[MasTaBlau]

I've used them and never given it a second thought, but someone on Trip Advisor reckons that they're vulnerable to staff tampering, and posted a link to a website selling a product that claims to stop this. Is this something to be concerned about, or is it just a company concocting scare stories in order to sell their product?

[ziIReIGS]

I've used them and never given it a second thought, but someone on Trip Advisor reckons that they're vulnerable to staff tampering, and posted a link to a website selling a product that claims to stop this. Is this something to be concerned about, or is it just a company concocting scare stories in order to sell their product?

Well, the general rule is to put all jewellery, valuables and money in the usually provided room safe.

[Filling25]

yep there are room safe scams going around holiday resorts.

[Tjfyojlg]

They can be opened with a master key, I've seen it done after arriving in a room with one locked, it's really straight forward.

As to whether staff would bother walking round with the key tampering with them? I'd say it's quite unlikely.

Also, if you're bothered by it and talking about travelling within the UK, I believe travel insurance policies don't cover trips of less than 3 nights. Check your policy.

EDIT: just checked actually and I was wrong (in my case). A trip in my home country is defined as including a flight or at least one night's booked accomodation away from home. Mine's about as comprehensive as it gets though, so I'd still check, otherwise you might be claiming on house insurance for stolen items.

[veizKinquiz]

I don't think there's one simple answer to that question, considering how many hotels there are with different people, different security measures, different practices... I suppose it's a matter of trust rather than a matter of fact. Do you trust the particular hotel you're in, to safely keep your stuff? If yes, problem solved; if not, I don't think it's wise to let them store your stuff in the first place.

[KuevDulin]

I think the best way to overcome this is to not leave valuables in the room. Whatever you bring on holiday, keep on yourself. That's what I do anyway, and I've not had a problem with never needing to use the safes. Because whether it's in a safe or not, hotel staff might go riffling through. I suppose a safe is better than bedside table draw though obviously if you have to leave something because at least then maybe the housekeepers can't get their hands on stuff.

[Wheldcobchoto]

I used to be an IT Manager at a 5 star hotel here, I can attest that I had an electronic master key that opened every single door in the hotel.

Hotel staff don't go in the rooms without a purpose, as in cleaning or maintenance.

[Wxrxnhar]

I think the best way to overcome this is to not leave valuables in the room. Whatever you bring on holiday, keep on yourself. That's what I do anyway, and I've not had a problem with never needing to use the safes. Because whether it's in a safe or not, hotel staff might go riffling through. I suppose a safe is better than bedside table draw though obviously if you have to leave something because at least then maybe the housekeepers can't get their hands on stuff.

So what do you do with your passport when abroad? Take it with you everywhere? What happens if you get mugged or leave it in a taxi/pub/club/drop it down the toilet/mow over it? Whether or not you can 100% trust someone not to open the safe, it's far safer to leave anything you don't need in a safe.

[Sukadrukanga]

So what do you do with your passport when abroad? Take it with you everywhere? What happens if you get mugged or leave it in a taxi/pub/club/drop it down the toilet/mow over it? Whether or not you can 100% trust someone not to open the safe, it's far safer to leave anything you don't need in a safe.

Every hotel room I've ever been in came with a safe with an customer customizable 4 digit code.

You put your money and valuables in there.

[Âåðåùàãèí]

Every hotel room I've ever been in came with a safe with an customer customizable 4 digit code.

You put your money and valuables in there.

And probably a master unlock code that you didn't know about in case you forgot the code you set.

[mtautomoscow]

And probably a master unlock code that you didn't know about in case you forgot the code you set.

So what? Thieves might have a pop at it but are unlikely to have a master key, hotel staff won't bother as it's too easy to trace via CCTV and they generally need the jobs.

[orillaVar]

And probably a master unlock code that you didn't know about in case you forgot the code you set.

It's done with a key. The lock is underneath the nameplate which is held in place by screws. It wouldn't make sense for the failsafe to be a code on an electronic lock.

[nizcreare]

I would never leave something valuable or important to me in a safe I didn't hold ultimate control over.

[Quigoxito]

It's done with a key. The lock is underneath the nameplate which is held in place by screws. It wouldn't make sense for the failsafe to be a code on an electronic lock.

Especially as the safe works with batteries and if the batteries go flat the master unlock code would therefore be useless.

I've got a safe in the boot of my car which has both a code and a key over-ride, probably the same sort of safe that is in those hotel rooms.

If Bungle is paranoid about hotel staff breaking into the safe when he's out and about he can always ask the manager to put his stuff in the main hotel safe and not his room safe.

Besides if he uses a hotel room safe then surely the hotel would then have insurance to cover loss from those same safes ?

If he's that bothered he could hide his valuables somewhere else in the room, if its not bulky but flat like a wallet or passport, he could always sellotape it to the underside of the bed or some other place either staff or a thief isn't likely to look.

Most rooms have a bedside table, take out the bottom drawer and put stuff under there and replace the drawer, there are a ton of places where you can hide stuff from prying eyes.

[yurawerj]

Usually, this is the kind of safe I have in rooms:

[Zaebal]

Usually, this is the kind of safe I have in rooms:

Yup, stayed in 3 hotels in the last two weeks, they all had almost the exact same kind.

[TSVIDeo]

Besides if he uses a hotel room safe then surely the hotel would then have insurance to cover loss from those same safes ?

I'm pretty sure every hotel I've stayed at that had a safe says they're not responsible for the items in it.

[nasdfrdg]

Hotel safes are about as secure as a brown paper sack.

[TheReallyBest]

So what do you do with your passport when abroad? Take it with you everywhere? What happens if you get mugged or leave it in a taxi/pub/club/drop it down the toilet/mow over it? Whether or not you can 100% trust someone not to open the safe, it's far safer to leave anything you don't need in a safe.

Erm yeah, take it with me if I haven't traveled by car.

Stick things in a safe and it just points out where your valuables are. I'd rather take my chances getting mugged.

[space-on-s]

I never really see the purpose in them. We live in a world where you do not need to ever carry $10k in cash, and I am not a rapper, so I don't have $50k in jewelry I need to store. At most i'd put a video camera/camera/laptop in there. Wallet is in my back pocket, I have my passport on me if I am in another country. If you have Jewel's, etc., put them in the main safe that does have insurance, not the one that says they are not responsible.

--- Post Update ---

So what do you do with your passport when abroad? Take it with you everywhere? What happens if you get mugged or leave it in a taxi/pub/club/drop it down the toilet/mow over it? Whether or not you can 100% trust someone not to open the safe, it's far safer to leave anything you don't need in a safe.

you go to your consulate and have a new one within 2 hours for $90. Happened to me in spain. No biggie, though I did miss out on a $90 transvestite.