Hotel Safety Tips
It doesn’t matter the type of accommodation where you’re staying, there are a number of things you can do to help keep yourself and your belongings safe. These hotel safety tips are particularly helpful if you’re a woman traveling solo as you might find yourself more of a target than someone traveling with friends or family.
1. Never leave the “Please Clean” sign on your door. This signals that your room is empty and is telltale sign for someone who might be waiting for the perfect moment to burglar your room. Instead, call the front desk and let them know your room is ready for a cleaning.
2. Ask for a room close to the elevator. Though it may be a bit noisier than a room further away, it’s more likely there will be people around if you find yourself in need of help. Any time you check into a hotel and your uncomfortable with the location of the room, don’t be embarrassed to ask for a different one.
3. Women… NEVER let a man in your room. Even if you’ve called room service and you’re fairly certain that he’s trustworthy. Keep the door open and conduct your business near the hallway. If a service person must get in the room, in the case of having to fix the air conditioning or television for example, keep the door open at all times. If you haven’t called someone, yet someone’s knocking, check with the front desk to confirm it’s hotel staff.
4. Carry a rubber doorstop. In many developing countries, there is no deadbolt or chain lock to prevent someone from entering your room. Because most hotel doors open inward, you can simply slip the doorstop underneath the door so that no one can get in while you’re sleeping or in the shower.
5. Ensure your privacy. Most hotel staff are trained not to say your room number out loud when you check in. If they do say it and there are others in the lobby, ask for another room. You never know who might be listening and taking note of your room number. This is especially important if you’re traveling on your own.
6. Keep your room key safe. Last on our list of Hotel Safety Tips is keeping your room key safe. In less modern hotels, you may find the room key is an actual key and that it’s on a chain or fob that includes the hotel name and room number. Rather than carry it around as-is, slip the key off and keep it in a safe place in your bag or pocket while you’re out. If you lose it and someone finds it, they won’t know where to find you.
Beth Whitman, Wanderlust and Lipstick, April 2, 2018
