Claim one corner for her before the room overwhelms her
A hotel room is a box of strange smells and no history, so shrink it. Set up her base in one corner first: bed or open carrier lined with bedding from home, water and food on one side, the litter tray as far from feeding as the room allows, and a scratching surface she cannot be blamed for using. Let her out of the carrier into that corner rather than into the whole room, and let her expand her territory at her own pace, which for many cats means under the bed first and that is fine. Familiar scent does heavy work here, so the blanket she slept on last week will calm her faster than anything bought for the trip.
Recreate the shape of her home day, not just her things
Cats settle to rhythm as much as to objects. Feed at her usual times, keep the active play session where it normally falls, ideally before the evening meal so it burns off the restlessness that becomes night noise, and keep your own behaviour predictable too: this is not the evening for loud calls, visitors drifting in and out, or the television at full volume. Draw the curtains if the window overlooks a busy, lit street she will watch all night, and keep lights low and consistent after a set hour. A cat whose evening runs in its normal order usually concludes, correctly, that this strange room is simply where the household is sleeping tonight.
Manage the door, housekeeping, and the escape risk
Most hotel-room disasters are door events. Arrange housekeeping for a time when you are present, or place her safely in her carrier or in the bathroom with her tray and a clear note while the room is serviced, and hang the do-not-disturb sign whenever you go out so nobody opens the door to a loose cat. Check the room like an escape auditor on arrival: windows that open, gaps behind furniture she could wedge into, and any connecting doors. Keep her collar and identification on, know where the carrier is at all times, and never prop the door open while loading luggage, because a frightened cat moves very fast.
Quiet is built during the day, not requested at night
A cat who cries in a hotel room at night is usually under-stimulated, unsettled, or both. Give her a proper play session in the evening with a wand toy, something to hunt, catch, and eat in that order, then a final small meal before you settle. Bring a puzzle feeder or safe chew she knows from home to occupy the wakeful stretch, and respond to early restlessness by checking the basics first: tray clean, water fresh, food due, room too warm. If she does cry, keep your response calm and brief rather than staging an exciting midnight reunion, so the night stays boring and sleep stays attractive.
Know when the hotel itself is the wrong plan for her
Some cats are telling you, across repeated trips, that unfamiliar rooms undo them no matter how well you set up. Persistent crying, refusing food for a full day, hiding that never eases, or toileting outside the tray in a cat who is reliable at home are signs to shorten the experiment and, next time, choose home-based care instead. If she becomes unwell in the room, with repeated vomiting, straining, or breathing changes, treat it as a vet matter in the new location rather than a behaviour problem to wait out. When restlessness strikes at midnight in a strange room, asking KinsLe's Kimmy for settling ideas drawn from what your cat responds to at home gives you a calm next step, and the trick that worked stays noted with her profile for future stays.