Be More Secure In Your Hotel When On Vacation Or Holiday
Whether people take a flight or drive when they travel on holidays or vacations they generally stay at a resort or hotel. What they may not be aware of is that their holiday could be spoiled by professional thieves who make their living by targeting any unsuspecting tourist. These thieves love to hang around hotels and resorts, especially in the lobbies, watching for tourists on holiday or vacation that look like easy pickings.
Here are some useful travel tips that may help you feel more secure in your hotel room when you travel on a holiday or a business trip.
First of all, the lobbies of hotels and resorts should never be considered secure, even in the five star ones. People on vacation may be easy pickings for opportunistic thieves, especially at peak times when the hotel reception staff are busy with new guests arriving and other guests that are trying to check out. Never leave your travel luggage, even for a minute, unless you know for sure that it’s being looked after by a bellman.
If you are having a bite to eat in the hotel restaurant when on holiday, especially a buffet, never leave your briefcase, laptop, or handbag unguarded to get a drink or something more to eat. It would only take a thief a split second to make off with them. It would be almost impossible for the staff of the hotel to be constantly looking out for these criminals.
When you are booking your hotel room, try to book one that is on the second, third, fourth, or fifth floor, as the ground floor rooms are more susceptible to break ins. Keep in mind that hotel rooms above the fifth floor may not be easily accessible by many fire engine ladders if a fire breaks out in your hotel.
Always check to make sure that the door to your room locks properly, and that the windows and sliding doors open, but also lock securely. Most hotels and resorts use electronic card keys for their hotel room doors as they offer stronger security than the standard metal keys. Don’t carry your key card in its folder if the folder has the room number on it. Write down your room number on a piece of paper and keep it on your person when you go out. Leave the folder in your room.
Always identify unfamiliar hotel staff or visitors to your room before you open your door. Call down to the front desk if in doubt as to the authenticity of that person. It is advisable not to give your room number to anyone that you don’t know and trust.
It may not be a good idea to hang a “please clean the room” sign on the door knob when you go out, as it let’s a would be thief know that there is probably no one in the room.
Do not assume that your hotel room door is locked just because it closes automatically when you leave. Check to make sure that it’s really locked. If your room has a balcony, make sure the sliding glass door is also locked as it may be possible for someone to climb on to your balcony from a balcony that’s above, below, or beside yours.
Never leave anything of value lying around in plain view in your room. They may be too tempting for some hotel room cleaning staff to resist. Place any small valuables in your room safe if there is one. Remember that safes that use metal keys are not as secure as the ones that use electronic key cards.
The next best bet if there is no safe in your hotel room is to lock your small valuables in your largest suitcase when you go out. Locked, hard-sided travel luggage offers you best security. Some travelers even use duct tape to secure small valuables to the underside of the room furniture.
Always use your door’s deadbolt and chain lock at night before you go to sleep, or if you feel like taking a nap.
There is a very small, inexpensive, battery-operated, motion-sensitive, burglar alarm that can be hung on the inside hotel door knob, or there is a wedge-shaped alarm that you can shove under the door that accomplishes the same thing. If someone tries to open your door, the alarm will ring.
There are two less sophisticated methods you could use. You can move a chair in front of the hotel door and place the back rest under the knob, or wedge a standard rubber door stopper under the door. Either of these two methods are also effective.
When you pack and get ready to check out of your hotel or resort, remember to empty your room safe. And last but not least, count the pieces of luggage you brought with you and make sure that everything has been put in your taxi.
The most important thing to remember is to always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times when travel on holidays.
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