Security Tips when You are in Hotels

There’s a big selection of articles and readings on the topic of hotel security. However, that doesn’t seem to have deterred criminals from using hotels as a target. To ensure your safety, there are some security tips when you are in hotels that you can practice to reduce your risk of being the target of crime or other hazards in a hotel.

When you are reserving your room, avoid staying in a room located on the first floor of a hotel. These rooms often have sliding doors or windows that are accessible from the ground level and prove to be a greater security risk than rooms on higher floors. Second to fifth floor rooms are usually the best choice in the event of a fire as they are more easily accessible for rescue purpose than rooms on higher levels. Before you get settled in your room, check that there is reasonably quick access to a fire escape route by window or stairway.

Access to your room by strangers and protection of your belongings are the basic issues of hotel security. Everyone knows that cleaning staff will enter your room when you are not present and the door will be left open for a period of time each day. Here are some security tips when you are in hotels to ensure that you and your belongings are safe.

Do not leave your valuables in your room when you are absent. Most hotels have a safe in the rooms. But I advise that you use the hotel safe instead and get a receipt for what you leave there.

When you are in your room, lock the door, use the chain lock, and always use your door peephole to identify people who knock at your door. When you are traveling overseas, some accommodations don’t have chain locks or peepholes so I suggest carrying a good quality traveler’s door lock, a doorstop alarm or a motion detector.

Do not open the door for unexpected visitors. Some criminals pose as repairmen from the hotel so always be careful. Always call the front desk to verify that someone claiming to be making a service call is from the hotel.

Some accommodations that do not have their own dining facilities allow food to be delivered to your room from outside the hotel. It is best to have these deliveries made to the lobby. Delivery to your room allows an outsider to meet you, know your room number and find out whether you are alone. This is especially dangerous for women travelling alone. Also, be careful about the leftovers you leave on a tray outside your door. A single plate could alert a stranger to the fact that you are alone in the room.

When you are sleeping, make sure that your deadbolt and chain locks are in place and that no window or sliding door is open. When you are not in your room and you want strangers to believe that it is occupied, you can put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on your door and leave the TV or radio on at an audible level.

Also, keep your room key with you at all times in and out of the hotel so that no one can see by checking the front desk that you are not in our room. If you decide to use the hotel gym or pool, it’s best to leave your key at the front desk instead of with your belongings.

These are just some security tips when you are in hotels to ensure an enjoyable vacation.