Home Travel From what to say at reception to get a room with a balcony to the strangest requests and hidden perks: the surprising world of hotels revealed

From what to say at reception to get a room with a balcony to the strangest requests and hidden perks: the surprising world of hotels revealed

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Hotels.com has released its annual Hotel Room Innsights report, which has found
  • Hotels.com has released its annual Hotel Room Insights report
  • Discovered ‘amazing services and stories from over 400 hotels’

Surprising items left by guests, outrageous room service orders and guitar-playing concierges.

Also, what do you have to say about getting a room with a balcony?

Hotels.com has released its annual Hotel Room Innsights report, which has uncovered ‘amazing services and stories from over 400 partner hotels around the world… the secrets behind their most memorable stays’.

Here we reveal some of the most striking revelations.

Scroll down to take a tour of the lost and found, room service department, and discover benefits you never knew you needed.

Lost and found

Hotels.com has released its annual Hotel Room Innsights report, which has uncovered “amazing amenities and stories from more than 400 hotel partners around the world… the secrets behind their most memorable stays.”

The report shows that the most common forgotten items are dirty laundry, device chargers, makeup and toiletries, Hotels.com says.

But guests also left behind expensive items, including a Rolex, a Birkin bag and a €5.7m/£4.8m watch; pets, including a chick and a lizard (these were found and returned after their owner left); and odd objects such as two full-leg casts, false teeth, a rice cooker, a car tyre, a mixer and building pipes.

Hotels.com revealed that some hotel employees “went to extreme lengths to return guests’ belongings.”

He revealed: ‘One hotel hero drove 100 miles to return a passport, another ran several blocks to deliver items before a cruise ship departed, and another traveled four hours to return a forgotten suitcase.’

Room service

Strange room service requests in the Hotels.com report include burnt toast and a hot dog with caviar.

Strange room service requests in the Hotels.com report include burnt toast and a hot dog with caviar.

More unusual room service requests and amenities include a bathtub filled with Evian “so a child can bathe in the purest water”; a custom allergen menu for a pet, including gluten-free and dairy-free options, etc.; burnt toast; a caviar hot dog; fresh goat’s milk; 2kg of bananas; and “a high five from a team member to make sure your room service request was read.”

Hotels.com added: ‘Hotels are adapting to these increasingly bizarre room service requests, with W Osaka installing a ‘Whatever/Whenever’ button for guests to order ‘anything, anytime.’

Hidden Benefits of Hotels: The Perks You Never Knew You Needed

The Four Seasons Hotel Austin offers an in-room guitar concierge for guests who want to play a top-notch guitar, and the Sentinel Hotel in Portland offers highly-regarded pet services, including access to top groomers and an acupuncturist for stressed-out pets.

The report also reveals some expert tips, such as requesting a smoking room, getting a balcony and a higher floor “for more space and quiet.”

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