I’ve stayed in the nicest accommodations with good attention to detail, great facilities, and clean, airy rooms that make it hard to leave. It’s great when hotels get the small details right and make a stay even more comfortable. The second I walk into a reception, the first impression counts. For example, the impression goes from the front desk to the lounge. This tells me if my stay will be a good one.
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Let’s dive into what really makes a good stay, because that can ruin the entire trip. It may also impact future choices of whether to book there again or not. The vibe has to be perfect from the first greeting to the moment I walk into the room. After all, a hotel is not just a place to sleep. It’s a place to feel right at home, to feel welcomed, and to spend your hard-earned coins on a good stay. So, a clean room, down to the bed sheets and the bathroom layout, along with a welcoming team of people, makes all the difference.
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Things I look for during my stay
Location
The location is key. The hotel has to be within easy reach of public transport, whether it’s a 10-minute walk to a bus stop or a train station. A hack I use is to search for the luxury, expensive hotels in the destination I want to visit. Then I look for less affordable hotels surrounding that luxury hotel. Chances are the luxury hotel is always going to be in a good, safe area with restaurants and bars around.
The room
One thing I notice immediately is the position of the bed, which is always placed in the middle of the room. However, it’s the sockets that get me. Some sockets are placed beside the bed, easy to reach for when charging your phone. Some are placed across the room, which is not helpful if you want to check your phone at night.
Another thing that I notice is the doors; yes, doors. Most rooms have doors designed to softly close, while others just bang. Imagine waking up constantly to the loud bangs of doors down the hallway.
It’s so pleasing to have a fridge in the room, especially in the summer months when you want a cold glass of water. Speaking of summer, how on earth do most rooms not have air conditioning? Come on, do better. To add to that, I’ve stayed in a room that had AC, but it made so much noise at night that I had to switch it off. So the type of air conditioning unit makes a difference for guest experience.
the bathroom
I love a spacious bathroom that I can walk into and not feel claustrophobic. However, the downside is when shower valves are placed under the shower; it’s not great when you are trying to work out the hot and cold taps and end up getting wet. I love it when they are placed by the entrance to the shower; it’s so much better. Also, are shower curtains still a thing? I’d be shocked to find one in a bathroom in 2026; these need to be gone now.
the team
I appreciate the hard work the team does to keep everything flowing seamlessly, but one of my pet peeves is poor customer service. It costs nothing to show kindness, no matter where you are or what you do. I always read other guest reviews about their experiences at the establishments I want to book. Good customer service is important and is part of the experience. A friendly team always sets off a good vibe and makes for a great representative of the hotel.
