For sure.

And thanks for all the others details ...and if, when looking up the room number to make the new key he saw two guests registered it might have given him pause.

I'm not trying to sound paranoid here. My point was more that this was one of those tips that I'd heard long ago, figured there was no harm in doing it, and now just found out I probably cost myself some money needlessly. (I actually thought it had become one of those common things like refusing a room if at check-in they say the number aloud). Is it a safety measure? Probably. It well might have stopped the guy from going in if he thought her husband was in there while she was drinking with the bartender. But using the deadbolt and not opening the door to people is probably the smartest thing one can do. (OK, just watched a video that I posted downthread ...forget the door latches being safe.)

Regarding that refusing your room if the clerk says the number out loud (something I've seen in most every story on women and travel) when you're checking in, fine, I suppose. But realistically, anyone can follow up and you're particularly vulnerable while you've got the door open and are trying to bring in your luggage. Also, I found it ironic at a hotel a couple of weeks ago that they were so careful not to say my room out loud but every time I went for breakfast or to the club the host practically asked rather loudly from across the way for my room number.