Working From A Hotel
Ideally, you want to choose a large hotel with a reception that’s not right at the front of the building and which also isn’t keycarded. Some hotels have keycards for the lifts and the corridors whilst others just have one of either but not both. Either way, they make things a little tricky because you will have to come down to reception or wait outside to meet your client.
Some hotels don’t make it obvious whether they have keycard access so you might have to call them to ask. Have a reason as to why you’re asking so if they try and get into a conversation with you, you aren’t caught on the back foot.
You’ll need to find out if visitors can park in the hotel car park and whether it’s pay and display. If it’s pay and display, do the ticket machines accept cash? A punter doesn’t want to have to pay with his card or have to enter his car registration number if possible.
Some hotels have safes to put your money into, or you can pop to the bank during the day or put it in your car.
Don’t give the punters your room number until they are at the hotel; it might be an idea to make a mental note of something right outside the main entrance and ask your clients what they can see such as a sign or what the entrance looks like. This is because there are so many idiots out there who like to prat around saying they are there when they are not.
Some women take a door stopper (one of those wedges to push under the door from the inside) with them so the maids can’t barge in unexpectedly.
Micro fibre towels fold up really small but they crease easily and don’t look great. You can get extra towels from the maids or ask reception, although you might like to keep a low profile and not do that.
You can take your own towels or a reversible bed cover and keep them in your car until you need them. What can look better on the bed, instead of a towel, are those thin cotton rugs. They hold their shape after they have been washed and don’t look all creased up and used. Something like these.
It might be a good idea to put your essentials in the car before you leave home – it’s a pain to realise you have left your phone charger and plug adaptor at home.
The maids usually come around in the morning and will be present on the corridor for a few hours while they do their work. If you don’t want to bring attention to yourself, stay low key and don’t see too many people while they are there.
Some hotels will let you book in early (usual booking in time is around 3.00 pm), either for free or for an additional fee.
If you’re not too sure about the hotel set up, then maybe book for one night only as you can always extend your stay if they have availability.
Hotel prices change dramatically depending on what day of the week it is, so check the daily costs across the week before booking.