Nightlight tip

A good idea. We always have one with us, a blue LED one which we also use here in England, which cost us a little more - about £6 here - and it has a detector to turn it off when there is light around.

We always carry a nightlight with us. I sure helps with those middle-of-the-night trips to the bathroom in an unfamiliar hotel. We bought our current one at a hardware store in Sicily and that was an adventure in itself.

We just leave the bathroom light on and leave the door ajar a bit. Why complicate my life with a portable night life?

The advantage of using a nightlight over the bathroom light is that it gives out enough light to find your way, but isn't a bright light that might make getting back to sleep harder.

We always bring small flashlights as they've been useful for other things - like peering through side tunnels of catacombs - so just have them by the bedside. Had to eat pizza one night in our hotel room (with a great seaside view) by flashlight when someone blew the fuses.

Use my iPhone - for flashlight, light to find way to bathroom and white noise machine. And camera and compass and address book and boarding pass and method of payment ... And did I mention Rick Steves' audio tours? :)

Susan, right on! I use the flashlight function, too, on my iPhone. Light only when I need it, and one less thing to pack.

Don't have an iPhone and a nightlight is very small. Mine has gone on many trips and always brings me joy.

Final comment on nightlight recommendation: it's very nice to not have to fumble to get a flashlight or lighting device turned on in the middle of the night, especially when you're in a deep sleep.

Becky, it's a good idea - my goal is to pack as little as possible and have room for purchases.

I vote for the small flashlight -- there are tiny ones that are very powerful. Last week in Paris the fuses blew and one of our gals was in the shower at the time --- tiny flashlight to the rescue! I keep in my pocketbook and it takes up no space. (on a cruise, however, I always take a nightlight for the bathroom)

I have always used the "leave the bathroom door ajar" usually only about 1/2 inch so that there is just a very small light - in case I need to get up during the night. It has worked fine for me.

II like a key chain flashlight hanging off my day bags zipper.....nice to fumble around looking for tylenol in the middle of the night with out waking my travel companion .....if i was more of middle of the nite bathroom person i could place it on the nitestand? maybe upgrade it to having a tiny caribener clip? it also saved us the one nite we were out late in the rental car....the navigator used it to look at the map...

Flashlights can be difficult to locate in a pitch dark room. Leaving the light on is blinding when you do get up and go in that room. The nightlight solves those issues because it is already on as soon as you plug it in and is not so bright that it blinds you.

I have a nightlight I got at another hotel I stayed at. It is a tiny LED item which puts out a dim but easy to see with blue glow and is about the size of a saltine cracker. The actual prongs on the plug take up more room than the rest of the light. Comes in handy.

Becky,

I like the nightlight idea as I always keep one on in our bathroom at home.

I always forget to pack one, or to look for one when on my trips, so I usually leave the light on in the bathroom with door ajar (or closed).

I will try to find one on my upcoming trip & hopefully I won't forget it at the hotel!

Happy travels!

Flashlights can be difficult to locate in a pitch dark room.

Not if on the nightstand (while sleeping). I have used nightlights here in the states occasionally but flashlights have come in handy for so many other reasons, and we don't travel abroad with phones, that it's been easier to just go with those.