Traveller reveals ‘genius’ hack for free hotel snacks

‘You don’t get it if you don’t ask’

Hotel prices can get expensive on top of general travel expenses.

To combat costs, a woman named Julia recently took to TikTok under the username @thejuliabaird to reveal how she always gets free snacks from a hotel after checking in with, some help from her mother.

“My mom always makes travelling feel special - even when she’s not with me,” Julia captioned her video.

She explained that she was travelling to Vancouver, Canada, for a work trip and called the hotel to “do something special” for her. Julia arrived to find a gift basket filled with various snacks, sparkling water, and a handwritten card. “Literally from my mom, for free,” the TikToker said as she showed off the basket.

“If you or your mom isn’t calling the hotel every single time you travel, you’re doing something wrong,” she continued.

After posting, many people went to the comments section to question what exactly Julia’s mother says when she calls the hotel to get the kind of service she gets.

“What is she saying over the phone? Give us the script,” one commenter asked.

Another commenter chimed in, writing: “I also want to know what she says! Hahaha I’ll call myself.”

Julia went on to post a follow-up video with her mother, who ran through exactly what she says ahead of each hotel stay.

“Okay, Mom, the internet wants to know what you say to get free hotel snacks,” the second video began.

Her mom said she calls the hotel and builds rapport with the employee who answers.

“[I] tell them a little bit about myself and who I would like to send a little gift to,” she explained. “And just see if there is anything that they can do to help make the stay a little more special for the person.”

According to Julia’s mom, she doesn’t outright ask for free stuff; she instead asks “if they can do something”.

“You don’t get it if you don’t ask,” Julia’s mother encouraged.

“We’re at a hotel right now, and they left us a bottle of Prosecco and some really adorable chocolates,” she said, revealing that her mother’s advice is sound.

“That’s all. That’s the script,” Julia concluded.

Once again, many people took to the comments section to applaud the hack, including fellow hotel workers.

“I used to work at a hotel and would give out the free snacks/waters to whoever asked for one or whoever was nice to me so this def works lol,” one commenter wrote.

Another hotel worker chimed in, writing: “I worked at a hotel and we picked each day someone to build a VIP gift basket for. It was usually someone celebrating an event or being kind to staff.”

Other commenters praised the idea and planned to use it for themselves.

“Your mom is a genius, absolute genius,” one comment read.

Another person agreed, writing: “I’m gonna do this in reverse!! I always book hotels for my parents anyways, next time I’m gonna call and pretend it’s their anniversary. They’d literally cry I love this idea.”

“Whenever I book, I always tell them why we’re booking (anniversary, birthday, etc) and they have always left us something too, usually chocolate or cake, one time souvenir champagne glasses,” a third commenter explained.