While putting the ‘clean my room’ sign up on your hotel door may not seem like a big deal, it could put your belongings at risk without you even realizing it. According to Michele Bennett, the general manager at security company ADT, using this sign could advertise your room as being empty and make it more attractive to thieves, the U.S. Sun reports.
If you do want your room to be cleaned, she says to ask at reception instead so they can pass the message on to their housekeeping team. It may be better to call down to reception because then you aren’t advertising your room number to anyone else who may be listening out in the lobby. Even if you are staying in a hotel room alone, there are many ways that you can feel safer on your trip. The best thing to do is create a routine of your safety procedures and then you can use them every time you stay in a hotel.
How to be safe in hotel rooms
One hotel safety tip you should never ignore is to look around for intruders when you enter your room, in places where they could be hiding like the closet, under the bed, or in the bathroom. Then check all the door locks and chains to make sure that they work and haven’t been damaged in any way. Try using the phone to ensure it can make calls in case of an emergency and then scan for anything unusual that could be a hidden camera or a peephole.
If your keycard comes in a sleeve with the room number on it, make sure to get rid of it so that if somebody picks it up they won’t know which door it opens. As hotel staff will not enter a room with a ‘do not disturb’ sign on, if someone tries to get in then call reception and let them know so they can send security. In the event of an emergency, the hotel will have alarms or call the room.
Pack things to keep you safe
One important thing to pack if you’re traveling alone is a doorstop, which will help stop people from gaining entry into your room. If you don’t have a doorstop, you can use an item of furniture like a chair or ironing board if you can wedge it in. To take it a step further, invest in a portable door sensor, which has an alarm that will go off if anyone tries to open your door in the night.
As well as using the built-in deadlock to close your door, bring a portable padlock as this will make it extra secure. Take a notepad and then you can write down where you are going and leave it in your room in case anything happens to you. It is also helpful to sleep with a flashlight next to you, so you can use it in case of a power cut or if anything happens when it’s dark. These things are all small to pack but they can make a big difference with how safe you feel.
