In the decade or so after I graduated from college I traveled by myself quite frequently. I have spent countless hours on the road alone and have flown back and forth from the Midwest and Southeast to Hawaii by myself. As a result, I have written a number of blogs on how to stay safe while traveling alone.
One area I haven’t touched on is safety, hotel rooms and women traveling solo. In this day and age when there is such an emphasis put on being politically correct, I find female travelers spend more time concentrating on not offending people when they should be watching their backs.
My first tip to females traveling alone is to be extra cautious. That doesn’t mean you should be rude to people who are overly gregarious. It simply means if some burly guy offers to help you take your bags to your hotel room, you should politely decline the favor.
Other Hotel Safety Tips:
Use Your Peephole. Never open your hotel room door without knowing who is on the other side. If someone comes to your door ask him or her to identify him/herself, then call the front desk to verify the person’s story. For example, if the person on the other side claims to be a hotel employee there to fix the drapes ask the hotel operator if they sent someone to your room to complete the task.
Leave The Door Ajar. If in fact a maintenance worker was sent to fix a leaky faucet or a broken curtain rod he or she is trained to leave the door ajar after entering your room. If a hotel employee closes a door behind them, something is wrong. Personally, I would request the repair be done after I checked out or at the very least I would suggest you stand in the doorway while the repair is being completed.
Don’t Leave Receipts Out. It may seem insignificant, but sales receipts contain valuable information. Be sure to put to your receipts in a safe place. If you keep them in your purse, make sure you place your purse in a secure area as well.
Don’t Leave Spare Room Keys Lying Around. Hotel workers or other guests (who are sitting next to you at the bar or pool) can pick one up and use it later.
Fake It. When you are traveling alone you should always give the appearance you are in the room. When you leave the room, place the “Do not Disturb” sign on the doorknob, and leave the TV on. It’s better than leaving the sign that says, “Please make up room now,” which sends a pretty blatant message that you’re not around.
Related Articles:
On The Road: Tips For Women Who Travel Alone
On The Road–More Tips For Women Who Travel Alone