Thanks Marilyn.

Housekeepng staff should NEVER take it upon themselves to either turn on or off clock alarms. If I'm on a business trip, the last thing I need to deal with is oversleeping because some maid decided it was in my best interest to turn off my alarm.

fdecarlo, housekeeping knows whether a guest has checked out or not. If a new guest is coming in, yes, the alarm should be turned off.

Marilyn, it depends entirely on the property. Sometimes housekeeping knows when guests check in and out, but in many cases they do not.

fdecarlo--you're probably right that not every hotel gives the maids a list of check in's and outs; however the maids can figure it out easily by the presence or absence of luggage. I'm w/Marilyn, I hate when the alarm goes off and I haven't set it.

Also, I have never come back from breakfast on the morning I am checking out and found the room made up. They must know who's checking out or they would end up doing a lot of extra work. (They clean my room, then I come back, pack, brush my teeth, etc, and they have to clean the bathroom again for the next guest, put out fresh towels, etc?) Ouch, that's no way to run a hotel -- too painful for the bottom line!

When I saw this thread about what one does NOT hope to find upon check-in, one answer immediately jumped into my mind. I thought, Oh, I'll bet everyone will say that. But I looked and I don't think anyone did!

So here's my answer: HAIR. Of any kind. Any where. UGH.

I've stayed at places with hairs in the tub. (This was a cheap motel paid for by a friend's parents.) We were so grossed out. But it's not just at cheap motels. I stayed at a Marriott in Atlanta, and there were several long black hairs on the pillowcase as I checked in. I called and got my room switched. In the next room, I was a little freaked out so I inspected the bed carefully. I pulled down the comforter and there were all sorts of hairs on the blanket between the comforter and sheet. UGH. I had the manager come in and look. I told him to go find me a room without hairs all over and when he had found one, to let me know and I would move then. (My stay was prepaid by my employer unfortunately or I would have left.)

So to this day, I am still a little paranoid about it...!

I forgot to bring non-dairy creamer on my last trip. If there are two people only two little packages of non-dairy creamer is not enough. Sure, you can ask the maid for more but it seems such as big waste to keep opening packages that also contain 2 sugar packets and a package of sugarfree sweetener.
Almost worst experience was staying at a hotel near the airport because we had a very early flight. We left a wake-up call but someone had turned the phone off. Fortunately a friend called to check on us and I noticed the message light blinking. Maybe maids should turn the phone ringer back on!
The hotel tv did not receive a major local station. Sheesh.
But the Hotel Monaco in New Orleans never fixed our too much hot water in the shower problem.

Last place we stayed didn't have a non-slip shower mat -- the kind that suctions to the tub. Called to have one delivered immediately. That was an accident waiting to happen, especially with no railing, either.

re: no pool. That's one you have to plan for before booking.

Room doors which close automatically on a spring.Some people just walk into their rooms and let the door slam shut. We were next to a family in Orlando and their kids were in the room across the corridor. Every night and every morning non-stop slamming of the door.Aaaaaaaargh!