If you stay in enough hotel rooms, certain things start to feel inevitable. The pillows will be too mushy or too firm. The shower controls will require an engineering degree. And at least one light — from somewhere — will shine directly into your room the moment you squeeze your eyes shut.
It’s not like hotels can’t be designed for darkness — we’ve seen it done! We know proper blackout rooms exist — we found them in Iceland, when we stayed at Hotel Lækur in Hella. And airport hotels, where jet-lagged passengers desperately need actual sleep, seem to have figured it out, too. So why that knowledge hasn’t been shared worldwide remains one of travel’s greatest mysteries.
Everywhere else? You’re left battling rogue LEDs, half-inch curtain gaps, and security floodlights that appear to be aimed directly into your soul.
The Battle of the Light Leaks
We’re all for a little intentional lighting — we even travel with a small nightlight so we’re not stumbling into walls on the way to the bathroom. But these common light offenders? They have no chill:
- The Curtain Gap Special
That little sliver of sunrise that aims for your retinas with military precision. - Electronics That Glow Like Times Square
Microwave clocks, TV standby lights, and thermostats — all competing to be the brightest nightlight. - Hallway Floodlights at Full Blast
Because who doesn’t want a lighthouse beacon under their door? - Parking Lot Searchlights
Security lighting or alien abduction? Hard to tell at 2 AM.
A Real-Life Example
On one stay, we checked into a perfectly normal room: one window, two curtains that mostly met in the middle. We didn’t notice any light when we went to bed, so we skipped the chip clip trick we usually use (they’re great for curtains, too!).
At about 2 AM, I woke up to what felt like a theatrical spotlight beaming directly onto my face.
It turns out the parking lot below had massive security lights shining straight at the building — and we were unlucky enough to have the room that lined up with them perfectly.
Once I saw the source, the solution was simple: make sure the curtains were sealed tight every night after that. No need for a dramatic “travel grump” moment — just a sleepy adjustment and back to bed.
(Note from Joe’s wife, Sharon: Or he could bring a sleep mask like I’ve been telling him to do for YEARS. But does he listen? NOOOooo…)
How to Fight the Nighttime Glow
When hotel room lighting turns against you, a few simple tricks can help restore the darkness:
| Hack | Why It Works |
|---|---|
| Travel nightlight | Just enough light to prevent shin bruises and bathroom collisions — without waking the whole room. |
| Chip clips / pants hangers | A frequent-flyer favorite for sealing curtain gaps tighter than airport security. |
| Sleep mask | Sharon-approved. Also, the easiest way to win against lights you can’t control (looking at you, parking lot floodlamps)… plus it blocks all the tiny blinking lights from laptops charging on the desk and smoke detectors lurking on the ceiling. |
| Throw a towel under the door | Blocks hallway lighthouse beams and mysterious flickers from the crack below. |
| Unplug or cover bright electronics | Prevents that neon-green microwave clock from auditioning as your wake-up call. |
| Ask for a different room | When the problem is outside your window — sometimes location does matter. |
Is This a Grump Worth Complaining About?
Some hotel annoyances are worth marching down to the front desk for. Others… maybe not so much. Here’s how we look at it:
- Economy & limited-service hotels: You get what you get. A quick DIY fix is probably the way to go.
- Mid-range properties: If the light situation is truly keeping you awake, a room switch might be reasonable — especially if you’re there multiple nights.
- Full-service & higher-end hotels: When the rate climbs, so do expectations. If your room feels more “airport runway” than “relaxing retreat,” a polite request for a better-shielded room is totally fair.
Of course, every traveler’s threshold is different. Some people can sleep through anything. Others notice the tiniest glow, and their brain decides it’s morning.
Your Mileage May Vary.
Final Thought
Hotel rooms may promise rest and relaxation, but sometimes they deliver surprise spotlight effects instead. Thankfully, a few simple tricks — or a well-timed request — can usually save your sleep without turning the whole trip into a production.
Dark rooms make happy travelers. Happy travelers make better memories. And if a stubborn beam of light does sneak in? At least you’ll have a story to tell later — preferably after a good night’s sleep.
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