The First Thing to Do in 10 Travel Scenarios

When You Check In at a Hotel

Request a room below the eighth floor, far from any construction, and on a floor with a booster pump. 
Why below the eighth floor? It’s a scary thought, but in case of a fire, the fire department is equipped to reach you more quickly than folks on the upper floors, says Greenberg. As for booster pumps, “high-rise hotels have trouble maintaining consistently great water pressure on all their floors, so every few floors they install booster pumps,” explains Greenberg. “You want to be on one of those floors.”
 
 

When You Walk Into Your Hotel Room

Fully check it out (turn on the air conditioner, the shower, the TV) before you unpack.
Better yet, ask to examine the room thoroughly before you register, in case something isn’t to your liking, says Jessica Singerman, a Trek Travel guide who leads group tours in Europe and Central America. This isn’t rude; it’s just savvy. Prefer a room that isn’t next to the elevator? Ask. Once you’re satisfied, Greenberg suggests a quick cleaning: Wipe the TV remote and the phone handset with disinfecting wipes. Finally, clean water glasses in hot water, in case the housekeeper forgot to replace them after the last guest checked out.