Every hotel is a bit different. Sometimes, this isn’t a good thing.
While booking a variety of hotels during travel can be fun, it can also result in some awkward and expensive situations. For example, one traveler discovered that his hotel automatically billed him for simply picking items up out of the minibar.
Sometimes, these differences aren’t pricey; they’re just confusing. One woman recently learned this after spotting red and green lights over the doorways in her Hilton hotel. What do they mean?
What Are These Lights In This Hilton Hotel?
In a video posted to TikTok, user Julie Winters (@bustersfanjulie) asks Hilton a simple question: What’s up with the lights?
“OK, Hilton, I’m staying in another one of your hotels, and I have another question for you,” she starts. “Why are there lights outside of the room that are red and green?”
She then shows the doorframes of various rooms in the hotel. On top of each doorframe is a small LED, either red or green.
“Is that to track when people are in their room?” Winters asks. “That doesn’t feel great.”
“Is that why you’re doing it? [Because] you track when people are in or out of their room?” she continues.
In the caption, she adds, “I haven’t noticed this at other hotels. Have you?”
What Are The Lights Above Hilton Hotel Doors?
This video appears to have been taken at a Hilton property in Cancun, Mexico.
That said, many internet users say that Winters is correct and that the lights show whether the room is currently occupied. The Hilton All-Inclusive Resort in Cancun also confirmed this information via a phone call, noting that sensors are used in the rooms to determine whether they are occupied.
The reason for this, internet users say, is to allow staff to know whether a guest is in the room. That way, they can do things like refill the minibar or clean the room without disturbing the guests. If the room is occupied, the resort confirmed via phone call that staff must follow a set protocol before entering, which could involve knocking or calling the room before entering.
Are There Any Other Reasons A Hotel Might Have Lights Over The Doors?
Just because this hotel’s lights show a room’s occupancy, that doesn’t mean this is the case for every hotel with colored lights outside the room.
For example, some hotels have replaced their door-hanging placards with digital systems. This means that, instead of hanging a “Do Not Disturb” sign off your door handle, one can simply press a button and a light will illuminate outside of the door. Similar lights can be used for rooms that request services like cleaning.
If a guest sees a light over their room and isn’t sure about its use, they can simply contact a staff member and inquire about why it’s there. If there’s any issue, the hotel’s staff will be able to help the guest resolve it.
@bustersfanjulie I haven’t noticed this at other hotels. Have you? #hotel #travel #lights #tracking @hilton
Commenters Have Theories
In the comments section, users shared other reasons why a hotel might have occupancy lights over guests’ rooms.
“Think Emergency responder. If there’s a fire easy way for firefighters to tell if someone’s in that room or not,” wrote a user.
“It’s for housekeeping,” noted another.
Still, some were uncomfortable with the idea of having an easily visible light that shows whether they’re in their room.
“I feel like they could have a handy dandy electronic system that isn’t public facing to tell them,” wrote Winters in a comment.
“Easier to know which room to break into or not. Or if she’s in the room or not,” joked another commenter.
We’ve reached out to Hilton Hotels via email and Winters via TikTok and Instagram direct message.