15 unspoken hotel rules that seasoned travelers always follow

Hotels can be a haven of relaxation or a nightmare, depending on who's staying in the rooms around you. Whether it’s the thin walls, the shared spaces, or the fact that a hotel room never truly feels as comfortable as home, there are unspoken rules that most seasoned travelers instinctively follow. These quiet codes of conduct aren’t written down anywhere, but breaking them can turn you into the most hated guest on the floor.

From knowing where to check for bed bugs to making sure your hallway voice is at a respectful volume, these little courtesies go a long way. And yet, some guests seem blissfully unaware of them—until they’re on the receiving end of a loud 3 a.m. conversation outside their door.

When @Snowfall_19 posted to r/AskReddit to ask, "What are some unspoken rules that you automatically follow when staying in a hotel?", the responses ranged from practical to hilarious. The conversation started when u/Any_Context1 posted a simple yet universal rule:

"Be quiet in the hallways." — u/Any_Context1

That one piece of advice sparked a flood of hotel etiquette reminders. Here are 15 of the best.

1. Don’t have a full conversation in the hallway at 3 a.m.

Plenty of people shared stories about rude guests who treated hotel hallways like their personal lounges. u/missquit recalled:

"My husband and I were staying in a hotel once and were woken up at 3am by people talking loudly in the hallway. When they didn’t move on or quiet down after several minutes, my husband opened the door to ask them to be quiet and they were SITTING on the floor in the hallway, leaning against the walls of our room, just having a loud 3am conversation." — u/missquit

If you're having a deep conversation about life, love, or what you’re ordering from DoorDash, consider taking it inside your room.

Be considerate of your neighbors!GIPHY

2. Always check for bed bugs

Before you even think about lying down, seasoned travelers know to do a quick inspection. u/Mr_Lumbergh keeps it simple:

"Peel the sheets back and check for evidence of bed bugs." — u/Mr_Lumbergh

But u/ClanBadger had an even better tip:

"Behind the headboard and inbetween the matt. and box spring is a better indicator." — u/ClanBadger

And if you really want to be thorough, u/PurpleMonkeyMan87 suggests:

"The creases, specifically. Look for blood spots, fecal spots, and eggshells." — u/PurpleMonkeyMan87

3. Don’t put your luggage on the bed

A hotel room might look spotless, but you never really know where germs are lurking. u/openheartdirtymind gave this simple yet important rule:

"Don’t put your luggage on the bed." — u/openheartdirtymind

Think about it: your suitcase has been rolling through airports, sidewalks, and who-knows-what-else. Keeping it off the bed is a small but solid hygiene move.

You don't want all that on your bed. GIPHY

4. Use the 'Do Not Disturb' sign immediately

Frequent travelers know that hotel housekeeping can be a little too eager. u/doom1701 shared their routine:

"I spent half the year last year in hotels. Most of it one specific hotel for 1-2 weeks at a time. My only rule is to put the 'Do not disturb' sign on the door as soon as I get there. I don’t want anyone, including housekeeping, touching my stuff." — u/doom1701

But even the "Do Not Disturb" sign isn't foolproof. u/throwRA-disabledbrit had an awkward experience:

"Also had them walk in on me mid-change several times, including twice when I had the DND sign in the door." — u/throwRA-disabledbrit

5. Take a picture of your room number

Ever walked down the wrong hallway trying to find your room? You're not alone. u/banan1025 has a simple fix:

"Take a picture of my room # so I can find it later." — u/banan1025

It’s an easy trick, especially if you’re in a hotel with long, identical hallways.

6. Shake out the sheets before you leave

We all worry about leaving something behind. u/Niknak003 has a foolproof method:

"Before you leave, make sure to give the sheets a good shake to ensure you didn’t accidentally leave anything on the bed. Also check every single drawer or storage space in the room, even if you didn’t use it." — u/Niknak003

Goodbye, forgotten phone chargers and lost stuffed animals.

Too many things can get tangled up in the sheets while we're sleeping. GIPHY

7. Never trust the hotel coffee maker

You might want to rethink that in-room coffee. u/InterestingEstate520 shared this horrifying story:

"I'm not using the coffee maker at all. I heard a guy at work say he used the coffee pot to heat water so he could wash clothes occasionally. Everything got washed in the sink, except his underwear that he boiled IN THE COFFEE POT!" — u/InterestingEstate520

Suddenly, Starbucks in the lobby seems like a much better idea.

8. The floor is lava

Most people wouldn’t walk barefoot through an airport, so why do it in a hotel? u/toby_wan_kenoby sticks to this rule:

"The floor is lava, not to be touched with bare feet." — u/toby_wan_kenoby

A former hotel worker, u/Spiceybrown, backed up that advice:

"This was the most surprising for me when I first worked in a hotel. I had to drop off towels to a room and I had never seen so much white in my life. There were sheets and towels completely covering the floor." — u/Spiceybrown

The floor is lava is a great visualization, tbh.GIPHY

9. Check for hidden cameras

In an era of tiny spy cameras, checking your room is more than just paranoia. u/Bennington_Booyah put it bluntly:

"Search for signs of bed bugs and cameras." — u/Bennington_Booyah

10. Be nice to housekeeping

At the end of the day, hotel staff are the unsung heroes who deal with all kinds of messes. u/pokamoe suggests:

"I generally try to do a quick tidy up that may include moving all garbage to the can, sometimes stripping the bed and putting the towels in a pile, to make someone's day a little easier." — u/pokamoe

And a little tip goes a long way.

11. Don’t let the door slam behind you

Hotel doors tend to be heavy and loud, and letting them slam shut can wake up an entire hallway. u/thorstad shared this simple rule:

"Dont let the door slam behind you when leaving your room. Seems simple enough." — u/thorstad

A little courtesy goes a long way, especially at night.

media.giphy.com

12. Return the luggage cart

There’s nothing worse than needing a luggage cart and realizing another guest has hoarded it in their room. u/mostlkc had some strong feelings about this one:

"Return the luggage cart (there’s a special place in hell for you)." — u/mostlkc

Be kind—bring it back when you’re done.

13. Use a clip to keep the curtains shut

There’s always that tiny sliver of light peeking through hotel curtains. u/SonOfZork has a trick for that:

"Use a bulldog clip to hold the curtains closed." — u/SonOfZork

Or, as u/zombiejeebus pointed out, you can get creative:

"Use the closet hangers with the clips." — u/zombiejeebus

14. Always check for forgotten items

Even the most organized travelers leave things behind. u/karen1676 shared a classic example:

"Check for your phone charger. I have left it behind once and the hotel was nice enough to mail it to me." — u/karen1676

And u/Niknak003 added another good habit:

"Check every single drawer or storage space in the room, even if you didn’t use it." — u/Niknak003

Don't leave anything behind!GIPHY

15. Take photos for TraffickCam

A surprising but important travel tip: snapping a few photos of your hotel room can help fight human trafficking. u/Meeka-Mew explained:

"Take photos of your room for TraffickCam, helps investigators locate where videos involving sex trafficking were filmed and only takes a minute or two." — u/Meeka-Mew

It's a small action that could make a huge difference.

Hotels are better when everyone follows the rules

So, whether it’s keeping the noise down, tipping housekeeping, or ensuring you don’t leave anything behind, following some of these unspoken rules can make your trip a little more comfortable.

And seriously, consider avoiding the coffee pot.