How do you guys secure the hotel room from robbery? I don't trust the locks of average hotels. Is thre 3rd party locks one can buy to attach to the door? One can't allways get 5star hotel room during vacation. Hotels might be bookup.

http://www.defensedevices.com/dolopo.html

I've seen these portable door locks in catalogs, but never used one. It seems like a good design for stopping someone from using a key to defeating the keyed lock to get in. It would only be as strong as the frame and the door though if someone tried to to kick the door in.

I've seen devices that are a bar that goes from the door knob to the floor at approximately a 45 degree angle. I don't think I would not trust one of those to dig into the floor enough to do much.

There are various portable alarms also, but I question they're real usefulness. I suppose the noise might scare off some bad guys.

BTW, I'm not endorsing that site I linked to. I don't know anything about them, but they had a good picture of that lock.

Lock the deadbolt.

Don't keep valuables inside the room when you're gone for an extended period.

Put them in your trunk or carry them on your person.

I've never had a problem, and I don't stay at 5-star hotels. In my opinion, ANY hotel can be a spot for you to get ripped off. Just use common sense.

If you are interested in protecting the room while you are inside (thus protecting you and your possessions), then you might try a small wood wedge placed between the door and door frame on the floor. This will keep the door from opening inward against repeated attack. Obviously, it can also be used to prop a door open, should the need arise. Also, ground floor rooms are more vulnerable because of the windows and also ease of escape. If the robber has to go up and down an elevator or stairwell, there is more chance that he could be cornered or caught. Of course, you are also further away from your escape route if there should be a fire or other emergency.

Err, if you use your own lock on the door, how does the maid get in to clean it?

I am not very worried about robbers entering when I am there.

She doesn't... DO NOT DISTURB! <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

If you're that concerned about getting robbed, the first thing is to NOT let anyone in.

A few years ago a family friend was staying at a hotel while at a conference. One night while sleeping he was woke by a noise and as he opened his eyes he was thrown across the room hitting his neck on a side table. This knocked him out when he awoke the room was trashed and he could not move. He was eventually found by the maid hours later who called EMS. In the end it was found that he had fx. C4. Thankfully it did not perm. paralyze him but it did cause enough damage that he couldn't continue his profession.

He took the hotel to court for damage and even though there was an obvious robbery it took years to get the money do to no signs of forced entry.

Now that most hotels are going to electric locks things like this don't happen as much. But if you know how to bypass the electronics it is pretty easy to get in.

So yes buy a lock. The most important thing that you own is you!

When I was a kid my family had a lock that worked much like the one in the link. It had a metal strap that was bent on the end so it could be inserted into the door latch while closing the door. Then a metal pin was inserted into a hole in the strap and it had plastic ends that slipped on the pin to keep it from wiggling off.

While horsing around with my brother I grabbed the lock and used it to lock the door to my bedroom (the bedroom doors didn't have locks). One good shoulder to the door and the lock gave way and the door swung open. The bent end on the strap simply bent out straight, allowing the door to open.

Hopefully the strap on the lock in the link is MUCH stronger than the one we had.

what the heck is fx C4? I am clueless. was he robbed in his room?

Looks like a medical abbreviation for a fractured vertebrae C4 (neck).

I don't know how much good it does, but I always try to prop a chair or something against the door. Not to prevent the door from opening, but to make some noise if it does.

I know that, in at least one instance, if you flip the little dohicky over that prevents the door from opening all the way, not even hotel security can get in. One night I was woke up by pounding on the door. I figured the guy was drunk and tried to go back to sleep. Soon, I heard a walkie talkie and a security guy calling for a locksmith. :-) The hotel had checked me in, then given my room away to another guest a few hours later. They were standing outside waiting for security to open the door. :-) What's scary is that, if I hadn't double locked the door, they would have just walked right on in. With a valid electronic key.

Oh, and one last story... Several years ago, on a family vacation, we were robbed with my Dad in the room, asleep. He wasn't feeling well, and had gone back to the room to take a nap. We were down at the pool. Dad heard someone but thought we'd returned. When we really did return, Mom's purse, Dad's wallet and keys, cameras, etc. were all missing.

I still stay at hotels. But they aren't your house or your apartment. You should treat them as you would any other urban environment. Low profile, situational awareness, healthy dose of paranoia, etc.

It is.

You're right about that Ken. A good design is still only as good as the materials used.

Does anyone else distrust the hotel room safes as much as I do? I guess they are better than nothing, but the few times I've used them I kept wondering how many people have access to the keys. Most of them have horrible locks anyway that any "pro" could probably defeat quickly.

As a hotel worker, I gotta chime in on this one.

#1) Do NOT leave any valuables in the room while you are not in it. Use the safe provided or go to the front desk and ask to use a safety deposit box.

#2) Locks. When in room, use the deadbolt and the "chain". Even with electronic locks, if you deadbolt the door, no one can get in, except with a master key that only the GM and fire dept have access to.

#3) If you are on a higher floor, windows should not be a problem (unless Spiderman goes bad). But if on a lower floor, make sure the windows have those "lock bars" on them so the window can only be opened part way (except if you remove the "bar")

Any other questions, fire them at me.

Sorry, cedfire and ironraven are correct. It is a type of fracture(fx) that can cause lack of sensation and movement below the shoulders.

Yes he was robbed.

My parents went to sleep in a hotel room in Oklahoma City and woke up missing wedding rings, purses and pants..yep they stole my dad's pants right out of the room while he was sleeping..scary thought, so I would say a lock is never a bad idea.

Never had a problem myself with at many hundreds of hotel nights under my belt, and some not the best places.

But as a knowledgeable outsider, I can say that this: is patently false. This is only as true as you want to believe, but there are many employees who eventually gain access to masters. On electronic or punch hole systems, obviously this can change, but I'm "anecdotally" aware of several instances where this isn't necessarily the case. All it takes is one bad apple and the whole "trust" model of security goes out the window. <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />