Hotels are safe places—right?
No matter how careful you are while traveling, things can always go sideways. Whether one simply drinks too much while on a cruise or something much more serious goes down, there’s always a chance that a vacation can end in danger.
If you’re a traveler worried about staying safe on your next adventure, a retired FBI agent has some advice on how to secure your hotel.
How Can You Be Safe In A Hotel?
In a video with over 8.6 million views, retired FBI agent Steve Lazarus (@steve.lazarus.books) states that “predators love hotels — especially when it comes to women traveling alone.”
Lazarus starts by saying that making your trip safer starts before you even check into your hotel.
“Park in the front of the hotel where the lights are brighter and the camera coverage is better,” he says. “Use the main entrance every time you enter or leave the property. Stairwells and side entrances are not your friend during check-in.”
When dealing with personal information, such as what room you’ll be staying in, Lazarus suggests being as private as possible.
“Desk clerks know not to say your room number out loud, but it’s written on your room key envelope, so don’t let anyone get close enough to see it,” he states.
What Else Can A Hotel Guest Do?
After leaving the front desk, a guest can ensure their personal safety by traveling in the elevator alone. If someone else joins, the guest can wait until the stranger pushes the button to their floor before the guest pushes their own.
“Stand near the panel and make a mental note of where the alarm button is,” Lazarus details. “If you feel like someone has followed you to your floor, stay on the elevator and return to the lobby.”
How To Inspect Your Hotel Room
Once one has made it into their room, they can begin a thorough inspection.
“The moment you’re inside, put out the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign and lock the door,” Lazarus shares. “Use the next two or three minutes to run a security sweep. Check hiding spots, like closets and behind curtains. Inspect door locks, deadbolts, and the peephole to make sure they haven’t been tampered with.”
If one is especially concerned, they can also invest in devices that scan for “radio frequencies, magnets, and infrared, all of which are used in spy cameras and hidden microphones.” They can also purchase a wedge alarm. These devices emit a loud sound if someone opens the hotel door.
Is All Of This Really Necessary?
While there are few downsides to being extra careful, it should be noted that violent crimes in hotels are relatively rare.
As noted by Showard Law Firm, the National Crime Victimization Survey found that only 0.3 percent of violent crimes took place in hotels over the course of a typical year. Even though certain kinds of crime, like assault, are notoriously underreported, this low percentage suggests that hotels are, by and large, safe places.
That said, crimes do still occur in American hotels. Studies suggest that the most common type of hotel crime is theft. For example, one poll of over 200 frequent travelers found that about a quarter of respondents had been the victim of a crime while staying at a hotel. Theft was the crime most often reported.
Still, there are some outlier crimes that can make one a bit paranoid. For example, cases of secret cameras being found in hotel rooms have made some understandably worried about their privacy during a hotel stay.
@steve.lazarus.books If you travel solo, save this reel. If you care about someone who does, share it with them. travelsafety hotelsafety womenssafety crimeprevention situationalawareness safetyeducation protectyourself streetsmarts womenwhotravel solofemaletraveler staysafe safetytips fbi personalsafety
♬ original sound – Steve Lazarus Books – Steve Lazarus Books
Commenters Are Exhausted
In the comments section, users expressed their frustration at the feeling that all of this was necessary to feel safe.
“We are literally hunted and watched like animals,” wrote a user.
“Good advice but sad that women have to do this. We shouldn’t have to,” stated another.
BroBible reached out to Lazarus via email.