Woman’s mind blown over hotel key card hack that’ll come in handy for charging devices

A travel blogger has been left gobsmacked after stumbling across a housekeeper’s alternative method of using card readers to power electricity in hotel rooms – and she hasn’t looked back since

Frequent flyers and holidaymakers alike will have stumbled across the essential yet slightly aggravating key card readers that control the power electricity in hotel rooms. Without your hotel room key in the slot, the lights and switches won’t work. Many already know that you can put any old card in the slot, in place of your key, but one woman has just learned a new trick.

Instead of reaching into pockets for alternatives, such as a library card or gift card, a travel blogger known as Curious Claire has claimed that a housekeeper’s game-changing hack has changed further travel. After witnessing a hotel cleaner using a room’s common courtesy item to replace the key card – she hasn’t looked back since.

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She shared the trick on TikTok, detailing how she spotted a housekeeper using the do not disturb door hanger in the card slot to turn on the electricity – and it could make charging your devices when you leave the room much easier.

“Here is a hotel hack that I just learned today,” she explained.

“So, you know hotels now mainly have card readers, and you have to put your hotel key card into it to get the electricity to work?

“It’s really annoying when you want to charge something – and I think a lot of us know the trick way to put another card into it – I usually use a gift card that I have in my purse.

“But, today I was walking past one of the rooms as the maid was doing it up and I saw what she did – and oh my God, I can’t believe it, I have to try it to see if it works!”

Evidently, TikToker Claire was in utter disbelief after noticing that the housekeeper had another use for the common piece of card.

“So, when I walked past the room earlier she had one of these do not disturb signs in the card reader and now I’ve got to try it to see if it works.

“So as you can see there’s no card key in there right now. – nothing was happening.”

Trying the hack first-hand, Claire was stunned after discovering it worked just as well – and has claimed to use the trick in future trips.

“The moment of truth – oh my God that actually works, that’s mad!

“I can’t believe this works by putting that in the card reader – I have to try this out at other hotels now!”

Gushing TikTokers took to the comment section of the video to share essential travel hacks of their own – with some even claiming they’ve used Claire’s new tip for years.

One user said: “I use this all the time! Especially on holiday. Can leave the air con on while out and come back to a nice chilled room!

A second suggested: “Oh, yes I did it many times, also I was using this little envelopes in with was your room card.”

“I used a twinnings teabag,” another. joked

A fourth wrote: “Wow. Last time I was in a hotel we got an extra card from reception, I gotta try this next time.”

Claire replied: “I find these days if I’m alone hotels won’t want to give out a second key.”

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