WHAT MAKES THE PERFECT HOTEL?

Travel Weekly recently surveyed travelers (a combination of business and leisure) to see which hotel amenities are the most important to them when choosing a property. I agree with most of these, but think that in-room coffee/tea service should be ranked right up there near the top. Nothing irritates me more than checking into a hotel room and finding NO coffee maker….what is up with that??? Anyway, see if your own  personal “needs” are met with these hotel amenities:

1. Complimentary Breakfast – I guess everyone enjoys being able to grab a quick breakfast in the lobby and enjoy it with 50 of your new best friends (many of whom are still in their PJs). I tend to agree, especially when the coffee is hot and fresh and they have the required waffle maker! In most of Europe, breakfast is included in the room rate, and can range from basic rolls & coffee to a huge spread.

2. Good Shower Pressure – Yep…high on my list too. I have very weak shower pressure at home and always look forward to having it better when I travel. It can be a real treat!

3. Internet/Free Wifi – It always blows me away that so many US hotels charge upwards of $12.95 per day for WiFi access! All over Europe, even the smallest mom & pop hotels (some of my favorites!) include free WiFi. I think this is worth a revolution…who’s with me?

4. Plenty of free parking – OK, I get it that some City-Center hotels simply don’t have the space for parking and need to charge…And I am certainly willing to tip a valet well for good service…but it sure is nice to have the option to self[1] park your car for a reasonable fee, if not complimentary.

5. 24-hour Front Desk services – Not very high on my list….I’m usually safely stashed in my room before too late. But, I can see how it could be annoying for a tired business traveler to pull into a hotel after a long drive and have no one there to check-him or her in. 

6. Non-Smoking facility – OK…shoot me, but I love having a totally non-smoking hotel at my disposal. Hawaii has a law forbidding smoking inside any hotels (with a few resorts that grandfathered in some smoking areas to cater to Asian tourists) and if it is good enough for them, it’s good enough for me! Sorry smokers!

7. Swimming Pool – Only important to me if we are talking about a vacation resort….and then it is very important. When my kids were little we used to love staying at hotels with a pool, and the kids could blow off some steam (and sugar) in the indoor pool, but I guess I have outgrown the need. I can see how this is very important in hotels that cater to mostly families.

8. Bar with Happy Hour – UH, YEAH! I love to get my glass of wine in the evening….

9. Air Conditioning with in-room thermostats – Absolutely! I like to sleep in a cool room with lots of blankets. Adjusting the thermostat should be a God[1] given right in any hotel room.

10. Coffee and Tea setup in Lobby – Sure, that’s nice, but it is even more important to have the in-room coffee pots as I stated already. I’ve noticed that more and more resorts are forgoing their coffee service and putting a Starbucks in the lobby so you can have the privilege of paying for your morning caffeine – and having to get dressed before you can enjoy your first cup. No thank you!
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Did I leave out any of YOUR favorite hotel amenities? What makes you crazy if you find it missing from your room?  I’d love to know, so please hit REPLY and rant on, brothers and sisters!