Keep the Volume Down in Hotels

I am a business traveler of the road warrior variety. My job puts me in a lot of hotels in a lot of cities around the world. Hotels differ greatly in the quality of the noise insulation found in the rooms. Some are so quiet you could hear a pin drop, others barely allow for sleep. Lately, I’ve noticed an alarming trend. Maybe it’s the onset of summer and a greater number of vacation travelers, or maybe it is because people have become so inconsiderate they don’t even think twice. I’m referring to conversation in the hotel hallways.

On a recent trip to Houston, Texas, I very nearly confronted a group of (the best I could tell from all of the yacking) three people who had a lenghty conversation right outside of the door to my room at 7:00 in the morning. Just because you’re bright eyed and bushy tailed that early doesn’t mean everyone is. If you need or want to talk to your friends/family/co-workers/lovers in the hotel, do it in your room or take it to the lobby. It is extremely rude to do so in the hallway.

You never know whose in that room. Maybe the person came in on the Red Eye, maybe the person is rehearsing a presentation they’ll be giving in a few hours, maybe he or she is just accustomed to a different time zone (like me right now).

As you may have guessed, I’m writing this post from a hotel room. The sold out hotel in Sacramento forced me in to a room near the elevator and the ice machine. While I should be sleeping, I’m being kept awake by the Conventioners who are finally starting to wind down for the night.

Seriously, when you travel keep it down in the hall.