Travel Tips on Hotel Safety

The bright lights, new environments, and breathtaking thrills of travel can often cause us to let our guard down a bit. This is fantastic when it lets us bungee-jump, scuba dive, or let loose at a carnival, but be careful not let distractions compromise common sense when it comes to hotel safety. As a base of operations for many travelers, the hotel is where we are our most vulnerable. The hotel is where we keep our luggage, our backup money, clothes, and documentation, and it's where we sleep. While many hotels provide ample safety and security of their premises, there are steps you can -and should- take against unwanted attention and in case of an emergency.

First, consider the hotel itself; if it has well-lit, walled grounds or street access, if the nearby neighborhoods look risky or dangerous, and whether there are guards and trained security staff for escorts to and from rooms and vehicles. You should make sure your hotel has basic safety features like sprinklers, electronic door locks (ones that can be re-keyed by the front desk, as these can't be copied by former guests), and fire extinguishers. You can usually gather all of this information by phoning the intended hotel or the local embassy's security officer with any questions. It is important to feel like you can count on the hotel and its staff to look after your safety, but do not to be lulled into forgetting your own personal security once on the premises. You should acquaint yourself with the fire exit procedure once you are checked in, just in case.

Though we can always hope that the hotel staff will keep unwanted people from entering, sometimes these measures are not enough to stop everyone. By far, the most common reason for having property stolen, being burgled, or intruded upon is simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Crimes of chance are more frequent than almost any other vacation incident, and simply looking at the statistics can give you a good idea of where not to be if you want to avoid the risk of intrusion. For example, crime rates are significantly higher for ground floor rooms, especially those near the corners of the building. Rooms that are near a fire exit, or that lie on obscured, twisting corridors are also targets for thieves. If possible, get a 4th to 6th-floor room situated in the middle of a well-lit corridor, that way if you see people loitering nearby, you can walk straight past your room and down to the front desk, without ever giving away where you are staying. Be sure to check the door and window locks are functioning, that the room is completely empty, and that the phone works for outside calls.

Other criminals seek other opportunities, and try to maximize their chances by picking on the weaker, more open targets. Be cautious about anything in the hotel with your room number, personal information, or credit card information on it, as this can be used to trick you into a scam. Leave no titles, and only initial your first name when you sign in, so that your gender and status are ambiguous to anyone scanning for women traveling alone. The front desk can also help keep you off the radar; ask them to let you know of anyone inquiring, and not to give out your room number or name.

Though the goal is to relax while traveling, you must also remember hotel safety. As long as you keep your wits about you, watch out for any suspicious behavior, and don't hesitate to report anything of concern, hopefully the majority of your travels will be incident free. If you'd like to talk more about hotel safety, or travel advice in general, check out our Travel Forums and share your experiences with other travelers.