What comes to our mind when we think of hotel rooms? Mostly it's the experience of relaxation, having fun with your loved ones, getting pampered and resting. But often people end up not going to hotels because of widely held but false notions about the hotel services.
It’s the solution for many problems, like to freshen-up for a meeting in a new city, to spend some alone time with your loved one, or to get some rest. However, because of some myths we often hesitate to book the room.
Also other way rounds we carry a high expectation because of some myths about the hotel room services.
So through this post let’s clear the air

  1. There are hidden cameras in hotel rooms.

Hotels never use hidden cameras inside hotel rooms because it is against the privacy policy of the guest. They might have in the lobby, In-house restaurant etc. Hotels owners have a strict policy & strive to make sure they protect the privacy of their customers. They take all the precautions to avoid such instances.

Moreover, the hoteliers know the repercussion of having a hidden camera in their rooms.

The Information Technology Act, 2000 Section 66E says,

Violation of privacy - Whoever, intentionally or knowingly captures, publishes or transmits the image of a private area of any person without his or her consent, under circumstances violating the privacy of that person, shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years or with fine not exceeding two lakh rupees, or with both

  1. Hoteliers will interrogate you if you are a couple

This is a very old notion that hotelier will investigate all your details and interrogate you for checking-in if you are a couple. First of all, you need to understand that there are two kinds of hotels. One is a couple-friendly and another who is not a couple friendly. So wise decision is to go for couple-friendly hotels and because those are couple friendly hotels, they won’t have any problems and won’t ask any questions if you both have a valid ID proof and are of 18 years of age (in some case 21).

The hotelier is only worried about guests involving illegal activities that can cause problems for them. So that’s why they ask a valid ID proof and check if you are of legal age. Hotels are very welcoming and hospitable. So they won’t embarrass you asking silly questions.

  1. A hotel manager can fix any problem

This is a very unwise conception we have that the hotelier or the front desk manager can solve any of your problems. Yes, he might help you with any shortfalls in the service provided. But expecting him to solve all your problems if that’s not in his hand is silly. For eg, complaining that your wall color is disturbing. He might suggest that to the senior management but cannot fix it for you at the same time. Also if you arrive before the check-in time and expect flexible check-in, then it is your misconception, it depends upon the availability of the rooms and also is chargeable.

  1. Room service menu prices are identical to those in the hotel’s restaurants.

You would think for food served in the room, you’ll be paying the same amount which you saw on the menu before you checked-in to the room. Uh! Sorry to disappoint you, that’s not the case every time. Some hotels do charge extra and they have reasons for the same.
What drives the prices up is the service charge to provide it to your door, tray charges and other ways of making you pay for the pleasure of private dining, something that most hotels have pretty much fallen out of love with because it's logistically complicated.

One of the hoteliers who used to work at a high-end hotel in New Orleans says,

“The money has never made sense. The cost of keeping a kitchen active through the night, of paying the attendants to stay awake and caffeinated, has never been covered by the three drunk guests who order fries at 4 a.m.”- Jacob Tomsky

  1. A free wifi, food included in the stay.

Yes, It’s common nowadays to get wifi for free. However, there are hotels which charge for using wifi. So be cautious and enquire about the same from the service provider.

  1. You can extend the stay without prior information.

Usually, the time frame is 23 hours of stay at the hotel, but the fact of being now hourly hotels also exists. So the guest assumes that it is completely fine if they extend their stay or be late by some minutes. However, that’s a wrong assumption. Because if the hotel is running on full occupancy and there is another guest waiting for his check-in then it becomes a trouble for the hotelier. Hotelier has planned the inventory allocation accordingly he has to give check-in and guests whose time is up is expected to vacate the room.

There are no worries if there are no guests waiting for their check-in but it becomes troublesome if there are tired customers waiting for their check-in and hotelier is helpless in this case.

  1. Price is the same for double and single if they are looking for a room without breakfast.

Another common notion people have is if they are booking a room without breakfast the price for double occupancy will be the same as single occupancy.
But sadly that’s is a false notion. Many at times hotels have fixed price for single occupancy and double occupancy irrespective of including breakfast or not.
Reason being many other amenities is also included which is provided for a single person and not double. Also, the obvious reason being the energy and resources consumed by one person is different than it is consumed by two.