I spend almost 100 nights a year in hotels. Here are the 6 mistakes people make during their stays.

• In the past 23 years, I've spent a quarter of my time as a tourist and dozens of nights in hotels.
• Hotel guests often stay in the wrong location, which can cost them money and time. 
• Some don't pack well or forget to take advantage of complimentary items at hotels. 

Over the past two decades, I've spent a quarter of my time as a tourist.

As a travel writer, I get to check places off of my constantly changing bucket list — and I've learned my fair share of lessons in my past 23 years of traveling. 

In 2022 alone, I spent 102 nights of my year either on cruise ships or in hotel rooms. More specifically, I stayed in 27 of the latter and two of the former.

Here are six mistakes travelers make when staying at hotels. 

Staying in the most expensive area possible when you don't plan to spend much time there

A little bit of research and activity planning before you book your hotel can go a long way.

I've been an NYC tour guide since 2017 and have escorted hundreds of domestic and international tourists around Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens. Most tell me where they're staying and why — and it usually comes down to convenience versus cost. 

Staying in a Midtown Manhattan hotel is typically a more expensive option but it will give you decent access to all five boroughs if you plan to see the whole city. But let's say you're flying into John F. Kennedy International Airport or LaGuardia Airport — both located in Queens — and want to check out Queens attractions like the Museum of the Moving Image and catch a Mets game at Citi Field.

In that case, you're better off staying in Long Island City in Queens, which will give you easy access to the subway lines you'll need to get to where you want to go. Plus, by staying outside of Manhattan, you can cut your hotel cost in half without giving up too many amenities. 

Booking a place too far from the area where you plan to spend the most time

Again, think about what you're planning to do when narrowing down where you're going to stay. 

If you're coming to New York City to see Broadway plays and check out the bucket-list museums, then staying in Newark, New Jersey, or near JFK airport in Queens to save money can be counterproductive.

First of all, it can be a two-hour round trip to get from each place and you might end up spending more on bus and train tickets or rideshares than you saved on a hotel or Airbnb. Plus you're costing yourself a full 10-hour day of sightseeing if you do a two-hour commute for five nights.

Forgetting to sign up for the rewards program before you start using a brand 

If I were speaking rather than typing these words, I'd probably get louder during this part. Hotel rewards programs cost you nothing! Even if you're one of those time-is-money types, it still takes less time to sign up for a given hotel rewards program than it does to book the room. 

In the past four years, I've used rewards points from these programs to stay in cities as expensive as New York and as affordable as Lowell, Massachusetts.

Bringing big/heavy stuff that hotels let you borrow for free 

Unless you have enough status to get your first checked bag free, you might want to leave your umbrella, bicycle helmet, and yoga mat at home. For starters, you can borrow an umbrella from the front desk at many hotels at no extra cost.

As an avid cyclist, I also try to stay in hotels with complimentary bikes. The Godfrey Boston and Modern Hotel in Boise are a couple of memorable examples that deserve shout-outs for having bikes. Both also offered me helmets, which saved me a lot of bag space. 

You also probably don't need to pack a yoga mat, depending on where you stay. I've found even hotels with small gyms tend to have mats and there's a good chance you can borrow one and take it to your room if you prefer to stretch alone. Some hotels, like the Kimpton Cottonwood, even include a mat in your room.

Not calling the front desk with questions before you start packing

Always check the hotel website before packing but keep in mind certain amenities might not be listed online. In these cases, picking up the phone could be worth it. 

For example, I'm willing to pack a quality Bluetooth speaker when I travel. But as I'd rather not, I always call the front desk to ask if there will be a portable Bluetooth speaker in my room.

Failing to bring smaller items that hotels tend to overcharge for 

Some hotels charge a premium for things visitors commonly need or forget at home, like sunscreen, snacks, or bottled water.

But paying for bottled water when you can bring an empty bottle onto the plane and refill it at a hotel gym is a simple rookie mistake. I also suggest just bringing granola bars or snacks with you.

If want a snack or forget an essential you're perhaps better off stopping at a corner bodega or big-box store that won't charge as much as a hotel will for basics.