Hotel-related reflections from my opinionated and well-travelled friend, Fanny
What are the non-negotiables of an (almost) professional service expert?
My friend Fanny is a real service fanatic. She used to work in hospitality for many years and it is not too often that she is 100% happy with the service provided. To her, there is always room for improvement and what gets her going is when the basic things that a paying customer could expect are missing. It was with Fanny in mind I wrote this post about service.
For this post, I asked her to list what the things are that she expects, or at least hopes for, when checking into a hotel. Below you can read her reflections:.
What is a must in a really good hotel room?
Every time I check into a hotel (which happens fairly often), I do the same thing. I drop my bag, take a little tour around the room, open all drawers (yes, all of them), inspect the bathroom situation and mentally tick off my non-negotiables.
This isn’t about flashy materials, designer lamps or how photogenic the room looks on Instagram. It’s about the practical details that defines whether a stay feels effortless or slightly irritating. The things that make a room livable – not just beautiful.
So here they are. In no particular order. Just my very honest, slightly picky personal must-haves.
A proper coffee maker in the room
I love exploring cities and finding the best coffee spots. I will happily walk 20 minutes for a perfectly made cappuccino. But coffee is too essential to outsource entirely. I need to know that I can make myself a cup at 6:12 AM dressed in my pyjamas without speaking to a single human being.
Room service coffee is not the same. The tiny kettle with anonymous instant powder is definitely not the same. A proper machine. Please, it is almost a human right (ok, slight exaggeration, but still).
Fanny would appreciate a stay at the Regina Experimental in Biarritz where there is a great coffee maker in the room by Swedish brand Sjöstrand.
A toilet brush. Yes, I said it.
I genuinely do not understand why some five star hotels have decided that toilet brushes are somehow beneath them. What is the logic? That we are all mythical creatures who never have digestive systems?
I do not want to call room service after I have been doing number two. I do not want to explain anything. I just want to discreetly solve my own situation like the adult I am.
On the same topic: a good toilet spray. One five-star hotel in Champagne had it. One. If I am sharing a room with a friend, a partner or just my own dignity, a proper spray is a very small investment for a very big improvement in atmosphere.
You’re welcome!
Iron and ironing board in the room
I know, I know. “We have an ironing room on floor three.” That’s lovely. But I don’t want to put on shoes and parade down a corridor in my half-ironed dress.
If I have a meeting, dinner or event, I want the iron in my room. At all times. Convenience is key. Especially for someone (me) who will absolutely postpone ironing until 18 minutes before leaving.
A gym that is actually open 24/7. And ideally a yoga mat in the room.
Let’s be honest. I am a lazy person. If I have to think too much or walk too far, I will not work out.
I need convenience. A gym that is open 24/7 so I can go at odd hours when motivation randomly appears. And a yoga mat in the room so I can at least do a downward dog and feel like I tried.
The mat just needs to be there. Staring at me. Judging me gently.
One hotel that would not disappoint Fanny when it comes to exercise is Brach in Madrid. There is a cork yoga mat in the room and there is a also a 24h gym on the lower ground floor.
The minibar – but make it good
I know many hotels have removed minibars for good reasons. I respect that. But I still love opening a minibar and finding something thoughtful inside and sometimes it is the only dinner that I have.
A good bottle of wine. Proper sparkling water. Fresh juices. Hand-picked goodies with a local touch. If I am in Italy, give me something Italian. If I am in Japan, surprise me. It doesn’t have to be massive – it just has to feel curated.
If Fanny wants a well-stocked minibar, she will be very happy to check in at any of the Soho House hotels. Their minibars are legendary. This is from Dean Street Townhouse in London.
Bathroom products that actually make sense
I have been living in Asia for the last three years and I have become slightly spoiled. I am used to travelling with almost nothing in my toiletry bag.
Toothbrush. Mouthwash. Toothpicks. Facial wash. Facial cream. Razor. Deodorant (I bring my own). A really good conditioner. And please, a proper hair dryer. The dream? A Dyson.
When I travel for work, I want to pack light. The more I can rely on being there, the happier I am.
At Redchurch Townhouse in London, you don’t need to bring any toiletries. Everything you need is waiting for you in the bathroom.
Light switches that respect human logic
This might be my biggest irritation.
There needs to be a main switch for the lights at the bed. On both sides. Always.
I hate when I have chosen the “wrong” side of a double bed and have to crawl over like a confused seal to turn off the lights. It is 2026. We have electric cars and AI. Surely we can solve symmetrical light control.
The most logical and well-placed light switch set-up that I have ever seen, I found at TRUNK Hotel Yoyogi Park in Tokyo. I am pretty sure that Fanny would approve.
A real hotel room, for me, is not about extravagance. It is about functionality wrapped in comfort. It is about feeling that someone has actually stayed in this room before designing it and thought: “What would make this easier?”
Luxury is not only marble and views. Sometimes luxury is a toilet brush, good coffee and a yoga mat that silently reminds you to move.
These are my non-negotiables. I am curious, what are yours?
/Fanny
