Treat your hotel like a home away from home. This means conducting yourself appropriately and respecting the property. If you’re unsure what this looks like, here are some ground rules to abide by on your next hotel visit.

Don’t Haggle for an Upgrade

You never know, right? Sometimes asking for an upgrade will work, but persisting to request free things will only frustrate the staff. Unless you have a legitimate reason (i.e. broken facilities), don’t bother trying to cut yourself a better deal. Likewise, respect check-in and check-out times.

Don’t Make a Complete Mess

Just because you don’t have to change the sheets or clean the bathroom does not excuse turning the room upside down. Be courtesy to housekeeping by leaving the room tidy—garbage in the bin and other wastes disposed, sheets left on the beds, etc.

Don’t Steal from the Hotel

While some things are complimentary—namely personal hygiene products like soap and shampoo—furniture, electronics, appliances and other hotel accessories are not free. This includes the contents of the minibar. Refrain from faking out the staff by refilling bottles with water or rewrapping goods to make it seem like you never ate/drank them.

Don’t Light Up

In smoke-free establishments, the fine for lighting a cigarette (or some other substance) is steep. But it’s not about breaking the rules as much as it is about inconveniencing other guests. Yes, they can smell it through the vents…plus anyone who stays in that room next will need to deal with the odour. In fact, the staff will need to deep clean the room afterwards to eradicate the smell of your fumes.

Don’t Sneak in Your Pets

If you choose a pet-friendly hotel, then you needn’t smuggle in your pets. If you feel you must anyway it’s because (a) the animal with you is exotic/prohibited or (b) you want to avoid pet charges. Either way, sneaking in pets can lead to trouble—from messes to disturbances.

Don’t Forget to Hang the “Do Not Disturb” Sign

Save yourself the embarrassment and put up the “Do Not Disturb” sign if you’d like some privacy. Otherwise, housekeeping may enter at an inopportune time—and that’s not fun for anyone.