15 Red Flags to Keep an Eye Out For When Checking Into a Hotel

Like the old saying goes, "You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression." This phrase is an apt phrase that can apply to hotels. Hotels pride themselves on making for a good first impression. They want their guests to have clean, comfortable rooms and provide great service to ensure these guests become repeat guests. But when hotels are less than clean and comfortable, and provide less than stellar service, problems will arise. According to MSN.com writer Mia Roberts and from the MSN.com page Beyond the Journey, here are 15 red flags to look for upon checking into a hotel

Also, you might see me add a few bits of my own advice. From times I've stayed in a hotel while on trips. You also might see me put a little of what I have experienced from each of these on each one

1. Strange smells

-When first entering a hotel room, were there any odors that seemed like they didn't belong? Musty? Mildewy? Moldy? Those are immediate red flags. Unpleasant odors indicate poor cleaning skills or hidden threats such as mold and mildew

-Mold and mildew can play merry havoc with those who have allergies or breathing difficulties. This is a good place to question the hygiene standards of the hotel. Prior to unpacking, consider asking to change rooms or inspecting the room to find the source of the smell. Minor hints can lead to major discoveries. Like you trust your gut, your nose never lies. Your sense of smell is reliable in detecting unseen hygiene concerns. If you address this immediately with staff, it will have a huge impact on your stay

2. Sticky surfaces

-In your room, if you touched something and immediately felt some resistance upon pulling your hand back or felt sticky, that's a no no. No room surface should feel sticky. Sticky surfaces are a clear indicator of poor cleaning practices and poor sanitation. These surfaces can harbor germs, creating health hazards. It's important to address this ASAP!! Wipe down the surfaces with a disinfecting wipe and or then alert hotel staff. Being ahead of the game can drastically reduce the chance of taking home germs or viruses with you. Health is key, and it should not be put into unnecessary risks due to poor cleaning

3. Noisy environment

-Sleep is vital for many things. But what to do if your hotel is noisy? What if there are kids running up and down the hall at all hours of the night? What if it's next to a busy train track that has freight trains running at all hours? Consistent noise can reduce your sleep and make for a poor stay

-Check to see if there were noise complaints made against the hotel. Check for notices of construction prior to booking. Sometimes hotels will not, unfortunately, put notices of construction on their sites. If you've already checked in, request a room away from elevators or frequently traversed streets. As for the train running at all hours, unfortunately the only thing that can be done about that is checking out and checking into a different hotel farther away from train tracks. Earplugs can save lives. Especially the thick foam ones. Address these noise concerns with staff immediately

4. Inconsistent front desk service

-The front desk is your first point of contact when staying in a hotel. When the staff seems less than interested in assisting guests, and more interesting in socializing or messing around with their mobile phones, that can set a bad mood for your stay. It signals bad management. Picture this. Standing in a line for what seems like ages with out help. This is a strong suggestion of poor management and equally poor training. Well-trained hotel staff do not let guests stand around waiting while they check their social media to see what their friends are up to. Well-trained hotel staff attend to guests and ensure they are receiving top notch service.

-Do not hesitate to address concerns if you feel the service is less than stellar. Feedback is vital to improving the hotel's service. First impressions are key, and if your first impression is less than stellar, that can hurt your stay

5. Broken / malfunctioning amenities

-Amenities are needed during some people's stays. They book these hotels sometimes just for the amenities in addition to their stay. What if they are not working as normal? Broken TV or air conditioner can become more than minor nuisances. This is a red flag for poor maintenance. Check the amenities when you arrive. If you discover these broken or malfunctioning amenities right away and address it with hotel staff right away, it can be fixed faster. Remember this. You are paying to stay in a hotel, and as such, amenities need to be fixed right away to get the most for your money. Being up front and assertive about getting repairs done will guarantee your stay is as comfortable as possible

6. Lack of security

-Safety is key when staying in a hotel. If you are bringing valuables with you, such as jewelry, keys, money, passport and more, it's important to stash those away in a safe, out of sight. When checking into a hotel, adequate lighting and functional locks are highly important. If security seems less than ideal, there's a red flag. It indicates a lack of concern for guest safety. You should address safety concerns with staff immediately. Peace of mind for guests is one thing hotel staff should keep an eye on. Trust your gut instinct. If a hotel just feels "off", like you feel the security is less than ideal, check out immediately or don't bother checking in and seek alternative accommodations. Your safety is important and you should not put yourself or others at risk just because the hotel was affordable or ideally located

7. Lack of basic supplies

-Have you ever walked into a room and noticed some basic necessities were missing? Such as towels, washcloths, soap or other items? This can be frustrating. Always check for the things you need, such as washcloths, towels, toiletries, bottled drinking water, etc. upon entering the hotel room. If these supplies are missing, contact hotel staff and kindly let them know these items are missing. This is a red flag signaling a lack of service standards. Contact the front desk immediately and let them know. Well-managed hotels immediately respond to this concern. As a guest, you deserve to have a good stay and all necessary supplies at the ready

8. Stained linens

-Hotel rooms are supposed to be cleaned after guests check out. That includes fresh, clean linens. What if you discover suspicious or disgusting stains on your bed linens? That's not only a health hazard, but a potential red flag. It indicates neglect of cleanliness. If you find stains on your bed linens, immediately notify hotel staff. Let them know you would like new, clean linens or request a completely different room. Comfort and peace of mind go hand in hand when you are the guest of a hotel. This should never be put at risk. Taking action guarantees you are not settling for less than ideal service. Because you don't know who was in the room prior to you. You don't know if the prior guest had a contagious disease and, if the linens are stained, you risk picking up a condition you don't want

9. Outdated decor

-"You don't get a second chance to make a good first impression." This phrase can be used in so many situations. Including hotel rooms. If the decor is outdated, this is a red flag. It indicates neglect in other areas as well. It might not directly affect comfort, but it can reveal the hotel's obvious lack of upkeep and attention to detail. Think about whether this would affect your stay. If the room feels as though it's been abandoned or neglected, it would be worth it to address these concerns with hotel staff. They won't know about the problem unless you let them know. Hotel rooms should feel like an extension of home-fresh, clean and inviting

10. Poorly maintained grounds

-The surrounding area of a hotel will reflect the level of management on site. If the grounds are poorly maintained, this is a red flag. It indicates there is poor management, lack of resources or lack of care. You need to address these issues with staff. Let them know that the grounds are poorly maintained. That there is litter everywhere or that there are wildlife rooting through the overflowing trashcans. Surroundings need to be pleasant just like the rooms

11. Non responsive housekeeping

-Housekeeping is one of the crucial roles in hotels. They clean the rooms. They change the sheets. They help maintain cleanliness and comfort until the next guest comes in. But what if they don't seem to respond? This indicates a lack of staffing. This can reflect very poorly on the hotel operations. Communicate any concerns with hotel staff immediately. Well-managed hotels should address guest concerns efficiently

12. Seemingly "invisible" billing

-Billing should be clear and present. No hotel should secretly bill you for things you didn't already agree to or pay for. Hidden charges are one thing hotels are not supposed to push on to their guests. Unfortunately, some hotels do this. And they are slow to respond on refunds of money, if they do them at all. Some hotels refuse to dispute these hidden charges. Look at your bill with a detective's eye. Anything amiss should be addressed immediately. Reputable hotels should provide clear and precise billing and explanations for any charges. When you understand your bill, you understand you are only paying for what you agreed to. Clarity and conciseness in billing makes for a smooth check out

13. Limited dining options

-Dining options can make or break your stay. So what if you accidentally sleep in and go down to breakfast, only to find that the options are limited, or worse, the breakfast time is only two hours and the the breakfast items are already put away and the cleaning staff is cleaning up? Make sure to check for all and any available dining options prior to booking. If eating is important to you, do this. Look for restaurants around the hotel you're planning on staying in so that if the hotel staff decides to cheap you out with a limited set of options or limited breakfast time, you'll still be covered

14. Unpleasant staff attitude

-Warm welcomes provide a good impression for your stay. What if the staff is less than friendly? What if the staff has an attitude that says they would rather be anywhere but there? What if they actually say what they would rather be doing than working? That is a major red flag. Good hospitality depends on good customer service. If the staff seems like they could care less if a good job is done, that is a signal that the hotel is awash in poor management issues. Do not hesitate for even a moment to address this with management. Guest satisfaction should always be a number one priority. When guests are treated kindly, this will guarantee that the guest will come back and, better yet, put out the word that the hotel is good, thus bringing more guests to the hotel. Feedback can lead to positive changes. Kindness and respect are two things you should be treated to in your stay

15. Poor room ventilation

-Air quality can not only affect your stay, but it can also affect your health. If the room feels stuffy, something is off. Poor ventilation can affect sleep. Check for windows that open and close and air conditioning units that function properly. If either of these options are malfunctioning, request a change of room or a solution. You shouldn't have to worry about breathing easy in a hotel. Health and comfort of guests is important and addressing these concerns right away will improve your stay

A few tips of my own...

-Here are a few tips of my own. So you can avoid running into what I had to experience. They are sort of add ons to what is already mentioned above

Check the beds

-This is in relation to the stained linens. Check the beds!! Any sign of movement, meaning you see something crawling around that definitely does not belong, do not linger in this room! That means there are bedbugs or other insects present. The last thing you need to take home from your stay is an unwanted insect. If you find unwanted insects, immediately take your luggage and leave the room. Request a change of room immediately or check out and find other lodgings

-Experience: Me and my sister went to the Rock on the Range festival in Columbus, Ohio in 2015. It was out first road trip. We were going to see Linkin Park and Judas Priest, among other bands there. The only hotel we could get into was right off the highway, a Comfort Inn & Suites because all of the other hotels were booked solid. It was on the lower end of the hotel chains. Later on, when we got home, we didn't realize until a couple of days later that the room we stayed in had bedbugs. We accidentally put out luggage on the foldable luggage rack. We didn't know the room was infested with them. It was our first trip without our parents. We were kind of winging it and doing what we thought was right. And because of the bedbug issue, we had to have our house treated with high heat to kill everyone of the insects. I didn't mind paying the $600 extermination fee, but it was embarrassing. The exterminator kindly told us that it doesn't matter if our house is so clean we could eat off of the floor or it was a dirty hovel. Bedbugs can happen anywhere. There's nothing to be embarrassed about

Housekeeping Staff

-Some of the hotels I've stayed in within the US have employed Hispanic staff and they may or may not know much English. I've found it improves my stay and earns me good karma to greet them using a little Spanish that I do know. Treat the housekeeping staff the same way you would want to be treated. Say hello or treat them with kindness. Tell them to have a nice day. Compliment them. After all, it is them who is cleaning up after YOU! And also, do not litter you room. Pick up after yourselves. Make their job easier! Tip them for good service. Not everyday, but every other day. Just to let them know you appreciate their hard work

Limited dining options

-When you are going somewhere, look into dining options around the hotel you're staying at. So that if the hotel decides to limit options or operation time for breakfast, you'll still have options. You can either have a list of restaurants in the area or pull them up on your phone. But it's always good to have options or backup plans in case things go sideways, pear-shaped, however you would like to put it. I started researching hotels and dining options in the Orlando, Florida area last year because in 2026, I am planning on going on vacation for a week to Universal Studios Orlando. I have a list of all hotels within a reasonable driving distance of the park. I have the address and phone number for all of those hotels. I have the pros and cons for each of them, the amenities offered and restaurants near them. I could probably be a good a travel agent with the research I do. Most of the negative comments I seen about these hotels was noisy AC. That don't bother me; it's white noise

-This is what it looks like on my list of hotels:

Hotel name

-Address and phone number

-Anything it might be near, to use as a guide to get back from my destination

-Amenities offered

-Pros

-Cons

-Restaurants nearby

-Experience: Related to the dining option and me and my sister staying in Columbus, Ohio for the Rock on the Range festival, we accidentally slept in, as many of our fellow hotel guests did. We all went down to get the "free continental breakfast" only to find that the operating hours were from 6:00am-8:00am. I looked at my watch. It was 9:00am. Me and many of the guests had slept in. We all looked at the breakfast room and some staff were clearing up and cleaning while the other staff were eating breakfast from the hotel right in front of us. More than a bit rude if you ask me. The hotel staff clearly didn't understand people who go to music festivals tend to sleep in.

-Every guest proceeded to go to a local Bob Evans restaurant up the street. Most of the staff there at the restaurant had probably seen an invasion of rock and metal band-shirted people like this before. They knew around that time every year, which was around mid-May, a music festival was in town and usually that Sunday, the last day of the festival, everyone from the local hotels came here because their hotel staff were a bunch of cheapskates and shut down breakfast too early. One older woman asked me why everyone was wearing what looked like a music t-shirt. I, while wearing my Iron Maiden Killers t-shirt, informed her that there was a music festival in town and that everyone was staying at the same hotel and missed breakfast because it was only for two hours and everyone overslept