All travelers have been there. You’re dashing out the door on a business trip, and when you arrive at your destination, you realize you’ve forgotten a must-have, like deodorant or your toothbrush.
And sometimes the items business trekkers forget to pack go well beyond toiletries. We’re talking power cords, cuff links – even shoes.
“I was on business in Dubai . . . and in packing a quick bag, missed the shoes completely,’’ recalls Barry Phillips, who lives in New York City and is a customer experience manager. “Within three hours of arrival, the hotel had arranged the same shoes and size for delivery at my hotel room from the Dubai Mall.’’
And there was no charge, adds Phillips, a member of USA TODAY's Road Warriors panel of frequent travelers.
Beyond the standard toothpaste and shower caps, many hotels have a stash of sometimes unusual essentials to help guests who’ve left what they need at home.
The guest services team at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds, Lake Oconee in Greensboro, Ga., for instance, has cufflinks, bow ties and shirt collar stays on standby. Along with chargers for smartphones and laptops, there's also a complimentary shoe shine service, and the concierge even has an Allen wrench if your golf club needs a slight tweak.
“We want to make traveling as convenient as possible for our guests whether they are here for meetings or to relax at the lake,’’ Ralph Vick, general manager at The Ritz-Carlton Reynolds said in an email. “We assist guests on a daily basis who forget to bring important items.”
At the Arizona Biltmore, A Waldorf Astoria Resort in Phoenix, the personal concierge and housekeeping director has eyeglass repair kits and bug spray at the ready. The Conrad Miami’s complimentary trove includes belts and socks. And if you're staying at the Ritz-Carlton, Philadelphia, and find that your luggage was waylaid, you can help yourself to a complimentary tote that includes toiletries and pajamas.
Sometimes hotels share items that have been left behind by previous guests. And a few are not above borrowing from staff to help out a desperate corporate trekker.
Road Warrior Ron Sklaver found that out first hand on a business trip to Melbourne, Australia, when he needed a dress shirt in a hurry.
“They brought a rolling rack of shirts from the bellboy uniforms up to my room,’’ Sklaver, a professional services manager based in Palm Harbor, Fla., said of the Sheraton hotel staff. “I picked one that fit and kept my jacket on during my meeting to hide the crest. . . .I was checking out and going straight from the meeting to the airport, and they didn't care that they would never see the shirt again.’’
Hal Warren, a commercial real estate investment adviser and USA TODAY Road Warrior who lives in Orlando, Fla., said a Hyatt Place in Pensacola came to his rescue with a spare pair of khaki pants.
“My bag got soaked in the rain on the tarmac,’’ Warren says. “They had my size in their uniform closet. It worked out great.’’
John Musso, a Road Warrior who is CEO of a nonprofit association, says he tends to forget essentials when he is rushing between back to back treks.
“Last year . . . I had to go to Palm Springs (Calif.), come home one day, then go to Anchorage (Alaska),’’ Musso, who lives in Ashburn, Va., recalls. “I was so rushed preparing, and the day at the office was so crazy, that I picked up the wrong bag. Alaska clothes went to Palm Springs. You can imagine what I was trying to borrow from the hotel.’’
At other times, hotels have helped him out with a spare tie, USB cord - and black dress shoes in size 13. Also, “on occasion, I forgot to pack workout clothes,’’ he says. “Some hotels were able to provide athletic shoes and socks, gym shorts and shirts.’’
Once, when the zipper on his bag broke, he asked the concierge how to get to a store where he could replace it. “To my surprise, the hotel had one that was left in a room,’’ Musso says. The bag's owner had asked the hotel to return the contents, “but not the case itself due to the shipping fee.’’
Dennis Reno, a Road Warrior from Alameda, Calif., didn’t need a whole suitcase, but he did once need a spare wheel. “I was at the Marriott Park Lane in London,’’ said Reno, a corporate vice president working in technology, “and they replaced it.’’
Terry Simpson, a Road Warrior based in Phoenix, travels with his own kettle, coffee grinder and coffee so he can brew his own cup of java while on the road.
When he forgot his gear on a trip to Seattle, the Four Seasons Hotel provided him with a grinder and French press. And as if that wasn't enough, “they also looked (on) social media and found I liked Peets coffee,’’ he says “and had a bag of whole beans waiting for me.’’
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