Vacations are an excellent way to relieve stress, but they can be stressful if you go unplanned. One of the common reasons a trip gets derailed is because of your accommodation choices. Maybe you want to be spontaneous and book your accommodations once you reach your destination, only to find out that nearby hotels and resorts are fully booked, and all the accommodations left are out of your budget.
This is why you must book your accommodations before your scheduled trip and consider your safety while searching. Ensuring that you’ll be safe while staying in an unfamiliar place is imperative to having a fun, safe, and stress-free trip.
With that said, here are nine essential safety tips every traveler should keep in mind when it comes to your travel accommodations:
Beware of Your Surroundings
Mentally take note of the room, bathroom, and shared spaces as soon as you arrive. If something seems off, don’t hesitate to investigate it further. If you’re not quite aware of your surroundings (including the littlest details of your room and bathroom), then suspicious things might go unnoticed.
Always make it a point the moment you check in to observe everything in the space. This advice goes for any accommodation you’re staying in. Take a mental note of everything, and if there’s something off, make sure to report it.
Digitize Your Travel Documents
Make sure that you put copies of important travel documents in a flash drive or on your phone. This includes your passport, driver’s license, travel insurance, reservations, and travel confirmation. By doing so, you can present or print these types of documents easily whenever you need them.
Keep Your Door Locked
Ensure that you secure your selected accommodation with a deadbolt, security bar, or another locking device. You should also never open the door to anyone outside until you confirm their identity first. If you want, you can call the front desk to verify the identity of a particular staff member who knocked in regards to cleaning your room or room service without request.
Don’t Hide Items in Common Places
Another thing that you should consider if you’re storing valuables in your room is to make sure that you don’t pick out common hiding spots. It’s common for people to place their passports and other essential travel documents underneath the bed or the mattress. However, thieves already know these common hiding spots and will look at these locations instantly.
So, if you’re planning to hide things in your room, make sure that you’re creative with your hiding spots, and try to think outside of the box.
Ask For a Room on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Floor
When booking accommodations, especially in hotels, it’s common for most travelers to let the hotel decide what floor number they’ll be staying on. However, you should always try to request a particular floor if possible. Usually, security experts recommend getting a room on either the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th floor. Staying on the ground floor may not be ideal since it can easily target criminals and thieves, and staying too high up in the building can also put you in danger, especially if there’s a fire.
Keep it Clean
Most hotels offer free housekeeping. So take advantage of this while you’re out and about. Don’t let it go for more than two days without being cleaned. Usually, staying for an extended period in a place without good cleaning can cause fines on your end once you check out, and keeping your room clean and tidy can help you avoid getting sick.
Keep an Eye on Your Belongings
Usually, when traveling, purses and wallets aren’t the only things that often get lost or stolen. It would be best if you also keep an eye on valuables such as electronic devices and jewelry.
Another thing to remember is that if you can’t let your luggage out of your sight, don’t keep your luggage in the lobby while your room is being sorted out. Instead, keep it with you so that you can keep a close eye on it. If necessary, you can ask uniformed staff to keep an eye on it while you’re gone. Or, if you can, bring it with you until you can look for a safe and secure place to store it.
Sanitize Your Luggage
The Maid Sailors advises sanitizing our luggage as soon as you enter your hotel room. Make sure that you spray it with sanitizing solution and wipe it down. Since it was probably handled by plenty of people, forgetting to spray and wipe your luggage only means you’re inviting germs, bacteria, and viruses into your room.
Take Note of the Fire Exits
Make sure that you note the fire exits and emergency staircases near your room. Usually, hotel rooms have floor plans found at the back of the door or in a booklet. Don’t try to overlook them. You never know when a fire could start, and you’ll want to be able to identify where the nearest fire exits are.
Traveling can be an eye-opening experience. It lets you meet new people and immerse yourself in a culture different from what you known. But it can be stressful, especially if you are not taking the necessary safety and security precautions while on the go. Always listen to your gut. Doing so often ensures your safety. Armed with these simple safety tips, we hope you will have fun, safe, and stress-free travels!
