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).