that undercut Expedia might “find itself ranked <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/business-advice/competition/expedia-allow-hotels-undercut-prices-online/">below its competitors</a>, just as it would if it had worse reviews or fewer high-quality pictures of its property”.</p> <p>Being ranked at the bottom of a site is much the same as not being ranked at all, something Leigh refers to as “algorithmic punishment”.</p> <p>It’s not at all clear the present law prevents it, which is why Leigh is open to the idea of legislating against it.</p> <p>Although you and I may not often think about what hotels are paying to be booked through sites such as Wotif and Booking.com, and although what’s charged to the hotel isn’t publicised, it appeard to be a large chunk of the cost of providing the room.</p> <p>One figure quoted is <a href="https://www.smartcompany.com.au/industries/tourism/online-travel-booking-fed-up-small-businesses-call-accc-action/">20%</a>. Leigh says hotel owners have told him the fees are in the “<a href="https://ministers.treasury.gov.au/ministers/andrew-leigh-2022/transcripts/interview-geraldine-doogue-abc-saturday-extra">double digits</a>”, something he says is quite a lot when you consider the sites don’t need to clean the toilets, change the sheets or help on the front desk.</p> <h2>‘Chokepoint capitalism’</h2> <p>What this seems to mean (the treasury will find out) is almost all bookings are more expensive than they need to be because firms that sit at the “<a href="https://theconversation.com/chokepoint-capitalism-why-well-all-lose-unless-we-stop-amazon-spotify-and-other-platforms-squeezing-cash-from-creators-194069">chokepoint</a>” between buyers and sellers are squeezing sellers.</p> <p>A hotel could always abandon the sites and offer much cheaper prices, but for a while – perhaps forever – it will be much harder to find.</p> <p>In their defence, the operators of the platforms might say they need to get the best offers from hotels in order to make it worthwhile for the operators to invest in their sites, an argument the treasury is inviting them to put.</p> <p>In the meantime, with some hotels reluctant to put their best rates on their websites, but with them perfectly able to offer better rates over the phone, there’s a fairly simple way we can all get a better deal – and help fix the broader problem by weight of numbers.</p> <p>If we look up the best deal wherever we want online, and then phone and ask for a better one (or a better room), we might well find we get it. We might be saving the owner a lot of money.</p> <p>Leigh reckons the more we do ring up, the more the sites might feel pressure to discount their own fees, helping bring prices down even before he starts to think about writing legislation.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/196460/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/peter-martin-682709"><em>Peter Martin</em></a><em>, Visiting Fellow, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/crawford-school-of-public-policy-australian-national-university-3292">Crawford School of Public Policy, Australian National University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/hotel-booking-sites-actually-make-it-hard-to-get-cheap-deals-but-theres-a-way-around-it-196460">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

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The good, the bad and the awful – how businesses reacts to online reviews

<div class="theconversation-article-body"> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-tajvidi-1192090">Mina Tajvidi</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-hajli-1426223">Nick Hajli</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/loughborough-university-1336">Loughborough University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tahir-m-nisar-1050021">Tahir M. Nisar</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southampton-1093">University of Southampton</a></em></p> <p>Every day travellers across the globe are flocking to popular destinations, eager to relax and create memories.</p> <p>Alongside packing and planning, many turn to online reviews to choose the perfect hotel, restaurant, or activity. These reviews, often shared enthusiastically or with a hint of frustration, play a key role in shaping our experiences. But what happens to these reviews once they are posted? Do businesses truly read them, and if so, do they make changes based on customer feedback?</p> <p>The short answer is yes, businesses do read reviews and often act on them. In fact, for many, it’s a crucial part of their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S004016252100384X">customer engagement strategy</a>. Reviews offer a treasure trove of insights, from customer satisfaction and service quality to product usability and pricing perceptions. But beyond the numbers and star ratings, reviews provide a story of the customer experience that can highlight strengths and reveal weaknesses.</p> <p>Businesses, particularly in competitive industries like hospitality, often have dedicated teams or <a href="https://broadly.com/blog/reputation-management-tools/">software tools</a> to monitor reviews across platforms like Tripadvisor, Google, and Yelp. These tools can aggregate reviews, analyse sentiments, and even benchmark against competitors.</p> <p>For example, a hotel chain may use these insights to identify common themes in guest feedback, such as complaints about check-in delays or praises for room cleanliness. By doing so, they can prioritise issues and respond effectively.</p> <p>However, reading reviews is just the beginning. The real value lies in how businesses respond to them, and whether they take actionable steps to address the feedback. In many cases, customer reviews have become catalysts for change. For instance, a recurring complaint about outdated decor might prompt a hotel to refurbish its rooms. Similarly, consistent praise for a friendly staff member can lead to rewards or recognition programmes, boosting employee morale and enhancing the overall guest experience.</p> <p><a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10614398">Some businesses</a> go a step further by engaging directly with reviewers. This engagement can take various forms, from public responses thanking customers for their feedback to private messages addressing specific concerns. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ITP-09-2018-0415/full/html">Such interactions</a> not only show that a business values its customers, but also humanises the brand, fostering trust and loyalty. A well-handled response to a negative review can even turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal advocate.</p> <h2>The role of negative reviews</h2> <p>Negative reviews, while often dreaded by businesses, are an essential component of the feedback process. They provide honest, often blunt insights into what went wrong and where improvements are needed. For instance, during the holiday season, a restaurant might receive complaints about long wait times or underwhelming festive menus. Instead of viewing these reviews as setbacks, savvy businesses see them as opportunities to refine their offerings and enhance customer satisfaction.</p> <p>In some cases, businesses have <a href="https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10614398">used negative reviews</a> as a springboard for innovation. A restaurant receiving feedback about limited vegetarian options might introduce new menu items, attracting a broader clientele and boosting sales. Similarly, a hotel criticised for lack of amenities might invest in additional facilities, improving its appeal and competitiveness.</p> <p>As technology evolves, the landscape of customer reviews and business responses is also changing. The rise of artificial intelligence and machine learning that uses algorithms has made it easier for businesses to analyse vast amounts of feedback and identify trends quickly. This capability allows for more proactive responses, with businesses anticipating issues before they become widespread problems.</p> <p>Moreover, the increasing use of video and photo reviews adds a new dimension to customer feedback. <a href="https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/JPBM-01-2019-2194/full/html?casa_token=adZDhhc3f0IAAAAA:7jPn1_y31gfB4BjJjLdl8QnnFixO3XCEOKbtemd0N2vhh_UCEHa1vjisRj3X3K1iw7UIRL1yylJGN6CCqPbW1Bs4CoSto1x0M1ntb_RtD7z-ZXHzj7Q">Visual reviews</a> can provide a more vivid portrayal of experiences, from showcasing a beautifully plated dish to highlighting a less-than-sparkling pool.</p> <p>Businesses are adapting to this trend by incorporating user-generated content into their marketing strategies, showcasing real-life customer experiences to attract new clients.</p> <p>However, the rise of fake reviews is a growing concern. In 2023, the popular travel website Tripadvisor <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/TransparencyReport2023#group-section-Fake-Reviews-HZjJZOxSZ4">saw an overwhelming influx</a> of user-generated content, with over 30 million reviews, however, amid this vast pool of feedback, 1.3 million reviews were flagged as fraudulent and subsequently removed.</p> <p>In the end, customer reviews are not just fleeting opinions left in the digital atmosphere. They are valuable conversations between businesses and their customers. For businesses, reviews offer an opportunity to understand their clients’ needs, address concerns, and celebrate successes. That is why businesses like <a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/policy-news-views/how-ai-spots-fake-reviews-amazon">Amazon are using AI</a> to manage the reviews.</p> <p>By reading, responding, and, most importantly, acting on reviews, businesses can foster a loyal customer base and continually improve their offerings. So, the next time you leave a review, remember that someone is listening, and your words may just be the catalyst for positive change.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/236194/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/mina-tajvidi-1192090">Mina Tajvidi</a>, Lecturer in Digital Marketing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queen-mary-university-of-london-1745">Queen Mary University of London</a>; <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/nick-hajli-1426223">Nick Hajli</a>, AI Strategist and Professor of Digital Strategy, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/loughborough-university-1336">Loughborough University</a>, and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/tahir-m-nisar-1050021">Tahir M. Nisar</a>, Professor of Strategy and Economic Organisation, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/university-of-southampton-1093">University of Southampton</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-good-the-bad-and-the-awful-how-business-reacts-to-online-reviews-236194">original article</a>.</em></p> </div>

Travel Trouble

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Expert reveals why you shouldn’t use hotel hair dryers

<p dir="ltr">An expert has shared why you should avoid using hair dryers that are provided in hotels. </p> <p dir="ltr">Many travellers rely on these handy devices that are often found in bathroom drawers in hotels, instead of packing your own hair dryer that can often take up valuable luggage space. </p> <p dir="ltr">However, trichologist Jacqui McIntosh, who focuses on diseases related to the scalp and hair, said travellers should avoid these appliances at all costs. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to the expert, there's a high chance there are bacteria and germs lurking inside the hair dryer that have been passed between hotel guests.</p> <p dir="ltr">"Using a hairdryer riddled with bacteria and germs does pose health risks and can be detrimental to your hair health," she told <em>The Mirror</em>. </p> <p dir="ltr">McIntosh says when the microorganisms inside a hairdryer make their way onto your hair and scalp, "they can spark infections and irritations, disrupting your hair follicles and slowing down healthy growth."</p> <p dir="ltr">Even without the worry of bacteria and germs, there's a chance of dust and mould lurking inside the appliance, which she says are "troublemakers for your scalp".</p> <p dir="ltr">"Neglected hair dryers are time bombs waiting to go off. Debris buildup inside the device spells overheating, increasing the risk of singeing your hair or scalp," she explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">McIntosh also clarified that, as pointed out in a 2009 study, hairdryers are one of the handful of items that are missed by hotel cleaning staff, so next time you’re staying in a hotel, probably best to bring your own hair dryer. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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Motive and cause of death revealed after six found dead in luxury hotel

<p>Six people found dead in a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok are believed to have died due to poisoning, according to Thai police. </p> <p>Authorities shared photo of the teacups found in the room on the fifth floor of the hotel, revealing they found traces of cyanide in the cups. </p> <p>The bodies of two American and four Vietnamese nationals were found by hotel staff on Tuesday evening, after staff entered the room to inform them it was past check out time. </p> <p>The group, made up of three men and three women aged between 37 and 56, likely drank from tea and coffee cups laced with cyanide following a dispute linked to bad investments, Thai police said on Wednesday.</p> <p>Photos of the crime scene released by authorities show a lack of struggle and violence, instead showing bodies scattered around the room among plates of untouched food, and two thermos flasks and cups.</p> <p>Initial examinations revealed the presence of cyanide in six cups, according to police.</p> <p>“The mouths and nails on all the bodies turned purple, showing a lack of air could be a joint reason of the cause of the death,” forensic doctor Kornkiat Vongpaisarnsin, told a press conference at the Chulalongkorn University.</p> <p>“We presume they all died from cyanide which causes a lack of air in some organs,” he added.</p> <p>Authorities initially said they were searching for a seventh person who was part of the hotel booking, but on Wednesday they dismissed this line of inquiry, saying they believe one of the dead people poisoned the others with the deadly fast-acting chemical cyanide.</p> <p>“We are convinced that one of the six people found dead committed this crime,” said Noppasil Poonsawas, a deputy commander of Bangkok police.</p> <p>That person, police said, had ordered the food and tea to the room and “looked under stress” when staff arrived.</p> <p>After conducting interviews with hotel staff, Noppasin said one of the members of the group was alone in the room when the food arrived and was later joined by the other guests.</p> <p>He added that the incident was likely linked to a “personal matter” and not related to organised crime as interviews carried out with relatives of the dead indicated a dispute over debt.</p> <p>“One of the relatives said one of the deceased was an investment agent and all (the deceased) invested, but the business was not going as expected. They made an appointment to discuss the matter in Thailand,” Noppasin said.</p> <p>Police believe that the woman who poisoned the group did so after she accrued huge debts related to an investment in a hospital in Japan, according to police sources cited by Vietnamese media. </p> <p>She had allegedly convinced a married couple and two other victims among the dead to pour funds into the project, but they had reportedly lost roughly $280,000 AUD as a result. </p> <p>Tran Dinh Dung, the father of one of the victims, said his 37-year-old son was due to return to Vietnam last Sunday.</p> <p>“I kept calling him but couldn’t get through so I was very worried, but I didn’t expect him to die in Thailand,” Dung said in an interview with Vietnam’s Thanh Nien newspaper.</p> <p>“Phu’s mother has fainted countless times, she could not bear this shock,” he said.</p> <p><em>Image credits: AFP/Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Editorial</em></p>

Legal

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Six people found dead in luxury hotel

<p>A disturbing theory has emerged after six people were found dead in a luxury hotel room in central Bangkok. </p> <p>According to Bangkok’s Metropolitan Police commissioner Thiti Saengsawang, hotel staff at the Grand Hyatt Erawan discovered the bodies of six people in a fifth-floor room after they missed check out time by more than 24 hours.</p> <p>After concluding that the incident did not appear to be a robbery and none of the bodies showed any signs of physical violence, Thai Police are exploring the possibility that the people were poisoned.</p> <p>Police shared that they "needed to find out the motives", and that the deaths were the result of a "killing", not a suicide.</p> <p>Authorities conformed they are investigating the potential poisoning after Thiti said cups with traces of a white powder were located in the room, along with untouched food that had been ordered earlier.</p> <p>As police continue their investigation into the shocking deaths, they are currently searching for a seventh person who was part of the hotel booking and is now a possible suspect.</p> <p>Two of the dead were US citizens of Vietnamese background, while the other four were Vietnamese nationals.</p> <p>Thiti said police believe one member of the group had tried to reach the door to escape but fell and died before they could get there.</p> <p>The Thai government issued a statement after the killings, with Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin saying, "There were no signs of a struggle," adding, "We need to conduct an autopsy."</p> <p>He also "ordered all agencies to urgently take action to avoid impact on tourism,” given that the luxury hotel is situated in a popular tourist area.</p> <p><em>Image credits: BBC / Royal Thai Police </em></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Expectation vs Reality": Woman's reaction to hotel scam

<p>A woman was left outraged after forking out on a hotel room with a gorgeous sea view, only to find out she had fallen for a scam. </p> <p>Influencer Clarisa Murgia paid an obscene amount of money for the room with a view, which was advertised as part of a holiday of a lifetime across Europe. </p> <p>Expecting  blue seas, sailing boats and a view of the mountain range, the influencer was utterly disappointed when she found out that the breathtaking views was nothing but a poster attached to the wall of the building outside her window. </p> <p>She shared footage of the "view" on TikTok, with the caption "Expectation vs Reality" and from one angle the poster looked just like the real thing. </p> <p>But as she pans to the another side, the massive poster emerges attached to a crumbling white wall, with her actual view being rows of barred white windows and a dingy alley. </p> <p>"Someone rented a B&amp;B with a sea view. I feel scammed, guys," the influencer added. </p> <p>"No one has ever deceived me like this before, hahaha."</p> <p>The video racked up over 2.5million views, with many joking about her unfortunate situation. </p> <p>"Not even my ex lied that much," one joked. </p> <p>"My luck in life is summarised in this video," another added. </p> <p>"That's why I always look at the location so I don't fail," a third wrote. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p> <p> </p>

Travel Trouble

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10 tips for a better night’s sleep in a hotel room

<p>From noisy neighbours to unbearable bedding, a good night’s sleep in a hotel room can be hard to come by. Here are 10 tips to help you get decent shut eye.</p> <p><strong>1. Book a room midway down a hallway</strong></p> <p>This is generally the quietest part of the floor, way from ice and wending machines, laundry facilities, exits, closets and any other places where sudden noises might occur.</p> <p><strong>2. Try to avoid rooms facing a pool</strong></p> <p>While the view is something to admire, pools can also be the sight of noise generating late-night gathering and any sounds generally echo loudly off the water.</p> <p><strong>3. Inquire at the front desk about pillow options</strong></p> <p>If the wrong pillow gives you back or neck pain have a chat to the front desk when checking in. Most hotels stock pillows of varying firmness, and can offer a better fit.</p> <p><strong>4. Pack earplugs and eyeshades</strong></p> <p>When you’re struggling to get to sleep the tiniest noise or ray of light can end up being a huge distraction. Nip this in the bud by packing earplugs and eyeshades.</p> <p><strong>5. Turn your mobile phone off</strong></p> <p>Mobile notifications can be a huge distraction (particularly when they’re coming from friends and family in different time zones). Turn your phone off, and enjoy the bliss. </p> <p><strong>6. Make use of your ‘do not disturb’ sign</strong></p> <p>If you’re planning to sleep in make sure you put your ‘do not disturb’ sign on the outside doorknob, otherwise you might get a rude awakening from a housekeeper.</p> <p><strong>7. Report any noises immediately</strong></p> <p>Sometimes a quick pound of the wall will quiet down a noisy neighbour, but this doesn’t always work. If the people in the room next to you won’t keep quiet, make sure you let the front desk know and they can take the necessary actions.</p> <p><strong>8. Adjust the room temperature</strong></p> <p>Most people sleep better in a cooler room, so make sure you adjust the temperature to whatever is the best fit for you to get sleep. Even just opening the window a tiny little crack can make a big difference in terms of your overall comfort levels.</p> <p><strong>9. Ask the front desk about blackout shades</strong></p> <p>Particularly if you’re staying in a city that’s full of lights, noises and distractions, blackout shades can provide you with a level of peace and comfort that will help you sleep.</p> <p><strong>10. Consider bringing your own sheets</strong></p> <p>Particularly if you’ve got skin sensitives, it’s generally a good idea to bring your own sheets (if you’ve got enough space). The familiar scent and feel will really help you sleep.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p>

Travel Tips

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The truth about hotel bathrobes

<p>When the time comes to check out of a hotel, it is hard to resist the urge to search the room for any freebie items that can we can slip into our suitcase.</p> <p>Robes and slippers are the hotel items that cause the most confusion among guests about whether they can take them home without any consequence.</p> <p><a href="https://www.escape.com.au/travel-advice/to-steal-or-not-to-steal-what-you-can-and-cant-take-from-hotel-rooms/news-story/7fa7f374957edf51512c0c5dc62f4ed2" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Escape</span></strong></em></a> has revealed that robes are off limits for most hotels and that guests will also be hit with an extra charge if one goes missing.</p> <p>Hotel bathrobes are laundered and then reused for the next guest.</p> <p>However, most hotels do not mind if slippers are taken by guests because they will not be used again.</p> <p>“Slippers won’t be used again,” explained Hotels.com marketing manager David Spasovic. </p> <p>“So you may as well stash them away for you to use on your next flight – they’re ideal for wearing on a long haul. Hold back on the robe though.”</p> <p>There are plenty other items that are up for the taking at hotel rooms, but it is important to make sure you don’t get too carried away.</p> <p>“The general rule of thumb is that if it can't be reused then it can be taken,” said David. </p> <p>“Miniature toiletries, shower caps, combs, disposable razors and toothbrushes. These are all goodies that can be swiped.”</p> <p>Pier One Sydney Harbour Hotel’s general manager, Kim Mahaffy said, “We expect guests to either use or to take consumable items, including soap. But preferably not two dozen from the housekeeping cart!”</p> <p>As a general guide, pillows, towels, robes, bed sheets and electrical items cannot be taken from hotels.</p> <p>But slippers, soap, shampoo and conditioner, tea and coffee and pens, are up for grabs.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Bold idea sees hotel offer thousands in cash back if it rains

<p>In a move that's making waves in the travel industry, a posh hotel in the heart of Singapore has rolled out a revolutionary offer: rain insurance. Yes, you heard it right – rain insurance!</p> <p>InterContinental Singapore, a sanctuary for jet-setters seeking respite from both the humidity and the occasional tropical deluge, has unleashed a game-changer for travellers. Dubbed the "Rain Resist Bliss Package", this offer promises to keep your spirits high even when the rain gods decide to throw a dampener on your plans.</p> <p>Picture this: you've booked your suite at this 5-star haven, eagerly anticipating your Singapore escapade. But lo and behold, the forecast takes a turn for the soggy, threatening to rain on your parade – quite literally. Fear not, dear traveller, for with the Rain Resist Bliss Package, you can breathe easy knowing that if your plans get drenched, your wallet won't.</p> <p>Now, you might be wondering, how does this rain insurance work? Well, it's as simple as Singapore Sling on a sunny day. If the heavens decide to open up and rain on your parade for a cumulative 120 minutes within any four-hour block of daylight hours (that's 8am to 7pm for those not on island time), you're entitled to a refund equivalent to your single-night room rate. The package is available exclusively for suite room bookings starting from $SGD850 per night – so that’s around $965 rain-soaked dollars back in your pocket, no questions asked. No need to jump through hoops or perform a rain dance – just sit back, relax, and let the rain do its thing.</p> <p>And fret not about having to keep an eye on the sky – the clever folks at InterContinental Singapore have got you covered. They're tapping into the data from the National Environmental Agency Weather Station to automatically trigger those rain refunds. It's like having your own personal meteorologist ensuring that your plans stay as dry as your martini.</p> <p>But hey, if the rain does decide to crash your party, fear not! The hotel has an array of dining options to keep your tastebuds entertained while you wait for the clouds to part. And let's not forget, Singapore isn't just about sunshine and rainbows – there are plenty of indoor activities to keep you occupied, from feasting at Lau Pa Sat for an authentic hawker experience to retail therapy at Takashimaya.</p> <p>And here's a silver lining to those rain clouds: fewer tourists! That's right, while others might be scrambling for cover, you could be enjoying shorter lines, less crowded attractions, and even snagging better deals on accommodations. Plus, let's not overlook the fact that the rain brings a welcome respite from the tropical heat, making outdoor adventures all the more enjoyable once the showers subside.</p> <p>So, pack your umbrella and leave your worries behind. With InterContinental Singapore's Rain Resist Bliss Package, you can embrace the unpredictable and turn even the rainiest of days into a memorable adventure. After all, as they say, when life gives you lemons, make Singapore Slings and dance in the rain!</p> <p><em>Images: InterContinental Singapore / Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

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Iconic Victorian Sphinx Hotel up for sale

<p>The iconic Sphinx hotel is in Geelong, Victoria is up for sale for the first time in over 50 years. </p> <p>The Ramia family, who built a 14m-high replica sphinx on the roof of their pub, are looking to sell their property after 53 years of ownership. </p> <p>“We’ve got to the stage where we all want to do our own thing and it’s quite a large family,”  George Ramia, the owner of the hotel said. </p> <p>“We’re up to nearly 53 years here and I think we’re getting a bit tired.</p> <p>“I started work here when I was about 14. I recall those days I wasn’t allowed in the pub but I used to do all the beer lines.</p> <p>“Johnny O’Keeffe used to play a lot and he always asked me to play pool, and I was a pretty good player because it’s all I was allowed to do.”</p> <p>Ramia who started working at the former Golf View Hotel when he was 14, saw the venue change throughout the decades from a home for live music to a bistro and recently renovated sports bar.</p> <p>He also saw the venue grow in popularity, after a period of financial difficulties, when the pub was remodelled with the 14m-high Sphinx on the roof, completed with Egyptian-style motifs including hieroglyphics and even a mock gold pharaoh’s tomb in the 1990s. </p> <p>The pub continues to host live bands and events, including the Geelong Elvis Festival.</p> <p>The Sphinx Hotel is positioned on a 15,000sq m freehold land parcel, with 16-rooms of various configurations, with approvals in place to develop a further 24 rooms.</p> <p>It also features 67 electronic gambling machines, multiple bar areas and function rooms, an outdoor beer garden, a TAB and a recently renovated sports bar.</p> <p>The sale of the property also include the drive-through bottle shop and a licence capacity for 1010 patrons.</p> <p>The hotel is available as either a new long-term lease or a freehold going concern, which is currently being managed by CBRE Hotels’ senior director Scott Callow. </p> <p>“Geelong’s Sphinx Hotel presents a compelling investment opportunity in the thriving gaming and entertainment industry,” the CBRE Hotels’ senior director said. </p> <p>“We anticipate strong interest from a range of investment segments seeking to gain a significant foothold in Victoria’s tightly held gaming market.”</p> <p><em>Images: Sphinx Hotel / Facebook</em></p>

Real Estate

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“Bed of the future” baffles travellers

<p>People usually don't get confused about how to use a bed, but Virgin Hotel's latest addition has gone viral for just that.</p> <p>The Richard Branson bed, has been named the "hotel bed of the future" and it looks like any other bed, aside from the seat-like nooks attached to the corners. </p> <p>"We're very confused by this thing on the edge of my bed," TikTok user Danielle said in the viral video, which has racked up over 3 million views. </p> <p>"It's not a chair, and it doesn't swivel out," she explained.</p> <p>Danielle then proceeds to come up with a few theories about the feature's function. </p> <p>"It's so you don't bump your knee when you're getting up or going back to bed after going to the bathroom," she said. </p> <p>"Or, we're wondering if it's so you can sit and chat with your friends."</p> <p>Other users were quick to comment and here are a few of their hilarious responses: </p> <p>"That's where you stack your laundry when you don't feel like putting it away," one person wrote. </p> <p>"I thought this was so your dog could have a comfy spot to lay," another commented. </p> <p>"Without getting too graphic … the possibilities are endless," added a third. </p> <div class="embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; font-size: 16px; vertical-align: baseline; color: #323338; font-family: Figtree, Roboto, 'Noto Sans Hebrew', 'Noto Kufi Arabic', 'Noto Sans JP', sans-serif; background-color: #ffffff; outline: none !important;"><iframe class="embedly-embed" style="box-sizing: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border-width: 0px; border-style: initial; vertical-align: baseline; width: 580px; max-width: 100%; outline: none !important;" title="tiktok embed" src="https://cdn.embedly.com/widgets/media.html?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2Fembed%2Fv2%2F7296702849298337066&amp;display_name=tiktok&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tiktok.com%2F%40danielle_carolan%2Fvideo%2F7296702849298337066%3Fis_from_webapp%3D1%26sender_device%3Dpc%26web_id%3D7142332295764346370&amp;image=https%3A%2F%2Fp19-sign.tiktokcdn-us.com%2Ftos-useast5-p-0068-tx%2F53b6a23d5bbd4af1a1907e2073c2b818_1698896032%7Etplv-dmt-logom%3Atos-useast5-i-0068-tx%2Fo4IRiSlAxEom0dpDDDEQQQFBJAAC3gffEGEA6J.image%3Fx-expires%3D1699570800%26x-signature%3DIMlG9WO44PlRm5CNyVIyayR4AxM%253D&amp;key=59e3ae3acaa649a5a98672932445e203&amp;type=text%2Fhtml&amp;schema=tiktok" width="340" height="700" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div> <p>One commenter came to the rescue with the answers everyone was looking for, and confirmed that Danielle's second guess was right, and told her to look up the "Richard Branson lounge bed".</p> <p>The bed itself was patented by Virgin Hotels and features two "cubby holes" which allow three people to sit comfortably on the bed and socialise or do their own thing. </p> <p>"Everybody has a cubby hole where they can sit and talk and still work with devices,"  Virgin Hotels CEO Raul Leal explained when the bed was first introduced in 2015. </p> <p><em>Images: TikTok</em></p>

International Travel

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"This is insane": Woman's intense hotel safety routine divides audiences

<p dir="ltr">A woman has gone viral for the elaborate routine she undergoes every time she checks into a new hotel room. </p> <p dir="ltr">Victoria posted a TikTok of her intense seven-step routine that she undertakes when staying in a hotel, with the video quickly racking up over 14 million views. </p> <p dir="ltr">In the now-viral clip, Victoria starts off by putting the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the doorknob and locking it from the inside.</p> <p dir="ltr">Then, she blocks the peephole with a tissue, jams a washcloth into the deadbolt to "close the gap" and rolls up a bath towel behind the handle to stop anyone opening the door.</p> <p dir="ltr">She also positioned an ironing board against the door to stop it from being able to open, and then used a clothes hanger to clip everything together.</p> <p dir="ltr">After going through the seven step routine, Victoria's comment section was flooded with messages as the video prompted a mixed response. </p> <p dir="ltr">"By the time I do all that, it's morning again," one user wrote, while another simply said, "This is insane."</p> <p dir="ltr">While many of the comments were quick to judge how extensive the safety routine is, others shared their own different security preferences. </p> <p dir="ltr">"I take two portable locks, and a mini camera that links to my phone for when I'm out," one said.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, one person pointed out that Victoria's set-up was a bit of a hazard, saying, "And now imagine trying to get out of that in the dark in a fire in the middle of the night."</p> <p dir="ltr">Another said they had "never stayed in hotels where I felt so unsafe," adding, "Is it an American thing? I am genuinely curious."</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: TikTok</em><span id="docs-internal-guid-7c5325f2-7fff-e317-45e9-c3cf2bb0c143"></span></p>

Travel Trouble

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"Is it even legal?": Outrage over pub's "sneaky" surcharge

<p>A Sydney hotel has come under fire online after one customer exposed the popular venue for an unexpected - and apparently undeclared - “late night surcharge”. </p> <p>And after taking to Reddit, that same customer found a wave of support from users who agreed the additional fee was ridiculous, with some even questioning the legalities of it. </p> <p>And while they hadn’t initially revealed the name of the sneaky establishment, after a number of requests from fellow Redditors for a “name and shame”, they eventually disclosed that it had been Sydney’s iconic Oxford Hotel.</p> <p>They began their tale by sharing that they’d just been out with a friend, and had been buying “jugs of beer as rounds”. </p> <p>The first was “purchased at 9:18pm for $24.36”, and wasn’t an issue for the two friends. </p> <p>However, trouble arose at 10:37pm when the poster’s next round came about, and the total came in at $33.50. </p> <p>“I paid for it not looking at the price but Apple Pay has notifications when you pay for things,” they explained, “and I noticed the price difference in the notifications. </p> <p>“When I asked the same staff member who served me he said there was a ‘late night surcharge after 10pm’.” </p> <p>They went on to note that they’d never even heard of a late night surcharge before, and were dismayed by the “30% increase! Not exactly a small increase.” </p> <p>“There’s no signage to notify anyone of the fee after 10pm. I’ve never even heard of this practice in Australia,” they said, before asking whether anyone else had had a similar experience before, and “is it even legal?” </p> <p>When someone noted that “surcharges and semi-forced gratuities are becoming commonplace now unfortunately”, they suggested checking out menus beforehand to determine whether or not a particular establishment would be issuing additional fees. </p> <p>But as one user pointed out, the hotel in question didn’t list the late night charges anywhere on their website. </p> <p>Someone else said that while “late charge surcharging is nothing new”, what the customer had paid “seems somewhat excessive”. </p> <p>“Every time I go out in Sydney these days the whole experience just leaves a bad feeling because I feel like I've just been had by someone,” another said. </p> <p>“Ahh, the reverse happy hour. A sad hour, if you will,” one offered. </p> <p>“So sick of this. It needs to stop. Australian Culture is being killed before our eyes by these greedy establishments not willing to pay their staff living wages,” someone else lamented. </p> <p>And as one bartender added, “so many bars will bump their booze prices up at 10pm and midnight to ‘help pay for staff loading’, but won't actually pay their staff penalty rates. just a little bit of extra money for the big wigs”.</p> <p><em>Images: Facebook</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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Hotel guest wakes to find his toes in the manager’s mouth

<p>A Hilton guest in Nashville has experienced the stuff of nightmares during his overnight stay, having woken in the middle of the night to find the hotel’s manager sucking on his toes. </p> <p>The now-former employee allegedly crept into Peter Brennan’s room using a ‘ghost key card’, according to Brennan’s lawyer, and a warrant has been placed for the arrest of the 52-year-old culprit, David Neal. </p> <p>Brennan is also looking to sue the Hilton Hotel where the incident occurred, <em>WSMV</em> have reported. </p> <p>“I woke up at about 5am,” Brennan explained, “and I was being sexually assaulted by a man who had broken into my room.”</p> <p>Metro police reported that Neal was the night manager at the establishment, and attorney Michael Fisher has claimed that Neal had access to hotel keys despite a criminal past. </p> <p>As court documents note, Neal was previously indicted by the Wilson County Grand Jury in 1996 for second-degree murder in relation to his roommate’s death. In 1997, a jury had found him guilty of manslaughter, while Neal claimed self-defence.</p> <p>And as <em>WKRN</em> have reported, for his 2023 toe sucking offence, Neal allegedly told investigators that he had gone into Brennan’s room without permission using a duplicate key because he could smell smoke and had wanted to check in on its occupant. </p> <p>Brennan, upon waking to find Neal there, confronted his assaulter immediately. He also recognised him as someone who had entered his room the previous day, alongside another hotel employee, to check out a TV issue with the room.</p> <p>"[I] instantly jumped up and was screaming,” he told <em>News Channel 5</em>. “Went into sort of fact-finding mode. ‘Who are you? Why are you in my room? What are you doing here?’</p> <p>"I could see he was wearing a uniform, he had his name tag on. He was talking to me but not giving me any substantive answers."</p> <p>A spokesperson for the hotel directed the station to the hotel’s local manager for comment, though they refused to comment, telling them that “the safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority. We are working closely with the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department, and, as part of company policy, we do not comment on ongoing investigations."</p> <p>Which can’t have come as much comfort to Brennan, who was trying to come to terms with what he’d been through, and noted that he was “having problems sleeping frankly, I’m going through some PTSD, talking to a therapist.</p> <p>"I still don’t really feel safe in my own home."</p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Travel Trouble

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10 shocking examples of bad hotel etiquette

<p>Travel website Expedia has released an exhaustive study on hotel etiquette, asking thousands of travellers around the world to rank the 10 types of hotel behaviour that aggravate them the most. Some of these examples left us scratching our heads!</p> <p><strong>10. The elevator chatterbox</strong></p> <p>The 10th most annoying hotel-etiquette-gripe for travellers cited by Expedia is hotel guests with a tendency to be a little too chatting on elevators. While you can’t fault anyone for wanting to have a chat, the confined nature of an elevator can make the conversation a little bit awkward.</p> <p><strong>9. The boozer at the hotel bar</strong></p> <p>Watching this guy drink his way through his per diem is a sight to behold, and not in a good way. You might just want to have a quiet drink at the hotel bar in peace, but because this guy is hell-bent on turning his business trip into the last days of Rome odds are you’re going to be rudely interrupted.  </p> <p><strong>8. The couple canoodling in the hot tub</strong></p> <p>The one thing we can take solace in here is the fact that a lot of the germs won’t be able to withstand the hot tub temperatures. But the thought of jumping into the biological soup formed by a couple canoodling in the hot tub is one that definitely makes our stomachs turn!</p> <p><strong>7. The loudly amorous couple</strong></p> <p>Coming in at number seven on the list is the couple that are having the romantic escape of a lifetime, which you have unfortunately had to listen to every minute of. It’s in moments like this many travellers have whispered a silent prayer of thanks that earplugs exist.</p> <p><strong>6. The group partying by the pool</strong></p> <p>There’s nothing like a relaxing dip in the hotel pool, but when this group is hanging out it’s hard to get a foot in the water! The only thing that seems to be greater than their obnoxious behaviour is their omnipresence outside of the pool everywhere – don’t they have rooms to stay in?</p> <p><strong>5. The bickering couple</strong></p> <p>Hey, will someone let these two know that they’re on holidays? Whether it’s a very uncivil discussion as to whether they should have a spa or massage tomorrow, or a fire-breathing fight concerning whether they should go to a café or have the breakfast buffet, these two need to calm down a bit.</p> <p><strong>4. The in-room revellers  </strong></p> <p>These people seem to be intent on achieving two things in life – partying all night and inhibiting your ability to get some much needed shut eye as they do so. No amount of pleading (or banging on the hotel walls) will seem to get these people to quieten down and show some respect.  </p> <p><strong>3. The excessive complainers</strong></p> <p>Some people are so intent on complaining you’d think that’s half the reason they went away at the first place. When these people aren’t at the hotel bar questioning the amount of bitters in their lemon lime and bitters at, they’re at the concierge desk making all sorts of ridiculous requests.</p> <p><strong>2. The hallway hellraisers</strong></p> <p>Often mistaken for a stampede of wild horses (at least by the amount of sound they’re making as they move through the hotel, hallway hellraisers get from the lobby to their hotel room with the grace and finesses of an elephant walking around in platform heels two sizes too small. </p> <p><strong>1. Inattentive parents</strong></p> <p>Children bring joy into this world, but not when they’re wreaking havoc in hotel lobbies. The only thing worse is the inattentive parents who are too engrossed in their own world’s to control their kids, which is why travellers ranked this as the most aggravating example of poor hotel etiquette.</p> <p><strong>The study also revealed some hidden habits of people staying at hotels, mainly:</strong></p> <ul> <li>26 per cent have hoarded toiletries to take home with them;</li> <li>9 per cent have invited multiple people into their room overnight without telling the hotel;</li> <li>8 per cent have secretly taken items from their hotel room;</li> <li>6 per cent sneak down to the pool first thing in the morning to “reserve” a spot by placing towels on chairs;</li> <li>5 per cent have smoked in a non-smoking room;</li> <li>2 per cent have deliberately eavesdropped on guests in a neighbouring room.</li> </ul> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

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12 things you should always do before you leave your hotel room

<p><strong>Check under the bed and dresser</strong></p> <p>“I always get down on my hands and knees and look under the bed and under the dresser,” says Suzanne Markham-Bagnera, a former general manager at hotels. Young kids especially like to hide things, and then forget about them.</p> <p>“You get the frantic phone call that a child has left their Lovey, their stuffed animal, or their toy and they realised once they get in their car and start driving, but they’re not able to come right back to the hotel,” she adds.</p> <p><strong>Pull the bed linens back</strong></p> <p>Markham-Bagnera typically removes the bedding to both help out the housekeeper and make sure she hasn’t forgotten anything. “That’s my way of securing: I’ve done the clean sweep of the bed. I’m good,” she says.</p> <p>Guest aren’t expected to strip the bed, but should you decide to, make sure to leave the comforter on a chair or in the closet, not on the floor. And don’t ball the bed linens up with the blanket, keep them separate.</p> <p><strong>Leave the used towels in the tub</strong></p> <p>Markham-Bagnera puts all the towels on the bathtub, especially if they’re still wet. That way they’re out of the way and all together in the pile. And the room attendant only has to pick up one pile of dirty linen. “It makes it a lot faster to pick up,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Take the food you want to keep</strong></p> <p>If you’ve used the refrigerator, make sure that you take out the items that you want. “The ones that you don’t want, throw away,” she says. Some guests leave alcohol as a tip for the housekeeper, but policies vary from hotel to hotel on whether they can accept it or not.</p> <p><strong>Stack overflow takeaway boxes next to a waste bin</strong></p> <p>Hotel waste bin are pretty small, and the remnants of last night’s dinner may not fit. If you’ve got overflow, pile the boxes next to the waste bin instead of leaving them scattered all around the room. “The messier you leave the room, the harder it is for the room attendant to clean that room,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Check between the mattress and box spring</strong></p> <p>When a room doesn’t have a safe, hotel guests will sometimes hide items they don’t want to leave around the room between the mattress and the box spring. Housekeepers have recovered weapons and sex toys there, Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Move the furniture back </strong></p> <p>If hotel guests are travelling with children, they sometimes move one of the beds against the wall so there’s less opportunity for a child to fall out of the bed. That’s fine, but the courtesy is to move the furniture back where you found it before you leave.</p> <p><strong>Take your medications and supplies with you</strong></p> <p>Forgetting your medication can be dangerous for you, but leaving supplies like needles in your room could also be hazardous to your housekeeper. Also, if you gashed yourself shaving and used a towel to stop the blood flow, separate the towel out from the rest.</p> <p>“Hotels will have protocols for how to clean it or for how they have to bag it and have a company come and dispose of it. Because they can’t just put that in the regular trash and be done with it in a hotel,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Make sure you have your charger!</strong></p> <p>“If I had a dollar for every charger that I found, I could take my whole family on vacation,” says hotel manager, Adam Sperling. These days, it’s bad news if your phone dies, so take that last look around. “It’s things that get left behind that can often cause you stress at the end of your journey,” he says.</p> <p><strong>Think about a tip</strong></p> <p>Room attendants are typically paid hourly, so their position is different from a bellhop or a server that might make less per hour with the expectation that they will make more in gratuities, Markham-Bagnera says. That said, room attendants work incredibly hard and tipping is appreciated.</p> <p>Things to consider? The quality of the hotel, whether you’re staying one night or multiple nights, and how messy you’re leaving the room. “If you’ve got a lot of people staying in the room and you’ve got a pullout sofa or a cot, and you’ve used a lot more towels, it certainly is nicer to leave a little extra,” Markham-Bagnera says.</p> <p><strong>Call down to the front desk for transportation </strong></p> <p>Mornings can be hectic at hotels, with out-of-town guests rushing to make meetings and flights in cities they don’t know. You can save yourself some of the hassle by doing a little prep before you leave the hotel room.</p> <p>“Call down and say, ‘hey, I’m leaving at 7.30 tomorrow, can my car be waiting for me?’” Sperling suggests. “That helps everybody. Your car’s waiting for you and we’re not scrambling to go get it at 7.25 when you need it at 7.30.”</p> <p><strong>Book your next stay</strong></p> <p>If you really liked your room and are planning to be back in the area, before you leave your hotel is a great time to rebook, Sperling says. He recommends you ask for the front desk manager for face-to-face treatment that can trump the savings online. “You’re likely to get a great rate, and you’re likely to get upgraded,” he says.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/12-things-you-should-always-do-before-you-leave-your-hotel-room?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

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“It tastes like rich”: Hotel sells $32 coffee with gold sprinkles

<p dir="ltr">At the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi, you can treat yourself to a cappuccino for a whopping $32AUD, although you’re not <em>really</em> paying for the coffee alone. </p> <p dir="ltr">The cappuccino, which is found at the hotel’s Le Cafe by the Fountain comes with 23-karat gold sprinkled on top and it has been named the Emirates Palace Golden Cappuccino. </p> <p dir="ltr">The pricey cap is not the only item on the menu that is embellished with gold, with the hotel advertising a camel milk vanilla or chocolate ice cream with a 23-karat gold leaf for $29.</p> <p dir="ltr">In the mood for a cold drink? The Emirates Palace has got you covered with their Hawaiian Candy Colada, a mocktail topped with 23-karat gold flakes for $26. </p> <p dir="ltr">Tourists have shared videos on social media, with one showing a barista shaking a can of gold flakes over a row of cappuccinos, much like one would with the average cocoa powder topping. </p> <p dir="ltr">Another video posted by a worker shows her adding gold flakes with a spoon.</p> <p dir="ltr">One TikToker who got to try the luxurious coffee wrote, “The gold cappuccino was 8/10 but the vibes were 100/10.” </p> <p dir="ltr">One user wrote, “It tastes like rich.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Another agreed, writing “It tastes expensive.” </p> <p dir="ltr">A Canadian coffee content creator, Brodie Vissers, better known as The Nomad Barista online reviewed the hotel’s cappuccino on YouTube. </p> <p dir="ltr">“Our drinks have arrived, I’m a little bit nervous. It used to be 24-karat, now they’ve reduced it to 23-karat but it is still gold sprinkled on this coffee,” he said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t even know what to expect from this drink,” he said before trying the luxurious drink. </p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s actually not bad. Of course the foam on the latte is not like a perfect flat white or anything. It’s actually not as sweet as I expected. It’s got a nice balance to it. It’s an interesting drink.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We cannot forget about the dates. Having dates with coffee is a very traditional thing here in the Middle East.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Let’s see how that pairs with the latte. Wow, that is so good. I recommend it if you’re around. It’s a kind of unique opportunity here in (Emirates) Palace. What better place to drink coffee with gold on top.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credit: Instagram </em></p>

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4 things you can take from your hotel room – and 6 you can’t

<h2>What you can take: soap or shower gel</h2> <p>If there’s one thing most hotels reliably have in their rooms, it’s soap. And according to Ousman Conteh, hotel general manager, these mini bottles are OK to take from your hotel room. “Often hotels receive negotiated pricing for items from another brand,” he says. However, Curt Asmussen, managing director of ObieHospitality, notes that it’s not encouraged to take these items – but guests aren’t penalised in any way if they do.</p> <h2>What you can take: Shampoo or conditioner</h2> <p>Much like the mini soaps stocked in the bathroom, the travel-size shampoo and conditioner are also fine to take from your hotel room. Hotels sometimes brand these items too, Conteh says. So taking their shampoos and sporting the hotel brand name can help the word out about a hotel.</p> <h2>What you can take: Anything “complimentary”</h2> <p>Complimentary items could include things like dry-cleaning bags, coffee, creamers, sugar packets and certain marketing collateral pieces, Asmussen says. It’s fair game to take them with you. Joanna McCreary, hotel general manage, adds that some hotels even give exclusive complimentary gifts which you are, of course, free to take. “We love giving people champagne on check-in on peak arrival days,” she says. “We don’t advertise it, but do get a good deal on it, and complimentary surprise champagne you will find is a very easy sell.”</p> <h2>What you can take: Paper and pens</h2> <p>These paper items also usually have the hotel brand name on them and serve as a marketing tool. Feel free to take them with you!</p> <h2>What you can’t take: Sheets and towels</h2> <p>Sheets, towels and other linens are definitely something you shouldn’t take from hotel rooms. As McCreary explains, the hotels’ goal is to prepare the perfect room for the next guest. Taking pricy essentials, like sheets, make it harder for hotel staff to do their job. According to the Telegraph, however, 68 percent of people in a survey admitted they steal linens and towels from hotel rooms. Beware that some hotels can track stolen towels thanks to electronic tags, HuffPost reports.</p> <h2>What you can’t take: Electronics</h2> <p>Conteh notes that in most cases, there are disclaimers on all items that shouldn’t leave the room – especially in the case of pricy electronics. “They note that there will be a cost levied on the room charge if a tablet or other item of value goes missing or removed from the premises.</p> <h2>What you can’t take: Robes</h2> <p>These plush robes are one of the most common items people think they can take from hotel rooms, but can’t, according to Conteh and McCreary. You will be charged! Slippers, on the other hand, won’t be used again and are typically OK to take.</p> <h2>What you can’t take: Wooden hangers, glass bottles and mugs</h2> <p>There is a chance that taking these items from your hotel room could lead to consequences beyond an extra charge to your room – including being “blacklisted,” NBC reports. Hotels keep a record of guests who trash hotel rooms or steal items and might ban these people from booking rooms again. In rare scenarios, some people could get arrested. The Telegraph reports a couple in Japan was arrested for stealing robes and an ashtray. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so only take the complimentary items that you really need. Remember, just because you can take something doesn’t mean you should.</p> <p><em>Image credit: Shutterstock</em></p> <p><a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/travel/travel-hints-tips/4-things-you-can-take-from-your-hotel-room-and-6-you-cant" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><em>This article originally appeared on Reader's Digest.</em></a></p>

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