Do you take a wedge or something to a hotel for extra security?

[Thingsthatgo]

we are going to spend a week in different hotels on our holiday, and I don’t know if I am being over anxious. Does anyone take any extra security measures to prevent people accessing their room overnight?

Yes. Have done so ever since I travelled a lot for work in the nineties. Wouldn’t sleep otherwise.

I've considered it but worried it would stop someone opening the door in an emergency.

I sometimes put a hand towel on the floor behind the door. Makes it hard to open but not impossible.

Could buy contact alarms and stick them on the door.

Yes

I put something against the door that would make a big sound if knocked over when the door opens. I too worry about a wedge or similar and then the door not opening in an emergency

Yes, always.

No. I work away a huge amount and just use the extra chain or that bolt thing that goes across a bar to stop the door from opening. I generally stay in Hilton hotels though so perhaps they're more secure than some others.

Yes I only use the wedge if there’s no chain on the door

if you don't have one to hand you could just roll up a newspaper/magazine and wedge that under the door. pretty scary hearing your hotel room door handle rattle in the middle of the night.

I have only stayed at one smallish hotel, I visit dd at uni and stay in the same hotel each time. I feel safe there so don’t take a door jammer but I have bought them for my dds (19 and 21) for trips abroad and they always use them .
I definitely would use a jammer in a larger hotel or abroad. Db has to travel a lot with work and he uses one.

Literally never. It’s only on Mumsnet where I’ve ever seen anyone claiming that they do. I’ve never met anyone in real life who does this.

Do you ask everyone you know? Seems an odd thing to talk about

I've been doing it for years when travelling alone and my sil bought a special one when she went travelling around Australia over 20 years ago

Those chains never look that strong in the films. The assailant seems to be through the door in one push. Mr Brooks (film) can leave the room and it's fastened!! A rubber wedge is a couple of pounds? For peace of mind it's cheap and easy to carry

Yes. I take two, incase I’m allocated a room with an adjoining door. I have done since a random man walked into my hotel room, complete with key card, when I was getting changed.

No, never. It is far more dangerous than it is effective.

No. Of course not.

I assume you are referring to the fire risk?
Around 400 fires in UK hotels reported annually. Compare that to 4000 sexual offences in UK hotels reported annually. I wouldn’t say it’s “far more dangerous” at all.

I’ve never done this. It just has never occurred to me. Next week I am off to South Africa and I confess I’m worried about safety there, so I might think about it.

I do now. I got a door jammer.

Yes, we have the door stops that have an alarm, that way someone can still get into our room easily in an emergency.

Of course not. Incredibly dangerous.

4000 in 3 years actually but don't let that get in the way of a good exaggeration. And many of those will have had nothing to do with someone getting into someone's room when they shouldn't have.

I've stayed in hundreds of hotels in the UK and around the world solo for decades and have never once felt unsafe in a hotel.

No, I've never done that. And pre-covid I traveled a fair amount in the UK.

No. I'm ex cabin crew and have travelled all over the world and stayed in 100's of hotels for work and also as an avid traveller. Most have a chain or turn-lock which stops accidental / foul play entry. Yes, there are occasions where someone can access a wrong room, but that is rare, and even rarer that that person is a threat.

@Mrspatmoresapprentice
Around 400 fires in UK hotels reported annually. Compare that to 4000 sexual offences in UK hotels reported annually. I wouldn’t say it’s “far more dangerous” at all.

When you talk about the sexual offences, is that people who have broken into a LOCKED room where a female was sleeping or...? Please could you give a link to that please?

As have I. You are not the only well travelled poster on MN. It was however, fairly disconcerting for an unsuspecting man to walk into my hotel room when I was undressed and getting changed. He was harmless fortunately, but I became acutely aware that getting into my room or not, depended on the key card entry system. Mistakes happen and people with less than positive intentions exist. I prefer caution.
As it happens, this has also recently happened to me at a very well known five star hotel, except, in this case, I was the one walking in. I checked in, walked into my room and was greeted by a chap sat on the edge of his bed. They were very apologetic, compensation offered, blah blah, but, it’s quite obvious to me, as someone who has also traveled solo for decades, that this happens.

No. But then, with a dog, there's no need as they'll protect you, so I would try to avoid travelling alone without a dog, and would totally think about it if you're on your own.