Work out where the noise comes from
The right fix depends on the source, so listen for a minute before you call anyone. Typical sources include:
- Neighbors or guests in the hallway, such as voices, doors, and luggage wheels
- Building systems, like elevators, ice machines, air conditioning units, and plumbing in the walls
- Outside noise from traffic, construction, deliveries, nightlife or a terrace bar
- Events inside the hotel, such as a wedding, conference or late function room
A neighbor is something staff can address directly. Street noise or a running ice machine usually cannot be switched off, and the realistic remedy is a different room. Knowing which you have lets you ask for what will really help.
Act quickly and politely
Report noise as soon as it becomes a real problem, not at 7 a.m. when you have already lost the night. Hotels generally have a duty manager or night staff who can send someone to speak to a loud room. Call the desk, give your room number, and describe the sound: “We can hear loud talking and music through the wall of room 318.” Staying calm matters; it is easy to feel angry, but the person on the phone is the one who will help you.
Avoid confronting the neighbors yourself. You do not know who is next door, and the situation may escalate. Leave that to hotel staff, who are trained for it.
If the noise stops after a visit and returns later, call again and mention that you called earlier. The second call is where many guests stop, but it is reasonable, and it creates a record.
Asking for a room change
If the noise continues or comes from something that cannot be fixed, ask for another room. A short, specific request works best: “Is there a room available on a higher floor, away from the elevator and the street? We have been unable to sleep.”
Some points that tend to help:
- Say what you want to avoid, not just that you want a different room. A room away from lifts, ice machines and stairwells, or on the courtyard side, solves more than moving one door down the hall.
- Be flexible. A room of a similar type may be all that is available. If a different type is offered, ask whether it changes the rate.
- Ask in the evening if you can. Availability is usually better earlier in the night than after midnight, though it varies and busy hotels may have nothing free.
- Check the new room before you carry everything over. Stand in it for a minute and listen.
Moving is not always possible, particularly when a property is full or when your booking is for a specific room type. In that case ask politely what else the hotel can do: a visit to the noisy room, a quieter spot in the morning, or a note on your reservation. Some hotels will adjust the charge if you have had a genuinely poor night, but there is no standard amount and no guarantee.
Reducing noise yourself
While waiting for staff, or if you cannot move, a few small steps can make a surprising difference.
- Block gaps. Pull the curtains fully shut and close any inner windows. Rolling a towel along the bottom of the door can reduce sound and light from the corridor.
- Use earplugs. Soft foam earplugs are cheap and take little space, so they are worth packing. Foam ones should be inserted as instructed on the packet. Do not use them if they cause discomfort.
- Add steady background sound. A fan, a white-noise app or a quiet playlist can cover irregular sounds, which tend to be more disturbing than constant ones.
- Move your bed position. If the room allows, and you do not mind a little rearranging, sleeping with your head farther from the noisy wall can help. Do not move heavy furniture or block exits.
- Turn off what you can. If the room’s own air conditioner or fridge is rattling, ask the desk to check it as a maintenance request rather than assuming noise is normal.
For more on rest in an unfamiliar bed, our notes on sleep quality go further than we can here.
Planning to avoid noise next time
Prevention is easier than cure. When booking, you can ask for a room far from the elevator, ice machine, bar, pool or street, and for a higher floor. It is a request, not a promise, but it is often recorded. Understanding best room location in a building helps you ask for the right things. Recent guest reviews can also point to recurring noise problems, though it is worth reading negative reviews in proportion: one comment about thin walls does not make a pattern, while many comments about the same thing do.
If you are traveling in a busy season, when a festival or major event might be nearby, that may affect noise levels more than the hotel’s own design. Check the dates for anything happening in the area.
When the problem is not solved
If you have had a poor night and the hotel has not been able to help, speak to the manager before you leave. Describe what happened, when you called and what responses you received. Ask whether any adjustment is possible. If you remain dissatisfied, write after your stay, using the approach in our advice on writing a complaint. Keep the tone factual, and say what outcome you are hoping for.
Noise is one of the most common hotel complaints, and also one of the most fixable when the hotel knows early. Report it clearly, ask for a specific change, and use the simple tools you have in the meantime.