When I go away for the weekend or on holiday I like a nice hotel. Somewhere with style, comfortable beds and aaaaall the amenities. But sometimes, if I’m booking somewhere for the night to sleep off a flight before driving home or to simply use as a pit stop I don’t want to spend all my money on an overpriced place that I’m not going to spend any time in.
Throughout my travels I’ve stayed in some pretty basic rooms which occasionally haven’t been the most comfortable (or the cleanest!) but they’ve saved me loads of money that I could then spend exploring the awesome destination I’m in.
So here are my top 8 tips on how to make any hotel a bit more comfortable:
Pack Your Own Pillow Case (and bed sheet if you can fit it in!) Sometimes budget hotel sheets and pillow covers don’t always look the cleanest and the thought of resting your head there isn’t pleasant. Bringing your own pillowcase takes this worry away and they’ll also smell like home which is a big comfort.
Bring Snacks! Budget hotels don’t always offer the best breakfast so bringing granola bars with you or nipping to a local shop is a great way to make sure you always have something to eat in the AM.
Shut Yourself Off. I never travel anywhere these days without an eye mask and some ear plugs. You never know how thick your curtains are going to be or how loud the corridors and neighbours are, especially in budget hotels. Pop on an eye mask, squeeze in your ear plugs and you’ll be unaware of it all. And if you’re worried about not hearing your alarm? Keeping your phone under your pillow and setting it to vibrate with a loud alarm sound works a trick.
Smell Good! Bringing your own nice smelling products for the shower makes anywhere feel more luxurious. Use your favourite body wash and follow with an essential body oil that will fill any room with a decadent scent that’s familiar to you. Just decant them into smaller bottles for easier travelling.
Bring Your Own Towel. Towels in budget hotels are never big enough and aren’t the best quality. Bringing your own towel will not only make you feel cleaner but it will also smell like home for comfort. Buy a dry bag to put it in if you have to leave the next day to keep everything else you have from getting damp after you use it – genius!
Drink Up. There’s never a glass big enough for the tap if you can drink from it or enough bottled water in budget hotels. Head to the shop before hand and get yourself a big litre bottle of water to stay hydrated, especially if you’re heading out for a few drinks before settling in for the night. Or even better, fill up your reusable bottle from a reliable water source to save the planet too, Chilly’s bottles keep your water cold for up to 24 hours which is fab if there isn’t a mini fridge in your room.
Slippers. This might sound silly but a lot of budget hotels don’t have carpets and even if they do they’re not always super clean. Bring your slippers to walk around in…you’ll thank me later.
PJ Party! Last but not least, a little daft but something that always helps me settle in somewhere is my favourite set of PJ’s and a familiar music playlist. Both comforting to put on in a new place and will help you feel right at home!
What are your tips for making any hotel room more comfortable?
xax