it has come to my attention every so often we seem to have to reenforce the *dos and donts* of hotel lobbys hallways and so on.

I always ask the Gents to Please Do NOT knock the door is open just walk on in as if you live there.
This is a pet peeve of mine.
I say this because that *Knock Knock Knock * on the door is a big attention grabber.
the maids have nothing better to do than see where that knocking is. Yes they are nosy!
Also it draws unwanted attention to the comings and goings of my hotel room.
The door is open I am just behind it Please walk right in...
AND I know Im not the only one who sets things up this way.

Two call systems...call when you get to the hotel for the room #.
Babe I want you to call from your car in the parking lot.
Please please Please do NOT call from the lobby.
The frontdesk staff is listening to you and when you repeat the room # within earshot of them and call me Nicole...well Nicole isnt in that room.
Its all about discretion.

Please do not hang around the hotel lobby waiting for your appt time you look like a client that way...remember, discretion? Lets try n be a little bit more stelthy.

I open the door you walk in, inside voices are needed. when you speak loudly in the hallway just inside the doorway something like *so nice to meet you Nicole* well thats too loud and tmi.
again Discretion PPl please!

Please dont walk through the lobby with a bouquet of flowers, or chocolates...carry a briefcase. I appreciate the gifts but we need to be stelthy.

well i hope this was informative and helpful.
please chime in on any other issues if you'd like.

all have a great week
Toodles
Nicol

the only other thing I might add is that if you are not familiar with the hotel, ask the provider to give you the lay of the land when you call her (or him, depending on what rocks your boat) from the parking lot. This way you will know how to walk directly and with confidence to the elevators.

It's all about looking like you belong there (and know what you are doing)

I give great directions as to where to park and how to walk through the hotel.
I tell them the lay out point blank Im with you on that.
the last thing I want is a noisy lost lil hobbyist wandering the halls in search of the elevator carrying flowers and talking loudly on their phone using my *play* name.  lol

all good- but it helps if you leave the door open for me to walk through. It is not fun standing in the hallway waiting for up to 5 minutes  for someone to open the door-that has happened to me-especially difficult if you see the maid in the hallway-

and to just walk in.

that's the whole point of this post. Im not expecting you to knock because...the door is open!

-- Modified on 8/7/2014 4:39:37 AM

Just as a helpful guide I wanted to give you guys an example of how to act when entering the lobby so as not raise suspicions but also so that no one in their right mind would dare mess with you:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VH8_FWPUA_

Exit the hotel from the side or rear entrance. If you walk through the lobby at 8:55 &  walk out at 10:05 it also draws attention. Unless of course you're at that amazing hotel where the lobby is way at the other end of the building. 😉

PS. If we let you know that the maid is RIGHT ACROSS the room from ours and hold on a few....please listen. It is for both of our discretion!

Funny I think it was just last week where someone oh so sleuth like said you needed an ID and credit card to rent a room.  Good post.

END OF MESSAGE

Nicole is a hotel pro. Chooses great places where it's easy to not  be noticed. Good advice.

Been at this for 9 years (yikes) and it still is nerve racking at times
*I try and carry something with me like an old newspaper, backpack, gym bag, if she wants something at Wendy's then that works
*If I see someone like a maid in the hall I will lightly knock and fumble with my wallet like I am looking for my key card
*I always call from the parking lot and if possible from a lot next door or up the street. I always see guys on the phone in the hotel parking lot and wonder what agency he is going thru lol
*Also try and ask which way the elevator is so I don't look lost. If That doesn't work I try and pretend I know and hope I picked the right direction
*With Indy ladies a start time off hour might help. Like previously said on the hour or half hour it looks obvious. Again I see a guy getting off the elevator when I'm getting on and wonder is that the guy she just saw?

Haven't had luck with side entrances, they are locked when I tried that?

.... to hear that you are in the minority wrt giving directions for inside the hotel navigation.

And, yes I personally vouch for the fact that you do :-

I thought I wrote this in my sleep

 
Bravo!!

Yes!! I always leave the door open

and yet I still here a knock and then a voice shouting "Hello

Wouldn't serial wallops of someone's belt across a bare derriere (not to mention consequent yelps) create a telling soundscape for the ears of housekeepers? Respectfully I ask, at a hotel how do you discreetly honor that 'S&M' tag in your profile?

Just my upbringing and caution.  Even if the door is open, I tap lightly with a knuckle or even just a fingernail.  I am not bursting in like a home invasion.  I would never jiggle a door knob.  Once, I was sent to the wrong room (actually, wrong hotel with a similar name) and tapped lightly; no answer, no one in (fortunately).  If I had been jiggling the knob or pushing on the door, I wouldn't be surprised if anyone there (inside or in the corridor) would have called security.  At that point, even if the correct room is close by ("1623" v "1632" mistake), it's game over; I'm out of there.

I DO like the heads up of the layout of the lobby: elevator location, etc..  What to say to a doorman or desk clerk.

Cell phone use is hardly a sign of hobbying.  People come to see their traveling friends and relatives all the time.  Cell phone is everywhere.  I avoid any conversation that might sound suspicious.  "Nicole in 1623? One-six-two-three? I'm heading up for an hour.  Do you have enough condoms?" v "Yeah, it's me. Need anything from the store?

If the lady is going to leave the door open, she should say that to the client right when she's telling him her room number:

"I'm in room 632.  Please don't knock but just come on inside."

There have been many ladies who have left their doors open or even slightly ajar.  There have also been many ladies who have left the door locked, presumably so that they can look through the peephole to make sure there's just one non-LEO guy standing outside, not 2 or 3 guys.  Personally, if I were a provider (besides the fact that I'd always give myself freebies!), I would keep the door locked.  Not just for safety, but also for discretion.  If I'm a maid and I see a guy walking down the hallway reading off the room numbers, I might, sure, think he's coming to see a friend, but I might as likely think he's coming to see a provider.  The maids aren't stupid, you know.

Let's put it this way:  If I'm the one who's renting a hotel room and a friend is coming to visit me, here's the way it usually plays out:

"Hey, Joe.  My room number is 632."

"Okay," says Joe.  "I'll see you soon, around 3:00 p.m."

Do I leave the door open for Joe when I'm waiting for him to show up???  What if he's a half-hour late?  Do I leave the door open from 3:00 p.m. until whenever? . . .  Of course not!  The hotel room isn't that big, after all.  When Joe shows up and knocks, that's when I'll unlock the door, ESPECIALLY if I'm a lady.

IMHO, if I'm a provider using a hotel room to conduct my business, I'll ask my clients to call me from the parking lot and then I'll unlock the door a few moments later, since I know they're on their way up.

MOST hotel guests who give out their room numbers  to friends and business associates don't necessarily expect their friends or business associates to call again from the parking lot, right?  They expect their visitors to just show up and knock on the door.

IMHO, it's providers who are more likely to leave their doors unlocked, NOT regular hotel guests.

If it's my house in a nice suburb and I expect my friend to show up at 3:00 p.m., I might - just might - leave the front door unlocked starting at 3:00 p.m.  Or I might expect to hear my friend come up the driveway, and then I'd go unlock the door.  Or I might just figure that my friend can go ahead and ring the doorbell when he arrives, and then I'll open the door.

But when I'm a lady renting a hotel room . . . Am I going to keep my door unlocked when any ol' guest could just push open an unlocked door and maybe assault me?  Maybe if I've got my chain on or some other way to make sure that a creepy stranger at the hotel can't just open my door and . . .  

IMHO, it's INDISCREET to leave the door open.