There are an endless number of things that will never go back to the way they were. To be honest, some of that is good news, and some of it isn’t. When everything went upside down, we were forced to look at how things worked. During the process, if we found something different and better, then why not keep it? There were also things that were gone for a while, and we realized that we didn’t really miss them.
For example, hotel breakfasts underwent massive cuts. When things started to go back to normal, guests complained that a snack bag wasn’t going to cut it, and full breakfasts made a comeback. The same isn’t true for hotel lounges, as some hotels still have not reopened them. They instead have guests eat at a hotel restaurant and work in their rooms or the lobby, offering some loyalty points as compensation.
But one thing that hasn’t returned to normal is housekeeping services. In fact, hotels have reduced housekeeping as part of their normal operations.
For example, take this checkbox that I saw when making a booking. I can either accept housekeeping every other day or I can reject housekeeping services altogether.
Here’s what Marriott says about this policy on its website.
The way we deliver housekeeping service is evolving. Marriott has launched a new Housekeeping Model for Housekeeping Stayover Services. This new approach is centered on providing you with choices during your Stay.
- Premium Hotels, excluding Resorts, will offer Daily Service
- Select and Extended-Stay Hotels will offer Every-Other-Day Service
- Luxury Hotels/Resorts and Premium Resorts will offer Daily Full Clean Service
Hilton takes a different approach, only limiting housekeeping at its extended-stay brands. According to VFTW, Hilton’s policies changed to the following:
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Full Service/Lifestyle/Embassy Suites: Stayover housekeeping will be provided to all occupied rooms daily or as requested by the guest. Full cleaning will be provided after the 4th night on the 5th day, and upon guest check-out.
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Focused Service/Homewood Suites/Home2 Suites: Stayover housekeeping service will be provided to all occupied rooms every other day or as requested by the guest. For example, the first stayover clean would occur after the 2nd night on the 3rd day. Full cleaning will be provided after the 4th night on the 5th day, and upon guest check-out. Note: if a Focused Service, Homewood or Home2 property wishes to return to daily, they may do so without a waiver.
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Luxury: Stayover housekeeping will be provided to all occupied rooms daily or as requested by the guest. All guest rooms must be fully serviced, cleaned and inspected after every 3rd night on the 4th day, or upon guest request, and upon guest check-out. Housekeeping cleaning protocols will be refreshed to align with the brand service standards.
There have been some hotels where we received housekeeping services every day but I honestly don’t miss daily service. What I would like is to get what our timeshare would call a Trash & Towel service. That’s when housekeeping comes in, empties the garbage cans (and takes plates, pizza boxes, etc.) and replaces the towels with new ones. I don’t need the bed made or the carpet cleaned every day.
It’s a different story when staying at a luxury resort, where staff will come into your room multiple times a day to straighten up, replace water bottles, and leave snacks. That’s part of the experience, and guests expect that level of service.
When I’m staying at a HI Express or Hilton Garden Inn, getting housekeeping every other day or so is plenty. Just make sure the pancake machine is working at the breakfast buffet and we’re cool.
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4 comments
I don’t miss daily housekeeping either. On a two night business trip when I’m barely in my room anyway I don’t accumulate much trash, and if I’m traveling solo in those instances, there’s already enough towels for me to use a “fresh” one every day. Even when traveling with my spouse for a week or so, we’re fine with every other or every third day.
For too many years, I would stay in hotels for weeks at a time for most of the year. Even before the post-covid changes I only wanted housekeeping service once a week. Some hotels insisted on doing it more often regardless what I cared for.
Have to agree as well, I don’t really like people coming into my hotel room as it is, so less housekeeping is actually better for me.
I may come off as untidy, but I couldn’t care less about my bed being made every day because I’m going to sleep in it again and it’ll be messed up the next morning anyways. Long as the sheets are clean, I’m good.
In a week’s hotel stay, I usually just put the do not disturb sign up and on the 3rd or 4th day I’d take it down so housekeeping can come empty the trash and give me a new set of towels and maybe restock the toilet paper.
Maybe this is the reason why I feel like a luxury hotel stay feels like a waste of money to me since I’ll treat it like any other hotel stay. Just a place to relax after touristy stuff and sleep for the night
If the room is stocked with enough towels for my stay I can get by. I don’t generate much trash or care whether the bed is made. But no service yields no tip.