3 Ways To Ensure Your Hotel Room Is Safe

When you plan a trip somewhere, you probably are concerned with getting a hotel that is near the places you want to go and has the amenities you desire. You want to make sure that the hotel is reputable and that you will be safe when you are there. According to Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A, there is a lot more to safety than ensuring you are in a chain hotel, and have a parking space near the door. 

Crimes happen in hotels and so do accidents. There are three things that you can do to make sure you are safe when you check into a hotel. 

Never Let Your Bag Out of Your Sight

There are certain items that you know to keep close to your body when you are traveling. You may put your wallet and driver’s license in an inside pocket or you may wear a purse under your coat.

If you leave a suitcase sitting near the door, anyone can walk off with it. More importantly, people can slip something into it. Drug traffickers will often slip drugs into an unsuspecting American’s suitcase. It isn’t uncommon for drug traffickers to work in hotels.

If you are caught with drugs on you, you may find yourself in prison in a foreign land, and a criminal attorney may not be able to help you. You will be subject to the laws of the country you are in. If you can prove that the drugs were planted on you, you may be able to sue the hotel. However, it is better to avoid this happening in the first place. 

If you do have any important paperwork in your suitcase, you can fall victim to identity thieves. Identity theft is common in every country, and if someone gets ahold of your birth certificate or passport, they can open bank and credit card accounts in your name. If they can get ahold of a computer with social media accounts, they may try to blackmail or impersonate you. 

Never Stay on the First Floor

Rooms on the ground floor are easy to break into and easy to see. The best hotels do not even have rooms on the ground floor. Even if the hotel claims to have unbreakable security windows, a thief or assailant will be able to see that you are in the room and check out any belongings you may have taken out of your suitcase. 

Ground floors often have vending machine areas and laundry rooms where thieves are known to lurk. If a criminal wants to get into a room, they can go to the bar or restaurant in the hotel and walk into a hallway with rooms. They may also sneak into the pool area. First-floor rooms offer an easy escape. If valuables are stolen, they are unlikely to be returned because the criminal will not be caught. 

When you make a reservation, remember to request a room on a higher floor. If they cannot guarantee this, you may want to consider another hotel. If you get to the hotel to find they have put you on the first floor despite your request, you can request your money back and leave. If you decide to stay and something happens, you should talk to a personal injury attorney who specializes in hotels about a lawsuit.

Get a Door Stopper 

When you are checking into a room, you should use both locks. A door stopper is an inexpensive way to add an extra level of security to your room. Get a light one if you are flying anywhere because you do not want to be charged extra for your suitcase. Locks can be picked, so they are not always a failsafe. Sometimes bad people work in hotels. They may have a key to your room, but they will not count on a door stopper. 

A door stopper will prevent anyone outside of the room from getting in. This will protect you from tech-savvy thieves and assailants who may try and get into your room with a key they made themselves. A door stopper will protect your safety and your privacy as well; you never have to worry about the maid barging in unannounced. 

Traveling is exciting and fun. If you feel safe, you can relax and enjoy the trip.