Traveler’s tantrum: Hotel light switches
I’ve inhabited a fair few hotel rooms over the years. And I’ve become pretty expert in managing the various features and amenities with aplomb.
I know to check for curtain strings or sticks and how to use both, with only minor cursing. I can locate the mini-bar within seconds, even when they try their best to disguise it as part of the wall. I can run a bath, use the toilet and order room service at the same time. I can even wear the fluffy white robe and slippers in the corridor without blushing.
But one thing I still cannot unravel, and don’t expect to any time soon - the light switches.
Without fail, sleeping in a new hotel room is preceded by a 20-minute cuss-laden period of hunting, flicking, swearing and scratching my head.
I’ve been in a hotel where the bedside lamp switch was located entirely out of view on the underside of the bedside table. In another, the main room light switch was located right next to the bedside lamp. In another, turning on the bathroom light also turned on the lobby light - to the annoyance of anyone trying to sleep while you went to the bathroom.
Last weekend I was in a hotel room that had obviously tried to somewhat solve this photic problem with a Lighting Control Pad. But because I only discovered it after I had already spent 10 minutes flicking switches, pressing some buttons off on the LCP turned the light back on, pressing others did nothing and perhaps worst of all, the main light switch, the one you actually really want to turn off when sleeping, wasn’t on the control pad at all and still needed to be switched off manually beside the bed (another 10 minutes to figure that one out).
So this is a call out to all hotel room designers and managers. It’s 2016. We went to the moon more than 40 years ago. We can print The Bible onto something the size of a coin. I can write this post in Hong Kong, press a button and have it read instantly in Nicaragua. Can’t we solve the hotel light switch conundrum?
Independent Writing and Editing Professional
9 年I've just finished a tour that moved on almost daily. Ohh, the switches! One bedside lamp switch was the furthest of a group of four mystery ones, and could not be reached without getting out of bed.
Group Managing Editor
9 年This is so true James and I can't understand why those muppets designing hotel rooms don't realise the frustration they are causing. I've resigned to draping towels over lamps and cabinet lights that I couldn't figure out how to turn off, I've had to get engineers into the room to help with the search and have even unscrewed a bulb or two. Surely at some stage these design gurus lie on the bed and yell out "right, now turn off the lights, let's see what's it's like for the guest". Nice rant:)
Managing Editor, Yacht Style; editor, writer; radio producer and presenter; voice-overs
9 年Stayed in three hotels in Singapore recently, which involved a disproportionate amount of light-switch time. Even the clearly visible ones has baffling lighting area icons.
writer - cat servant | swillcomm.com
9 年I hear you James. A pity there isn't an old school fusebox in new hotel rooms...