Nothing beats a warm shower after a long day of traveling. But imagine stepping under the shower only to find that the water is lukewarm—disappointing, right?
It's a common issue in hotels, and the reasons vary, involving either the guest or the hotel itself.
In this article, I'll explore some common causes of lukewarm shower water in hotels and offer tips on how to fix them without needing to call for help.
Often, the issue is as simple as the shower lever not being correctly adjusted. Most hotel showers have a handle that slides right or left to set the water temperature—blue for cold and red for hot.
Make sure to slide the handle towards the red to kickstart the hot water flow. Usually, it only takes a few seconds for the hot water to start.
Hotels use two types of water heating systems. Larger hotels usually have a central tank that distributes hot water to several rooms. Smaller hotels might use individual tanks in each bathroom, often with just a 15 or 30-liter capacity.
If someone has already showered before you, they might have used up all the hot water. You'll need to wait a few minutes for the tank to reheat before you can enjoy a hot shower.
If your hotel room has an in-room water heater, the control for adjusting the temperature is usually on the unit itself. Sometimes, previous guests might turn the temperature down, and the cleaning staff might not reset it after they check out. As a result, the shower water may not be as hot as you'd expect.
You can check the water heater's temperature setting. Some heaters have a rotary knob, while others have push buttons. Adjust the knob or press the button until the water reaches your desired temperature.
If your hotel uses a central heating tank, it supplies hot water to multiple rooms. During busy times, like mornings or early evenings, the demand for hot water increases significantly. Even with a large tank, the hot water can run out quickly if many guests are showering at the same time.
To work around this, try showering during off-peak times, such as late at night or early in the morning, to ensure you get enough hot water.
If none of the above issues apply, the water heater in your room might be malfunctioning. Report this immediately to the hotel staff so they can address the problem.
Usually, the staff will repair the heater quickly so you can enjoy a hot shower again. If the repair might take a while, the hotel often offers to move you to another room where the shower is working properly.
