Brewing the perfect cup of coffee in a hotel room can be a challenging task, especially when you’re working with a little coffee maker that may not be familiar to you.
Whether you find yourself in a room with a Starbucks coffee maker or any other brand, this guide will walk you through the necessary steps to ensure you get a decent cup of coffee before starting your day.
The only exception is if you stay in a really fancy place with a Nespresso machine, which works differently. Fancy you!
I recently visited Austin, Texas and got to put these steps into action in a Westin hotel there.
Step 1: Check the Power Connection
Before you begin, make sure the coffee maker is plugged into a wall outlet. It isn’t uncommon to discover that the device may be unplugged, causing you issues with getting it to function properly. Once you confirm that it’s plugged in, you can proceed with the brewing process.
Step 2: Measure the Right Amount of Water
To ensure you’re using the correct amount of water, begin by filling the cup you’ll be using for your coffee. This will prevent any potential overfilling. Once you’ve measured the water, pour it directly into the coffee maker’s top compartment.

Step 3: Position Your Coffee Cup
Next, place your coffee cup underneath the brewing mechanism, ensuring it’s properly aligned to catch the coffee once it starts brewing.
Step 4: Insert the Coffee Package
Most hotel room coffee makers come with prepackaged coffee grounds or pods. Open the provided package, and you’ll find a small plastic tray containing the instant coffee in a little pouch. Place this tray securely into the designated slot in the coffee maker, sliding it in so that it fits perfectly.

Step 5: Start Brewing Your Coffee
With everything in place, press the “on” switch to begin brewing. Be patient and allow a few minutes for the coffee to brew.
Pro Tip: Bring Your Own Instant Coffee
The provided coffee may not be as strong as you’d like. Consider bringing your own favorite instant coffee, like Starbucks instant, for a stronger caffeine kick. Simply add it to the hotel’s coffee for an enhanced taste.
I find that many hotel coffee makers don’t have strong enough coffee. Adding your own instant coffee kicks things up a notch.
Select the Right Coffee Package
Be cautious when selecting the coffee package provided by the hotel. It’s easy to accidentally choose decaffeinated coffee if you’re not paying attention. Usually, these are marked with green packaging and labeled as decaf.
Step 6: Enjoy Your Freshly Brewed Coffee
Allow the entire brewing process to complete before removing your cup. Keep in mind that most hotel room coffee makers don’t have the ability to pause or stop the brewing process midway. Once it’s finished, relish your freshly brewed cup of hotel room coffee to start your day on the right foot.
Remember, hotel room coffee makers may vary slightly in their operation. However, these steps should serve as a reliable guide for getting a decent cup of coffee regardless of which hotel or coffee maker brand you encounter.
Join the free DIY Life Tech newsletter for hands-on reviews of the latest gadgets, insights on generative AI, exclusive discounts on creator tools, and more.
Key Takeaways
- Make sure the coffee maker is plugged into the wall before you start.
- Fill the cup that you plan to use first so that you don’t overfill the coffee maker.
- Put the plastic tray with the instant coffee into the indentation in the coffee maker.
- Press the on switch after the cup is in place and the coffee is ready.
- Wait until the brewing process is complete before removing the cup.
- Be careful to choose the right coffee package and check if the one you choose is decaf.
- You can travel with stronger Starbucks instant coffee to use if you prefer.
Video Transcript
Let’s take a look at how to use the coffee maker in your hotel room. Here, we have a Starbucks coffee maker, but it could be any other brand; these are pretty standard.
First, make sure it’s plugged into the wall. It’s amazing how often these are unplugged, and that’s the problem if it’s not working. Usually, you’ll find it on a little tray or something to catch any spills.
Next, open the top and pour water in. I like to start by filling the cup I’m going to put under it with the amount of water I think I’ll need for my coffee. Otherwise, you may end up overfilling it. Put the cup underneath, close the top, and take one of the coffee packages. These may be Starbucks, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, or any other variety. Open the package and you get a little plastic tray with instant coffee inside. Leave it in there and slide the tray into the indentation in the coffee maker.
Make sure the cup is underneath, then press the on switch. It usually takes a couple of minutes to get going. As the coffee isn’t very strong, you may wish to travel with some Starbucks instant coffee.
Be careful to check which one is decaf. This is usually green and will say decaf on it. Wait until the coffee is done brewing, as there’s no ability to stop or pause it midway. Then you’ll have your cup of morning coffee from your hotel coffee maker.