Leaving Stuff @ The Hotel
Apr 13, 2014, 6:07 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 283
Leaving Stuff @ The Hotel
Okay,
So I'm in the habit of leaving a couple hundred in cash in my clothing inside my suitcase. I also make it a practice not to bring any electronics that aren't absolutely necessary (for example, why bring a laptop if all I'm doing is checking email, which can be done with my smartphone).
There are some things I'm just unwilling to haul around with me, namely a passport, second CC and I like to have an alternative form of ID also stashed away. But how do you protect against hotel staff who might want to pocket the cash you've got in the room safe?
As far as I know, housekeeping can reset a safe and get access to what's inside. Is it better to hide it in your stuff (nobody's stealing my used underwear) or put in the safe, or even ask the front desk to hold it?
I'm sure this depends on the country, and not every housekeeper is a thief. However, I worked as a housekeeper at a mountain resort, and it isn't just one person cleaning your room. Often two people make the beds, one does the bathroom, another the windows, etc. Lots of people have access to your room and it can't be narrowed down. There was a serious problem with people losing bottles of liquor they left in the room, and some of the housekeepers who drove in every day were suspected, but never confirmed to take things and take them home. Didn't happen with us, who lived in dorms, but it happened.
What do you do with your passport? Everything else is expendable, but I wouldn't want to come back to a 5-star in the CONUS and find my clothing rifled through, my stash raided and my in room safe empty.
CK.
So I'm in the habit of leaving a couple hundred in cash in my clothing inside my suitcase. I also make it a practice not to bring any electronics that aren't absolutely necessary (for example, why bring a laptop if all I'm doing is checking email, which can be done with my smartphone).
There are some things I'm just unwilling to haul around with me, namely a passport, second CC and I like to have an alternative form of ID also stashed away. But how do you protect against hotel staff who might want to pocket the cash you've got in the room safe?
As far as I know, housekeeping can reset a safe and get access to what's inside. Is it better to hide it in your stuff (nobody's stealing my used underwear) or put in the safe, or even ask the front desk to hold it?
I'm sure this depends on the country, and not every housekeeper is a thief. However, I worked as a housekeeper at a mountain resort, and it isn't just one person cleaning your room. Often two people make the beds, one does the bathroom, another the windows, etc. Lots of people have access to your room and it can't be narrowed down. There was a serious problem with people losing bottles of liquor they left in the room, and some of the housekeepers who drove in every day were suspected, but never confirmed to take things and take them home. Didn't happen with us, who lived in dorms, but it happened.
What do you do with your passport? Everything else is expendable, but I wouldn't want to come back to a 5-star in the CONUS and find my clothing rifled through, my stash raided and my in room safe empty.
CK.
Apr 17, 2014, 6:27 am
#2
Suspended
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 817
I'm paranoid. When in relatively safe places like Canada, I keep my passport in a messenger bag which I keep with me at all times. In pickpocket laden Europe, I keep my passport, an emergency CC, and any excess cash in a travel belt. (A FT poster reccomended that particular one, and while it's a bit more expensive than the others, it's also really nice quality)
Apr 17, 2014, 8:17 am
#3
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: AA Gold. UA Silver, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond, Hyatt (Lifetime Diamond downgraded to Explorist)
Posts: 6,776
The vast majority of proper hotels I have been to have a house safe for public use which has limited access and often a video camera placed on it so theft is limited. If you have important stuff keep it in there. I often hide my passport and any money/cards I am not carrying on my person. You'd be surprised how easy it is to find a good hiding place inside of a hotel room.
Apr 17, 2014, 8:28 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: 대한민국 (South Korea) - ex-PVG (上海)
Programs: UA MM / LT Gold (LT UC), DL SM, AA PLT (AC), OZ, KE; GE and Korean SES (like GE); Marriott Gold
Posts: 1,995
In some countries, you are required to have your passport with you at all times.
Even hotels with room safes usually have an office safe; if you are really worried, use that one.
I'm not sure, but when I accidently forgot my room safe combination (yeh, dumb), it took quite a while to find the person who knew how to open it, so I am not sure that maids would know how (and he had some gizmo to use).
Even hotels with room safes usually have an office safe; if you are really worried, use that one.
I'm not sure, but when I accidently forgot my room safe combination (yeh, dumb), it took quite a while to find the person who knew how to open it, so I am not sure that maids would know how (and he had some gizmo to use).