A good reason to always use a 'Do Not Disturb' sign in hotel rooms was revealed by security expert and former Director General of the UK Border Force Brian Moore, who shared his exclusive security tips with Express.
According to him, one should not choose a hotel not only for reasons of comfort, but also from a safety point of view. Here are expert recommendations on what steps each tourist should take when checking into a hotel.
So, while relaxing in the city or on the beach, tourists probably plan to spend most of their time outside the room. In this regard, leave a Do Not Disturb sign on your bedroom door when you leave for the day to give the illusion that you are inside.” Hotel staff will not enter a room with a Do Not Disturb sign, and this can also deter thieves,” the ex-military urged.
“Make sure room doors are equipped with automatic closing mechanisms and double locks. Upon arrival, check for faulty locks, make sure the door closes completely when you leave your room, and report any problems to the staff immediately,” he also urged.
While there is little risk of having a faulty door in a hotel, guests should make sure their door is fully closed when they leave the room. In some older hotels or rental properties, tourists may need to force themselves to close the door or even lock it behind them. In addition, Moore advised tourists to take a door stop with them on vacation or borrow one from hotel staff for added security. The emphasis should be used when tourists are inside the room.
Other useful tips, voiced by the expert, are to never say your room number out loud, this will prevent an intruder from going to the front desk and trying to get the key, pretending to be intimately familiar with the tourist, or even trying to impersonate a guest who has lost their entry card. It is best to keep the room number a secret. “Use your last name instead. Politely but firmly cut off staff who say your name and room number in front of other people outside your social circle,” he added.
When it comes to valuables, the expert recommended travelers keep all their most important items in a hotel safe. “You can also take a suitcase lock with you in case your room safe is broken into, or a secure bike lock to tie your bag to a bed or other heavy object… Avoid making transactions, entering passwords, or using secure information when connecting to hotel Wi-Fi. Make sure you connect to the hotel network and not to a network with the same name,” Moore said and explained that hotel networks can be easily hacked by hackers, so it’s best to avoid confidential interactions when using them. Fraudsters may also try to copy the name of a hotel's Wi-Fi to scam travelers, so they urged caution when shopping online from inside a hotel.
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