Ever wonder why you've never stayed in a hotel room on the 13th floor? The answer is simple: The floor doesn't exist. It all comes down to triskaidekaphobia, or the fear of the number 13.
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Reasons for omitting a thirteenth floor include triskaidekaphobia on the part of the building's owner or builder, or a desire by the building owner or landlord to prevent problems that may arise with superstitious tenants, occupants, or customers.
The number is so feared that many hospitals and airports avoid using it for rooms and gates and couples don't get married on the 13th of the month. According to Otis Elevator Company, around 85% of elevator panels omit the number 13. What's more, entire hotels are built without a 13th floor.
Hotels, in particular, have been impacted by the superstition surrounding the 13th floor. Some hotels skip the 13th floor entirely, while others may use it for storage or other purposes. However, there are also hotels that embrace the superstition and market their 13th floor as a unique and exclusive experience.
For instance, many hotels in Asia don't subscribe to the Western superstition surrounding the number 13. Instead, they sometimes exclude the 4th floor, as the pronunciation of 'four' in Mandarin, Cantonese, and several other languages sounds similar to the word for 'death.
In fact, most hotels do not use any type of camera surveillance in their guestrooms or other private spaces. If you are concerned about your privacy while staying at a hotel, be sure to ask the front desk staff if there are any cameras present before booking your room.
As travelling salesmen, the founders of The Gideons International knew a thing or two about life on the road. They understood that people, far from home, might seek comfort or solace in the familiar words of the Bible. By 1908, they began placing Bibles in hotel rooms.
But it doesn't stop there – the number 13 itself is considered unlucky which is why it is rare to spot a restaurant that has a table #13, a hospital with a room or bed bearing the number 13, a hotel with a 13th floor or a room number 13. How does this superstition affect hotels? Here's the thing.
Gideon International — the group responsible for distributing Gideon's Bibles — was only formed in 1899 (when two Christian salesmen ended up sharing a hotel room). And it wasn't until 1908 that they began providing hotels with Bibles.
Overall, white linens are an easy way for hotels to set their standard for cleanliness. White is an easy color to get dingy and stained, so when a guest sees a perfectly white set of sheets, they'll feel more comfortable and confident in the hotel cleanliness and housekeeping.
In the United States, it is not legal to record hotel guests in their private spaces without their consent. This includes not just video recording but audio recording as well.
Although e-cigarettes and weed pens do not emit the same amount or type of smoke as regular cigarettes, they can still easily be detected in hotels. How? Well, the answer is simple- smoke and vape detectors.
Use a flashlightHere's how it works: Many modern cameras have a lens that will reflect bright light. So, turn off the lights in the room and then turn on your flashlight. Move the flashlight slowly around the room, focusing specifically on areas where you suspect a camera may likely be hidden.
Add avoiding rooms on the first and second floor to your hotel safety checklist, as these are the areas most prone to crime. Rooms on the 3rd-6th floors are ideal. Not only is there typically less crime on these floors, but in the event of an emergency, you can quickly get downstairs and evacuate the building.