Need to pack a hair dryer?

Last summer trip included 5 countries and about 7 or 8 hotels. All had driers in rooms , save one, where you had to ask for dryer at desk.
MOst driers sucked , , the hose and wall type.

I packed my own little dual voltage drier, it was only about 20 dollars at Walmart.. you don't need to go to fancy travel assesory stores to get things like that. Bought a adaptor plug at Walmart too, a few bucks.

Be careful when you buy a dual voltage dryer. Some of the cheaper ones will not run on high when the voltage is changed. I actually threw out my dryer two years ago, as I thought it was broken. Then, I did some research and figured out the problem. I have a travel one from Brookstones that will run on high no matter what the voltage setting is.

The general rule is: the cheaper the hotel, the less likely the hair dryer. Most will advertise it though, if they have them, and if you call or email them, they are happy to answer.

We have a ConAIR Vagabond 1600. It's older, but small, powerful, collapsible, and works on all voltages

I'd recommend trying a new cut, if your brave. But if you have thick hair like our family, a dryer's kinda necessary with the humidity.

I'd take a chance on the hotel/B&B having one. Ask at the desk if it's not in your room. I stayed in 2 hotels in Holland & had to ask for one both times (one time I paid a deposit). If you end in a hotel without one, you can buy one to use the rest of the trip & on any subsequent trips. I bought one in England 25yrs ago as I was staying in small B&Bs (it was very cheap), but now it seems most places have them. Probably because they're inexpensive & they don't want you blowing out their electricity. If you bring one & don't need it, it'll be one more thing to lug around.

Sometimes when they say they have a hair dryer, it will be nothing like what you are used to using either. Low air output from a rectangular handpiece that is connected by an air hose to a box on the wall. These don't dry my long hair efficiently. I take a dual voltage, small but powerful dryer, because when it's cool out, I hate walking around with wet hair. I travel very light and this is my one indulgence.

This might not help at this point, but I've found that the smaller hotels, and B & B's offer a hair dryer, but you have to ask for it...at the front desk. then return when you are done. I'm thinking by now, you've decided to just pack your own. If it doesn't take up much room, and will work dual voltage, it's not worth the brain damage trying to assess if you will absolutely have a dryer at each hotel you are in. Make sure you remember to pack your adapter for the outlet!!

Gail,

For dual-voltage Hair Dryers, you might have a look at www.magellans.com as they have a good selection of "travel" hair appliances.

Cheers!

I've got a little Conair dual voltage hair dryer, too. I definitely wouldn't count on the hotels and B&B's having one. Check out Target or Walmart, they should have 1-2 different kinds of travel hair dryers.

I can't remember NOT having one in Europe--even the small B and Bs as well as the very cheap Formula 1 hotel had them. They worked fine, as good as a travel hair drier anyway.

In some places you may have to ask for a hair dryer but I've never been to a place that didn't have one. Hostels being the exception to this rule.

I recently stayed in 5 cheap hotels and B&Bs in Amsterdam and Belgium. Two had a big, American-style hair dryer in the room. One had a dryer available, but you had to ask at the desk for it. Two others didn't mention a dryer, but I didn't ask. So depending on your comfort with these odds, you might bring a travel dryer or just buy one in Europe if you need it.

Instead of a dryer, I brought a tiny travel hair iron that I bought at KMart. I'd let my hair air dry, then take care of the stray curls and flips with the iron.

Hi Gail,

My wife brought a hair dryer from home on a trip to Europe about 8 years ago. It broke during our trip. That day we simply bought another (small, collapsible) at a department store in Germany and she takes it whenever we travel to Europe.

Gail,
To add to the other people's suggestion...
We stayed at a botique hotel in Paris, and the hairdryer was the kind you had to squeeze to start blow drying. I have thick hair, and by the 3rd day my wrist and right hand was hurting.

So if you're not in the mood to "learn" how to use a new dryer, bring one... or as some stated, buy one in Europe and adopt it as your new travel hair dryer.

I was in our Florence aptmt. a few days ago. They supplied the hairdryer...but
to my huge surprise..it didn't work w/o my adaptor.

The Rome aptmt supplied the hairdryer and it worked barely (not very hot or
much air flow) w/o any adaptor.

You can purchase dual voltage hairdryers at Wal Mart, Target, etc.

My wife's answer to this issue was to have her hair cut, just before our trip, a bit shorter than usual and thinned on the back of her head where her hair is particularly thick. She towel dried and was ready to go a bit sooner than she is at home with her regular hair style.

We have a collapsible dual voltage hairdryer, but she preferred the "haircut" and we left the dryer at home