Do you love to travel? If so, you might be used to checking in and out of different hotel rooms on a regular basis. Whether you are going on a family vacation, a romantic getaway, or a business trip, there’s always a chance that you will be spending at least one night in a hotel room.

If this is the case, you’ll want to make sure that your belongings are as safe as possible. Thankfully, some hotels have room safes for you to keep your belongings. But are these hotel room safes actually safe?

Let’s take a look at this question a bit closer so you can have a better understanding.

What are Hotel Room Safes?

Hotel room safes are the safety vaults that are usually installed in the guest rooms of hotels. In most cases, these safes are bolted to the floor or a piece of furniture in the room. The hotel room safes come in different shapes and sizes.

Most of the time, the hotel room safes are digital. This means that you will need to input a code in order to open the safe. Some of the newer models even allow you to use your fingerprint as an entry code.

While hotel room safes are usually digital, there are some that still use keys. If you come across one of these safes, you’ll want to make sure that you keep the key in a safe place. The last thing that you want is to lose the key and not be able to get into your safe.

Many Hotel Room Safes Are Not Actually Safe

The next time you check into a hotel room, take a look at the safe. You might be surprised to find that it’s not as secure as you thought. In fact, many hotel room safes are actually quite easy to break into. The reason for this is that most hotel safes are not designed to protect valuables from thieves; they’re only meant to deter casual theft, such as someone rummaging through your belongings while you’re out of the room. As a result, these safes can often be opened with little more than a paper clip or a hairpin. 

So, if you’re planning on keeping any important items in the hotel safe, you might want to think twice. A better option would be to keep them in your carry-on bag or in the safe deposit box at the front desk.

How To Use a Hotel Room Safe Properly

If you’re like most people, the mere thought of losing your laptop, smartphone, or other valuables while on vacation is enough to make your trip unlikeable. Thankfully, most hotels offer in-room safes for guests to use during their stay. However, it’s important to know how to use these safes properly in order to ensure the safety of your belongings. Here are some tips:

Before placing any items in the safe, be sure to check that the lock is working properly. There’s nothing worse than thinking your belongings are secure only to find out later that the safe wasn’t actually locked.

Next, familiarize yourself with the safe’s locking mechanism. Some safes use key codes, while others require physical keys. Make sure you know how to operate the particular type of safe in your room before storing any valuables inside.

It’s also an excellent idea to keep a record of the items you’ve placed in the safe. This way, if anything does happen to go missing, you’ll have a list of what was supposed to be in the safe.

Finally, remember that hotel room safes are not entirely failsafe. While they provide an extra layer of security for your belongings, it’s still important to exercise caution when using them. For example, don’t store your passport or other identification inside the safe, as this can make it more challenging to travel if your ID is stolen.

What To Do if Your Belongings Are Stolen from a Hotel Room Safe?

It’s every traveler’s nightmare: you return to your hotel room after a long day of sightseeing, only to discover that your belongings have been stolen from the room safe. While it’s easy to panic in such a situation, it’s important to remain calm and take action immediately. 

The first step is to notify the hotel staff; they will be able to help you file a police report and begin an investigation. 

Next, you should call your credit card companies and cancel any cards that may have been stolen. 

Finally, contact your insurance company to see if your policy covers theft from hotel rooms. 

Alternatives to Using a Hotel Room Safe

For the safety-conscious traveler, the hotel room safe can be a lifesaver. It’s a secure place to store valuables, and it’s usually large enough to accommodate laptops, cameras, and other electronics. However, hotel room safes can also be a source of anxiety. 

What if you forget the combination? What if the safe gets jammed? And what if your hotel room is broken into and the safe is stolen? 

Fortunately, there are several alternatives to using a hotel room safe. You can hide your valuables in inconspicuous places around the room, or you can leave them with the hotel’s front desk staff. You can also invest in a portable safe that you can take with you when you travel. 

Whatever option you choose, remember that the best way to keep your valuables safe is to keep them close at hand.

Improving the Security of Hotel Room Safes

Despite the security concerns behind hotel room safes, you really can’t blame the management for having a master code or key to open all the safes in the hotel. That being said, it is a little unsettling to know that if a thief were to get hold of that code or key, they could potentially have access to all the safes in the hotel. So, what can be done to improve the security of hotel room safes?

An excellent option is to buy a hotel room safe lock. This is a device that you can install on your hotel room safe, and it allows you to set up your own combination or use a key. That way, even if a thief were to get hold of the master code or key, they would still not be able to access your safe. 

Another option is to invest in a portable safe that you can take with you when you travel. This provides an extra layer of security, as it means that your valuables are never left unattended in your hotel room. However, this portable counterpart has its disadvantages, mainly because of its portability. A thief could easily steal the entire safe, so it’s important to keep it hidden when you’re not using it.

Final Thoughts

Hotel room safes are not as safe as you might think. If you’re looking for a place to store your valuables, there are better alternatives than using a hotel room safe. Follow these tips to make sure your belongings are protected while traveling.