Whether people take an air flight or drive when they travel on their vacations and holidays, they usually stay at a hotel or a resort. What they may not be aware of is that their vacation could be ruined by a professional thief that makes his or her living by targeting an unsuspecting tourist. These thieves tend to hang around hotels and resorts, usually in the lobbies, looking for tourists on vacation or holiday who appear to be easy pickings.

So here are some helpful travel tips that may help you feel and be more secure in your hotel room when you travel on a holiday or a business trip.

First of all, the lobbies of hotels and resorts should never be considered secure, even in the upscale ones. Travelers on holiday can be easy pickings for opportunistic thieves, especially at the peak times when the hotel reception staff is extremely busy with new guests arriving and others trying to check out. Never walk away and leave your travel luggage unguarded unless you know for sure that it is being looked after by a bellman.

If you are having a bit to eat in a hotel restaurant when on holiday, particularly a buffet, never leave your briefcase, laptop, or handbag unguarded to get a drink or something more to eat. It takes thieves only a second to make off with them. It would be impossible for the hotel staff to be constantly on the lookout for these criminals.

When you are booking your hotel room, try to book one that is on the second, third, fourth, or fifth floor, as the ground floor rooms are more susceptible to break ins. Keep in mind that hotel rooms above the fifth floor may not be easily accessible by many fire engine ladders if a fire breaks out in your hotel.

Always check to make sure that the door to your room locks properly, and that the windows and sliding doors open, but also lock securely. Most hotels and resorts use electronic card keys for their hotel room doors as they offer stronger security than the standard metal keys. Don’t carry your key card in its folder if the folder has the room number on it. Write down your room number on a piece of paper and keep it on your person when you go out. Leave the folder in your room.

Always identify unfamiliar hotel staff or visitors to your room before you open your door. Call down to the front desk if in doubt as to the authenticity of that person. It is advisable not to give your room number to anyone that you don’t know and trust.

It may not be a good idea to hang a “please clean the room” sign on the door knob when you go out, as it let’s a would be thief know that there is probably no one in the room.

Don’t take for granted that your hotel room door is locked just because it closes automatically when you go out. Check to make sure that it has really locked. If your room has a balcony, make sure that the sliding glass door is also locked as it may be possible for a thief to climb on to your balcony from a balcony beside, above or below yours.

Do not leave any valuables lying around in plain view in your room. They may be too hard to resist for some cleaning staff. Place any small valuables in your room safe if there is one. Keep in mind that safes that use metal keys aren’t as secure as the ones use electronic key cards.

The next best bet if there’s no safe in your room is to lock your small valuables in your largest suitcase when you go out. Hard sided, locked travel luggage offers the best security. Some travelers even use duct tape to secure small valuables to the underside of hotel room furniture.

Always use your door’s deadbolt and chain lock at night before you go to sleep, or if you feel like taking a nap.

There is a very small, inexpensive, battery-operated, motion-sensitive, burglar alarm that can be hung on the inside hotel door knob, or there is a wedge-shaped alarm that you can shove under the door that accomplishes the same thing. If someone tries to open your door, the alarm will ring.

There are two less sophisticated methods you can use. You could move a chair in front of the hotel door and place the back rest under the knob, or wedge a standard rubber door stopper under the door. Both of these two methods are also effective.

When you are packing and getting ready to check out of your hotel or resort, don’t forget to empty your room safe. And last but not least, count the number of pieces of luggage you brought and make sure that everything has been put in your taxi.

The most important point to remember is to always be aware and vigilant of your surroundings at all times when you travel on vacation.

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