Indonesia Traveling Guide

Here are few things your hotel won't tell, but if you observe carefully, all this makes most sense!

1. "In tough times we have to discount—creatively."

For the hotel industry, 2009 was the worst year since the Great Depression, and last year was only slightly better. At its low, the average daily room rate was $97, down from $107 in 2008, and occupancy rates fell below 55 percent. "This recession has been so traumatic across the board for all types of hotels," says Robert Mandelbaum, research director at Colliers PKF Hospitality Research. In turn, hotels have slashed staff and cut corners. Michael Aschoff, a retired compliance officer from Tampa, Fla., stays in hotels 30 to 50 nights a year and has noticed they've stopped replacing soap and providing body wash and mouthwash. "They have really cut back on little amenities," he says.

2. "Book with us to get an upgrade."

What's more, book directly with the hotel and your "chances of getting an upgrade are vastly improved," says Rank. Hotels also like to save perks for their loyalty-program members. Chris Jones, the general manager of Hotel Indigo in San Diego, says he gives upgrades to about 35 percent of customers, with priority going to loyalty-card holders. "The hospitality industry is all about relationships," says Fredrik Korallus, executive vice president for global revenue generation at Carlson Hotels. "If you want something, it never hurts to ask."

3. "Your room won't really look like this."

There are plenty of places to find reviews of hotels, from newspapers and magazines to websites with traveler reviews. But when you want to see what the room or the pool looks like, you often have to trust the hotel—which may not be trustworthy.

Most hotels are not out to actively deceive customers. "We want to ensure that the images are accurate," says Jeff Wagoner, president of Wyndham Hotels & Resorts. But, he adds, "we have no specific written guidelines."

4. "Kiss your credit card data goodbye."

Hotels have become a favorite target for credit card–data thieves. According to digital-security firm Trustwave, 38 percent of the credit card– hacking cases it worked on in 2009 were in the hospitality industry—far more than any other industry the company works with. Hackers (usually organized crime outfits) access a hotel's network by guessing the administrator password, then place malware on the network, which then transmits guest's card numbers back to them. They can also steal other info about you—home address, phone number, license plate number—to aid in identity theft.

5. "We need locals as much as travelers."

With fewer people traveling, hotels that have bars, restaurants, spas and golf courses have been forced to look closer to home for help making up lost revenue. They need locals as much as travelers!

6. "We obsess over online comments."

Traveler-review sites have become a powerful force in the hotel industry. Too many bad reviews and business may start to slide—a fact those in the industry know all too well. "We highly recommend that hotel managers keep up with what is being said about them online, and not only respond but rectify any issue the customer might have had," says Wyndham's Wagoner.