Shady But Useful? Travelers Share Their ‘Sketchiest’ Travel Hacks

In a recent Reddit thread, travelers divulged some of their “sketchiest” travel hacks. A lot of the tips weren’t as nefarious as one might expect, but they revealed unique and slightly shady tips for getting what you need when you need it while away from home.

The thread was started by someone at a British hotel who forgot to bring the correct charger plug for the country’s outlets. They shared their hack for making do with the British outlet but noted it’s a method “you should not be doing.” At the end of their post, they asked for “any sketchy ‘hacks’ and ‘tips’ that shouldn’t be used in general, but may warrant a small discussion.”

A helpful reply to the commenter noted that hotel guests can go to the establishment’s front desk and ask for a charger if they need one. “They usually have a big box with ones people lose or leave behind. [It] hasn’t failed me yet,” they explained.

What Other Sketchy Travel Hacks Did Reddit Users Have?

One of the travel hacks was walking off the street into fancy hotels to use the bathroom. Giving context, the commenter shared their weariness of random public bathrooms. They shared that pretending to be a guest at a four or five-star establishment gets them access to lobby bathrooms, which they prefer.

“Washrooms are usually available near [an] All Day Dining restaurant or conference rooms,” the commenter shared. “If asked by security or hotel staff, just tell them that you have a restaurant reservation.”

Another tip was sneaking off with free hotel breakfast and using it for a picnic later in the day. Separately, one person suggested taking a hotel or rental car company’s shuttle bus away from the airport before calling an Uber. They said the hack is useful if an airport’s rideshare pickup area is too crowded.

Two commenters suggested always playing the “anniversary” card. One person claimed telling the hotels they visit that they’re celebrating an anniversary has resulted in “lots of gifts and perks over the years.” The other commenter added that the travel hack also “works great at restaurants.”