Carry or leave passport in hotel?
 

Yea, I leave on my trip to Europe in 60 days!! I'm traveling to Ireland, Belgium, France, Germany & Holland. I've read so much information (love this site) but I've gotten conflicting info or maybe I've just read too much information. My question is should I leave my passport stored in a hotel safe (I've made copies of it) or do I need to keep it on my person (got the safety neckbag or whatever it's called)? Many thanks. :)

We,ve always left the passports in the room safe, but have carried a copy with us. We have never run into a problem.

The one thing I never carry is a purse.

I think if you do a search on this topic you'll find that the consensus is about 50/50 on leaving the passport in the hotel. And each side has reasons for thinking they are right. Personally, I rarely leave my passport anywhere other than my purse or neck safe. There have been times that I went out for dinner in the evening and left it in my locked suitcase in the room, but I haven't been comfortable making this a standard practice. Not everyone agrees with me.

50/50 is right. I never carry my passport around while touring. I leave it in the hotel safe. It can be inconvenient when I need an ID for credit card purchases, but usually the shopkeepers just trust me or they'll accept my state DL. My friend on the other hand carries her passport everywhere with her. That's what makes her feel safe.

Just make sure to have copies made and stashed various places (at home and with you).

My answer seems to have vanished.
In the Netherlands everyone over the age of 14 must carry ID at all times - in your case that means your passport, not a copy of it.
The chances of you needing to show it are small, but the fine is €50 and instant for foreigners.

Whoa, thanks hetismij. Looks like I'll definitely be carrying my passport in Amsterdam. Thanks for everyone's comments.

I was asked for ID in Amsterdam just last December at about 4am. All I had was my CC and a copy of passport. No problems, no fines.....(btw, I was little drunk and ???:-D)

I'm one of those 'keep it with me at all times' people, so mine goes in my security pouch under clothing (unless I know I'm going to need it soon, ex. train conductor).

Of the 50% who carry passports, 50% carry them in concealed wallets.

My passport is on my person at all times. I keep in secure in a money belt tucked into my pants.
I carry copies in case the hotels need a make a copy. This is the one thing that I am crazy about.

This may sound extreme but when i travel i often look out for the latest scams that they write about on this board and in Rick Steves books, and you know what? They happen exactly like they say it would. From the young girls on the spanish steps with the cardboard signs to the the found gold rings in paris.

Better be safe then sorry.

We always carry our passports with us for 2 reasons:

1) In some hotels the safes aren't really

2) If something happens to my passport I want to know immediately - and not find out 3 days later when I' ready to leave the country

(And in more than 70 trips - between vacation and travel - have never lost anything or been pickpocketed. But then that depends in large part how aware/careful you are.)