Are Hotel Safes Safe?

[930addict]

Will be vacationing over the next few weeks with my family. I'll be traveling with my Glock and was wondering how safe hotel safes are. Or perhaps leaving it locked out of view in the van would be a better option?

[Hugh R]

My wife lost a set of diamond earrings in a hotel room safe in the Bahamas, the hotel said they knew nothing about it and weren't liable. I'm sure it was the housekeeping staff. Think about it, if its locked when you check out, they need to be able to open it.

[URY914]

Google it. I heard that all the combos are the same.

[Nostril Cheese]

This thread is hilarious.

[930addict]

Originally Posted by Nostril Cheese

This thread is hilarious.

Which part - me traveling in a mini van with a glock or my lack of knowledge of hotel security protocols?

It's the Disneyland Hotel, btw, if that makes a difference. Did some googling and it appears that the default passcode is 0000000 for many hotel safes which the hotels never change. Wouldn't it be better and less expensive for the hotels to allow you to bring your own lock like the storage facilities do? Anyhow, I'll take my chances leaving it locked up in the car.

[chocolatelab]

Most of the hotel safes have an audit trail feature.

If the safe was opened by the staff it would log as a staff opening of the safe.

Generally safe rights/access are restricted to senior property management.

[campbellcj]

We do use the hotel safes in some situations but in your scenario, I agree that inside the locked car (obviously out of sight) sounds like a better plan. Plus then I bet your insurance would cover any loss whereas inside the hotel it would not.

[porsche4life]

If you have to ask...

[Craig T]

My wife and I both travel extensively on business and for pleasure. We have used the hotel safes hundreds of times with zero issue. I'm sure there are stories of diamond earings being taken, but my bet is the Glock is far less likely to be stolen from room safe. Cars are easy targets.

[Bill Douglas]

You could leave it at home...

[Rick Lee]

I've always been able to set my own combo on those safes with digital keypads.

[wildthing]

I've left my spoon in a hotel safe several times over the past few years. No issues so far.

Yes, I'm sure they have an override system in case you forget to unlock after checkout.

It is a risk I am willing to accept. I've left MacBooks, iPads, spoons, passports, etc. no issues.

[pcardude]

The safes are safe.

The comforter, remote control, coffee maker are entirely different though.

[Holger]

Originally Posted by Bill Douglas

You could leave it at home...

^this

[JJ 911SC]

Originally Posted by pcardude

... The comforter, remote control, coffee maker are entirely different though.

+1

Once while in L.V. I found a camera card in the safe. Unfortunatly there was noting on it...

[osidak]

All the digital safes have a way to plug a device in and unlock them. Ideally access to this device is limited to few people and they are not using generic ID's. I doubt the ideals are always met

[afterburn 549]

Always fix the door so if it opens you HEAR it !
A weapon is no good unless you are alert enough to use it.
'The best weapon is the brain.
Be Proactive.
The fold-able suitcase thing leaned against the door should be enough to wake most people if the door is opened .
(and it just might scare perpetrator when it falls over and hits the floor)

[Chocaholic]

How's he going to hear it if he's 10 miles away having dinner?

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I've always been able to set my own combo on those safes with digital keypads.

This. Every hotel safe I have seen allows us to set a 4 digit code as the combination. A 4 digit code is not exactly a hack proof combination. It is only to stop the thief of opportunity. Certainly the hotel has a way to get in the safe. I would guess that once per day some idiot hotel guest forgets the combination they used and one a week someone forgets whatever they put in the safe.

Originally Posted by pcardude

The safes are safe.

The comforter, remote control, coffee maker are entirely different though.

Totally true but a different subject.

[recycled sixtie]

Several years ago I put my valuables in a hotel safe in my room in London, UK. When I came to take out my valuables it would not accept my code due to a flat battery in the safe. I phoned up for the service man in the hotel. It took a good 20 minutes for him to access my contents. Way safer than leaving something valuable in a car.