Smart trick allows you to charge your phone in hotel room without a plug
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If there's one thing that's most commonly forgotten when people are packing for a holiday, phone chargers have to be up there.
How many times have you opened your suitcase to find that you've packed the cord, but left the charging block at home?
Thankfully, almost every hotel room has a solution for this problem, hidden in plain sight.
Your hotel TV isn't just for watching. Getty
Most TVs have a USB port in the back, which you can plug your phone cord into to charge your device.
It absolutely saved my skin a few years ago when I spent a night in an Adelaide hotel, but forgot to pack a charger.
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I checked in, my phone was on 3 per cent battery, and I was supposed to meet a friend in an hour.
Thankfully, I had my charging cord in my handbag, so could plug my phone into the TV to give it some juice.
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You can charge your phone through the TV. Getty
One thing to note is that your phone might charge pretty slowly, compared to when you plug it into a real charging block.
But it's a great way to get a little more battery in a pinch.
And if you've forgotten your charging cord? Call down to the hotel's front desk, there's a good chance that they have one you could borrow.
Phone chargers are one of those items that are consistently left behind in hotel rooms, so there's often a stash kept at the front desk, which you could use while you're staying.
A phone charger is the most commonly left behind item in hotel rooms. Getty
9Travel contributor Sami Lukis has previously shared her tip to prevent you from forgetting your charger in your hotel room.
"When you first arrive in your hotel room, place your suitcase (or carry-on) on the floor next to the power point where you're going to plug your phone in," she wrote.
"Then wrap the cord of the phone charger around the handle of the suitcase.
"That way, when you're ready to check out and you go to grab your bag, you'll need to unwrap the cable from the handle of your suitcase first – a timely reminder to also unplug the charger and TAKE IT WITH YOU. Genius!"
It's also great for when your charger won't fit in the hotel socket. Reddit
The USB is not the only port you can use in the back of the TV.
When I was travelling around Thailand, we often stayed at hotels and Airbnbs that had TVs without streaming capabilities - meaning we were limited to watching local channels.
I bought a HDMI cord, which meant I could easily connect my laptop to the TV, and we could watch anything we wanted on the big screen. Much better than watching soap operas in Thai and trying to figure out what was going on!
Drop us an email with all your wisdom to travel@nine.com.au, and your tip could be featured in an upcoming story on 9Travel.
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