skatterfly

Just wondering, since this is my first time renting apartments in Paris and London... whereas in previous trips where I stayed in hotels I carried my passport, airline tix--everything--in my money belt.

Should we feel safe enough to keep our passports in the apartments, or should we follow our usual security protocol and carry them with us at all times.

What do you do?

Thanks,
Kat

ira

Hi sk,

Wondering why you think an apt might be more secure than a hotel.

walkinaround

ira's right. i would never assume this.

you have to assume that service people and others may have keys to your apartment just like people have access to your hotel room.

to answer the question, sometimes i bring it, sometimes i hide it in the apt (and i know that this is in no way foolproof and not recommended).

Statia

We typically hide our original in the apartment and keep a copy with us during the day.

tudorprincess

If there is no safe, we generally put ours in the suitcase and put the lock on the suitcase.

skatterfly

Ira, , I don't, my husband does. He thinks we should feel very safe leaving it in the apartment, I take the "worst case scenario" approach and always carry it with me. With a baby now, daddy's the one who's going to be schlepping them around, and I don't think he wants to.

Thanks all,
Kat

dln

Last year in Rome, we carried everything with us but by the second day we left it all in the apartment.

skatterfly

Does anyone know if they have anything like a portable safe... I was thinking of something like a mesh-lined moneybelt or pouch type thing that has a cable you could attach to a bedpost or other item that couldn't be cut open. I know they make purses with a metal wire through the strap that can't be cut through... wondering if they'd extended that concept to a whole pouch.

Then again, I suppose that "criminal types" would just start carrying around bolt cutters, but it might prevent a little? Just pondering the thought.

Thanks,
Kat

marcy_

We never have carried our passports with us. I either leave them in the hotel safe, or hidden in the room if there is no safe, and carry copies with us.

One nice thing about e-tickets is that there's no worry about losing them.

daph

My passport and I never part, from the time we leave for the airport until the time we hit the front door to our place. I used to carry my husband's too but now I've asked him to carry his own, as we could get separated somehow.

taggie

I hid a passport in my hotel room (in Salt Lake City during the Olympics).
It was stolen... something I only discovered when I was departing and went to retrieve it from what I thought was an excellent hiding place.

Never again will I leave a passport in the room - no matter how well I think it's hidden.

Kayb95

I always leave my passport in my flat or hotel - locked in my suitcase. No, it's not foolproof, but I've never had any problems. It's probably safer there than with me out on the streets.

I also take a photocopy of the picture page with me so if it is lost or stolen, I have all the info.

taggie

My passport was under the lining of my suitcase, which was in turn locked.
It was still stolen.

From now on it goes in the hotel safe, or stays on me. Ironically, the time is was stolen was the first trip I hadn't carried it on me.

skatterfly

I'm with Daph... it never leaves me when I travel. In fact, when I used to travel a lot on the train and sometimes in less than desirable hotels, I often slept with it on. Just not worth the risk.

I'll tell my "daddy" he's gonna be schlepping it around and no way we're leaving it in the flat.

Thanks,
Kat

SeaUrchin

I stay in villas or apartments and leave my passport there when I go out.

I guess you have to evaluate the "feel" of the apartment as to whether you think it is secure enough, but afterall you will be sleeping in it. If I thought a place was unsafe enough for my passport I wouldn't want to sleep there either.

On my last apartment stay in Amalfi we had tons of cash because my friend closed her checking account in one bank and forgot she had the money in an envelope in her purse. We locked it in a desk and didn't worry about it anymore.

ira

>....we had tons of cash because my friend closed her checking account in one bank and forgot she had the money in an envelope in her purse. <

Would your friend be interested in buying a brdge in Brooklyn?

SeaUrchin

Ira, I know it sounds strange, but she had a very difficult week before she left and it slipped her mind (a few thou).

But I might be interested, would it be the Brooklyn Bridge? How much?