Yes, it was the safe at reception area for the guests. I suppose you have to make sure everything is listed on the receipt. I think she didn't and that is why the cash was missing.

I have only stayed in better hotels, and have never had anything even bothered. I did have all of my makeup stolen once from a smaller hotel run by a family whose nationality is not American, in the U.S. and would never stay in hotel again if those kind of people are at the front desk at check-in. They lied about it all, so I left and went to Dillards and replenished my supply.

Your things should be fine in a safe. One thing I've noticed, but then I have only stayed at nicer hotels, is that in areas that depend on tourism for survival you will get better service than you would in the states staying at your average Hilton or Holiday Inn.

beshep, funny you should mention make up, I actually consider that one of my valuables, I have made a promise to my DH, just a bitty little bag of it is going on this trip...we have no layovers so he is safe from duty free.

beshep wrote, "a smaller hotel run by a family whose nationality is not American, in the U.S. and would never stay in hotel again if those kind of people are at the front desk at check-in."

Am I reading this correctly??? "Those kind of people"!

I am always suspicious of "Those kind of people".

Oh, definition of "Those kind of People"....Usually of Dutch or Flemish extraction, identified by their penchant for Gouda Cheese and Birkenstocks. Often seen travelling in pairs or small family groups. Most likely to be seen in sub-tropic areas, and beaches.....I hope this helps.....LOL

Interesting choice of words..."those kind of people".

No, I've never had anything go missing from a hotel room. However, I never travel with anything that cannot be replaced easily. I leave my good jewelry at home. I bring several pieces of costume jewelry that will work with different outfits. Nothing that I will lose sleep over if it is lost or stolen.

uh-oh. "those kind of people" are taking over the hotel hospitality segment, so poor beshep58 is going to have difficulty finding a hotel in the US before too long... ;)

I always leave my cash ( except for one days worth) and my CC and passport in the hotel safes. Have always been the kind that are in room, except at the Hotel Des Mines where it was behind the desk. I have never had a problem . I do not bring jewerly that I am not wearing ( ie only wedding ring and one bracelet come and I wear those all the time) .

I cannot believe someone actually thinks the maids are " dusting for finger prints and cracking codes" ha ha .

I always read people posting " my friend said, or my friend had" but I have never seen a poster say that it happened to them.

I feel perfectly safe with the safe .

And no, the maids DO NOT have your safe code, what a load. Only certain staff have assess to that and if stuff is stolen out of a safe you could phone the police and file a report, bet most hotels would not like that..

Knock on wood, I've never had anything stolen from a hotel room safe. I don't take anything valuable like family jewels on vacation (I actually bought a fake wedding band for my current trip), but I do leave extra credit cards, passport, ipod, cell phone, garmin, etc. . . in the safe while I'm out during the day. One trick I just figured out for putting my MacBook Pro laptop in the safe - if you tilt it up (prop it up with something so it is in the safe at an angle) then it will fit with the door shut.

Well, there is a certain "those kind of people" who do seem to own a lot of US motels. beshap is going to have a hard time finding a place on the road if she's thinking of who I'm thinking of. As someone who "only stayed in better hotels", she may not find this to be a particular nuisance, however.

I might slum it, but I would never defame an entire nationality based on one experience. Very sad.

bozama, if you were referring to my post, if someone looked me in the face and said something happened to them I would take it at face value. If it happened to me I would most likely share the experience on these boards, too.

I was actually standing next to another friend when she saw a hotel maid walk past us wearing my friend's hair clip that had gone missing the day before. Shall I not relate that experience because it wasn't my hair clip?

Beshap you are certainly one for generalizations about nationality! On your other posts I have learned that "most Italians speak good English" and "Italians walk very fast and will run you over if you let them!"

Actually no Seaurchin, I was not refering specifically to your post, I have been on travel forums( this and others) for years now, and all the " reports" I have so far read on this type of theft have been alot less reliable sounding then yours, its usaully " I heard about " or " a friends sister" or " I read about a girl" etc.
If you say you saw the maid wearing your friends hairclip I believe you, although I would have a hard time understanding why you did not then grab the maid and make a hell of a scene. I know I would have, of course, I would be damm sure it was friends hairclip first, LOL

Yes, I know what you mean, B., hearsay can be unreliable, I agree.

Re the Hairclip Incident, my friend told me after the maid had already left on the elevator. My friend is extremely non confrontational, I don't know if she would have said anything if the maid had been wearing a whole outfit of her clothes!

It was a unusual clip, when those kinds of over the top hair clips were in style. I asked my friend if she was going to report it to management and she said no, if she wants it that badly let her have it. (This was in Milan)

"I cannot believe someone actually thinks the maids are " dusting for finger prints and cracking codes" ha ha".

Bozama,
That thread IIRC was about *how* hotel staff could get into a hotel safe.

And you cannot see how *easy* it actually is to do?
Regards, Walter

Bozama is very fortunate that he/she has not yet experienced hotel safe theft. Perhaps the housekeeping staff are not dusting for fingerprints and such, but staff members do steal.

Franophile , so this has happened to you?? Has it happened to your friend... or your relative?

Seaurchin, that is really weird, your friend handled that so oddly, mind you, it was just a hairclip and honestly you and I both know it was not locked up in a safe now was it,, no, she left it out, maybe the maid found it on the ground ( it may have fallen out of her hair) since I find it odd that the maid would first steal the clip then wear it TO WORK the next day!!! Lightning has really hit twice with you, TWO friends( well one just an accquaintence) experiencing theft.

. I have travelled for many years, I DO take precautions, but, I think you are more likely to be hit by a car then have your hotel safe broken into, and you know, I bet I am statistically completely spot on that bet.

Francophile, I may be stolen from one day,, but , I take all the normal precautions and I don't worry about it, I mean , I wonder, do any of you shower with your moneybelts, since the maids could sneak in while you are in the bathroom and steal from you without even having to go in the safes, since most of us do not lock our stuff up when we are in the room?

Bozoma, I did mention earlier that someone I know (clarifying for you: a friend) had valuables (specifically FYI: cash) stolen from the front desk safe.

Please put your bee back in your bonnet.