Page 3 | Hotel rooms should have internal lock?

TheNavygravy · 2025-06-16T15:12:17+00:00

My newly turned 18 year old has just went to Rome with her best friend for a holiday. When they arrived they were greeted by a male Asian receptionist who had very little English or Italian. They checked in and discovered their bathroom was dirty (used soap, towels etc). On highlighting this 5 male cleaners arrived to clean the room. Then they discovered the internal lock to the hotel door doesn’t work (just turns around without engaging the bolt). The receptionist/manager is insisting there is no problem as you can only enter with an electronic key. They don’t feel safe but finding somewhere else will be expensive. They are exhausted and planning to stay at least tonight but my spidey senses aren’t happy. They have seen no female staff and no other guests. Am I unreasonable for thinking all hotel rooms should have working internal locks/deadbolts/chain? Should I interfere in their first solo trip and bite the bullet with paying over the odds for new last minute accommodation?

Cherrington · 18/06/2025 04:47

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 22:36

There is usually a physical deadbolt or chain that you use on the inside that doesn’t open when the electronic lock opens. It’s a hazard in case of an emergency (like you become unconscious after a fall) but more secure for a female travelling alone.

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I’ve never stayed anywhere with a deadbolt or chain. It’s been just keycards mostly iirc. (Occasionally keys still, but mostly keycards.)

WaryHiker · 18/06/2025 03:22

I'm interested to know whether all of you who would wedge the door shut ever worry about having a heart attack or the fire services trying to rescue you in a fire after you have made it impossible for any emergency person to get in and help you?

Wouldn't it be better to have a very loud door alarm rather than a wedge?

SipChampagneWhenWeThirsty · 18/06/2025 03:04

MauriceTheMussel · 16/06/2025 16:36

Then just say that instead of superfluously including his ethnicity.

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I thought exactly the same, the ethnicity of the staff member adds nothing at all to this account.

The key concerns are centered around a staff members lack of fluency in English or Italian, and safety of the hotel room.

Appearing to be of Asian origin is not commonly accepted shorthand for lack of fluency in English or Italian.

The speculation around the continent that this staff member, or his ancestors might have originated from does not assist in telling this story. It's entirely superfluous, and distracting.

saltinesandcoffeecups · 18/06/2025 00:55

Realistically let’s say there were 5 cleaners that entered the room to clean the bathroom. There are also 5 young women staying in the room. Do you think this is going to be the room that 5 ne’er do wells target (I wouldn’t would you?)?

What most people would do if concerned is to pile up their bags by the door and think nothing else of it.

I’m going to go out on a limb and think the independent travel for these young women is a new experience. They are doing it right… safety in numbers… standing up for themselves (sometimes there is just no other room available)… and then just getting on with it.

@OP it’s scary for you, I get that but don’t project your fears on your daughter. Stop using booking.com honestly what you save is not worth the hassle. Realize that small things are not the end of the world and this is a huge growth experience for your daughter and her friends.

Boreded · 17/06/2025 23:32

TicklishMintDuck · 17/06/2025 19:11

I’m sure skin colour has any bearing on whether someone speaks English!

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She didn’t mention his skin colour

Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 22:36

BlueberryFlapjack · 17/06/2025 22:22

This is standard though. I stayed in a big chain hotel recently in a UK city, and a friend in another room helped me test the locking system (to prove a point when we were a bit merry and having a friendly disagreement about how the locks work). Even if you lock the door physically on the inside, your key card will still open the door from the outside, so any member of staff could potentially open the room. I'm guessing it's for safety, so staff/firefighters can check rooms in an emergency. It honestly didn't bother me, but if it had then I would've put a chair under the door handle. Those door stops sound like a good idea though.

There is usually a physical deadbolt or chain that you use on the inside that doesn’t open when the electronic lock opens. It’s a hazard in case of an emergency (like you become unconscious after a fall) but more secure for a female travelling alone.

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BlueberryFlapjack · 17/06/2025 22:22

This is standard though. I stayed in a big chain hotel recently in a UK city, and a friend in another room helped me test the locking system (to prove a point when we were a bit merry and having a friendly disagreement about how the locks work). Even if you lock the door physically on the inside, your key card will still open the door from the outside, so any member of staff could potentially open the room. I'm guessing it's for safety, so staff/firefighters can check rooms in an emergency. It honestly didn't bother me, but if it had then I would've put a chair under the door handle. Those door stops sound like a good idea though.

Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 22:19

feelingbleh · 17/06/2025 22:12

Have you read the reviews have others had any issues. If all the reviews are fine and their isn't a pattern about the staff and safety i wouldn't worry.

No there weren’t any reviews with concerns. I checked this when they first booked.

They took precautions last night with the suggestions from here and YouTube and they felt much better about things after a proper sleep. They’ll be prepared with a wedge next time though - as will I.

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UnNiddeRides · 17/06/2025 22:14

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 22:03

“Every bedroom door is fitted with a deadlock or chain for the most secure protection”

www.premierinn.com/gb/en/business-blog/your-safety-is-our-priority.html

That’s really interesting. My last Premier Inn stay was 30/5 and as a solo female I was at the end of a corridor (maybe they had no option with that) but I don’t remember seeing a deadbolt. Maybe because I didn’t look as I don’t like to be locked in if I’m alone & may need help. I’ll have a look in future.

feelingbleh · 17/06/2025 22:12

Have you read the reviews have others had any issues. If all the reviews are fine and their isn't a pattern about the staff and safety i wouldn't worry.

Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 22:03

“Every bedroom door is fitted with a deadlock or chain for the most secure protection”

www.premierinn.com/gb/en/business-blog/your-safety-is-our-priority.html

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Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 22:01

UnNiddeRides · 17/06/2025 21:59

My hotel stays are mostly Premier Inn, but I can’t recall any recent rooms that had the means for guests to barrricade themselves in. As a PP who worked in hotels said, it’s a safety risk. If there was a fire & the room occupants were unconscious from smoke inhalation then it’d be more difficult to get them out.

I have stayed in about 10 different Premier Inns in the last 6 months due to work travel and they all had the means to close the door from the inside so staff cannot just walk in.

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Poynsettia · 17/06/2025 21:59

You can use a folded newspaper to wedge a door - can’t imagine them finding g somewhere to buy a door wedge in a city centre.
so wedge door, put furniture and some crockery or something that rattles ,keep phone handy to call police if needed.
Bangladesh is largely Muslim so possibly women are at home and not working as cleaners -in a foreign country.

UnNiddeRides · 17/06/2025 21:59

My hotel stays are mostly Premier Inn, but I can’t recall any recent rooms that had the means for guests to barrricade themselves in. As a PP who worked in hotels said, it’s a safety risk. If there was a fire & the room occupants were unconscious from smoke inhalation then it’d be more difficult to get them out.

Mh67 · 17/06/2025 21:52

I know it's a fire risk but get them to put a piece of furniture at the door. That way they will know if someone tries to enter their room.

Katemax82 · 17/06/2025 21:48

MauriceTheMussel · 16/06/2025 16:36

Then just say that instead of superfluously including his ethnicity.

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That's not the issue ffs

Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 21:38

Terfarina · 17/06/2025 18:44

is there a chain or bolt as secondary security, ie card plus something physical?

If not, get them out of there. Unfortunately booking.com have the absolute worst customer service - impossible to contact anyone. don't get taken in by the scammers on their social media who offer whatsapp links that get you through to someone who pretends to be booking.com then empties your bank account - that was not a fun day...

No, that’s the issue. Nothing but the electric lock and what was probably the previous lock which has been disabled. I’ve always had some chain/bolt device in addition in hotels that I’ve stayed in.

Oh dear, sounds awful. I’ve come to the conclusion, after being misled by photos/reviews on my last 2 hotel bookings, that I will not be using booking.com for my next holiday!

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saltnvinegarhulahoops · 17/06/2025 21:25

There’s a metal thing you can buy to wedge hotel doors. Great when you have little ones that might try to get out or a situation like this. Can you get them one shipped for their next stop? It’s called a portable door lock. Very cheap.

Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 21:12

helpfulperson · 17/06/2025 21:03

It doesn't sound a great place but surely if the electronic lock works then no one with a key can get it. It sounds like the key lock is now redundant and has been disabled.

Anyone with a key (who works there and has access to keys) could enter the room during the night. I personally have never stayed in a hotel that I haven’t been able to secure from the inside. I was very glad of this one night many years ago in a motel on idrive in Orlando. 😬🫣

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Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 21:05

sarah419 · 17/06/2025 19:27

Dont know why his race has anything to do with it. He could have been English or Italian and your daughter would have had the same experience. These things are not exclusive to a race. Anyway, next time she travels alone there are certain locks you can send with her to place on hotel door, and extra safety stuff including like an alarm that goes off if door opened, that generally women who travel alone use. Google/GPT for more.

How would it have been the same experience? The problem was with lack of communication. They wanted to know why the lock which they thought was supposed to secure the door from the inside (like you’d find in every Premier Inn, Travelodge etc) appeared to be broken/disabled. He didn’t understand this, just kept opening and closing the door and saying “no problem.”

We now realise (because of a previous poster) that it was possibly an old lock disabled after the electronic locks were installed. The dirty bathroom could happen anywhere obviously. The lack of females however, together with what they took as an unsecured door (which it really is) put the wind up them. They’re literally on their own for the first time, turned 18 just weeks ago, and were overtired. Obviously they’ve had all the warnings about all the things that could go wrong/you need to be careful etc so they overreacted. We (and the media) constantly fill our own heads and our daughter’s heads with horror stories about what happens to unlucky women who meet dangerous men out there so their overreaction is understandable.

Definitely a learning experience to be more prepared next time they have a hotel door they can’t lock from the inside.

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helpfulperson · 17/06/2025 21:03

It doesn't sound a great place but surely if the electronic lock works then no one with a key can get it. It sounds like the key lock is now redundant and has been disabled.

Badbadbunny · 17/06/2025 20:51

sarah419 · 17/06/2025 19:27

Dont know why his race has anything to do with it. He could have been English or Italian and your daughter would have had the same experience. These things are not exclusive to a race. Anyway, next time she travels alone there are certain locks you can send with her to place on hotel door, and extra safety stuff including like an alarm that goes off if door opened, that generally women who travel alone use. Google/GPT for more.

Because it sounds like a language problem.

OnTheBoardwalk · 17/06/2025 20:50

Key card only is normal but get them to put suitcase or something behind the door. Not enough to jam it if there is an emergency, which always really worried me about doorstops, but enough to stop someone using the card without you knowing

Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 20:49

ohcmon · 17/06/2025 19:51

5 male cleaners? Is this real? Even at 5* hotels they send 2 at most. Anyway not to be dismissive but this is why as a single woman you always travel with a travel hotel door lock.

She said 5, possibly exaggerated slightly as she was a bit upset. Definitely all male though and from Bangladesh so maybe a family run business, apparently there’s a large Bangladeshi community in Rome. They’ve calmed down now anyway (lack of sleep added to upset) and they took precautions last night. They will undoubtedly be more prepared next time they travel, as will I.

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Original poster

TheNavygravy · 17/06/2025 20:42

ohcmon · 17/06/2025 20:01

Oh and realistically especially in cheapo hotels most cleaners are female. Especially if there are 5 of them. This is a kinda weird story

Exactly why I was so concerned. Well that and the fact she was crying on the phone to me.

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