How safe is the hotel room SAFE?
Jun 14th, 2003, 07:21 AM
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How safe is the hotel room SAFE?
Being a little skeptic about leaving my valuables behind in a room and not being in control of the situation make me feel a little uncomfortable...Therefore, my fellows travellers, how safe is the safe in a hotel room? Anyone had any problem opening the safe? In all my travels, i never used one..lack of trust maybe..
Jun 14th, 2003, 07:52 AM
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We were in Venice and decided to take a short walk. I took the equivalent of about $40 out of my billfold for incidentals and put everything else - cash and credit cards - in the safe. When we returned the hotel had lost power and we couldn't open the room safe for several hours.
Jun 14th, 2003, 07:53 AM
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Sorry, hit the wrong button a bit too soon. What I meant to conclude with was that we found out it's difficult to have a nice meal in Venice on $40, so now I'm older and considerably wiser and always carry at least one major credit card with me. Otherwise, we've always used the room safes and never had any trouble.
Jun 14th, 2003, 07:56 AM
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Kismetchimera, I have the exact same feelings as you. It's the unease knowing that all my valuables are left behind and I'll be out the whole day. Although I am certain that 99% of the time the safe is safe, I always think of what if I'm in the small 1% that has their valuables stolen from the safe.
I don't think anyone can predict if all safes are reliable, just take your chance that it will be.
I don't think anyone can predict if all safes are reliable, just take your chance that it will be.
Jun 14th, 2003, 08:09 AM
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kismet, I found it to be relatively simple...even for those that didn't provide instructions. Typical use: you simply put your belongings in the safe, before closing you enter a 4 digit code of your choosing, close the safe and it automatically locks; come back and enter your 4 digit code and it automatically opens.
Unless a maid knows your secret code, it's virtually impossible for them to get a hold of your possessions. But forget the code, and it might be a costly memory lapse.
If provided, I always use one. Much more convenient than carrying one's stuff all over town and safer than trying to hide it underneath my laundry. Hope this helps!
Unless a maid knows your secret code, it's virtually impossible for them to get a hold of your possessions. But forget the code, and it might be a costly memory lapse.
If provided, I always use one. Much more convenient than carrying one's stuff all over town and safer than trying to hide it underneath my laundry. Hope this helps!
Jun 14th, 2003, 08:57 AM
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Hate to put a damper on the safety of hotel room safes.
Friends traveling with us in Budapest had their room safe broken into while we were out to dinner. This was at a big time US hotel chain.All gone- passports, $,travelers checks, airline tickets....
Earlier that evening my friend went down to the lobby and asked how do you operate the room safe. He recalls, the staff members eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree.So we suspected an inside job. After a runaround with the night staff, and help of our tour guide from Trafalger who threatened that Trafalger would drop the hotel ( the police said that hotel safe burglaries happened before), the hotel manager made good by believing my friends- reimbursed them for lost cash, provided transportation to the American Embassy to get new passports, help in getting travelers checks reissued, and then following up with a limo tour of Budapest. I will never leave anything of value in a hotel safe again.
Gary
Friends traveling with us in Budapest had their room safe broken into while we were out to dinner. This was at a big time US hotel chain.All gone- passports, $,travelers checks, airline tickets....
Earlier that evening my friend went down to the lobby and asked how do you operate the room safe. He recalls, the staff members eyes lighting up like a Christmas tree.So we suspected an inside job. After a runaround with the night staff, and help of our tour guide from Trafalger who threatened that Trafalger would drop the hotel ( the police said that hotel safe burglaries happened before), the hotel manager made good by believing my friends- reimbursed them for lost cash, provided transportation to the American Embassy to get new passports, help in getting travelers checks reissued, and then following up with a limo tour of Budapest. I will never leave anything of value in a hotel safe again.
Gary
Jun 14th, 2003, 08:57 AM
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Thanks Everyone for Your suggestions!!
I am leaving in 4 days for Rome...Perphas I will get over my skepticism and try the hotel' safe...I have heard that Europe is sizzling this month and wearing the money belt all the time will be uncomfortable ..Anyway, I will let you know when i come back july 22,if I can get to Paris from Avignon to catch my plane, with all these Greves going on it is hard to predict the future..
I am leaving in 4 days for Rome...Perphas I will get over my skepticism and try the hotel' safe...I have heard that Europe is sizzling this month and wearing the money belt all the time will be uncomfortable ..Anyway, I will let you know when i come back july 22,if I can get to Paris from Avignon to catch my plane, with all these Greves going on it is hard to predict the future..
Jun 14th, 2003, 11:44 AM
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Well, I used to trust them, but now ...
I recently returned from Europe and stayed at the Hotel Cluny Square in Paris. The Hotel Cluny Square has a big issue with room key control and will give a room key to anyone requesting it. Noting this, I made sure that my valuables were either on me or in the in-room safe and that my suitcase was locked when I left the room. However, this did not deter a thief who gained access to my room with a key and broke open the safe. Filling out a police report in the wee hours of the morning was not the way I wanted to end my stay in Paris. So I would say, the best place for your valuables (and that includes charge receipts that may have your credit card number on them) is on your person. The best investment I made for my trip was a $14 money pouch. The only item they took from my safe was receipts with credit card numbers on them.
I recently returned from Europe and stayed at the Hotel Cluny Square in Paris. The Hotel Cluny Square has a big issue with room key control and will give a room key to anyone requesting it. Noting this, I made sure that my valuables were either on me or in the in-room safe and that my suitcase was locked when I left the room. However, this did not deter a thief who gained access to my room with a key and broke open the safe. Filling out a police report in the wee hours of the morning was not the way I wanted to end my stay in Paris. So I would say, the best place for your valuables (and that includes charge receipts that may have your credit card number on them) is on your person. The best investment I made for my trip was a $14 money pouch. The only item they took from my safe was receipts with credit card numbers on them.
Jun 14th, 2003, 12:05 PM
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While room safes are a nice convenience. Legally, the hotel is not responsible for thefts.
If you have "real" valuables, it is best to use the hotel safe.
We've used both, usually depending on what it is we're placing inside. If it's just a matter of getting rid of the extra weight of airline tickets, passport, etc. sure I've used the room safe. But if it's credit cards, money or jewelry, then it goes to the hotel safe.
You can get another passport and have airline tickets replaced (do remember always to make copies of cards, passports, tickets and keep separate from originals) though it is time consuming and puts a damper on your trip.
If in doubt, use hotel safe.
If you have "real" valuables, it is best to use the hotel safe.
We've used both, usually depending on what it is we're placing inside. If it's just a matter of getting rid of the extra weight of airline tickets, passport, etc. sure I've used the room safe. But if it's credit cards, money or jewelry, then it goes to the hotel safe.
You can get another passport and have airline tickets replaced (do remember always to make copies of cards, passports, tickets and keep separate from originals) though it is time consuming and puts a damper on your trip.
If in doubt, use hotel safe.
Jun 14th, 2003, 12:13 PM
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One way to reduce any stress you have regarding the theft of your valuables is to not take them with you. There's no reason to need to put anything other than maybe your passport in the safe. Airline tickets? Use e-tickets. Cash & Traveler's Checks? Use ATMs. Expensive jewlery? Leave it at home.
Jun 14th, 2003, 04:17 PM
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I've never had a problem with a hotel safe and I think you're far better off to leave your valuables in one than on your person. I and my friends have been pickpocketed and robbed while travelling.
I once left my watch at a downtown Los Angeles gym that's part of a private club. They found my watch and put it in the safe. When I went to pick it up, it was gone! Inside job, but they reimbursed me.
I read a newspaper report about a guy who travelled to Mexico and left his stuff in his room safe and when he returned, the entire safe had been removed from the wall!
I went to Club Med in Puerto Vallarta and we all left our passports, money, plane tickets and jewelry in the "safe" as is required. The Club was robbed by bandits with machine guns and they got EVERYTHING from everybody. It turned out that the "safe" is just a room with drawers. They shot the taxi driver and took a girl hostage and later let her go. The maid told me that this was the third time since she had worked there that the bandits had robbed the place. The L.A. Times refused to print any letters or stories about it (Club Med really went all out to keep it quiet.) All of us had our vacation ruined and several of us sued Club Med for our loss. I will never go there again.
I once left my watch at a downtown Los Angeles gym that's part of a private club. They found my watch and put it in the safe. When I went to pick it up, it was gone! Inside job, but they reimbursed me.
I read a newspaper report about a guy who travelled to Mexico and left his stuff in his room safe and when he returned, the entire safe had been removed from the wall!
I went to Club Med in Puerto Vallarta and we all left our passports, money, plane tickets and jewelry in the "safe" as is required. The Club was robbed by bandits with machine guns and they got EVERYTHING from everybody. It turned out that the "safe" is just a room with drawers. They shot the taxi driver and took a girl hostage and later let her go. The maid told me that this was the third time since she had worked there that the bandits had robbed the place. The L.A. Times refused to print any letters or stories about it (Club Med really went all out to keep it quiet.) All of us had our vacation ruined and several of us sued Club Med for our loss. I will never go there again.
