You’ve just gotten to your hotel and checked in. The clerk at the front desk has done everything right, and before you go on your way, they give you your room key. They point out the number of your room, which is written on the key card holder they’ve just handed you.
But they never say your room number out loud.
What’s up with that?
There was a time, a few decades ago, when the person at the front desk would give you your key (back then, more often than not, it was a key, not a key card) and tell you your room number. But that disappeared more than a couple of decades ago.
So what happened?
A few things.
Safety
Of course, the first thing most people will mention is safety. As a female, and a pint-sized one, at that (if you’re new to our travel blog, hi, I’m Sharon and I’m 4’6″ tall), it’s definitely the first thing that goes through my mind.
Someone who’s not the most upstanding citizen in the world might be hanging out in your hotel’s lobby. They could see you check in, and if they measure you up to be a good victim for whatever their nefarious intentions are, they might pay attention to when the front desk clerk tells you that you’re in room 217, 912, 1643 or whatever. Late at night, they could go up to your room, knock on the door and if you’re dumb enough to open it, you could be in some big-time trouble.
But helping ensure you stay safe isn’t the only reason hotels don’t say your room number out loud.
Fraud prevention
It’s not just your physical safety that hotels are concerned about. If that nefarious person has your name (which you told the front desk when you checked in) and room number, what’s to stop them from charging things to your room? Meals at the hotel restaurant. Spa services. Stuff from the gift shop. All those charges could be yours if someone else has your last name and room number.
To help you remember your room number
I’m not sure about you, but my memory isn’t always that great. Especially when I’ve just gotten off a plane and I’m tired and probably a little bit hangry. That desk clerk can tell me that I’m in room 712, but unless I have a mnemonic like I know someone whose birthday is July 12th, there’s a good chance I won’t remember my room number by the time I get off the elevator on the 7th floor.
But if it’s written down, I have a visual reminder to tell me what room I’m supposed to go to.
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