4 Ways to Make an Extended Hotel Stay Feel More Like Home

You worked hard to turn your house into a place you enjoy staying at each day, and you miss that comfort when you’re on the road for work. No matter how much you love traveling, being in a hotel is only fun for so long before it gets old.

Still, you’ll be there for a while and want to make the best of it. Luckily, there are ways you can get around the inconveniences of hotel living and truly enjoy your extended stay.

Follow these four simple suggestions, and you’ll be happy to hang out at your hotel until the job ends.

1. Pack for Comfort, Not Convenience

When you’re planning your luggage, it’s great to use those handy dandy apps that tell you what to bring or print a pre-made checklist. While those things help you to remember the essentials, you need more than the bare necessities.

What are your creature comforts from home? Do you have slippers and a robe that might be a little bulky, but you love them, bunny ears and all? Pack them! Is your blanket the only one that you can sleep under and not sweat/freeze at night? Load it up!

Whatever you need to bring from home, whether it’s framed photos or your old-school record player, if it will make you more comfortable, put it in your suitcase. 

If you have to bring two plus a carry-on, go for it. The extra $30-$40 each way will feel worth it when you’re snuggling your teddy bear. (You know you have one or something like it. We won’t tell.)

2. Read the Brochures

Most of us rarely touch the pamphlets and other literature in our room. We’re surprised when we turn a corner in our hotel and see a fitness center or corporate office area. But these services are advertised in those brochures. You just need to read them.

Since you’ll be staying a while, it’s a wise idea to get familiar with the hotel’s services and amenities. You might have free breakfast every morning or room service with prices comparable to getting your food delivered. Even the laundry rates could be worth sending your clothing out to be cleaned rather than tracking down a laundromat.

If your pillow and blankets are less than ideal, there might be a pillow menu on the website or in the pamphlets. Call the lobby and ask for a different blanket. You can use the hotel’s services to make yourself feel at home, but you won’t know what’s available unless you look.

The literature left in your room is there because it’s meant to be informative and helpful. You’ll learn the most popular places to go near you, where to shop, and much more. Pick up those pamphlets and check them out!

3. Bring Your Pet

Do you have an animal that’s more like your family than a pet? It doesn’t have to be “Take Your Pet to Work Day” for you to have Fido or Fifi nearby. 

Use “pet-friendly” as the filter on corporate lodging platforms like Hotel Engine, and find an extended living hotel that will let you bring your furry family member.

Expect a pet deposit, cleaning fee, and possibly other rules and restrictions. These extra costs probably won’t be covered by your job, but having your pet with you can truly make you feel at home and keep away the blues of being away from your family and friends. 

4. Stay Organized

It’s tempting to become someone else while you’re away from home; someone less orderly, less scheduled, and more relaxed. This laidback attitude is fine to a degree, but to avoid the dangers of clutter and disorganization, you need to stick to a routine.

Clean up after yourself when you cook, eat, and get ready for work. Wake up and go to bed around the same time every day, just as you would at home.

Staying organized and pushing yourself to be orderly will have a significant impact on your productivity and mental health, whereas the opposite is true. Keeping to a schedule and a routine to avoid mess (otherwise called adulting) can help prevent depression while you’re away from home.

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Conclusion

Long-term stays away from your comfort zone can be stressful. But when you use these tips to make your extended stay positive, you can enjoy the perks of hotel living (housekeeping! laundry services! pools!) without many of the negative side effects.