How safe in a hotel safe?
 

It's me again...the guy going to Amsterdam at the end of February for a week.

Thanks for all of the responses regarding the 230v extension cord, the money belt question and the passport question. I must say that, regarding the responses to the passport question, you guys are scaring me a bit. :-(

Anyway, on to my most current question.

I'm going to be taking a laptop computer with me. Why? Well, I need white noise to help me sleep. Since I have an mp3 file of white noise, it beats the expensive price of buying a white noise machine. Plus, having my computer will help me maintain some connections to the U.S. where I live (and no, I didn't vote for President Bush...in EITHER election). Is it really going to be safe for me to leave my laptop at the front desk while I'm away from my room? Has anyone ever had their valuables disappear from the hotel safe? I'm waiting to hear back from the hotel that I'm staying at to even find out IF they have a hotel safe. I'm assuming, since it's only a small 2-star hotel, there aren't safes in the rooms. I would appreciate knowing about people's experiences with keeping valuables in the hotel safe (and I don't mean a personal room safe). I'm also going to be taking other documents that could help me if my passport or other I.D. was stolen so, of course, I want to keep that safe, too. Any thoughts and experiences will be greatly appreciated. Thanks all!

What are you planning to do if the hotel does not have a safe at the front desk?

I have a possible solution for that but want to hear from you first.

Even IF there is a safe - they may not let you leave something as large as a laptop. Passport, envelope, small jewelery pouch, that sort of thing. Laptop -- no so much.

As nervous as you seem to be I'd probably leave the computer at home

Yes. Many people over the years have had things stolen from both in-room and front desk safes. But most people have not.

When you're out of your room, put your laptop in your locked suitcase.

&quot;<i>When you're out of your room, put your laptop in your locked suitcase.</i>&quot;

Sorry - but that is a VERY bad idea. Never leave anything of value in a suitcase. About the least secure place you could possibly pick.

Isn't there a locking cable or mechanism to secure a laptop in place..?

Dukey: I do not have a &quot;Plan B&quot; if the hotel doesn't have a safe.

I will be bringing a steel cable and padlock along with me but the reason for that is to tie my luggage together when I'm at the train station so that it will deter a thief from taking anything because it will be too bulky.

Dukey: I did send an email message to the hotel. They do have a safe and said that I could keep my laptop there for safe keeping.

janisj: Yes, I am nervous about taking my laptop. However, as I said before, I need white noise to help me sleep and my laptop has a white noise mp3 file on it. I'm just trying to be prepared as much as I can to handle security issues.

BoniseA: I'm in agreement with the other person about putting a laptop in a locked suitcase. It is too obvious.

So if a hotel room doesn't have a safe, where are you supposed to put it? Many times when I've had stuff that someone might think is worth pilfering I've put it in my locked suitcase. I have yet to find the suitcase tampered with.

Sure, a locked suitcase isn't foolproof, but it beats leaving stuff out in the open.

It's kind of like that saying, &quot;locks keep honest people honest&quot;.

Rather than a laptop, what about taking an mp3 player with set of small speakers? This would take up less room than the laptop - easier to stow in a safe and less valuable than a laptop if it does walk away.

knmusic, did you consider my suggestion? here are some examples:
http://www.computersecurity.com/laptop/cables.htm
http://www.compusa.com/products/prod...ct_code=262319

Update (as of 1/24/07)

After doing a little bit of research, I decided to buy a notebook security combo cable lock. I will need to find a secure place in the room but, hopefully, that won't be a problem. If it impossible to find a secure spot to wrap the cable around, my next step will be to leave it in the safe at the front desk. I will go back and look at the links that someone else offered. Thanks!

Travelnut: It looks like you and I were thinking the same thing. I ended up going to CompUSA and getting that very lock....even before reading your response. Thanks, though. I appreciate the effort you made to help me feel at least SOME peace of mind about taking my laptop with me to Amsterdam. It isn't like I'm the only one doing that sort of thing. Business people do it all of the time, that I'm sure.

Wish me luck, people! Thanks again!

The other security thing is to NOT set your bag down for a second anywhere in an airport, train station etc.
Right here in the USA, my manager lost his laptop when checking in at the hotel desk. There one moment, gone the next.

Travelnut: Actually, I will also be carrying a 6&quot; steel cable and combination lock so that I can tie my luggage together (to make it more awkward to steal) if I need to put it down for a moment.