Hotels do's and don'ts

Hotels become a routine with certain SB/SD arrangements. I've stayed in my fair share of 5-star hotels, but I did my best not to lose my sense of awe at the general opulence and sparkle that they all seem to have. I did however hide my awe as best I could.

For an SB, staying under the radar is key. I often reserved a room just for the day rate, which is a dead giveaway that something unusual is going down for the staff. I've gotten some amused looks and winks, as well as some glares.

Staying under the radar reduces the glares, I've found. I always arrive before my SD and simply text him the room number. This prevents awkwardness at the check-in desk, or at least minimizes it.

Always, and I mean always, put the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on the door, especially if you do the day-rate. The middle of the day is when the rooms are all being cleaned, and those cleaning ladies have keys. It's not fun to be walked in on, or have to get up in the middle of getting down to shoo them away. And I've had both happen to me!

Another tip to to dress conservatively. If you're getting there before your SD then you'll have plenty of time to change or take off layers, but this helps prevent the glares.

Finally, calling to make the reservation can be awkward, but doing it online usually means that you can't get a day-rate and you'll probably pay more. I really like Hilton. There are a lot of them in any big city, and often if your first choice doesn't have a day-rate room available the person on the phone will offer you another hotel nearby, at a slight discount for the inconvenience, of course!