Travelling or Vacation is an experience. It’s an opportunity to disconnect from your daily routine and get connected with yourself. Often during our travelling and vacations, we find ourselves a nice hotel for our stay. After a long, tiring day of exploration, we only want to get quickly into our hotel, let our guard down, and enjoy a piece of tranquility.
With amazing options at the hotels, there is always the risk of a few miss-happenings, such as losing our belongings, theft, emergency evacuations, an episode of criminal activity, etc. While it is very unlikely for these events to happen, it’s better to be safe than sorry. As luxurious and secure these hotels are, we must not forget the basic safety tips that could save us from a lot of trouble.
1. Research
Before booking a hotel or Airbnb, always do thorough research about the hotel and the area. It’s very important to be safe before you enjoy it. Research about proper security measures about your accommodation such as is there surveillance cameras present, if the front desk staffed 24 hours, etc.
One of the biggest security concerns is the location of the hotel. Check if it an upscale neighborhood or a sketchy one. If it is safe to walk around during the night, is there a police station nearby, etc.
You can easily research the hotel through the internet. There are many travelling websites that will give you information about the hotel. Always check the people’s reviews and comments. You can use Google street view to get an idea of the hotel surroundings. If you find anything odd, jump on to the next one.
2. The Best Floor
Never be afraid or embarrassed to ask for a room on the floor of your choice. Rooms on the ground and 1st floor are more prone to criminal activity. These rooms are easy targets for theft and robberies. So, getting a room on a higher floor will reduce the risk of larceny by a significant amount.
Safety experts recommend getting rooms on the 3rd – 6th floor of the hotel. These rooms are high enough not to break into and low enough for the ladders of the fire truck to reach. Also in case of fire risk, you can request a room adjacent to the emergency fire escape. Try avoiding rooms near the ice machine or vending machine, as these are the places criminals linger.
If you are staying in a smaller hotel or motels, if your room door opens directly outside, try avoiding the rooms in front of the parking area. If you are staying at an Airbnb, properly check all the security measures.
3. Keep your Valuables Safe
If you have a hotel room safe, use it as much you can. There is always confusion about whether to leave your passport inside the room or take it with you. If you decide to leave it in the room, keep it in the safe. Also keep important travel documents, expensive electronics, and other important stuff inside your safe. And don’t forget to retrieve it while leaving.
If you don’t have a safe, try travelling with a lock for your bag or suitcase. It is a good option for those things which can be bigger for a hotel safe, like laptops, cameras, etc. Doesn’t matter where you are travelling, it is always a good habit to keep your valuables secured.
4. Use VPN While Connecting to Hotel Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is a service that we look for during booking a hotel. It is free but it may not be safe. You will be connecting to a public Wi-Fi or hotspot, which means hundreds of other people may be connected to the same network. With proper hacking, they can see your data like your passwords, credit card/debit card details, your browsing history, etc. There have been instances, where criminals set up an open Wi-Fi network and trick people into connecting. So it’s really important to use VPN while connecting.
Using a high-quality VPN can be one of the best tools you would use. It will keep your information secure while connecting to any kind of network. It encrypts your traffic so that the cybercriminals who are using the same network can’t access your information or even detect your presence.
5. Bed Bugs
Bed Bugs are tiny little creatures that hide within the furnishing of the room and suck the blood of people. They are so small, it is very difficult to notice when you are not looking for them. These pests can ruin your stay by hampering your sleep and giving you rashes.
Before jumping onto the hotel bed and unpacking your luggage, check thoroughly for bed bugs. Normally they are found in bed, inside & around the edges of the mattress. They can also be present in the curtains, carpets, couches, etc. If you find any sign of bed bug infestation, immediately change your room or change your hotel altogether.
Avoid keeping bags on the ground. Bed bugs are great hitchhikers. They latch onto anything and travel with great ease. If they climb onto your luggage, they can enter your home. If you seem to find any bed bug invasion inside your house, make sure to hire professional bed bug control services.
Your hotel room may seem clean, but you don’t know what kind of infection is lurking in it. It is best to sanitize the whole place before touching anything. The above-mentioned tips wouldn’t guarantee 100% safety but would reduce the risk of happening any accidents by a lot. Your vacation and travelling should be stress-free and unforgettable, but that doesn’t mean you can compromise your safety. Follow these tips for a safe, secure, and adventurous hotel stay.