What to Pack for a Hotel Stay (13 genius ideas)

If you always have trouble sleeping in a hotel room due to noise or just being uncomfortable in a different environment, a few key items can make your stay so much more comfortable.

Whether you’re staying for one night or an extended time, here are 13 things to pack for a hotel that will make your stay so much more comfortable and feel like you’re at home.

After hundreds of nights in hotel rooms over the last couple of years, I’ve put together a list of items I always pack for hotel stays.

As an added bonus, many of these items are also perfect for your cruise cabin!

This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you click through and make a purchase I may make a small commission. I only share information about things I know, love and trust!

Wipes

Let’s face it, the toilet paper at most hotels is usually cheap one-ply.

There’s nothing worse than being irritated ‘down there; from low quality toilet paper.

I like these adult wipes called Dude Wipes for feeling clean, smooth and refreshed.

Slippers or Slides

The number one item I always pack for a hotel stay is a pair of slippers.

I hate going barefoot or even walking around in socks in hotel rooms, because the carpets are never as clean as you think they are.

And sometimes (especially in Mexico), the floors are cold, hard tile.

A pair of slippers with a rubber sole and memory foam, like these ones, are the ultimate hotel room hack.

They’re washable too.

Or try these men’s memory foam slippers.

Black Electrical Tape

I always carry a roll of black electrical tape in my travel bag.

This is to cover up those annoying indicator lights that are so bright (and you don’t notice until you turn all the lights off).

There always seems to be a light on the TV, clock, smoke detector or certain power outlets.

My latest issue was with an air conditioning unit – I couldn’t turn off the main light, and I couldn’t unplug the unit!

Black electrical tape works as a black out, and is easy to remove without leaving and residue behind.

Contoured Light-Blocking Sleep Mask

A blackout sleep mask is a must for hotel travelers.

Sometimes the curtains aren’t fully blackout, or sometimes there’s a gap that lets light in.

I use this highly rated sleep mask which is no ordinary mask.

It’s memory foam and has raised edges for the eyes, so it doesn’t squish your eyelashes and seals perfectly for total blackout.

Travel Vanity Tray

A small vanity tray is one of my favorite travel accessories for a hotel.

It keeps my small personal items organized on my hotel nightstand (and also reminds housekeeping not to throw anything away).

This vanity tray is light and unsnaps to pack flat and takes up virtually no space.

It’s great for rings, jewelry, watches, notes, earbuds, chapstick, receipts, earplugs, keys, etc.!

White Noise Machine

A small white noise machine is the most underrated item to bring with you when staying at a hotel.

I don’t know about you, but I can never sleep right when there are odd noises or a lack of noise in my hotel room.

But when you have something like a white noise machine, not only does it provide comforting background noise, it can help block out other weird noises.

This white noise machine is light, compact and doubles as a nightlight.

Ear Plugs

If you like complete silence, a good set of ear plugs is essential for a good night’s sleep in a hotel room.

There’s nothing worse than laying down for the night only to find the walls are paper thin.

Especially if you get stuck in a room right by the elevator or backing onto a busy street.

This new style of ear plugs from Loop are completely sound blocking and very comfortable compared to foam ear plugs.

Tip: order a bright color in case you drop one!

Extra Long Phone Charger Cords

I hate it when my hotel room doesn’t have enough electrical outlets, or they’re just in the wrong spot.

For instance, sometimes there’s only one outlet on one side of the bed.

Or, the outlet is in the middle of the wall behind the bed (making it completely unreachable).

Now I always bring a phone charger cord that’s at least 10 feet long, but you can also find ones that are 25 feet long!

Here’s the best rated 10 foot cord for iPhones.

Here’s the best rated 10 foot cord for Androids (USB, USB-C).

This way you’ll always be able to use your phone anywhere in the room, no matter where the outlets are located.

Outlet Extender/Power Strip

If you’ve stayed in enough hotels, you know that there’s never enough outlets to go around.

If you’ve got 2 phones, cameras, laptops, hair accessories, tablets, etc, you’ll want to bring an electrical outlet extender or small power strip.

This one has a low profile flat plug (perfect for hard to reach areas), comes with 3 USB ports and three outlets.

Night Light

Bringing your own nightlight to a hotel (or even an airbnb) is so helpful for navigating a new space and somewhere unfamiliar (especially for the elderly).

These nightlights are slim, lightweight and easy to pack.

Collapsible Kettle

If you’re a coffee or tea drinker, a kettle is an absolute must.

Even if there is a coffee maker in the room, those things are never sanitized.

I think we’ve all heard horror stories of what some guests use them for.

I think the worst I’ve heard is washing socks and underwear in them.

For that reason, I usually travel with my collapsible kettle, especially if I have an extended stay.

These are also a lifesaver if you’re traveling to Las Vegas, as most hotel rooms do not have coffee makers, and buying coffee in Vegas is outrageously expensive (not to mention the long lineups).

Liquid IV/Electrolytes

If you’ve traveled by plane or long distance by car, you know that it’s very dehydrating. A quick little hack I love is it pack some powdered electrolytes like Liquid IV.

They help rehydrate and re energize you after a long day of travel.

Also great for hangovers or when you travel to places like Las Vegas.

Packing Cubes

Packing cubes are the perfect packing hack for when you’re moving hotels every 1 to 2 days.

They help keep things organized and easy to access, without having to make a mess of everything that’s in your luggage.

I personally use this 8 piece set of packing cubes, because they have several different sizes, and also have a compression feature.

I like to keep different types of outfits in separate cubes, so they’re easy to grab and go.

I’ve also heard that packing cubes are essential for staying organized on your cruise, since the cabins are so small with limited storage and closet space.