Be More Secure In Your Hotel When On Vacations Or Holidays
Whether people take an air flight or drive when they travel on their vacations and holidays
, they usually stay at a hotel or a resort. What they may not be aware of is that their vacation could be ruined by a professional thief that makes his or her living by targeting an unsuspecting tourist. These thieves tend to hang around hotels and resorts, usually in the lobbies, looking for tourists on vacation or holiday who appear to be easy pickings.Here are a number pertinent travel tips that may help you be more secure in your hotel room when you travel on a vacation or a business trip.
First of all, the lobbies of hotels and resorts should never be considered secure, even in the upscale ones. Travelers on holiday can be easy pickings for opportunistic thieves, especially at the peak times when the hotel reception staff is extremely busy with new guests arriving and others trying to check out. Never walk away and leave your travel luggage unguarded unless you know for sure that it is 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 booking your hotel room, it is preferable to book one that is on the second, third, fourth, or fifth floors, as ground floor rooms are more susceptible to break ins. Remember that hotel rooms above the fifth floor may not be accessible by many fire engine ladders if a fire ever breaks out in the hotel.
Be sure to check and make sure that the door to your room locks properly, and that the windows and sliding doors open, but also lock securely. Most hotels resorts use electronic card keys for their hotel room doors as they offer better security than the standard metal keys. Don't carry your key card in its folder if the folder has the room number on it. Make note of your room number on a piece of paper, keep it on your person when you go out, and 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.
Do not leave any valuables lying around in plain view in your room. They may be too hard to resist for some cleaning staff. Place any small valuables in your room safe if there is one. Keep in mind that safes that use metal keys aren't as secure as the ones use electronic key cards.
The next best bet if there isn't a safe in your room is to lock your small valuables in your largest suitcase when you go out. Locked, hard sided travel luggage offers the best security. Some travelers use duct tape to secure small valuables to the underside of the hotel room furniture.
Always use your door's deadbolt including the chain lock at night before you go to bed 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're 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 one of these two methods are also effective.
When you are packing and getting ready to check out of your hotel or resort, don't forget to empty your room safe. And last but not least, count the number of pieces of luggage you brought and make sure that everything has been put in your taxi.
The most important thing you should keep in mind is to always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings at all times when you're on holidays.
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