Hotel housekeeping

@Modestah (11179)
United States
February 20, 2008 5:13am CST
you go to a hotel, you think it has been cleaned and is relatively safe - think again. Family staying in a hotel m retrieved toddler who crawled under the bed - to find him sucking on a syringe!!!! this is scary! and really creepy! any number of things could happen. I pray he was not injured or diseased in any form.
3 people like this
6 responses
@KarenO52 (2950)
• United States
20 Feb 08
The first thing I do whenever I go to a hotel is to strip off the bedspread and blanket. I don't trust them. I always check everything out as much as I can, and watch where I put my things. I usually keep my things in my suitcase, and only take things out when I need them. I bring my own pillows and blankets too. I just saw something on TV yesterday about how dangerous bacteria are frequently found on the drinking glasses that are supposed to be clean. It's not a good idea to trust that the housekeeping staff will clean up the way they are supposed to. A family with young children should definitely not let them crawl around on the floor, as syringes are just one of the harmful substances they might come in contact with.
1 person likes this
@AmbiePam (84649)
• United States
20 Feb 08
I won't go into detail, but a special I watched on TV said never lay on the bedspread that covers the bed. Never go barefoot in a hotel room and wear flip flops in the shower. And try not to use the remote unless you have a sanitizing wipe. I never thought I'd have to do so much to be able to relax! lol
1 person likes this
@schilds (410)
• United States
20 Feb 08
The housekeepers are only alotted so much time per room. The hotel I worked atthe rooms were thoroughly cleaned a couple times a year, but daily - the trash is emptied, towels and sheets changed, bathrooms sprayed with sterilizer and wiped down, then a quick dust and vaccuum. The bedspread and blankets are washed weekly. And when they remembered they might wipe down the phones and remotes with the disinfectant. This was the Best Western standards.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
20 Feb 08
I do the same - off with the bedspreads and blankets ( I bring a large sheet to cover the whole bed - I bring my own pillow and towel... I wear slippers (but flip flops is a better idea as they can be put in a plastic bag upon leaving and then disinfected as well. I keep my suitcase up on the vanity counter or suitcase holder if there happens to be one. I look behind photos and movable furniture to check for signs of bed bugs.
• United States
20 Feb 08
i used to work in housekeeping-i could tell you stories that would make you never want to stay in a hotel again. but to not be gross-under the bed is the one place that usually doesn't get checked most by housekeepers.they usually ride you so hard to get the rooms done,they cut corners and that's one of them. not excusing it,just saying.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
20 Feb 08
I can understand how the housekeepers may not have time to get things done in high standard - probably be best if they worked in teams - but anyhow it does not excuse the hotel that does not hire sufficient help to do the job thoroughly.
1 person likes this
• United States
21 Feb 08
i agree,definetly.they were always understaffed,trying to save a buck.a lot of the remaining staff would quit after awhile being rode so hard for little pay.
@ebsharer (5515)
• United States
20 Feb 08
Hotels are not known for there cleanlyness. I mean really they don't wash the bedspread every time the room changes visitors. They do however wash the sheets each time. As for the floor. Some times they vaccume and some times they don't. I personally don't like to stay in hotels but if I have to then I look around and check things out first. As for the parents in this situation I understand letting there kid run "free" in a hotel room because they are pretty safe areas. They are all pretty kid friendly, not having nick nacks or glass every where. My daughter was crawing the first time we stayed in a hotel and I let her go free becuase there wasn't much she could get into. If my daughter had found some thing like a syringe I would have freaked, but since it didn't actually happen to me I have the frame of mind to think ... acciednets happen and maybe they missed cleaning under the bed.
@Modestah (11179)
• United States
20 Feb 08
one time after late night travels we pulled into a hotel - got the kids settled and then noticed that the a/c unit was blowing smoke. I went to the manager office, she bellowed at me from another room where she was watching television - no other rooms available! Well, do you have a fan we can use, it is unbearably hot NO! and some crabbing, please return our money as we can not stay where it is unsafe, we have children..... Cursing, shouting, hagging she comes out hair all a shamble and eyes looking like they could kill - gives me a key for another room. oh, I thought you said there were no other rooms I SAID THERE WERE NO OTHER AVAILABLE ROOMS!!! NOT THERE WERE NO OTHER ROOMS! with that I went outside to hyperventilate a bit, lol.... a guy pulled up screatching his wheels - I told him I would not go in there unless absolutely necessary.... he said yeah she can be a real *B* (so he must have "dealt" with her before) he came back out and told me I should go in in about 5 minutes because he fixed her up for me... I did not go back in, fixed up could have been gave her a fix or did away with her - I did not want any more to do with her...- in the morning after practically no sleep, I went to the offices to file a complaint only to find out that the night manager was THE hotel manager. good grief... no one to complain with. lol.
@subha12 (18441)
• India
21 Feb 08
its really scary i guess. i have experience something like this. once we checked into a hotel they provided with a jug of water which had fly inside it. many times the toilets are not cleaned properly.
@jillhill (37354)
• United States
20 Feb 08
That is scary and I have heard other stories....and during the summer I travel around and spend time in motel rooms and you would be surprised to see some of the places I have stayed! Yuck! most of them my daughter booked for me and to say I surprised would be less then what I felt!
@lexus54 (3572)
• Singapore
21 Feb 08
Some of the things I read here about hotel rooms and housekeeping are alarming, and jolted me somewhat. I guess in the time a housekeeper can do up a room, she will normally just carry out the usual tasks like vacuuming, wiping, clearing the trash bins, cleaning the bathroom, changing the sheets and towels, doing up the bed, arranging the furniture and washing the cups and trays. I have been a seasoned traveler for more than 20 years and I usually stay at reasonable to good class hotels, as well as reputable motels in places where there are no hotels, and sometimes also at homesteads and B&Bs. I don't expect that the routine cleaning by housekeepers will really sanitize a room, but at least a room has to be looking clean, prim and proper when one is assigned to me upon check-in. I have found most rooms reasonably acceptable, and so far in all my travels, I have personally not encountered any health hazards or creepy situations staying in the various hotels and motels. I'll try and maintain my optimism despite reading these scary accounts here.