Results collected from the Novotel Survey of guests in-hotel behavior, as sited from the eyes of staff, found that while the majority of hotel guests are much more eco friendly and more likely to leave rooms tidier, when compared to the last survey taken ten years ago, many still end up naked in hallways and leave unusual items behind.

When commenting
on the report, Accor said “Some odd demands include the guest at Novotel Canberra who insisted the concierge arrange an appointment with the Prime Minister”.

One hotel worker removed a 3cm long gecko, after being asked to remove a ‘hazardous reptile’ from a room.
The survey confirmed that more women are watching adult movies, representing 12% of guests, a third more than the 8% in 2000.

On the positive side, guests are more environmentally aware and are adapting their behaviour accordingly. The reuse of towels has nearly tripled over the past ten years, with 32%, instead of 11%, of guests now reusing towels.

Other interesting oddities show up in the world of travel. A couple reserved two executive deluxe suites—one for them, and one for their ‘beautiful dog’, at Swiss Diamond Hotel Olivella.

At Shanghai Mansion, a couple of guests liked their bed so much, they asked for the whole thing, including the silk pillows, be packed up and sent to Europe.

A star footballer criticized his ocean-view hotel room overlooking Sydney’s Manly beach as being unsuitable because the sound of the ocean kept him awake.

Another guest complained that she shouldn’t have to pay the surcharge for her ocean view room at Novotel Manly Pacific because it had rained all week so the view was unviewable.

At a top of the range, much-in demand, high-priced African game lodge, a tourist said the perch, overlooking a waterhole where wild animals came to drink, was unsuitable. He complained that one of the bull elephants was visibly aroused and the sight of this virulent animal made him feel “inadequate”. It completely ruined his honeymoon.

A traveller wasn’t discovered before take-off, even though he had accidentally managed to board an aircraft to the wrong destination. Later he complained that his baggage was not on the same flight.

One British travel company’s survey, showed that some travellers complained of not enjoying going away on holiday because foreigners “didn’t want to speak English”.

Haydn Long , spokesman for a Flight Centre chain says “By and large, Australians are pretty relaxed about travel and don’t make many strange complaints or demands. They’re mostly good travellers who understand that things may be done differently to what they’d expect at home.”