A recent TikTok video by former hotel manager, Melissa Hanks (@melly_creations), shares some tips on what not to use in your hotel room.
Hotels offer a convenient stay with amenities like bathrobes, coffee kits, and maid service. But other than shining a blacklight around your room, there aren’t many ways to ensure that the amenities are clean and ready for use.
Viewers saw the video over 205,000 times and started a discussion on what you should and should not do when staying in a hotel in the comments.
@melly_creations Replying to @404rabbit Former hotel manager. #hotelstay #hotelcups #doesanddonts ♬ original sound – Melly
Melissa, who has created a series of TikToks about tips for hotels and travel, uploaded this video in response to a comment from a previous post. The comment appears in a speech bubble that says: “Don’t forget don’t use the drinking glasses from the room.”
The former hotel manager’s video begins with a close up of sealed drinking cups next to a coffee machine. “The drinking glasses in this room are sealed. They have the plastic on them. There are some hotels that have the glass glasses and I would not use those unless I washed them out completely myself first.”
Her video cuts to a tray with an ice bucket. “This guy is another story,” she says as she pats the ice bucket. “I will not use an ice bucket at all. People use these for things you don’t even want to think about. I have cleaned out puke from them.” Melissa holds up the ice bucket liner. “If I need ice I will use this and I will fill it up with ice or I will take a cup and fill it up with ice.”
Her advice shocked many commenters who had no idea that ice buckets were being used for things other than ice.
“People have vomited in ice bins?? Now I’m thinking about all the ice bins I have used. Nooooo!” one commenter said.
“Yes and that’s not even the worst of it…” the ex-hotel manager replied.
“At a hotel I worked at, guest had been using the bucket for salsa or soup or something. Entire room smelled like rotted fruits and veg. Was a mo. stay,” another commenter shared.
“When I was an EMT, we would get called to accidental amputations and the fingers or etc would be on Ice in the ice bins,” a user added, to which even the creator responded with surprise. “OH wow that’s crazy!”
Others shared dirty details of working in the hotel industry.
“Glass cup’s usually get cleaned with sponges that clean restrooms. I used to work at a 4diamond hotel and some housekeepers are just nasty/lazy,” a user explained.
“When I worked in housekeeping we were told to never change the comforter blankets. Only the other bedding. It always disgusted me,” another elaborated.
“Ice bucket = puke bucket, bloody underwear soaker, dirty condom holder & the list goes on. I used to clean hotels when I was younger,” agreed a third.
“I had a guest poo in one the ice bucket we threw it away,” another nightmare comment read.
The Daily Dot reached out to Melissa Hanks via email for further comment.