Wake-up call

A wake-up call is exactly what it sounds like: at the time you request, your hotel phone rings to wake you up. You arrange it the night before by calling the front desk or pressing a button on the room phone (often labeled "wake"). At luxury hotels, a real person calls you and greets you by name, sometimes in your native language; at chain hotels, it's usually automated. Despite smartphones replacing most alarm functions, wake-up calls remain useful as a backup (dead phone battery, time zone confusion, jet lag) and the human touch is appreciated. Pro tip: if you have an early flight, request both a wake-up call AND set your phone alarm.