When you’re jetting off, particularly if you’re flying solo, safety is paramount and you’ll want to ensure your journey goes without a hitch.
One flight attendant has revealed a little-known trick to help. Esther, a cabin crew member with KLM, regularly imparts her travel wisdom and she’s issued a stark warning for holidaymakers, including a tip they should always follow when checking into a new hotel room.
In the video, the Dutch air hostess advises guests to “always” roll a bottle of water under the bed upon first entering a hotel room, to check “no one is under the bed without looking”. The theory is that if the bottle “doesn’t come out of the other side”, then it might be time to call in reinforcements, such as a staff member or a fellow traveller, to investigate.
However, if the bottle does emerge on the other side of the room, you can proceed as usual, reassured there are no unexpected guests. Esther isn’t the only flight attendant sharing her tips for spotting unwanted visitors.
Demi Bonita, from Spain, disclosed her clever trick for detecting if someone’s been in your hotel room while you’ve been away. She advised: “Put the ‘do not disturb card’ between the door, so you can notice if someone has been in your room.”
Dressed in her flight attendant uniform, she goes on to demonstrate how to slide the card between the door and frame before shutting it. “One hour later, no one has been here,” she confirmed upon her return to the room.
Meanwhile, another cabin crew member shared that she performs four essential inspections every time she enters a new hotel room. This involves scouting for potential hiding spots and looking behind “anything that I can’t directly see behind – doors, curtains, large cabinets, under beds, and box springs”.
It’s not only cabin crew who come armed with pro travel hacks. A hotel veteran has issued a stark warning to British holidaymakers: switch off the lights as soon as you enter your hotel room unless you fancy some very nasty surprises.
Halee, a 15-year veteran of the hospitality trade, spilled her top hotel check-in secrets, emphasizing that missing basic checks could expose you to bed bug attacks. Her advice?
Turn off the lights upon entry, draw the curtains then sweep the room with a flashlight (your phone’s will do), especially under the bed and any hidden areas.
She warns that bed bugs are particularly fond of “corners and the creases” in bedding and fabrics. She explained: “The reason you should check your bed with the lights off is because bed bugs are actually nocturnal so they’re more likely to be out and about looking for their prey.”
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