When it comes to hotel stays, travellers often focus on amenities, location, or star ratings, but few realise just how much the floor you’re on can impact your overall experience. From privacy and peace to more dire safety concerns, where your room is located in the building could be the difference between a restful retreat and a complete nightmare.
Seasoned travellers might swear by ocean views or club-level perks, but for Javier Sobrino, Founder of Descubriendo Viajes, a Spanish travel platform specialising in curated stays, there’s another detail you should never overlook. “Most people don’t realise that the floor you choose can significantly affect your hotel experience,” Javier explained. Having spent over a decade inspecting hotels around the world, he’s highlighted the best location for comfort, security, and practicality.
According to Javier, hotel guests should always aim for a room between the third and sixth floors.
“These floors offer the perfect balance of safety, convenience, and comfort,” he explained.
While it might be tempting to stay ground level for convenience or request a top-floor suite for the views, Javier warns that both options come with drawbacks.
The ground floor, for instance, often presents a security risk due to easy street access, with the expert cautioning that even the first and second floors are “within reach of determined intruders.”
On the other hand, rooms perched high above the city may look luxurious, but they pose safety risks of their own, especially in emergencies.
“In case of fire or other emergencies, floors above the sixth can be harder for rescue equipment to reach quickly,” Javier pointed out.
“Fire truck ladders typically reach up to about six floors, which makes these middle floors a smart safety choice.”
Being between floors three and six also helps find a balance in terms of ambient noise, especially when the hotel is located on a busy street or near a nightlife area.
“You’re high enough to avoid street noise and the hustle of the lobby, but not so high that wind noise becomes an issue in taller buildings,” Javier said.