How to make sure a hotel remembers your preferences

By Logan Gatch, Co-founder and CEO, Nown. Last updated October 2026.

The most reliable way to have a hotel remember your preferences is to tell them before you arrive, in writing, and be specific, including what you don't like. Booking direct, confirming at check-in and keeping one record of your preferences make it far more likely the right person knows before you walk in.

In short

Reply to the pre-arrival email with what matters to you.

Tell the hotel what you dislike, not only what you like.

Be specific, and say if something is for health reasons.

Keep one short record of your preferences, ready to share before every stay.

1. Tell the hotel before you arrive

Most hotels send a confirmation or a pre-arrival email. Reply to it with anything that matters to you. A message three to seven days before your stay gives the team time to prepare.

A request made at the front desk often comes too late. By then the room has been allocated, and the kitchen has planned the evening.

2. Tell them what you don't like

Hoteliers with decades of experience often say that what a guest dislikes matters more than what they like. It is also the information guests share least.

Think about what usually goes wrong for you:

The welcome amenity. If champagne and chocolates sit untouched in your room every stay, say so. Ask for still water, fruit, or nothing at all.
The bed. Feather pillows, a heavy duvet, the way the bed is made.
The room. Next to the lift, near the ice machine, too warm, facing the street.
Food. Ingredients you avoid, even if they are not an allergy.

Say how strongly you feel. "I'd rather not" and "never, please" are different instructions, and a good hotel will treat them differently.

3. Be specific

"I'd like a quiet room" can mean many things. "A room away from the lift, on a high floor if possible" is easier to act on.

The same goes for food. "No tree nuts, including in sauces and desserts" is clearer than "nut allergy". If something is important for health reasons, say so. A hotel treats a medical allergy differently from a preference, and will usually ask for your consent to record it.

4. Mention the occasion

If you are celebrating a birthday, an anniversary or a milestone, tell the hotel when you book or in your pre-arrival message. The earlier the hotel knows, the more it can prepare.

5. Share the practical details

Small details make a stay easier and are rarely asked for:

Your slipper and robe size
Whether you are happy to keep your towels and linen for several days
Your expected arrival time, and whether you need transport
How much contact you want during your stay

6. Book direct when you can

When you book directly with a hotel, your details and requests go straight to them, and they can build a relationship with you over time. Many travellers prefer it. In a 2025 survey of travellers who regularly stay at independent hotels, 66% said they prefer to book directly (TakeUp).

If you book through a travel advisor or an online platform, ask for your requests to be passed on, and send them to the hotel yourself as well.

7. Confirm at check-in

A short "Did you receive my note about the room?" at check-in gives the team a chance to put things right before you reach your room, and reminds them what matters to you.

8. Tell staff what you enjoyed

If something was right, say so: the table by the window, a particular wine, how you take your coffee. Staff often note what guests enjoy, and it helps the next team welcome you back.

If something was wrong, say that too, kindly. Most guests never mention it, and the hotel never gets the chance to fix it.

9. Keep one record of your preferences

Most travellers end up repeating the same details to every hotel. Keeping a short note of your preferences and dislikes, ready to send before each stay, saves time and makes it less likely something is missed. Update it when something changes.

This is the idea behind Nown Pass. You share your preferences once, in your own words, and hotels using Nown can have them ready before you arrive. You decide what travels.

Why do hotels sometimes forget?

It is rarely for lack of care. In many hotels, what is known about a guest is spread across booking systems, emails and the memory of individual staff. If the person who looked after you last time is on another shift or has moved on, the detail can be lost.

Giving the hotel clear, written information, and keeping your own record, makes it much more likely you will be recognised.

Frequently asked questions

Do hotels keep a record of guest preferences?

Many do, in their reservation system or guest profiles. How well that record is kept and shared between teams varies widely from hotel to hotel.

How far in advance should I tell a hotel my preferences?

Three to seven days before arrival works well. It is early enough for the hotel to prepare and close enough that your plans are settled.

Should I tell a hotel about my allergies?

Yes, in writing and before you arrive. Be specific about what you cannot eat and whether it is medical, so the kitchen can take the right precautions.