Searches for ‘Valentine’s hotel packages’ have soared by 300% in the past month, reflecting a surge in demand for romantic staycations. Holiday bookings have also risen by 42% compared to last year.
However, before you sink into those plush hotel pillows, here’s a reality check: your room may not be as pristine as it appears. Surprisingly, higher-rated hotels can harbour even more germs on frequently touched surfaces.
To help couples enjoy a truly blissful (and bacteria-free) getaway, the safety experts at Locksmith Dartford have identified the five dirtiest spots in a hotel room that you should be wary of.
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Bedspreads and decorative pillows
Unlike sheets, which are washed between guest stays, bedspreads, decorative pillows, and throws often go unwashed for weeks – or even months. Since they aren’t in direct contact with guests like bedsheets, they are often overlooked by housekeeping, making them a hidden germ hotspot. Comforters face a similar fate due to their bulky size and the cost of frequent laundering. Many hotels only clean them when they show visible stains or odours, which could have accumulated millions of dead skin cells, dried saliva, and bodily fluids left behind by previous guests.
To reduce exposure to lingering germs, consider using a disinfectant spray on fabric surfaces or bringing a travel-size pillowcase for added hygiene. Take bedspreads and decorative pillows off your bed, as they are rarely cleaned and often just rearranged – whether they’ve been on the floor, the couch, or handled by multiple guests before you.
An ex-hotel cleaner shared on Reddit:
“Most hotels do not wash the big duvet, they only wash the sheets. At one hotel I worked at, they would only wash the duvet that was white if it had an actually dirty-looking spot on it. The hotel I just started at is even worse. They have brown duvets that literally never ever get washed.”
“Maids and housekeeping are typically paid very little and expected to clean an unbelievable amount of rooms in a day. Even a really high-end place won’t spend more than 30 min cleaning a room (and many places spend way less time). What this means is that they become experts in shortcuts and making a room look clean without actually cleaning it. Those glasses by the sink? They’re probably not fresh. Housekeeping most likely rinsed them out in the sink then wiped them down. Has the carpet been vacuumed? Probably not unless there was an obvious mess. Is the remote clean? Honestly, I doubt they’ve wiped it down since they got the TV.”
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Telephone handsets and TV remote
Reaching for the TV remote? Think twice. Studies have found that high-touch surfaces like remotes, hotel room phones, and light switches can harbour cold and flu viruses, E. coli, and even traces of faecal matter. A swab test detected Bacillus spp. – a bacteria linked to respiratory and gastrointestinal infections – on remotes in three-star hotels, while four- and five-star hotels showed even higher levels of gram-negative bacteria, which are known to cause respiratory illnesses.
To reduce your risk, wipe down high-touch surfaces with an antibacterial wipe before use or, for extra protection, seal the remote in a plastic sandwich bag to avoid direct contact with lingering germs.
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Bathroom
That sparkling hotel bathroom might not be as clean as it appears. Showerheads can harbour Legionella – the bacteria behind Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially severe respiratory infection. In fact, one study found that a hotel showerhead had 25,000 times the bacteria of a toilet seat, while shower curtains and bathtubs hold 60 times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Even more concerning, some housekeeping staff use the same cloth to wipe down toilets, sinks, and bathroom counters, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.
A simple precaution? Always wipe down bathroom surfaces with disinfectant wipes before use. Run hot water for at least a minute to flush out bacteria before stepping into the shower, and if you plan to soak in the tub, give it a quick scrub with shampoo or shower gel first. After all, when it comes to hotel hygiene, looks can be deceiving.
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Ice buckets
Is that ice bucket really clean? Maybe not. Many guests have used them for far less appetising purposes – like makeshift vomit bowls after a wild night out. Since these buckets are often just rinsed out and put back in place between guest stays, bacteria can linger for weeks – if not longer.
To stay on the safe side, always use a plastic liner (or ask housekeeping for one) before filling the bucket with ice. Even better, skip the bucket altogether and opt for pre-packaged ice from the hotel bar or a nearby store.
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Coffee makers and glassware
That convenient in-room coffee maker might be brewing more than just caffeine. Leftover coffee oils can turn rancid, while the warm, damp environment inside the machine creates the perfect breeding ground for bacteria, mould, and yeast. Without regular deep cleaning of the water reservoir and internal components, your morning cup of coffee could come with an unwanted dose of germs – hardly the wake-up call you were expecting.
You might also want to be cautious with the glassware in your hotel room – under time pressure, some housekeepers simply rinse drinking glasses in the bathroom sink rather than properly sanitising them with soap or running them through a dishwasher. That means the glass you’re about to sip from could be coated in bacteria left behind by the previous guest – or worse, the same cloth used to clean the bathroom.
