Hotel amenities

Most will have one you can use. If you want to be sure email yours and ask.

Unlike in the US, rarely is there an iron in the room. If the hotel has one for you to use, it will likely be at the front desk. I agree that if this is important to you, and it's not indicated on the website, e-mail the hotel directly and ask.

You can always buy one there. Just don't bring one from North America, unless it's a dual voltage or multi-voltage model. If it's just for 110 volts, it will start a fire, blow a fuse, melt down, or some combination of these (unfortunately not an exaggeration).

We stay in mid range hotels and have never had coffee service or kettle, or an iron in the room which are common amenities in US chain hotels. FWIW you will not have wash clothes either so if you use them bring your own. When we travel for weeks at a time in Europe, I throw half a dozen ratty worn wash clothes due to be replaced into the bag and we discard them along the way. My husband likes those thick terry bath mitts they have in France for use in the shower and so we usually buy him a couple of those which he uses and then brings back home as they are not as easy to find in the US. (hotels don't supply those either; sometimes they have small towels with a bidet which can be substituted for a wash cloth but not always and bidets are getting rarer in hotel rooms)

Hi,

I cannot speak to what you are asking, that of an iron, which is pretty common for US hotels. But on the hair dryer I 've stayed at small hotels and Pensionen, where if you need one, you ask at the front desk, they'll provide it, ie, loan it out to you but you have to leave 10 Euro as collateral or, as " hostage." I've done that.

At this Paris two star hotel, this guy wanted a tea maker, they had one for him to borrow but put down 20 Euro first. I saw that scene at the reception.

I cannot imagine needing a iron to iron clothes while traveling. Most modern fabrics just don't wrinkle enough for an iron. We carried a travel iron in the 60s when all cotton clothing was common but with the new fabric blends, we haven't need an iron for a couple of decades. Some hotels do not what tea pots or hot plates used in rooms because of fire issues and could be the same for irons.

wrinkle free 'travel clothing' in miracle blends is like wearing a plastic bag especially in hot weather. I have tried them and except for a skirt, which is pretty much always cool, and a jacket I can throw on over my basic black to dress up in the evening -- both of which are of fabrics that don't wrinkle, I am not wearing this junk. Some people would rather be comfortable than wrinkle free. So for me it is linen pants in summer and jeans in winter (with silks underneath if cold) and cotton knits. These can all be managed fairly well without an iron if you have a dryer and if you don't care if you are a little wrinkled and know how to pack. But cotton blouses or shirts etc -- those go to the laundry to be washed and pressed at home and don't travel.

It depends on how many "stars" the hotel has.
If in doubt, email the hotel. Or check the amenities on the hotel website.

On recent European trips I have usually found this list of supplied tools: Wifi, hair dryer, TV. Iron should be available from reception, but an ironing board is pretty useful with it. A tea kettle is fairly common in the UK.
Stuff I miss that North American hotels consider routine: A freestanding alarm clock, mini-fridge, safe. And, least obvious yet still a nuisance, no wash cloth with the towels.
PS: Bring your own wash cloth in a Ziplock bag so it can be packed when damp.

We make having a room safe a must when booking hotels and have no trouble finding mid range hotels that have them; the trend is toward room safes large enough for laptops which is really nice. We have had safes in 2 and 3 star hotels consistently. WE never carry much in the way of valuables on us when touring. I always open the safe the night before we leave and make sure the money belt is with my clothes for travel the next day and the computer is in the messenger bag; I have this concern about forgetting things in a safe or having it not open when in a hurry to catch a plane or train the next morning.

We are wrapping up a tour that included 7 three & four star hotels in France. One advertised having an iron available at the desk, but the receptionist did not seem to know where one was, and one other had an iron available for use in a little area behind the desk. None of them provided irons in the room. If you plan to iron, research how to ask for one in the appropriate language.

What is this clothes iron you speak off ? Sounds like the also mysterious " left over wine " I have hear people talk about !

Serously, I don't iron anymore , maybe once every two months

I'm with you Pat. I am not sure I could locate an iron in our condo; if it needs ironing it goes out. Everything else is purchased with an eye to not needing ironing.