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Your hotel room safe: not as safe as you think
Most travel safety tips suggest that you should always remember to leave your valuables in the hotel safe. But just how "safe" is it? A new video posted by consultant skyrangerpro suggests that your hotel safe may not be as secure as you think.
Posted while skyranger was on travel in Markham, Ontario (hotel name not specified), the electronic safety boxes that allow you to program your own four digit codes opened with the default code of all zeroes, usually 0000. This standard safe looks just like most of the ones we've found in our hotels across the country.
It's a valuable lesson for travelers who think they are being secure with their valuables - check to make sure this password isn't your default setting before storing goods in your safe. If it is, opt to check your goodies at the front desk (where another safety box is usually available).
Our intrepid gear reporter Scott Carmichael wrote about the hotel safe issue back in 2009, and suggested a worthwhile but expensive alternative - a personalized locking device. Sean McLachlan suggested ways to hide valuables around your hotel room.
Tell us, which tactic would you take?
Filed under: Hotels and Accommodations, Video, Travel Security
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
DeeDay Sep 6th 2011 11:34PM
Kind of a neat bit of info: Keeping your stuff in the hotel safe gives you an added level of insurance, even if it's stolen. Your stuff may be gone, but not all hope is lost. Most hotels must reimburse you for anything stolen from the safe, ruined in the safe, what have you.
Ivan Bial Sep 7th 2011 7:55AM
one would have to think every room-safe in a hotel or on a ship has a default password.
CSINDY Sep 7th 2011 10:05AM
Yea all may not be lost but what if you have to leave the country the next day. Your passport isn't that easy to replace nor is your grandmothers necklace, etc. Best bet would to be to carry your passport with you I guess & to leave grandma's necklace at home. Sad that we all can't feel as safe & secure as we use to.
jamie Sep 7th 2011 3:04PM
That is NOT true, the back of the door, the fine print you sign when you check in and even the safe itself claims that what you are saying is NOT TRUE
L.G.D. Sep 7th 2011 5:12PM
Traveling in Hungary I was a bit surprised by the note: Our Hotel takes no responsibility for the content of a Room-Safe, we kindly suggest the use our Safe at the Reception. (where an envelope was signed and left to taken care by the employee)
bangurculo Sep 7th 2011 7:13AM
Thank-u for that tip.
kittymack Sep 7th 2011 3:45PM
Especially true now that you've told the entire world how to get into these safes. How about those hotel guests who haven't watched this video?
NotMe Sep 7th 2011 10:34AM
@Kittymack: So you're saying it would be better if they DIDN'T post this information, so that the crooks who ALREADY know all about it can exploit it? How many crooks would prefer it if that they DIDN'T post this so they could continue to exploit it?
Anyway, your comment is also very illogical due to 1) Other sites, not just this blog will probably post this, or have in the past, 2) I suspect most thieves robbing from hotel room safes get their information from places other then some AOL blog.
Otherwise, this was probably already common knowledge to the very people we don't want to know about this. At least now people whom aren't in a hotel to loot room safes know to check them as well.
Kittymack Sep 7th 2011 3:50PM
No, whatever crooks didn't know about it, now know. It's that simple.
jesse Sep 7th 2011 8:01AM
I am so opening a safety deposit box next time I travel in any city.
numbnots Sep 7th 2011 10:01AM
Oh you are not
Jeffrey Sep 7th 2011 2:58PM
I learned a long time ago while traveling on cruises and in hotels for my job that I use a handgun case that looks like a metal briefcase with a combo lock and I have a pair of handcuffs that I secure it to something in the room that is to big or heavy to run off with. I bought all of this at a gun shop. :) It was less than $100 total. I sleep much better now while traveling.
Eric Oduro Sep 7th 2011 8:22AM
Most of these hotel safes have Electronic Computerised Unit - ECU, a small device used in seting up and securing safes. In the even that a safe is lock and password mistaken, this device is used in opening safes.
I do not understand why the secure setup was not made.
Well a word to the wise is ................ just check wherther your safe is secured by sample tests as above shown. thanks
Gary Sep 7th 2011 8:24AM
I know of a place that is in EVERY room that is better than the safe and that is where I put my stuff . . Of corurse I'm NOT telling where it's at but I do use this place fro my stuff ..
HyperHowie Sep 8th 2011 1:08AM
If it's the toilet tank, that's been thought of already
Jay Love Sep 7th 2011 10:38AM
Oh come on, thats an easy one, your using the air shaft vent, like in "No country for old men" where the good guy stashed the stolen money while the crazy guy ran around trying to shoot him?
Crystal Sep 7th 2011 2:01PM
How about in a ziplock bag in the toilet tank?
Pattie Sep 8th 2011 11:44AM
I know of that place too, because I also use it.
Marcus Z. Sep 7th 2011 8:33AM
I am the General Manager of a hotel that has in room safes and yes there is a passcode and no it is not four zeros. I am the only one who has knowledge of that code. That is not to say other hotels haven't changed the original default code. It's good to check. As for the why is there a default code, just imagine you forget your code and you need your passport to leave the city or country I bet you'd want someone to have a passcode then. That or drill it out. Costly to you and time consuming.
John Sep 7th 2011 8:49AM
Do you realize how many people reading this article don't have the finances to go on vacation, let alone have any valuables to put in one of those rinky-dink safes. It's like an article on gardening tips right after a Tsunami swept across America from Atlantic to Pacific.