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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 4 of 4)
Emil Valhuerdi Sep 7th 2011 1:14PM
I have actually stayed at a few hotels overseas where the room safes were not tied down or secured to the room in any way. All a thief would have to do is put the safe in a carry-all and walk out the front door. I asked the hotel manager how was this possible and he simply shrugged. AMAZING!
Johnmlpr Sep 7th 2011 1:50PM
I do not know what Hotel this guy was staying at, but at Top Name Hotels, this does not happen. I can assure you, me working at a prestige hotel in the Loss Prevention area, most safes are not like this, unless you stay at a cheap hotel
bobsducky Sep 7th 2011 1:47PM
Note to self:
Carry safe that can hold vintage guitars to hotel room.
Staber Sep 7th 2011 1:56PM
Checking for safe defaults of all zeros guarantees NOTHING! The default password could be one that some employee at the hotel has preprogrammed into the safe. You'd never know!
chupi Sep 7th 2011 2:05PM
When I was working in Mongolia last year, our team was staying in one of the best hotels in Ulaanbaatar. My colleague couldn't remember his passcode to the safety deposit box in his room and was trying different numbers. At that moment, the maid came in and saw that he was struggling to open it. She said "I can take care of that, sir!" and promptly keyed in a code that opened the safe.
Chupi Chupacabra Sep 7th 2011 2:11PM
When I was working in Mongolia last year, our team was staying in one of the best hotels in Ulaanbaatar. My colleague couldn't remember his passcode to the safety deposit box in his room and was trying different numbers. At that moment, the maid came in and saw that he was struggling to open it. She said "I can take care of that, sir!" and promptly keyed in a code that opened the safe.
notMe Sep 7th 2011 2:12PM
@1JayFresh: I'll post this one last time. 1) Your comment only makes sense if one assumes this is literally the only site on the Internet with any connection at all to hotel safes. I'm quite sure other travel blog sites have posted this, either now or in the past. This very article links to one dated 2009. I haven't read that article but obviously this isn't the first ever article about hotel safes on the Internet. 2) Most crooks whom are targeting hotel safes probably already know to try a set of factory default numbers like 0000 on a lark, on the off chance management is lazy or forgot a safe. 3) I'd think it better to inform everyone that although probably very uncommon, it is possible that a hotel safe might not be changed from the default password by management so that the crooks aren't the only ones who know this.
Otherwise, I think it's a lot better to POST the information, then keep everyone in the dark thinking that somehow people who DO want to steal via safecracking don't already know this.
Phil Stelk Sep 7th 2011 2:19PM
Best thing is to leave you 'valuables' HOME. Less things to worry about. Buy a inexpensive digital camera (not alot of memory, but you can buy 'sim' cards for more memory) thus your $1,500 will still be yours. Jewerly, leave it at home. If you need by some 'costume' jewerly that you won't miss if you lost it! Use credit cards (program the 'customer service' phone number in your cell incase the card is stolen) as you get more protection verus using a debit card. Leave your laptop computer at home, you are going on vactation. If you need to contact of the 'www', use a 'smart phone' that's insured. Remember, if you don't look like a tourist the robbers will look for a tourist and not you!
Crook Sep 7th 2011 3:25PM
Didn't know about this. Thanks for sharing!
moyra Sep 7th 2011 3:45PM
IF the crooks didn't know about that before....... they do now!
Susan Sep 7th 2011 3:49PM
All hotel safes have a default password for just that reason. It may not always be all 0's but it is something. How else would they open it if you checked out and left it locked (with or without stuff in it).
rini Sep 7th 2011 4:36PM
Yes this safe may have all zeros but other safes may have different numbers but how many people know that password?? that is the question. If the hotel staff and maids know it what is the point of putting it in the safe. I would think the chances of a random crook would break in you room and hope you put something in the safe. I could be wrong but someone will tell me I hope
Barbara Sep 7th 2011 5:32PM
The lesson is: don't bring valuables on trips with you. So keep that fancy jewelry at home. You won't need it. I never bring anything I need to keep in a hotel safe on a trip.
A couple other things I've done as a frequent traveler: don't use the dresser drawers at a hotel, just live out of your suitcase. Anything you leave in a dresser drawer will be something you might forget.
Just bring what you need, and if you forget something, buy it where you're traveling.
I've seen people bring all sorts of things they don't need. Who needs to bring their own sheets? It's crazy. Most reputable hotels are perfectly clean, cleaner than your own home. Except for a camera and a cellphone, you don't need to bring a lot of electronic gear for entertainment. A book or magazine serves just fine.
Trans-Amercias Journey Sep 7th 2011 7:09PM
Pac Safe instead.
These un-cuttable metal mesh receptacles encase your valuables then lock to an immoveable object in your room (or on a bus or on a train, etc). They come in a range of sizes. Easy to use. No slippery pass code...
devilsrain Sep 7th 2011 8:17PM
How about all 1s
Christina Sep 7th 2011 10:10PM
This is not always true with all hotel safes. Our hotel requires you to enter a 4 digit code and, if you forget it, we have an even longer code to open it for you. The default code is NOT 0000. However, if you come across a safe where 0000 or an easy code opens it, it's most likely because the person before you set the code for those numbers. I've had that happen at our hotel. I suggest not bringing too many valuables with you, have the hotel hold it for you their safe, or bring your own small safe if you're not 100% comfortable. Also keep in mind that, in most hotels, only maintenance, management, and/or front desk knows the default hotel code (which is longer than 4 digits). Housekeeping and other workers, for your safety, never have access to said codes.
Gary Sep 8th 2011 7:41AM
Sorry to say that none of you are not even in the ball park , , CLUE ,, think
outside the box ..
Nash Sep 10th 2011 4:12PM
Best solution is to buy a special safe lock from milockie.com, thats the only way
martin Sep 12th 2011 6:04AM
The company i work for manufactures and sells safes so i am not completeley unbiased but.... It's worth noting that almost all safes come with a cash and fire rating. Supposing the worst happened and someone were able to break into a hotel safe then assuming that the hotel has insurance you should be covered anyway. Lets face it saying to your insurance company "i dident bother to lock up my valuables as i didnt trust the safe" - will probably not wash! We have a range of safes http://www.thesafesupermarket.com/ that are all insurance rated on out website - there are also some videos of a gadget show tv special where they tried to break into the safes with angle grinders - lock picking and dropping them from a JCB. If this dosent sort out any safety concerns you may have... then i dont know what will!
David Sep 17th 2011 10:57AM
Just to let you know - There is a product that can prevent unauthorized entry into your hotel safe - it is called a Milockie Hotel Safe Lock and lets you put your own lock on your hotel safe.
Here is a link to the product and includes a YouTube video showing how it works.
http://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/milockie-hotel-safe-lock-p-940.html