Hotel concierge reveals the best way to get a quiet room
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Most hotel guests look forward to doing some relaxing and enjoying a quiet night’s sleep during a stay. But even the most isolated hotels and apartments can come with unwanted noise.
There are ways to get a quiet hotel room. iStock
Whether from traffic, lifts, or noisy guests, it’s often hard to avoid. Now an expert has shared some things you can do to try and head off any disturbances to your holiday slumber before they happen.
Jimmy Barker, Chief Concierge at the five-star Emporium Hotel South Bank in Brisbane, said there’s an important call to make or email you need to send before a stay if you’re worried.
“It’s worth flagging any sensitivity to noise ahead of arrival, so the room can be allocated accordingly,” he told nine.com.au.
And he said the type of hotel you choose can also make a difference to getting that good night’s sleep.
The Emporium opened in 2007 in Fortitude Valley, and moved to South Bank in 2018. Emporium Hotel
“Boutique, independent hotels do have an advantage here, fewer rooms per floor generally means less traffic through the corridors than you’d find in a larger property, and there’s often more flexibility to accommodate specific requests too,” Barker said.
As for how to get a better room than the one you’ve booked, perhaps with a bigger bed or better view, that’s also something you can try and flag before you walk up to reception.
“The best approach is to reach out to our guest services team the morning before arrival,” he said. “Asking, rather than expecting, tends to make all the difference.”
Barker is a part of the Les Clefs d’Or or Golden Keys association, of which there are only 47 certified concierges in Australia. So he’s used to dealing with even the most bizarre of asks.
“The strangest request that stands out was a guest who asked for my help tracing public records to locate a lost relative,” he said.
Jimmy Barker, Chief Concierge at the five-star Emporium Hotel South Bank in Brisbane. Emporium Hotel
“It wasn’t something I’d been trained for, but it was clear how much it meant to him, so we did everything we could to help.”
As for the item guests leave in their hotel rooms the most often in a surprise to no one he said they’re forever finding phone chargers.
When it is time to leave, he reckons rather than slipping off, do swing by reception and formally check-out. And don’t be afraid to tell them what you thought.
“Always check out at the desk, as the goodbye should feel as considered as the welcome,” he said.
“It’s the true measure of a stay and the guest’s final opportunity to share feedback before departure.”
