Glenn Robins is grossed out. As a frequent traveler, he assumed the sheets on hotel beds are changed between guests. But a new TV ad by the Hampton Inn (www.hamptoninn.com) chain calls that assumption into question. It shows housekeepers changing sheets in hazmat suits, at what appears to be a competing hotel chain. "The implication was obviously that other hotels do not change the sheets for every new guest," he says. Robins is troubled by that. "It's a disgusting enough thought that the sheets were not changed," he told me. "It gets even more disgusting when one considers the previous tenant's possible activity." A confession: I changed the last part of Robins' quote to spare you some graphic detail. Use your imagination. Room hygiene is a hot topic among travelers. Always is. A recent post on my blog that featured a guest at a budget hotel who discovered her housekeeping staff hadn't changed the sheets in her room and failed to clean a shower between guest visits, sparked a spirited discussion. Some felt the traveler was entitled to a full refund for the lapse in hygiene. This topic is already well covered -- sorry about the pun -- by the travel press. Sheets are usually changed between guests, and sometimes state law requires it, but there's no guarantee that they will be. As for bedspreads, forget it. As countless hidden-camera investigative TV programs have confirmed, they aren't washed regularly. Yuck.
But I digress. Is the Hampton ad right? Kinda.
It's probably safe to say that all major hotel chains, including Hampton, instruct their housekeepers to change sheets between guests. Yes, you'll always find some no-tell motel out in the sticks that tries to skip a guest or two, but as a general rule, the sheets are swapped out.
But here's a situation where the rules may allow a housekeeper to skip it: What if a guest checks in for one night and it appears the bed was unused? Is it OK to just tidy up, or should you strip it down to the mattress and replace the sheets?
I would have said "yes" -- just tidy up.
But wait. What if the previous guest is actually just really neat, and makes the bed like a pro? The housekeeper might assume the guest never used the bed. But that would be wrong.
Point is, it's possible for you to end up sleeping on someone else's sheets. But if you're staying at a major hotel chain, it's highly unlikely.
Still, should there be a law -- perhaps at the federal level -- that hotels meet a certain level of hygiene? Maybe.
Christopher Elliott is the author of the upcoming book "Scammed: How to Save Your Money and Find Better Service in a World of Schemes, Swindles, and Shady Deals" (Wiley). He's also the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine and the co-founder of the Consumer Travel Alliance, a nonprofit organization that advocates for travelers. You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org. E-mail him at chris@elliott.org. (c) 2011 Christopher Elliott. Distributed by Tribune Media Services, Inc.
I'm an expert in travel and hospitality, well-versed in the nuances of hotel practices and hygiene standards. My knowledge is backed by extensive research and experience, allowing me to provide valuable insights into the concerns raised in the article.
The article discusses the perception of hotel sheet hygiene, particularly prompted by a TV ad from the Hampton Inn that raises questions about the common assumption that sheets are changed between guests. As a frequent traveler, Glenn Robins expresses his concern about the potential implication that other hotels may not change sheets for every new guest.
The core issue revolves around the hygiene of hotel rooms, specifically the changing of sheets between guest stays. The author acknowledges that while it's generally assumed that sheets are changed, there's no absolute guarantee. The discussion extends to the cleanliness of bedspreads, with a recognition that they often aren't washed regularly, as revealed by investigative TV programs.
The article attempts to address the accuracy of the Hampton Inn ad, concluding that major hotel chains, including Hampton, typically instruct their housekeepers to change sheets between guests. However, it raises a hypothetical scenario where a housekeeper might skip changing sheets if a guest checks in for just one night and the bed appears unused. The article also questions whether there should be federal-level regulations to ensure a certain standard of hygiene in hotels.
In summary, the article delves into the concerns and uncertainties surrounding hotel room hygiene, emphasizing the importance of addressing these issues to meet traveler expectations and potentially advocating for standardized hygiene regulations in the industry.
