Sneaky ‘hack’ to override your hotel thermostat when your room is too hot – and it take just three clicks
HOLIDAYMAKERS stuck in stuffy hotel rooms can try a sneaky trick to cool the temperature even when controls are locked for guests.
Brits set for summer hols might be anxious over how hot their rooms get, with many hotels keeping the thermostat on their chosen setting.
It’s unlikely guests can dial the temperature right down as accommodation providers aim to avoid energy wastage.
But now a thermostat hack has emerged, allowing customers to work around fixed settings.
Those keen to keep their rooms cold just need to figure out how to access the device’s VIP mode, according to travel site Your Mileage May Vary.
Many thermostats have this feature, including Alerton, Amana, Carrier, Ecosmart, GE, Honeywell, HotelTech, and Inncom systems.
A video posted to the website shows a step-by-step guide explaining how to access the Inncom system.
The steps are: hold down the “display” button, press the “on/off” option, release, and then hit “up”.
It’ll then display either “DON” or “VIP” – giving the lodger total command over cooling.
That same process is promised to work for many other systems, while travellers are also advised to Google the name of the device and “VIP mode” if it gets confusing.
The reason guests often have no say over their room’s temperature comes down to hotels trying to ensure they are energy efficient.
According to Technology 4 Hotels: “Guest rooms account for 90 percent of wasted electricity usage.”
But travellers who have forked out plenty of hard-earned pounds for a relaxing break only to be forced into a sweaty sleep may well prefer to preside over their room temperature.
In another tip for holidaymakers, a common travel safety trick was recently rubbished by Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
Paying up to £25 to have your suitcase wrapped in plastic is a common airport plan with the goal of keeping belongings safe from thieves.
But it’s been slammed as a waste of money because security could simply rip it off if they need to search the bag through custom – and wouldn’t be re-wrapped.
TSA’s Lorie Dankers told Travel and Leisure: “If the technology flags the bag, the 3D X-ray image is sent to a TSA officer to review.
“TSA officers look at hundreds of X-ray images, so they know what common items look like on the X-ray screen.”
If there is any alert on the luggage it’ll get pulled aside for a check – and unwrapped.
I'm a travel expert - here are smart hotel hacks I swear by
Samantha Brown has visited at least 62 countries during her career as a TV presenter.
Now she has shared her top tips to make sure every hotel stay goes smoothly.
First, Samantha recommends using your room’s ironing board as a luggage rack, table and counter.
Second, Samantha also suggests soaking a sponge in dish soap before leaving it to dry out.
Then cut the sponge up into smaller chunks which you can use for washing-up on holiday.
If you’re bringing your kids along, Samantha says you can childproof your room with a roll of duct tape – or better still, gaffer tape.
You can also use the tape to block out flashing lights around your room before bedtime.
