From breakfast buffet ‘jumpers’ to being rowdy in the hallways, Brits are lifting the lid on their hotel habits – and it turns out, we’re not always on our best behaviour.
A new hotel etiquette study* commissioned by Hotels.com® reveals that while nearly 40% of us think hotel etiquette might be slipping, we still like to believe we’re doing our bit, with 90% of Brits convinced they’re the perfect house guest away from home.
But even the most well-intentioned travellers admit to the occasional cheeky shortcut. In fact, guest quirks start before check-in and carry on throughout the stay.
More than a third confess to entering the wrong number of guests when booking, with Gen-Zs leading the charge when it comes to squeezing in an extra mate after check-in. Meanwhile, 40% of travellers admit they’ve skipped reading reviews altogether, with one in 10 missing out on collecting loyalty rewards along the way.
To help travellers get more from every stay, Hotels.com has launched a revamped loyalty programme, Hotels.com Rewards, where holidaymakers can earn £100 back in Hotels.comCash™ after 10 eligible nights1 – addressing one of the biggest faux pas, leaving loyalty points on the table.
“Small tweaks can make a world of a difference,” said Melanie Fish, travel expert and spokesperson for Hotels.com. “Taking the time to check reviews or making the most of rewards can turn a good trip into a great one, and help your travel budget stretch further, too.”
Brits might bend the odd booking detail, but when it comes to asking for upgrades we’re surprisingly honest, with only one in 10 admitting they’d lied to try their luck.
Restraint goes out the window at the breakfast buffet, however, with over a third admitting to smuggling food out to eat later. Complimentary perks – particularly tea, coffee and toiletries – are also where guests report to overindulging, while free breakfast, room upgrades and free parking top the wish list of the extras we love most.
Not quite 5-star etiquette
It’s not just the big etiquette moments where Brits say they occasionally slip. From propping suitcases on the bed to hanging damp laundry out on the balcony, some habits are hard to shake once we’re in holiday mode.
That said, there are lines we rarely cross. You won’t find Brits engaging in PDA around the pool (2%) or being rude to staff (2%).
And it’s not just our own habits under the microscope. Brits are also quietly sizing up their fellow guests. Japanese travellers are seen as the gold standard for politeness by a third of respondents, followed by the Swedes, with Brits placing themselves a modest third. At the other end of the scale, Americans (35%) and Germans (22%) are perceived as the rudest guests, although, of course, every stay tells its own story.
10 tips for better stays and better rewards
In response to the findings, Hotels.com has teamed up with etiquette expert William Hanson to create a set of practical dos and don’ts to help navigate modern hotel manners. ‘William Hanson’s Grand Etiquette Hotel Guide: 10 Tips to Reap the Rewards During Hotel Stays’ is a guide based on the nation’s biggest pet peeves. Among them, reserving sunbeds at dawn with towels is a huge faux pas – but being rude to staff is the ultimate no-go.
The 10 tips are designed to reflect the power of consistent actions, mirroring the simplicity of Hotels.com’s rewards proposition: stay eligible 10 nights, and earn £100 in Hotels.comCash.
William Hanson’s Grand Etiquette Hotel Guide
The Art of Engaging Staff with Dignity – Treat every member of staff, from the cleaner to the manager, with genuine respect and an open ear. This isn’t just about being nice; it’s about unlocking personalised service. Staff are far more likely to go the extra mile for a guest who treats them as valued individuals.
Halcyon Hallways (and the Virtue of Silence) – Corridors are not thoroughfares for celebration, but shared spaces requiring a degree of restraint. One should move through them quietly, particularly in the later hours, keeping voices low and footsteps gentle.
Libationary Lessons - A well-enjoyed drink need not become a public performance. Moderation is key, particularly in shared spaces where one’s behaviour is on quiet display. By remaining composed, you retain dignity and control of your surroundings.
On Burning Embers and Better Judgement - Hotel rooms are designed for comfort, not combustion. Lighting a cigarette indoors undermines both the space and the experience for future guests and inevitably results in penalties that could have been easily avoided.
Housekeeping Is Not an Archaeological Activity - A hotel room is not one’s private domain to abandon entirely. Keeping your space in reasonable order (not pristine, but certainly not chaotic) ensures that housekeeping can do their job efficiently.
Lavation Gentility – The kettle, charmingly utilitarian as it is, exists for hot drinks only. Incredulously, some people attempt to use it for laundry, and they deserve to be cut off from society. Repurposing it for this is a step too far.
Borrowing, Ownership, and Other Dangerous Assumptions - Hotels provide generously, but not without limits. Slippers and toiletries may accompany you home; larger items most certainly may not. Understanding this quiet distinction spares one both awkwardness and unnecessary charges.
Marshalling One’s Morning Repast - The breakfast buffet is not a free-for-all, but a civilised ritual governed by the simple act of queuing. Waiting one’s turn may feel distinctly British, but it ensures order and ease for all.
The Folly of Flag‑Planting by Towel - Placing a towel on a sun lounger at dawn and vanishing until mid-afternoon is a practice best left unadopted. A lounger is not secured by textile alone, but by presence.
Loyalty, and Why It Gets One Further - A surprising number of travellers overlook the simple advantage of loyalty programmes. By consolidating bookings and collecting rewards, one quietly accumulates tangible benefits, like Hotels.com Rewards – earn £100 in Hotels.comCash after 10 eligible nights.
“Better hotel etiquette doesn’t just benefit others, it can directly enhance your own stay. At the heart of my guide with Hotels.com is the idea that small, thoughtful behaviours add up to big rewards: from a better night’s sleep and improved service to savings on future trips,” said William Hanson.
Whether it’s remembering to claim rewards on Hotels.com, resisting the urge to sneak extra croissants for later, or simply following Hanson’s expert tips, one thing is clear: better habits don’t just make you a better guest – they make your stay more rewarding.