Jennifer Allen
The worst thing about traveling is leaving behind the comforts of home. With these simple hotel room accessories you can easily watch your favorite shows, sleep in peace, and feel more secure.
Whether you’re a regular or occasional traveler, you’ll know that hotels rarely offer absolutely everything you want or need. Being comfortable on your stay is important, especially if you’re staying a while. Certain items and gadgets go some way to making your stay better, so we’ve rounded up our must have hotel room accessories.
Now, we figure you don’t want to carry anything too hefty if possible so we’ve focused on portability wherever possible. The majority of items require minimal set up too because who wants to spend half their business trip or vacation troubleshooting, right? Similarly, we’ve aimed to keep costs low so you can spend your dollars on the actual trip.
Here’s our pick of the best ways to feel like you’ve brought home to your hotel room.
IBRA Orange HDMI Cable 6ft ($7)
Having a TV with a wealth of channels is great, but what do you do if you want to stream something off iTunes, Netflix, or Hulu, or you’re old school and still have a Blu-ray drive on your laptop? You can watch your favorite show or movie on the small laptop screen, but a far better method is to bring your own HDMI cable.
The IBRA Orange HDMI Cable 6ft is pretty good for the price. It supports HDMI 2.0 ports which means 4K is an option (if your hotel TV is compatible), it’s long enough for most set ups, and it simply just works. Thanks to its rugged design and exterior, you don’t have to worry about it getting damaged in transit either.
Google Chromecast ($35)
Want more options than just your laptop and what the hotel TV provides? Google Chromecast is a good solution here, providing you’re able to get it hooked up to the hotel wi-fi. We suggest consulting our Best Travel Routers feature for more advice on this front and this tutorial at our sister site How-To Geek detailing how to set up your Chromecast in a hotel.
It is pretty useful having a Chromecast if you’re able to, though. It streams pretty much everything imaginable, and you can even play games through it. It’s tiny so you can toss it into your bag easily enough, meaning it’s far easier to use on vacation than having to take your laptop with you.
Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask ($10)
A sleep mask is essential if you want a decent night’s sleep. Hotel curtains aren’t always the greatest at totally blocking light and their locations often lend to really bright city lights shining in. Also, you’re in an unfamiliar place so it’s often harder to sleep well anyhow. There are dozens upon dozens of sleep masks on the market, but we’re partial to one particular make as a great all-rounder though, the Alaska Bear Natural Silk Sleep Mask.
Made from natural mulberry silk on both sides of the mask, it’s very comfortable. An easy to adjust and gentle headband reduces the risk of your hair getting tangled. It fits comfortably alongside ear plugs and even CPAP facial masks, so you’re good to go, regardless of what else you’re using.
$9.99 
Speento Earplugs ($28)
Effective for shooting and operating heavy machinery, you can be confident that the Speento Earplugs are also great for cancelling out noise while you’re trying to sleep.
Available in a pack of four different sizes, there’s a fit for every purpose. They’re reusable and made from silicone, so they’re a smart investment if you find yourself frequently woken by unfamiliar noises while on your stay. The pack also comes with free foam earplugs, a waterproof carrying case, neck cord, and cleaning cloth.
Anker 5-Port USB Charger ($24)
How many devices do you own that need charging via USB? And how many sockets does your hotel room have? Exactly. That’s where the Anker 5-Port USB Charger solves the majority of your issues. Small and lightweight, it turns one regular pocket socket into 5 USB ports.
When you’ve just arrived at your destination, you can quickly charge up your phone, tablet, Bluetooth speaker, and anything else USB related, without worrying. It’s great if you’re sharing a room too, as you’ll finally both have enough space to charge your devices.
SABRE Wedge Door Stop Security Alarm ($10)
For the security conscious, hotel room locks rarely feel secure enough. Slip a SABRE Wedge Door Stop Security Alarm underneath the door, and you should feel much safer. When pressure is applied to the door, a 120 dB alarm activates, alerting you of the disturbance well in advance.
It’s powered by a 9V battery, with a non-skid pad underneath that prevents the door from opening while the alarm sounds. Now, admittedly, anyone in the vicinity is going to hate you if it goes off at 4am, but as a security feature it’s great for ensuring you feel secure at night—no matter how flimsy the hotel lock might look.
$13.25 $14.99 Save 12%
JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker ($46)
It’s good to be able to take your music with you wherever you go. We’ve already covered the best budget portable Bluetooth speakers, and any one of those would be great in your hotel room.
It’s also worth considering the JBL Clip 2 Waterproof Portable Bluetooth Speaker. Its clip means you could attach it to the hotel room shower rail or even a coat rack, minimizing the space used while still giving you music at the volume you want. Its bass is a little lacklustre compared to a heftier unit, but the sound that emits is crisp and clear. It’s small enough to throw in your bag, or take with you if you’re out hiking for the rest of the day. Its versatility is perfect for a hotel stay.
The Club Bag Shower Bag Tote ($13)
You might think your shower routine involves few toiletries, but the moment you’re packing for a hotel stay, you realise just how many different things you use each shower. The Club Bag Shower Bag Tote has a dual purpose—it’s an easy bag to toss all your gels and shampoos into, while also being perfect for taking in the shower with you.
It has a suction cup that keeps it fitted to the shower wall while you clean up. There’s also a snap hook for hooking it into the shower curtain ring, and its poly cord strap can hook around the shower handle too. It’s a simple way of turning a regular wash bag into something more practical. The kind of thing you’ll wonder how you did without and such an improvement over trying to balance your toiletries on the lip of the tub.
Vaultz Locking Storage Box ($35)
Not all hotels have safes, unfortunately. In other cases, there may be a strong reason why you don’t want to use the hotel safe facility. In those kind of cases, the Vaultz Locking Storage Box is a good alternative. It’s a secure box with dual combination locks and a security cable so you can tether it to the hotel bed or other piece of furniture.
Compared to other items here, it’s quite large being 6.5 x 19 x 13.5 inches, but if you’re extra security conscious, it’s perfect for peace of mind and knowing that your stuff really is safe in your hotel room.
