Welcome to August. I know–we are almost a week into the month, but better late than never, right? If August is the month that you planned to take your big summer vacation then congratulations—you made it. As a child my favorite part of going on vacation was getting to stay at a hotel… and, why not? The hotel had a pool, an elevator, a restaurant, and if we were lucky our room would be on one of the top floors with allowed us great views of the city below.
Of course, back then I didn’t consider that there could be potential dangers lurking around hotel corners. Which is not to say that hotels are havens for hazards, it just means that you should consider some safety tips before your next stay.
· Never leave your luggage unattended. If you room is not ready when you arrive check your baggage with the staff. Most hotels have storage lockers where they will hold your bags for up to 12 hours with no charge.
· Upon entering your room do a quick inspection. Check behind curtains, under the bed, behind shower curtains and in closets to make sure no one is hiding in the room.
· Locate fire exits, elevators and public phones. Know the best way to get out of the building in an emergency.
· Use all locking devices on your hotel room’s door. This includes chains and dead bolts.
· Never leave valuables in your hotel room. Place jewelry or expensive electronics in the hotel safe-deposit box. Items like cash, credit cards and keys should always remain with you.
· Check your belongings daily. Arrange your possessions in a way that you will know immediately if something is missing. (I do this with items I leave on the bathroom counter.)
· Do not answer the door in a hotel or motel room without using the peephole. If the door doesn’t have a peephole, make sure you ask the person on the other side to identify him/herself. If a person claims to be an employee, call the front desk and verify who they are and why they are at your door.
· Be observant. Report any suspicious activity to hotel management. If someone is loitering in the hall near your room, don’t enter your room. Return to the lobby and report it to the front desk.
· Never sit in your room with the door propped open. It’s not a good idea to leave the door open at all—even if you have children running in and out of the room or if you are just leaving to go to the ice machine.
· Look around before entering parking lots or garages. Park under a row of lights or as close to the building as possible.
Related Articles:
Finding a Good Deal on a Hotel Room
Traveling with Children: Finding the Best Hotel Room
Travel Tip: Beware of Hotel Cribs
Hotel Rooms-Smoking or Non-Smoking: The Choice Is No Longer Yours