OMAAT reader Julie asked me a question about hotel room safety and security, and what precautions I take, if any. It’s a great question, so let’s talk more specifically about that, as I’m also curious to hear how others handle this kind of stuff.
In this post:
The basic safety precautions I take in hotel rooms
When it comes to hotels, I’ve written in the past about my hotel habits (from the logical to irrational), my housekeeping habits and strategy, and my biggest hotel pet peeves. So, how does security factor into all of this?
My hotel safety precautions are pretty simple:
- When I first arrive at my hotel room after checking in, I enter the room slowly, and say something like “hello,” as I’ve (on more than one occasion) been given a key to a room that was already occupied
- I do a quick walk through of the room, including checking the closets, under the bed, etc.; however, that’s perhaps partly more paranoia than anything rational
- I discard the little “pouch” in which the hotel gives me the key, so that if I lose my key, no one will know which room I’m in; instead, I either write down my room number in a note on my phone, or take a picture of the door
- If I get a weird feeling about someone in the elevator or like they’re following me, I’ll just go somewhere else, and not go straight to my room
- Place items in the in-room safe, but don’t assume that’s completely safe either, because it can also be broken into, if it’s an inside job
- I always use the deadbolt when I’m in the room, whether I’m awake or asleep; always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always, always
In theory, I think the above precautions do the trick. I think using the deadbolt is the single most important thing you can do.
Let me of course acknowledge that I’m a male traveler, and I realize that female travelers often face more challenges and risks, so it’s even more important for them to be vigilant. I also know that some people are concerned about secret cameras being set up in rooms. That’s not something I’m worried about, but I understand why others may be.
It’s also worth emphasizing that you should take different levels of precautions based on where in the world you are. Like, I’m much less concerned about hotel room safety in a place like Japan than in a place like… well, take your pick.
What’s reassuring about hotel safety, and what isn’t
If you ask me, there are some things that are reassuring about hotel room safety. There are typically limited entry and exit points in hotels, there are security cameras around the hallway, and there’s limited upside to someone breaking in and stealing something (since there’s usually not that much to steal). You’re also typically in close proximity to others, so a loud scream would be heard more easily than in other scenarios.
At the same time, the increased risk in hotels is that there are many people with master keys, who can potentially access all rooms. That’s why always using the deadbolt when you’re in the room is so important.
If you use the deadbolt in your room, I tend to think that addresses 90% of potential concerns. All too often we hear of someone walking in on another person sleeping in a hotel room, and without exception, that happens when the deadbolt isn’t being used.
I tend to think that a vast majority of the other risk at hotels is similar to what you might find elsewhere. For example, having someone spike your drink at the hotel bar, having someone steal something from you out in the open, inviting someone with bad intentions to your room, etc.
Bottom line
It’s important to take basic safety precautions at hotels. I tend to think that simply using the deadbolt while in the room covers 90% of the potential risks, since the most common hotel crime we hear of is someone accessing a room with a master key, or something.
There are some other basic precautions I take, but I tend to think that the deadbolt is the single most important thing. Despite that, so many people don’t use it…
I’m curious how you guys feel about hotel room security — is it something that crosses your mind, and if so, what precautions do you take?
A few years ago, my wife and I were in the middle of an intimate moment when someone in the adjacent room, opened the connecting door between our rooms and caught a free show. Obviously embarrassing and hilarious, but now I always make sure the adjoining room doors are dead-bolted.
Fascinating divergence of views from the paranoid ("first thing I do is look under the bed". Seriously?) to the nonchalant (never use the deadbolt or the in-room safe).
I guess I am in the middle. I don't look under the bed or in the closet. I do use the in-room safe but not for mission-critical items.
And I take account of location in finding that balance.
It is custom here to knock twice on the door and pause before entering. This is not because of someone physical being in the room before me, but because of the ethereal spirits in the room to leave before I enter.
If I am in a room that connects with another, and I am not traveling with the people in the other room, I double check the locks on the connecting door as well as the front door to my own room. I sometimes even move a chair in front of the connecting door if easy to do.
If you’re really concerned, get a door stop alarm. A few bucks, doesn’t take up much space, but makes the door even harder to open along with deadbolt, and the very loud alarm will wake you from sleep and also scare off most would-be intruders, and alert others on the same floor.
Always, always stay in a hotel in a building tower. Low rise is fine.
Never in an open layout (like a motel style hotel)
Tower hotels that require a key card to use the lifts or stairways is a simple thing that deters opportunistic thieves.
Nothing. I do nothing.
I don’t travel as much as Lucky, but I have about 3000 lifetime nights with Westin/SPG/Bonvoy. And a smattering of nights with other chains.
I don’t use the deadbolt or other available locks. I’ve never looked under the bed or in the closets or behind the curtains. About the only preemptive measure I take is to toss the paper key holder because it has my room number … and I put my passport and cash in the room safe.
I tend to use the deadbolt when I’m asleep or taking a shower, but I worry about people being able to gain access legitimately if I were ill or if I injured myself. So I always feel uneasy using it. Is that weird?!
That's not weird. It's human nature to look out for your personal safety when you aren't capable of determining it. I lock my phone away for hours at a time because I hate a life of smartphone dependence. But I think about if I had an emergency event and how I'd get help. Sometimes you gotta just roll with faith in what the universe had in store for you.
That's not weird at all.
It's far more likely you will need someone to get into the room in the scenarios you desribe, than someone will want to come in uninvited
The first thing I do when I enter the room is check where the emergency stairwell is, walk toward it, and open the stairwell door to see how it opens.
My second step is to take out my disinfectant spray and spray the toilet and some things on my nightstand.
I always take a carbon monoxide meter with me when I travel. I was in an expensive boutique hotel in Paris and it was on top of a bakery. They obvious had issues with ventilation as the monoxide alarm went off at 5am when they were baking. Stuff like this happens all the time.
never do any of this stuff, except deadbolt/burglar bar, etc when in the room for personal safety. If they want my stuff, such is life. That's what insurance is for. And this from someone who once had their room robbed after the front desk gave out keys to multiple rooms for the people in our travel group.
For those of you that take all of your most valuable possessions with you, are they really...
never do any of this stuff, except deadbolt/burglar bar, etc when in the room for personal safety. If they want my stuff, such is life. That's what insurance is for. And this from someone who once had their room robbed after the front desk gave out keys to multiple rooms for the people in our travel group.
For those of you that take all of your most valuable possessions with you, are they really safer on your person out in the city than in your hotel room in a safe (or even not in a safe) Seems like a good way to get mugged and endanger not only your stuff but yourself.
Checking the room: I always open the closets and check if the window/patio door is locked. Not sure I recall staying at a hotel that actually has a real bed furniture that can fit a person under the bed. It is usually a box bed so basically sitting on the floor. Never checked and don't plan to.
Discard the pouch with room number: That little pouch stays inside my room as soon as I enter...
Checking the room: I always open the closets and check if the window/patio door is locked. Not sure I recall staying at a hotel that actually has a real bed furniture that can fit a person under the bed. It is usually a box bed so basically sitting on the floor. Never checked and don't plan to.
Discard the pouch with room number: That little pouch stays inside my room as soon as I enter the room. It never goes out with me. I take a picture of my room number.
In-room safe: I don't remember ever using it. I am always concerned the lock may malfunction and I never have anything so valuable with me that has to be on a safe. Yes, passports, credit cards but those are usually with me or inside my luggage. If someone wants to steal my luggage then it is a bigger deal.
Deadbolt: I use it 100% of the times. It is there for your safety so not using it is stupid.
The ONE time I used a hotel safe (in Australia to store my spare US cash) I left for the airport and left it in there. Round about $400 US. Luckily the housekeeper found it and turned it in, so several days later when I remembered and contacted them, they credited that amount to my credit card. Do I feel lucky? YES. (and yeah, I've heard the tips about leaving one shoe that you intend to wear to the airport in the safe to prevent that... but I didn't do that.).
I carry a plastic door wedge, used to keep doors open. Place under the door on the inside to keep door from opening inward. I also carry a small amount of blue tape to cover the inside of a peephole in the door, if there is one. Keeps outsiders from seeing light from inside.
Haven't checked under the bed for monsters in decades.
So I can safely assume you can sleep soundly at night ?
" Sweet Dreams! "
...lol..
Ben, these are all great tips, but I'm surprised you check under the bed for a person but don't check the room for hidden cameras.
Last time I checked, a camera won't physically assault you !
..lol..
I’m interested …. why do some people refuse to use the in-room safe?
I always use it so am not sure but a guess would be that the thief then knows where all the valuables are. So assuming he has the piece of kit that lets you into any room safe in 60 seconds, the heist can be fast.
I dunno, probably my ignorance, but I"d wager the suspect could crack that so-called safe much quicker than rifling through my dirty laundry in my luggage to find a 'hidden' valuable..
Plus my dirty laundry might be the most effective deterrent \in itself !
That safe could be characterized as 'security theater', akin to a flashing neon sign stating 'ovah here, steal me !'
I always inspect for bed bugs.
Yes, I definitely do that.
I'm confused on the key sleeve thing: do other people keep the sleeve on their key as they leave the hotel? It's always been a fundamental assumption of mine that you take it off the first time you enter your room and leave it.
I find I often have to show the sleeve, say to prove I am a guest, or to charge things to my room. So I want ti with me.
Yes, agree with Tom. I have been asked many times (usually at properties in big city downtowns: Hyatt Regency Austin, Grand Hyatt SF, etc.) to show the key sleeve that has my room number written on it when arriving back at the property late at night.
Strangely, I have never needed to, including HR SOMA and HR Embarcadero. Might just be YMMV.
Santos has demonstrated from his prior comments that he is a low class loser who got ran out of his hometown of NYC. If he looks the part, then no surprise he’d be questioned at many hotels that aren’t the Motel 6.
I do the same as the author states other than check under the bed. I used to travel for business a lot and stay in the same hotel when I visited my clients. Back then it was a bit more safer than these days. I always use the deadbolt when I am in the hotel room. The only different when I travel domestic vs internally that I might have more local currencies. I always keep...
I do the same as the author states other than check under the bed. I used to travel for business a lot and stay in the same hotel when I visited my clients. Back then it was a bit more safer than these days. I always use the deadbolt when I am in the hotel room. The only different when I travel domestic vs internally that I might have more local currencies. I always keep the valuable items with me on my person. I never use the in-room safe. Starting last few yrs, I always bring self defense items with me.
Situational awareness is the key.
I probably should start checking under the bed too, haha! Although I always check everywhere else, including the closet, drawers, etc. Not out of paranoia but because I worry about previous guests leaving garbage behind.
I always use the deadbolt, too. Although I've visited some hotels where doors have no deadbolt :(
Or guests leaving drugs, $$, diamonds, other contraband or even 'unmentionable items' !
Probably a good idea, as in the 'remote possibility' that it's illegal, a prompt call to law enforcement would be in order so as to mitigate further culpability!
I bring a small door alarm that fits over the door handle.
Suggest adding to your list a few things:
1. If ground/lower floor, is the window locked? If any floor, does the window open?
2. Where is the nearest emergency exit? Alternate path?
3. Does the phone actually work? May need it in an emergency.
Excellent point on #3 ..,. Reminds me of my embarrassing incident when my brother tried to call me from another non-adjacent room. He even went to my room but the bedroom was farther away and I didn't hear him knock or. call out for me.
Imagine my surprise when a sheriff walked into my bedroom & found me 'starkers' laying on the bed watchin' the tele !!
Turns out previous guests had unplugged...
Excellent point on #3 ..,. Reminds me of my embarrassing incident when my brother tried to call me from another non-adjacent room. He even went to my room but the bedroom was farther away and I didn't hear him knock or. call out for me.
Imagine my surprise when a sheriff walked into my bedroom & found me 'starkers' laying on the bed watchin' the tele !!
Turns out previous guests had unplugged the phone (presumably for an internet connection ? ) .. And I"m sure it's not on housekeeping's 'checklist' to verify phone operability.
A very good point, in case of an emergency..,,
A few years ago I went up to my hotel room floor and there was a guy hanging around in the upstairs guest area. I felt a bit uneasy so I went back downstairs as if I'd forgotten something and security escorted me back up to the floor. The guy was still there and they asked him if he was a guest of the hotel and if he had a room key. He wasn't and...
A few years ago I went up to my hotel room floor and there was a guy hanging around in the upstairs guest area. I felt a bit uneasy so I went back downstairs as if I'd forgotten something and security escorted me back up to the floor. The guy was still there and they asked him if he was a guest of the hotel and if he had a room key. He wasn't and he didn't, so he was escorted off the property.
I guess it's possible nothing would have happened if I had ignored him, but my takeaway was to always trust your spidey sense.
Or, you might have had quite a spontaneous 'party' and night you'd never forget !
I also use the deadlock or whatever lock is available from inside. But not for security reasons, but to keep house keeping and such from entering. Happens far too often that DND signs are ignored.
But only works if you are in the room, in which case you can stop them entering anyway. Once you leave the room then any hotel staff can enter your room.
Technically a DND sign is just a request, not an imperative.
Yes Tom is right, it is a request. Besides hotels also have a mandatory cleaning schedule for rooms, so in case you are doing long stay and you always have DND on, after x period of days that is set by the hotel, they will enter for cleaning and security reasons
Eve, yes, and also for a long stay hotel security might start to get curious about what is going on in the room if there is no access for several days. Staff might stop by to check up on things under the guise of "maintenance" or some such.
If it’s a full service hotel I always use the bellPERSON even if you don’t have a lot of luggage that way if there’s a problem with the room they can communicate it to the front desk and get you your new keys etc. Cleanliness and temperature is usually what I’ll look for. Security wise I keep my valuables on me when I go out if a decent amount of money I’ll spread it around...
If it’s a full service hotel I always use the bellPERSON even if you don’t have a lot of luggage that way if there’s a problem with the room they can communicate it to the front desk and get you your new keys etc. Cleanliness and temperature is usually what I’ll look for. Security wise I keep my valuables on me when I go out if a decent amount of money I’ll spread it around in different places. Keep some in my room , some in my pocket , some in my bag . Never used an in room safe in my life.
The in-room safe isn't 100% but I always use it for my "semi-valuables" i.e. anything that is important to me even if it has little value e.g. keys, paperwork etc.
But passports, cards, cash stay on my person at all times. Hotel pools and spas can pose an issue there of course.
I think that basically any hotel that's got a 24-hour reception will be happy to hold your valuables there, and there's invariably CCTV coverage.
That level of risk mitigation is good enough for me. Taking your passport with you while out and about means that there's always a possibility of it getting lost/stolen/damaged.
There's no way to eliminate those risks completely so I just focus on taking a few basic precautions to ensure that...
I think that basically any hotel that's got a 24-hour reception will be happy to hold your valuables there, and there's invariably CCTV coverage.
That level of risk mitigation is good enough for me. Taking your passport with you while out and about means that there's always a possibility of it getting lost/stolen/damaged.
There's no way to eliminate those risks completely so I just focus on taking a few basic precautions to ensure that my travel insurers and/or employers (in case I have the work laptop with me)cannot accuse me of negligence.