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One of my biggest pet peeves regarding hotels are the alarm clocks. Too often, I make the rookie mistake of forgetting to see if the in-room alarm clock is turned on. I’m sure you’ve been unnecessarily woken up at the crack of dawn, too. You would think the hotel’s housekeepers would make sure they’re turned off but they don’t. Fortunately, there are reports that Marriott is doing away with alarm clocks, which will no doubt save money, the environment and headaches.

If you’re worried that you’ll sleep through your phone’s alarm and you’ll miss a flight or important meeting, a back-up is a good idea. But many times, the hotel doesn’t follow through with scheduled wake-up calls so it’s not always a reliable Plan B.

I know these days most people rely solely on their smartphone as alarms but it’s nice to have a guaranteed backup. One trick for a Plan B or even a Plan C is to order room service the night before, which will act as wake-up call. As a bonus, you get to wake up to hot coffee/tea and food.

If you’re a sound sleeper or hard of hearing and want a Plan D, then get the Sonic Bomb Alarm clock. I got one for my dad since he’s legally deaf without his hearing aid in and it vibrates really hard under your pillow or next to the nightstand. Here’s more information on the Sonic Bomb Alarm.

7 Comments On "Order Room Service as a Backup Wake-up Call"
  1. Linda Lowe|

    Great tip — we do this on cruises. When we have a port day and want to avoid the crowds at the buffet as everyone scrambles to eat before their excursions, we order room service to wake us up in time and to have a quiet breakfast before a busy day!

    1. Phillip Scroggins|

      …Although it USUALLY works very well on cruises (where the steward knows you personally and depends on your tips…), in a hotel it is often a different story. I have had hotels forget to deliver breakfast, deliver it late (making it useless as a wake-up call) and STILL charge me for it, and deliver it cold! Not a reliable method…

  2. su|

    How do we know if it’s available and can we book it though our online booking? I thin that would be a good idea, especially since I’m so forgetful and lazy

  3. Sybil Waldman|

    I have tried and used this tip recently on a cruise. The room service awoke us before the wake up call arrived. It was a pleasure as we were rushing to get up and out not to miss our excursion. It is easy and the coffee is hot. Sometimes we don’t even finish the breakfast but we usually get a 15 minute head start. Great tip and helps relieve the stress of the pushing and shoving.

  4. Ralph Jones|

    Just used it at the Four Seasons Bangkok, however they suggested it with complementary coffee service at 3:45am following a 3:30 wake up call!

  5. My Travels with My Mum|

    We always do this on cruise ship, the rooms dont have alarm clocks and if your in a inside cabin unless you look at your watch you have no idea if its day or night. Even if we don’t order a full breakfast we will order coffee, tea, juice or ice water.
    The inroom dining always says delivery between certain time slot of half hour say 7-7.30, so it might come at 7.01 or 7.29

  6. Mike B.|

    Small, cheap travel alarms from companies like Casio, Sony, etc., are readily available these days for less than $10. I keep one in my carry-on bag for a phone and wake up call backup.
    The room service breakfast order is another great idea I’ll use.

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