How To Spend Time If You’re Stuck In A Hotel Room

Anybody that’s traveled enough knows that hiccups in scheduling happen and there’s nothing you can do about it. I wish I could count the amount of times I got stranded at the airport, waiting for another flight but we’d be here for days then. However, oftentimes you get the “privilege” of hotel accomodation while you wait for your new travel plans to be set. So, what do you do when you’re stuck in a hotel, be it alone or with your family?

Keeping Yourself Busy

First off, get used to feeling restless. You’ll be itching to explore, to move, to do something useful but the matter of the fact is that you have to stay inside and wait. Second, if you’re not traveling alone, make sure your family is occupied with something, especially the kids. Sure, you and your spouse can just read the newspaper or, if you’re not familiar with the language, watch a movie on the tablet. But kids these days are bursting with energy and even the best portable DVD player with their favorite cartoons might not hold their attention for long. And God help us all if the little hellions are let loose in the reception zone or the bathroom of your suite. Honestly, if you’ve read my article on the benefits of solo travel, you already know what I’m talking about.

A Family Man Is Always Prepared

What I tend to do is make a bunch of backup plans. Grab some DVDs with cartoons and, if that fails, keep some other forms of entertainment handy. An MP3 player might work but it’s not guaranteed. Books? Oh, forget about that, kids on vacations and any form of reading don’t mix well. However, I’ve had some modest success by bribing the kids with portable gaming systems as they get glued to the screen almost immediately. Just make sure you have a charger on you as some models eat through the battery like it’s nothing.

Sweet Solitude

Now, if you’re alone, I suggest you do immerse yourself in a good, gripping book or simply go and chat with some of the tourists sharing your fate, see if you can make some new connections and pass the time. Or, and this is my little dirty trick, take that gaming system along with you and play with it! You’ll be surprised just how quickly a mindless gaming session can ease the boredom. Maybe try making a list of things you plan to do on your next stop or the sights you want to visit. And when you’re finally free and can blast off to another destination, remember this experience of being grounded in a boring hotel and make sure you enjoy every second of your journey.