All travelers should be concerned about hotel safety, and here are some ideas to make your next hotel stay a pleasant and safe one.

Before Booking Your Hotel Reservation

Make sure you know the answers to the following questions:

• Are all rooms equipped with deadbolt locks?
• Are all rooms equipped with security chains (or better yet, sliding latch devices)?
• Is the hotel equipped with interior or exterior corridors? Interior corridors are safer because people in the street or parking lot cannot see you enter and exit your room. Plus, access to rooms tends to be more restrictive.
• What time are exterior doors locked? Ideally, all doors (with the exception of the main lobby) should be locked after dusk, and there should be a hotel staff member monitoring the front lobby doors at all times. Many hotels have equipped side doors with guest key-card access devices that allow only guests to enter the hotel.
• Is the front desk staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Avoid hotels that answer no to this question.
• Are all rooms equipped with windows and sliding door locks?
• Are all rooms equipped with a peephole in the door?
• Is the hotel equipped with a fire alarm system? This is especially important when booking an international hotel reservation.
• Is the hotel equipped with electronic card access to the rooms? Card access is safer than regular key access. It can prevent others from having a key to your room, and if you find something missing in your room, the hotel may be able to determine who entered your room and when. If the hotel does provide card access, determine if room keys are "scrambled" each time a guest checks out.

When You Arrive At The Hotel

• When choosing a parking spot, select a location that is well lit and close to a main entrance. The location should be free of obstructions such as pillars or dumpsters.
• Remove all valuables from your vehicle.
• Make use of the hotel safe if necessary.
• If possible have a bellhop enter your room with you. Otherwise, place your luggage in the doorway to hold the door open. Turn on all lights and inspect the room. Make sure:
  • Locks on windows or balcony doors are secure.
  • The lock on the room door functions properly.
  • Doors to adjacent rooms are locked and secured.
  • The curtains close completely.
  • A "Do Not Disturb" sign is provided. Immediately place it on the outside of your door.

During Your Hotel Stay

Be safety conscious wherever you stay:

• Make it a habit to lock all locks on your hotel room door.
• Don't allow anyone to enter your room without confirming his or her identity. Use the peephole in the door and call the front desk when in doubt.
• Keep your room number to yourself. Never mention your room number around strangers.
• Enter through the main lobby entrance whenever possible.
• Before entering your room, be aware of who is around you and make sure the hallway is clear.
• Keep your hotel key secure. If the key is a card, keep the room number separate from the key card itself.
• Keep your belongings inside your locked luggage whenever you leave your room.
• Before leaving your room, make careful note of where your belongings are located. If you later notice anything has been moved or tampered with, report it to the hotel manager immediately.
• Place a doorstop/alarm device on your hotel room door.
• Test your hotel's security by requesting another key for your room. The front desk personnel should request a photo i.d. from you to ensure that the room key you are requesting is indeed for the room you are registered in. The best way to do this test is to wait for a change of shift at the front desk. You want to try this test on someone who will not recognize you.

You may be surprised at the lack of security at all types of hotels, and the security in a hotel may vary widely between shifts at the front desk. Report all security issues to the general manager of the hotel. If the hotel is part of a larger chain, you may want to follow up with a letter to the corporate office.