Admission: This is not an original idea of mine. I learned about this in 2009 when I was on a Rick Steves “21-Day Best of Europe” tour, led by our amazing guide Rolinka.
The basic idea is to take a hotel card — you know, the business card that is in that little holder on the counter where you check in — and put it in your wallet or purse. The main thing is to carry it with you everywhere you go while you are staying in that hotel (resort, or whatever it’s called).
You might ask, “Why carry that card with me?” After a day of wandering around (memories of Venice, Italy, come to my mind), you might not know how to get back to your hotel, or you might not even remember the name of it. YES — those do happen (personal experiences here).
But that won’t be a problem for you because you have the hotel card with you. Depending on where you are, and possibly other factors, you can use the information on that card to ask for directions; get a ride to the hotel, or possibly even call the hotel and ask them for assistance. Or maybe even the address alone gives you the information you need. (Think of the way streets and avenues are numbered in Manhattan, for example.)
Hopefully, you will not be in a situation where you would feel lost without the card and its information. BUT, if you are in that situation, and you do have the card with you, you can get back to the hotel with minimal effort (and less stress, worry, concern).
On the positive side, the card can also be a reminder of the places you’ve stayed, and if you really liked the location and the lodging, you now have a place that you can recommend to others when they are in that area. Most travelers love a recommendation from someone, especially a friend, who HAS BEEN THERE. I certainly do! And I am sure your friends will also.
If you are not yet getting my weekly newsletter that also contains a Travel Tip like this as well as other travel news and tour information, Click Here to sign up, and get a free copy of my novel Murders in SYDNEY.
Happy Travels — Thanks for reading!
Stuart Gustafson, America’s International Travel Expert®