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="" />