Laptop security
 

Would appreciate words of wisdom from those of you who frequently stay at Marriotts with laptops. We are going to be staying at the Renaissance Chancery in London in a few weeks. Do you hide the laptop in the luggage, use a lock, put the laptop in the hotel safe, leave it out, or do something else?

Just use common sense - don't leave your laptop out in the open and everything should be fine.

Over 700 nights at hotels since 2000 and todate have lost NOTHING - touch wood.

Stayed there in April, had a laptop on the desk for 5 days - not a problem...

Check out the British National Museum while your there - the Rosetta Stone is pretty awesome in person!

Really Good Question...
 

Hi to Everyone,

I can't speak for this particular hotel, but with free net access and/or WIFI spots abounding in the hotel amenity wars, it makes me wonder what Marriott/Hilton brands will be doing to protect the safety of such easily stolen items. As an aside, the days of paying for net access in your room are definitely numbered...but it really is amazing that the local CY or Hampton Inn encourages you to bring the laptop and has no provision for safekeeping.

I would love to see the day where laptop size safes are standard instead of lots of other things being crammed into rooms today. It is much more important for me to have that safe over some of the new and expensive improvements at the mid priced chains. But I will be realistic and not expect it anytime soon.

It amazes me to this day when I see people at the lobby breakfast get up and leave the laptop/cell/blackberry for an incredible amount of time out in the open. What are people thinking?? Also, bear in mind that the average housekeeper is far from the best paid or motivated person in the world...when I worked a Hampton Inn front desk it was routine for housekeepers to LAST ONE DAY OR LESS ....hmmm, I don't know if I would leave big $$$ electronics out and chance anything. The vast majority are very honest, but it is a hassle for a guest and a hotel when theft occurs.

One more scam to watch out for: Thieves DO CASE hotel lobbies and wait for you to get up to go eat, leaving your electronics on/under the table. Especially near interstates where you can blend in and grab and go...the local police knew it where I worked and would alert hotels up and down the interstate and the NJ Turnpike.

If there's a safe that can fit the laptop & there's no charge I'll use it (I know, silly to worry about daily fee when the result could be stolen laptop). Some safes won't fit them as they're the older models & were designed more for cash, jewelry. Sometimes if there's a safe that laptop fits & there is a fee, I'll still use it but leave door slightly ajar (ie, it looks like it hasn't been used & you can't actually see that the laptop is in there because it's almost closed).

If there's no safe (true of multiple hotels & chains), then I do the gym clothes routine. I wrap the laptop in gym shorts or t-shirt & toss some smelly socks and bra on top, and things are put in to look discheveled in the drawer, so if someone is looking in they won't notice. If it's a serious thief, that's not going to deter them, but for a quick snatch & grab it might work.

I wasn't pleased a week ago when I left my laptop set up in the room, put a do not disturb sign on door, went to have breakfast & came back to the room wide open w/ housekeeping cleaning & my laptop out there for anyone to see/grab. And no id asked of me to ensure I was the one who had a right to be there.

Sharon

For me, it's a Kensington lock. I have a new one with a combo code instead of a key (one less thing to lose).

Most notebooks these days have a security slot that the lock fits into. In most Marriotts, you can find a hole in furniture, a leg of a table that is cross braced, or even a similar chair leg to wrap the cable around/through.

NOTHING will deter a determined thief, but a cable lock keeps honest people honest. :D

$30 or so at the usual suspect electronics or office supply stores.

Been staying at Marriott's and Hilton's since 2001 on Business and left my laptop on my desk time after time and NO PROBLEMS...

The small safe with power inside great for laptops & valuables. The Wyndam I am in this week has great safes in every room.