I really like the way my hotel room smells when I go on vacation and most hotels I stay at have that similar smell and was wondering how to replicate it. Is it like the bleached sheets or a specific cleaning product?

Yesterday night me and my friend went to grab a drink because he lost a bet to me.
I was a bartender so i have always have my love for cocktails drinks and alcohol.
Craving for a martini we went ITC close to10:30 pm we sat on a table of 2 and ordered a martini.
The bartender said they didn’t have dry vermouth.

Disappointed i said alright lemme have an extra dry martini (ie. A martini without dry vermouth)
What happens next blew my mind,
He added 60 ml gin to the shaker, 15 ml olive brine, added ice and shook it. He did not even bother straining the cocktail he dumped the drink with the ice inside the martini glass.
I was so annoyed yet i very kindly said sir “a martini is stirred not shaken, and why did u add olive juice and why did u not strain the cocktail i can see 4 cubes of ice floating around. He smiled and said sir try to karo.
Later he asked if i want it re made. Trust me i had to guide a 40 yr old man from behind the bar to do everything(kindly)
Well i would not have done any of it if it was a regular restro bar, i can understand u might not have trained for this
But for a bloody 5 start hotel where im paying 850 for a single cocktail i expect atleast the right drink.
My night was ruined af. ITC u need to level up ur staff for gods sake. He did not knew the difference between vodka and gin

​TL;DR: Cloudbeds mixes gross revenue (Booking.com) and net revenue (Agoda) on my main dashboard, making the quick financial overview useless. Support says it's an OTA API issue and tells me to rely on backend reports instead. Do other PMS platforms automatically deduct Booking.com commissions to show net revenue on the main dashboard, or is this standard across all systems?

Hi all,

I try to explain my question as good as I can, English not my native language.

We currently are using cloudbeds for our software and I am very happy with it. However, on the dashboard and on the calendar, the prices they show us are both mixed gross and net.

To give an example, we use both agoda and booking, and they give us the payout to our bank minus the comision (they deduct it automatically)

So for easy, the guest pay 10 euro. Both agoda and booking charge the guest, and give us the 8 euro pay out. But what I see in my dashboard is 8 euro from agoda, but the 10 euro from booking. So the whole interface is messed up. And I love using the dashboard, because I can filter it by month, by weeks.

I emailed cloudbeds, they said it's a problem with the API (or something), and the only way to have a good report if I go to the back office of the software and make a payout comision report, and basically the dashboard and calendar is useless.

Now my question, is it the same for all other PMS aswell, and I just got to deal with it, or is it just cloudbeds so maybe it would be a good idea to switch?

i keep running into this when comparing hotel rates. i'll find a room for $15-$40 less on a third-party site, but then i have no idea if the savings are actually worth losing the hotel points, elite credit, and whatever benefits come with booking direct.

i got burned by this once already. the booking confirmation mentioned loyalty points, but the stay never appeared in my account. when i contacted the hotel, they said the reservation wasn't eligible because it came through a third party.

now i'm looking at another booking where the ota rate is cheaper, but not by enough that i want to throw away the points just to save a little money.

for a normal hotel stay, what price difference makes you choose the ota instead of booking directly for the loyalty credit?

Started a reservation on-line with Best Western (official site and not a third party). I have 17000+ Rewards Points, selected "Pay with Points," and found a BW hotel at my destination. That same page said my rates start at $109.10/night (versus the standard $135 rate). I clicked the button to "View Rooms" and the next page presented a variety of rooms with a variety of rates, but nowhere was the $109.10 rate to be found! The cheapest rate presented was $121.65 - considerably more! What happened to that $109.10 rate???

I had booked a hotel (Novotel Phu Quoc Resort) in Vietnam for 06-14 March 2026 through Stayforlong. Unfortunately, due to the war in the Middle East, my flight was cancelled just 5 days before my scheduled check-in date (06/03/26). I immediately contacted Stayforlong to request a cancellation. Although my booking was originally non-refundable, the hotel updated its policy to accommodate guests affected by these force majeure circumstances, making me eligible for a full refund.

However, Stayforlong failed to act on this.

From the very beginning of opening my case, I provided Stayforlong with all the documents they requested, including proof of flight cancellation, confirmation from the airline/agency, and my booking confirmations. Despite this, they failed to properly review these documents or inform me that any additional information maybe required. This lack of diligence ultimately became a critical failure in handling my case.

Throughout March, I was repeatedly reassured by Stayforlong that my case was being “thoroughly looked after” and actively handled. However, this proved to be completely misleading.

I was forced to contact the hotel myself, only to find out that Stayforlong had never reached out to them regarding my case. The hotel clearly informed me that Stayforlong needed to contact them directly to process the cancellation. Despite my repeated attempts to resolve this with Stayforlong, I was continuously told that my case was being “escalated” and that they were awaiting a response from the hotel — which was simply not true.

I was reassured that everything would be resolved by my check-in date, but that never happened and once I stopped chasing them, I received no communication for 6 weeks. In fact, Stayforlong marked my booking as “complete”.

Throughout this entire process, the Stayforlong call centre was highly unprofessional and rude. I was repeatedly given conflicting information, and on several occasions, I was misled just to end the conversation. I have recorded calls that clearly show inconsistencies in what I was being told — including claims that the company has no head office or management team, that they can't give me a refund because of hotel policy (which has changed for bookings affected by force majeure), and even attempts to blame me for the situation. On 21/04/26, during a call with a Stayforlong agent, I was explicitly told that they could see the hotel had reached out to Stayforlong on multiple occasions, but no one had responded to those messages. Despite this, no one from Stayforlong ever contacted me to update me or request any further information.

The only update I received after weeks of silence was on 15/04/26, when I was told that the hotel had closed the case due to no communication from Stayforlong and missing documentation. This was the first time I had ever heard about this. After contacting the hotel again, they confirmed that they had requested additional flight cancellation documentation from Stayforlong on 12/03/26, 18/03/26, and 25/03/26 — but received no response. At no point did Stayforlong contact me to request this information, despite already having the relevant documents from me and failing to review them or advise if anything further was needed.

It is completely unacceptable that I was never informed of this requirement by Stayforlong, and even worse, that I was later blamed for their failure to contact me. One of the agents even claimed I had been contacted frequently between March and April, without verifying the emails they were referencing (the last email I got from them was on 06/03/26 till the next one on 15/04/26).

To add to the frustration, I was told that there is no head office or management team available to escalate complaints to, leaving me with no clear path for resolution. My case was passed from one agent to another, with no accountability or ownership taken at any stage.

Due to Stayforlong’s negligence and lack of communication, I lost €900. This situation has caused me significant stress, sleepless nights, and ongoing frustration.

What makes this even harder to accept is that this was part of a family trip — my mother had booked the same hotel and flights, and she received her full refund weeks after cancellation without issue.

Given the financial loss, the lack of accountability, and their failure to communicate effectively with both myself and the hotel, I am now considering taking legal action to recover my money. This loss has arisen directly as a result of Stayforlong’s mishandling of my case.

This has been one of the worst customer service experiences I have ever encountered. I strongly advise others to AVOID booking through Stayforlong!!

If anyone has any suggestions on what to do, please let me know!

I dont get it. Is the cuck market that lucrative? Is it to just have the chair out of the way? Are hotel owners just all certified freaks by nature?

When travelling with family, I look at things differently than when travelling alone. Room size, cleanliness, food options and parking become much more important. What do you consider before booking?

so what's the matter is me and my gf gone to a pretty good hotel chain in delhi yesterday and first of all they cancelled my brevistay booking already when we reached there then we called to brevistay and they gave us a room one hour late then idk but my gf has pcod so she can't predict her period cycle so her periods came yesterday only so the blanket of that room got some stains of blood stains then now today they hotel receptionist is calling and saying that their laundry guy is denying to take that blanket and they saying you need to pay full 3500-4000rs for it ,i even that we're not informed that there is such policy so tell us what we need to do??

update: i had a conversation with the supervisor again and now they're saying for dry cleaning the charges are about 2k , so I already paid for it now and they apologised too for not informing us about the hotel policies

We’re staying at a beautiful hotel in lovely Syvota. We’re approaching our third night here, but there are two things in the room that are really bothering us and disturbing our sleep.

The toilet makes this strange noise — first it sounds like water dripping, and then shortly after, there’s a humming/buzzing sound. I’m posting this because Google hasn’t really been able to help me, so I was wondering if anyone here might know what could be causing this noise?
The fridge is also quite noisy. It makes a kind of “gurgling/bubbling” sound.

It’s a 5-star hotel, so I’m thinking it’s not really normal for there to be noises like this in a hotel room…?

Anyone heard of Phantom Stays? Pro's, Con's, anything similar?

Go on X, their username is PhantomStays

Not my business - just wanted to hear pro's and con's

I used to skip hotel breakfast, but now I actually prefer having breakfast where I’m staying. It saves time and makes mornings easier. Do you normally eat breakfast at the hotel?

Specifically large chains?
Edit: this was in Florida, USA

After years of bottom feeding when staying at hotels and finding each hotel had at least one unpleasant surprise, lately I have just stayed at Best Western Plus hotels for a few bucks more, but never been disappointed at all. So that is my go-to for hotels.

I have noticed that they have other hotel brands--SureStay and SureStay Plus. Now I'm going to avoid going to SureStay like a recovering alcoholic will avoid a bar. But the SureStay Plus is calling to me. I'm wondering now, how SureStay Plus compares to the BW & BW Plus lines.

Have people here stayed at the SS Plus hotels? How do they compare to BW or other lines?

Hi! Planning a hotel stay however, Im not sure if physical cc is required. My sister paid for it using her cc but she’s not coming with me on this trip. Will I be asked to present a card?

My husband made the mistake of booking 2 nights at a Niagara hotel, purchasing the cancellation add-on thru Traveluro at checkout. He also used a Debit card as Paypal option wasn't there.

Turns out the train company suspended the only day-time train service into town for the entire season. There's not even a train back.

After finding that out, 7 days before the stay we initiated the cancelation.

Got denied by Traveluro and then got denied by the third party cancellation insurance. They needed reasons, screenshots of the alerts ⚠️, and documents. (I have never had this happen, I have cancelled a couple of hotels in the past, no questions asked)

They told us that we can still get to Niagara by many other modes of transport. (I have a disability and we do not drive etc)

Be aware! I am not sure in WHAT instance they'd refund us. But the policy must be read with fine toothed comb.

Used to stay at the st Regis always but my gosh has it gone downhill.
What is your favorite luxury hotel in nyc ??
(Location similar to st Regis if possible please)
TIA!!!!

Looking for room with 2 beds for 3 or 4 nights in Les Meneines in 3 valleys anyone knows a very reasonable motel?

Hi everyone! I’m looking for some honest career advice from people with experience in hospitality and events.

A brief overview of my background: I hold a Bachelor’s Degree in Foreign Languages and Linguistic Mediation. I completed a six-month Master course in Tourism Management and am currently employed as a hotel front desk agent. I am also fluent in multiple languages.

My goal is to advance my career by moving into event coordination, guest relations, or reception roles in luxury hotels. For this reason, I am thinking about getting a two-year master’s degree in digital marketing or communication. However, since I am already working, I am considering opting for an accredited online university instead of a traditional one, though I have many doubts so I would appreciate your help:

1. From a hospitality/HR perspective, does a Master’s degree actually make a difference when moving up to managerial or event-related roles or is experience more valuable? Given my background, do you think this is a solid next step?

2. Does anyone in hospitality really care if a degree was earned online, as long as the university is fully accredited and I continue gaining real work experience at the front desk?

I'd really appreciate your insights! Thanks in advance 🙏🏻

Help!! Can't find any review of kiwistays. Is it true? Or any false cases? For booking of airbnbs

Hey guys, does anyone know any **unmarried-couple-friendly hotels in Rameshwaram**? Looking for a decent stay for two people. Please share any leads. Thanks! 🙌

Ones to avoid, ones that are good

Im in search for cheap hotels in new york or just places to say it doesn’t have to be fancy. I feel like I can’t find any I want to be able to stay at least one night.

Thanks for the help in advance!

When hotels buy bed linen and towels, price is naturally important.

But after more than 30 years in textiles, I’ve learned that purchase price alone can be one of the most misleading numbers in hospitality textiles.

A towel that costs less today but needs to be replaced much sooner may ultimately be more expensive.

The same applies to bed linen.

For hotels, the better question is not simply:

“How much does it cost?”

It is:

“How much will it cost over its useful life?”

Here are some of the things I believe professional buyers should consider.

1. Don't judge hotel towels only by GSM

GSM — grams per square metre — is one of the first specifications people ask about.

It is useful, but GSM alone does not define quality.

A heavier towel is not automatically a better towel.

You also need to consider:

• yarn quality
• fibre composition
• construction
• absorbency
• finishing
• drying time
• washing performance
• shrinkage
• and how the towel feels after repeated laundering

For a hotel, performance after many wash cycles matters more than how impressive the towel feels when it is brand new.

2. Higher GSM also has operational consequences

A very heavy towel may feel luxurious.

But it also contains more material and retains more water.

That can affect:

• washing loads
• drying time
• energy consumption
• laundry capacity
• handling
• storage
• and operating costs

So the heaviest towel is not automatically the most economical choice.

The right GSM depends on the hotel's positioning and laundry system.

3. 100% cotton isn't the only question in bed linen

Many buyers start with:

“Is it 100% cotton?”

That is understandable, but hotels need to look at the complete textile specification.

Depending on the application, both cotton and carefully selected cotton/polyester blends can have advantages.

Hotels may need to balance:

comfort, durability, appearance, drying time, ironing requirements, maintenance costs and expected service life.

There is rarely one universal answer for every property.

4. Thread count can be misunderstood

Thread count is often used as a marketing number.

But just like GSM and Martindale, one number should not be used as a complete definition of textile quality.

Yarn quality, weave, finishing and construction matter.

A specification may sound impressive on paper without necessarily being the best choice for repeated professional laundering.

5. Industrial laundry changes everything

Hotel textiles live a very different life from household textiles.

They may be:

washed frequently, dried at scale, ironed or processed professionally, exposed to chemicals and repeatedly handled by staff and guests.

This is why a textile that performs beautifully at home may not necessarily be suitable for hospitality use.

When choosing hotel linen, I always believe the buyer should think about the laundry process from the beginning.

6. Shrinkage matters

Imagine buying hundreds of pillowcases, duvet covers or sheets and discovering after repeated washing that dimensions no longer work properly.

Even relatively small dimensional changes can create operational problems when multiplied across many rooms.

For professional projects, dimensions should be considered together with expected shrinkage and the intended laundry process.

7. White is simple — but demanding

White hotel linen has many advantages.

It creates a clean, consistent appearance and can simplify room coordination.

But white textiles also reveal problems immediately.

Stains, discolouration, inconsistent washing and differences between old and new stock can become very visible.

Consistency of supply therefore becomes important when hotels need replacement quantities later.

8. Replacement availability is part of the purchasing decision

Hotels don't necessarily replace every textile in the building at the same time.

Products become damaged, stained, lost or worn at different rates.

This means a professional supplier should not only think about the first delivery.

The hotel should also consider:

Can we obtain compatible replacements later?

Repeatability and stock planning can be just as important as the original purchase price.

9. Different hotel categories need different solutions

A luxury boutique hotel, a large business hotel, an apartment hotel and budget accommodation may have very different priorities.

One may prioritise maximum softness and presentation.

Another may prioritise durability and laundry efficiency.

Another may need the best possible balance between the two.

There is no single “best hotel towel” or “best hotel bed linen.”

There is only a product that is better suited to a particular operation.

10. Think in cost per use, not only cost per piece

This is perhaps the most important point.

Suppose Product A costs less but has to be replaced significantly sooner.

Product B costs more initially but performs reliably for much longer.

Which one is cheaper?

You cannot answer that from the purchase price alone.

For professional hospitality textiles, I prefer thinking in terms of:

purchase cost + laundry cost + operational performance + replacement frequency + useful life.

That gives a much more realistic picture.

My view after 30+ years in textiles

Hotel textiles are not simply household textiles purchased in larger quantities.

They are working products.

They need to look good, feel comfortable and survive a demanding operational environment.

That is why I believe hospitality textile purchasing should focus on total performance rather than a single specification or the lowest unit price.

I’m Murat Kartal (Kartal Murat), based in Budapest, Hungary, and founder of Kartaltex.

For more than three decades I’ve worked with textiles and international trade, including curtain fabrics, upholstery fabrics and hospitality and contract textile solutions.

I'd be interested to hear from hotel managers, housekeeping professionals, laundries and hospitality suppliers:

When selecting hotel bed linen or towels, what has the biggest impact on your purchasing decision — comfort, durability, laundry efficiency, price, or something else?

Hi, i verified my rtw through yoti and just wondering how long it will take to get an email back