It’s fun to travel abroad. Seeing new places, feel the warm welcome of the locals, and experience a unique culture firsthand. However, it can be quite scary to fly to a strange country, there are a lot of things that might happen.
This is why you shouldn’t let your guard down. We gathered a couple of expert tips that can help you stay safe while you’re at a hotel.
What to do when you arrive at the hotel
Once you arrive at the hotel, you should never lose sight of your luggage. Be mindful of all the things you carry with you when you go to the reception area. The lobby area can be filled with other guests waiting to get called for their rooms. By looking after your things, you can avoid losing them.
As much as possible, you should try asking for a room that’s not located on the ground floor. Most of the time, it’s the ground floor rooms are targets of thieves and other sorts of criminals. Ask for a room from the second floor up to lessen the chance of your room being targeted.
What should you do during the check in
Top hotels with seasoned staff avoid to give out the names and the room numbers of their guests for security reasons. If for some reason you think your security has been compromised, you must politely ask to get transferred to a new room.
Also, never leave your credit or debit card on the hotel counter. Card thieves can easily obtain your credit card details and steal your personal information. When the receptionist returns the card, be sure that it’s not a bogus or the wrong one.
Don’t forget to get the name of the hotel, address and contact details by requesting a business card. You might need the card in case of emergency while you travel around the city.
What to do when you’re inside the room
Double check the wardrobes, showers and the curtains. If a valet accompanies you, make sure the door remains open while you look around the room. Also, there are other things you must not forget to do:
- Inspect the door handles and make sure that it locks properly. Otherwise, call reception so they can transfer you to a more secure room.
- Once you’re inside and you completed checking everything you can, lock the door and the deadbolt.
- Check if there are any hidden cameras installed in the room, the fire alarm and air-vents being the most likely places.
- Check the windows and balcony door can be secured and not opened from outside.
For extra security, place an object in front of the door so thieves can’t get inside the room most especially when you’re taking a bath or sleeping.
Also, make it a habit to bring a flashlight with you. Place it by the bed so you can easily pick it up during emergencies.
Extra protection when you leave the hotel room
When you leave the hotel, make sure that the valuable items that you can’t carry around with you like your gadgets. Many hotels nowadays are equipped with a safety vault that can only be opened by the guest’s password, but these can be over-ridden by cleaners or maintenance workers.
If in case the provided safe in your room doesn’t look secure, you can have your valuable placed inside the hotel’s vault. Do ask for the coverage they provide in case they lose your items. Also, you must see to it that you ask for a receipt once the hotel staff places your things in the safe.
As a rule of thumb, you should follow these few tips when you leave the hotel premises:
- Never leave your passport behind. You must always bring it with you at all times.
- Be your own bodyguard when you leave the hotel by staying alert.
- Recognise early signs of trouble and be sure to know how to defend yourself.
- Bring the hotel’s business card with you.
- Bring a local phrase book in case the residents don’t speak English.
- Know how to budget your money when you travel around.
Keep your eyes peeled. Be attentive to everything happening around you when you’re outside of the hotel. If you don’t know your way around, you can ask for hotel transfers. You may have this option especially if you have booked with a top-rated hotel.
If you lose your room keys along the way, you should immediately report it to the staff. If possible, request to transfer to another room, or have the locks changed especially if you feel like someone intentionally stole your key. Be sure to explain what happened to the staff and report to the police if required.
Lastly, don’t forget to sanitize the TV remote before you use it. Chances are, the remote control harbours thousands to millions of bacteria from the previous guests. You can use your favourite sanitising wipes to clean the buttons of the remote.
Other travelling tips
Aside from making sure that you’re safe inside the hotel, you also need to make sure that you’re completely safe and secured when you walk around the streets. Keep your valuable things hidden in the innermost compartment of your bag or clothing. If possible, use an anti-theft bag so you can minimise the chance of losing your personal belongings.
Be mindful when you go out too. It’s best that you research about the dangerous areas in the cities, so you can avoid getting caught in a risky or dangerous situation. Today, there is so much information you can access through running a short research on the internet. You don’t have to run a detailed search. Simply focus on the hotspot area for thieves and pick pocketers.
Travelling is such a fun and exciting opportunity, it allows you to embrace a whole new culture and it helps you appreciate the world a lot more. Moreover, you can shop for beautiful gifts that you can give to your best friend who loves to travel as well. However, there may be some risks that come with travelling to a foreign country. You might face dangers along the way that may keep you from enjoying your visit.
Keep yourself safe, especially when you’re inside your temporary homes. Follow the practical tips we laid out above to enjoy a safe and secure experience while you’re abroad.
