Not all of us have the money to dish out for a luxury resort stay. It may even be difficult to slip out for a weekend away at a budget hotel. This doesn’t mean we can’t experience resort perks. In today’s blog, I’m sharing 10 ways you can go the distance and turn a budget hotel stay into a luxury resort experience. Keep reading this blog or watch the video here.
#1 Resort Experience: Early Check-In/ Late Check-Out Option
When our family experienced the unbeatable hospitality involved with being guests at a Walt Disney World Resort, we learned a trick or two. Primarily, if your room isn’t ready by the time you arrive, you shouldn’t have to waste time waiting. This is why Disney stores your luggage by a concierge and you are welcome to enjoy the resort pool and facilities until your room is prepared. Guess what, if you ask, Disney isn’t the only one that allows you to do this!
If the hotel has a late check-in time, but you want to arrive earlier, they may allow you to take a dip in the pool while you wait for your room to be ready. No better way to pass the time! I have found budget hotel front desk people very obliging if you are polite with them.
Does your hotel require check-out hours before your event begins or time for your flight to leave? Take a last-minute swim. Load the luggage in the car and let the rest of your party grab a towel and jump in the pool before check-out. Finish the check-out on time, then join the family in the pool. Worried about lugging around wet suits? Take a look at my next hotel hacks blog for the fastest way to get them dry.
#2 Resort Experience: VIP Treatment
When making reservations online, mention any special requests or special occasions you are celebrating in the notes section. When our oldest daughter turned 16, we planned to stay at a low-cost hotel near the largest shopping mall we have ever seen in our lives!!! When making the reservation I mentioned that we chose their hotel to celebrate our daughter’s sweet 16. When we arrived, the staff had prepared an amazing goody bag for her! It was filled with candy, savory snacks, puzzle books, and a birthday card signed by the hotel front desk staff. This was such a great surprise to all of us. It made her birthday all the more memorable. She still has the card they gave her! This kind of VIP treatment isn’t guaranteed, but it doesn’t hurt to mention things.
#3 Resort Experience: Room With a View Without the extra Fee
It usually costs extra to stay in a room with a specific view such as a waterfront or garden view. I vaguely recall someone sharing their waterfront view consisted of a leaky gutter spilling by their window. I know people who paid extra money only to have a huge tree or pole blocking the promised view. Sure, you can request a room change, but this sucks precious time from your vacation time.
Lucky for us, almost any room on the top few floors of hotels have something interesting to look down at in the distance. Plus, it’s exciting for little ones to be high up and ride an elevator. Request a higher floor on your reservation form. Hotels aren’t required to honor your request… BUT most older folks and people with mobility issues request lower floors. So you have a pretty good chance of seeing the distance. This works out particularly well near the ocean and in mountain areas.
#4 Resort Experience: Feather Your Nest
In general, budget hotel pillows are flat and blankets are thin. Be proactive and request extra pillows and blankets ahead of time. Blankets can be stacked on top of the mattress to add a bit of extra loft and padding. Extra pillows cozy things up and make things more comfortable while lounging during the day and sleeping at night. Some hotels stock feather and cotton-filled pillows in case their guests have allergies. It doesn’t hurt to be specific when requesting extras.
#5 Resort Experience: Turn Heads!
Many hotel shower heads feature special massage settings. I have been surprised to find these special shower heads in even the lowest-cost hotels. To activate your free hydro-massage, rotate the shower head face dial to your desired water flow setting. Then, tilt the showerhead toward your tense shoulders or back. A word of caution. Reset the shower head to its normal flow position before you exit the shower. Your husband and your family jewels will be grateful!
#6 Resort Experience:: Room service (ish)
On a recent weekend getaway, my husband and I realized we could have take-out delivered to the hotel lobby. This may be common knowledge, but even if restaurants don’t offer delivery, many delivery services will pick the food up for you and bring it to your hotel for a very small fee. No traffic. No worries. No over-inflated room service fees. Enjoy your meal on the balcony, in the garden, or in another beautiful area on the hotel grounds.
#7 Resort Experience: Cool Off Fast
I heard a family share, that upon re-boarding their cruise from a tropical beach day, they were given chilled washcloths to help refresh and cool themselves down. What a wonderful pampering way to end the day! This gave me a great idea.
Before you head out for the day, wet a few washcloths and place them in the coldest part of the hotel room mini-fridge. When you get back to your room, use them to cool off in a hurry. As a bonus, you can gauge how cold your mini-fridge is keeping your food items. You can also store sunscreen and aloe in the mini-fridge for cooling relief before and after hitting the heat.
#8 Resort Experience: Complimentary Spa Sugar Scrub
A full-body spa sugar scrub treatment leaves your skin smooth, invigorated, and oh so comfortable. You can get the same effects by using items right in your hotel room. Empty a few sugar packets and mix them with a large dollop of hair conditioner. Work in circles all over from neck down in a warm shower. Turn the shower flow up to rinse off every last grain of sugar. Be careful, you’ll feel so smooth all over that you may slip getting out.
#9 Resort Experience: Complimentary Spa Coffee Scrub
Spa coffee treatments are a popular splurge right now. No need to dish out hundreds when everything you need is included with your hotel stay. Follow the same procedure as the complimentary spa sugar scrub but opt-in a coffee packet for sugar, and shampoo for conditioner.
#10 Resort Experience: Pampering Foot Spa Treatment
ALWAYS bring cozy socks. I don’t care if it is cold or hot, cozy socks are just what you need on your feet after a long day of exploring a new place. At the end of the day, soak your feet in a warm water-filled bathtub. Scrub them with shampoo mixed with a packet of salt. If you have blisters, substitute sugar for salt. Dry with a towel and rub your tootsies with a generous amount of lotion or hair conditioner. Pull-on your cozy socks and snuggle up in bed for a good night’s rest.
These simple hacks are sure to turn any budget hotel stay into a luxury resort experience. We’ll continue the vacation season hotel hacks next week with a blog featuring my top 25 favorite hotel room hacks.
More Great Ideas
Be sure to bookmark this blog for more great budget ideas. There are several helpful ways to make the life you want using the things you have. Also, be my guest at the Sawdust and Cornbread YouTube Channel for weekly DIY videos. In the video notes, you can check to see if you found all the Disney Easter Eggs in this week’s blog posts. Thanks for joining me. See you next week!
