Do You Use the Do Not Disturb Sign?
I’m back. After deciding what the focus of my blog should be I determined I should just focus on blogging about my experiences. There are plenty of blogs that cover miles 
and points and I will resume posting about Hilton, Delta, and other promotions, but I won’t be first and I won’t be the most thorough…I will just be me.
Today I checked into a hotel, was handed the key with a room written on the sleeve and I headed to the room. Sounds like a normal transaction that I’ve done at least weekly for the last 7 years. This time was first, the door had a Do Not Disturb sign. I debated for a second about whether this may have been an errant sign someone picked up and stuck in a key slot, but decided it only takes a second to run back down and verify my room. As it turns out, the room listed on the key was incorrect. Good thing I didn’t try the key and give someone a fright.
The thing is that I don’t normally use my DND sign. I always deadbolt the door. I’ve never had anyone try to come in my room while in it except house keeping, but this is the second time I’ve been assigned a room that was already occupied. Last time it was because someone checked in early and my room was ready and hers wasn’t so they swapped rooms but never corrected the key. That time I tried the key several times, went down and had the front desk lady reprogram the key, then tried it some more until I was greeted by some lady wondering why I wouldn’t go away. The DND prevented me from going through that tonight.
I mainly use the DND when I’m staying in my room past 8 am so house keeping knows to skip me and come back later. I know others who leave theirs in all the time and don’t get the room cleaned, but I like getting the room cleaned.
What is your preference?
150+ nights in a hotel every year and I use the DND sign each and every time.
I usually stay 5 nights at a time on business. I have to leave the hotel early and come back after 6 or 7 pm. For me, the dnd depends on where I am staying. I like my fresh towels but I have also had hotel staff rummage thru my stuff and steal clothes (recently purchased) in Vegas at the Imperial Palace. So it really depends on the vibe I get when I walk in the front door and do they have a safe in the room? Why do they have a safe in the room-Do they not trust their employees?
I’ve heard that many hotels never change the master code to the safes…something like 12345…so stuff may not be any safer from staff if it is in the safe. The main valuables I have are electronics, but I run in Vibram Five Fingers running shoes (which are 1 step above socks so they are quite intimate) which are $85+ shoes. I left a pair by accident at a hotel near LGA and magically never made it to the lost and found. I’m amazed someone in house keeping wouldn’t turn in my running shoes! I’m hoping they threw them away because they were pretty used.
DND works most times – but have still had hotel staff walk in. Most annoying is the “I need to check the mini bar”.