How to Stay Safe, Comfortable, and Sane in a Cheap Hotel (Motel)

So you are driving through the night and it is time to call it quits but where will you stay? What if you can't afford a nicer hotel room? The fact is that I travel often and have experienced different kinds of room whether they are lovely, just horrid or in between. There are times when we have no choice no matter what so when that happens, here is some well-learned advice and tips.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Cheap hotel or motel room.
• Whatever you can bring to make your room more like home- personal pillow or blanket.
• street-wise sense.

1. 
    
   Trust your instincts!

   BE SMART ABOUT YOUR CHOICE.
   Even if it means driving 10 more minutes, do not stay somewhere your "gut sense" is telling you BEWARE. Look for proper lighting in the lot and around the rooms. Are there cars in the lot? What kind of cars and do you feel safe? Check the locks on the doors? Is there a deadbolt and a door chain. Do they work?
   If there are people hanging around the outside of rooms. Please be careful. Loitering can be a very bad sign. Move to the next place if possible. If not, park in front of front desk and move quickly. If needed, ask manager to escort you to your room. Helpful if you are a single female.

2. 
    
   Upset with room? Talk to manager.

   ASK FOR ALL EXTRAS YOU CAN GET.
   Get some extra pillows, blankets, towels, and any other items to make your bed more comfortable. I like to ask for an extra sheet to throw on top of the flat sheet so you do not find yourself on the plain mattress which who knows what is on it. This brings me to the point that the second you get in your room, do the following to be happy, safe, and clean:
   1. Lock the doors- Deadbolt, chain.
   2. Close curtains.
   3. Take the top comforter cover off and move it away from your bed. Do not sleep on it.
   4. Examine and determine what extras you need and get them if they are available.
   5. Don't take socks off and please do not walk barefoot on carpet or showers.
   Do not get me wrong and misunderstand that I am saying that motels or some hotels are gross and nasty but some are so better to be safe then sorry after you get a foot fungus infection or warts.

3. 
    
   Once you are safe, be comfy!

   EMPTY CAR OF VALUABLES AND USE YOUR SAFE!
   Gosh, if people did this more often then we would not have such a theft problem. If you make yourself a target, you will become one. Same thing goes with flashing around money or jewelry. Watch around you and be street smart.

Tips & Warnings

• Plan your trips as well as you can and stay with companies you like and have had good experiences.
• Check out hotel.com or expedia.com and see what people who stayed there had to say about their rooms and stay.
• Bad back, maybe the floor is best with your own pillow from home.
• Always leave feedback whether good or bad. If managers and owners don't know the problem, nothing can be fixed.
• If you have a noise problem, call front desk. Do not settle this yourself.
• You can never be too careful!
• Never ever tell people your room number! Sounds obvious but it happens or else I would not tell you.
• The less you touch, the better. This is especially for the phone, remote, air controller, and door knobs.
• WASH YOUR HANDS OFTEN!

Resources

• Lysol Disinfectant Uses
• Online Cheap Hotel Site
• Online Cheap Hotel Site

[auntkitty]

on 10/29/2009 Super article, once again.

[AsktheNurse]

on 8/19/2009 Very funny! Great tips, thanks for writing. Recommended.

[texasparky]

on 5/27/2009 Great ways to stay safe, comfortable and sane in a cheap hotel...A good roach motel kit would be a Colt .45, hand sanitizer and a foot massager.

[tachic]

on 5/14/2009 Great tips to stay safe and comfortable in a cheap motel. Somehow we always end up with cockroaches!

[shadyk]

on 5/12/2009 Great advice on staying safe, comfortable, and sane in a hotel. 5*!