Do you use the Hotel Room Safe Overseas?

[audreyh1]

We’ve never used the hotel safe always wondering how secure it is. When in Europe, unless traveling between locations in which case credit cards/money/passports are under our clothes, we have locked our important stuff in our suitcases in the room, carrying minimal stuff while out for the day. We never leave stuff lying around. We’ve traveled a lot in Europe and stayed at many hotels. No one has ever messed with our luggage in the room. Or messed with stuff in the closet.

Minimal stuff out for the day is usually one credit card and a little local currency in a tethered wallet, maybe one debit card for ATM access under clothes plus phones with wrist straps. We also never take jewelry when traveling. So it’s passports, cash, debit cards, credit cards including backups.

I suppose that hotel security or managers have access to a safe in case you lock yourself out of it. But what about the people servicing your room? Seems like a few hotel safe easy access tricks are well broadcast.

The pickpocketing thread made me think of this.

 

[RetiredHappy]

I use hotel room safes extensive, here in the US as well as overseas. I just got back from Singapore and put my passport, global entry pass, a few pieces of costume jewelry AND my tablet in the safe - essentially things of value or in trouble if they are taken. I didn't bring my laptop on this trip but I would lock up my 13/14 inch laptop in the safe as well. I don't put cash and credit cards into the safe.

Hotel security has the master combination to the safe but not housekeeping staff.

 

[walkinwood]

I use them whenever available. I've never had a problem.
Like the previous poster, I don't see the need to put cash / credit cards in it, but place our computers/tablets, passports and camera equipment in it. I rarely carry much cash these days & only what I need for a few days. ATMs are aplenty.

If there is no safe, we place our valuable things in our suitcases and lock them. Haven't had an issue with that either.

 

[badatmath]

I don't guess this is helpful since I don't recall what the author said to do instead but I was half listening to one of those "survival" type books where the guy said he got robbed out of one of them. . . . I wasn't planning to travel so was pretty well spacing that part.

 

[Sunset]

I think the safes are good for keeping random folks out, but I do think many hotel staff learn how to open them as the manager is too busy to do it, or they watch the manager do it when a client forgets the combo.

I tend to keep some cash and cards in the safe, some in locked suitcase and one/two out for traveling around each day.
I do count the cash in the safe, so see if it shrinks when I return.

Same on a cruise ship, except there I don't carry anything around on the ship other than my ship card.

There are products a person can buy to lock the hotel safe, I got one and used for a couple of years, but then it broke. It also had the fault of being made of plastic wouldn't really stop a determined person, but they would leave a mess.

 

[Drake3287]

I use them but would never put anything overly valuable in them. Just search "breaking into hotel safes" on Youtube and you'll see for yourself. Not to mention how many employees have had access to these safes over time.

 

[Koolau]

Yeah, I just never leave much cash. CCs not a big problem as they are refundable if a hotel person is stupid enough to take them and actually use them. I do resent being charged for the use of the safe.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Yeah, I just never leave much cash. CCs not a big problem as they are refundable if a hotel person is stupid enough to take them and actually use them. I do resent being charged for the use of the safe.

I have never come across a charge for use of the safe in the room.

 

[Texas Proud]

Use them all the time...

 

[Koolau]

I have never come across a charge for use of the safe in the room.

Always a fee added when we used to be tourists in Hawaii. Glad yours are free - the way it should be.

 

[Closet_Gamer]

I almost always use them for passports and cash. If they’re big enough I will put my laptop in there.

In terms of hotel staff having the access code, at least it puts a barrier in their way. I suspect the safe also has a history on it that would show if it was opened using the hotel access code.

 

[Aerides]

I use them all the time. If I were worried about hotel staff going into my safe, I'd be worried about so many other things first. I'm not. I think they are good for keeping out anyone random, but sure, they aren't so complex that if someone wanted to rob me from the "inside" they couldn't.

But that's going to assume that someone wants to risk their job (and probably future employment) to get a few hundred bucks and do some credit card fraud, when, 99% of the staff that enter my room are just normal people working for a living so they can support their families and maybe get a better job.

 

[MichaelB]

I always use the in room safe to store my license, travel documents, electronics (tablet &kindle), extra cash and at least one credit card. The in room safe isn’t completely safe but it is IMO safer than my locked luggage.

 

[CO-guy]

I've heard that safes are easy to get into and a target for thieves.

We usually hide our passports and other important documents in our room. I always carry a large binder clip for this purpose.

 

[FIYes]

I use the hotel safes and have never had a problem. In areas where pickpocketing is rampant, I feel it is safer than carrying my passport, etc. around with me.

 

[tulak]

I usually use the hotel safe. I look at it as a deterrent, since it takes more work/risk to access a locked safe than luggage, etc. The theory is, don’t be an easy target.

I once had a few hundred dollars of French Francs stolen by the housekeeping staff. This wasn’t in France, but the night before we were to take the train to France. It was a long time ago and I’m pretty sure if I used the safe it would have been fine.

It happened when we went out for dinner. The hotel we stayed at had turnover service, which I didn’t expect, and I didn’t think there would be anyone coming into our room. We weren’t gone for long, but lesson learned. Since then, I always put the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the door, unless we want our room serviced.

 

[DEC-1982]

I don't use the in-room safe, neither in the US nor while we are abroad.
Same as OP, "No one has ever messed with our luggage in the room. Or messed with stuff in the closet."
I wouldn't go so far as to say it couldn't happen.
There are plenty of occasions when we put the "Do Not Disturb" sign when we go out of the room for the whole day.

DW told me she saw a man cut the handle of a purse and run away with it in Paris (in 2014). Our only personal knowledge of this kind of thing. "handle" is wrong, I mean strap.

 

[braumeister]

I don't use them because I'm naturally a very skeptical guy and I suspect most of them are vulnerable to some sort of hack. But I hardly ever carry anything valuable that I can't keep on my person.

 

[Koolau]

I don't use them because I'm naturally a very skeptical guy and I suspect most of them are vulnerable to some sort of hack. But I hardly ever carry anything valuable that I can't keep on my person.

SWAG is you're more vulnerable with valuables on your person than in the safe. I did catch a guy trying to pick pocket me but I thwarted him. He then "menaced" me but I menaced him back and he took off. Never had an issue in a hotel room and I've stayed in some pretty sleazy rooms as well as some 3 stars - with and without safes.

One hack I use if I go out is to leave the lights and TV on.

 

[frank05]

The biggest problem of hotel safes is forgetting to remove your stuff when checking out. Guides have recommended leaving a shoe or glasses in the safe to remind you.

 

[Aerides]

The biggest problem of hotel safes is forgetting to remove your stuff when checking out. Guides have recommended leaving a shoe or glasses in the safe to remind you.

The opposite for us, we put so much in there it's helpful! Jewelry, passports, wallets, no way we forget all that - and no chance of stuff in random drawers.

DH has a good "sweep" habit bordering on OCD whenever we leave a place, anyway.

 

[Bestwifeever]

We've used hotel safes forever and never ever had a problem with something being taken from them (and don't know anyone who has). Do what makes you comfortable. I personally wouldn't leave valuables in a locked suitcase because I think a suitcase is pretty easy to break into.

 

[HarveyS]

I very rarely use the hotel safe. I will add that I never had anything go missing from my hotel rooms. I keep my valuables out of sight, but not locked in a suitcase.
Once, 25 years ago, DW lost her wedding ring while on a trip. Long story shirt, it was found in the hotel laundry and turned in to the hotel lost and found. It was returned (I had to pay the international FedEx charges).

 

[flyingaway]

I always use the hotel safe if they have one.

 

[Montecfo]

We've used hotel safes forever and never ever had a problem with something being taken from them (and don't know anyone who has). Do what makes you comfortable. I personally wouldn't leave valuables in a locked suitcase because I think a suitcase is pretty easy to break into.

or walk off with.