Have you ever wondered how you might be able to make the hotel experience more pleasant? Here are some things you may not have thought about.

1. Some hotels send out pre-registration emails, asking for your preference as to pillows and the like. If given that opportunity, respond to the options they make available and others. They may or may not honor them, but it’s worth the effort.

2. You may want to call your hotel to ask about some options that most do not take advantage of. If you want to be close to the elevator, have extra towels in your room, and perhaps even have an early check-in, this is the time to do it. The hotel may have more flexibility to honor your requests before you arrive.

3. The one person who rarely gets a tip is the one checking you in. Interestingly, if you slide a $20 bill to them when you first arrive, you may receive a better room. If you’re staying a week, $20 is a small expense but may be a great incentive for some special treatment. Ask about a concierge floor. It may not be much of an additional expense, and the concierge floor often offers breakfast, afternoon snacks and evening desserts.

4. Tip your maid every morning. If you have to turn down service in the late afternoon, leave a few dollars. The maids can take special care of you, leaving you extra water or shampoo, for example. If you wait to leave the tip until the day you leave, you have missed an opportunity.

5. To avoid confusion, leave the tip on the pillow on a turned-down bed. That way, the maid knows it is there to take.

6. Ask for your bill the night before you check out, so that you have an opportunity to review all of the charges before you are in a rush on the way out the door.

7. Ask for a delayed checkout if that will help you. Generally, if you ask early enough in your stay, you can get a few more hours before you have to leave your room.

8. If you have a late departure for the airport, schedule a spa day at your hotel or the best hotel in the city in advance and spend the afternoon at the spa. If you book just one session, you can spend the entire day in the sauna or steam room.

9. Check carefully before you leave your room. It’s not a bad idea to have a written checklist that you keep in your suitcase so that you remember to check the outlets and the refrigerator before you leave.

10. Ask for bottled water when you check in, when you leave the hotel, when you’re in the gym, and when you check out. Most hotels provide bottled water upon request.