While I may hardly ever order room service, one of the first things I do when I arrive and unpack is check out the room service menu. Sometimes, I’ll indulge and the food is great and almost as often, cheaper or around the same price as eating out. Mostly though, it’s a bit cold and not quite as tantalising as it sounds on the menu. Maybe I’m staying in the wrong hotels.
Eating out is part of the joy of travelling, so room-service food doesn’t often end up on my plate.
However, I’ve just read these tips from a New York Times article The Right Way to Order Room Service at a Hotel, and I’ve realised I may have been doing room service wrong this whole time.
The writer interviewed executive chef Martyn Nail from Claridge’s Hotel in London, and his top tip makes so much sense, you’ll wonder why you hadn’t thought of it before.
In his words:
- Order course by course
“Consider ordering so your meal is delivered in courses so the food tastes fresher and the dining experience feels more special and leisurely.” - Think how well the meal will travel
“Consider how well a dish will travel before you order it. Many hotel kitchens are in the basement while your room might be on a high floor, which means that your meal could take up to 10 minutes to reach you after it leaves the kitchen.” - Get creative with your order
“Don’t be afraid to order off the menu. Hotel kitchens tend to have a wide variety of ingredients on hand, and if the chefs have time, they are happy to make you what you want.” - Speak to the sommelier
“If you want a good glass of wine, a creative cocktail or another spirit to go along with your meal, ask for the sommelier to give you a call to discuss your options.”
He also recommends ordering through a live person, rather than via any electronic option, such as a tablet or smart TV. That way, you can ask about specials, wine pairing and ideal side dishes.
Do you ever order room service? Do you think it’s good value?
Related articles:
Hotel requests you should be making
Handy hotel hints you need to know
Hotel extras you actually need
