An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

When you have to check into a hotel in an area where you don’t know the threats, do not simply accept the room that you are given. Check its location and the access points (doors/windows) from a security point of view. Below are items that will decrease your vulnerability to burglary, robbery or sexual assault:

• Room should not be at ground floor level, especially with a covered approach (eg, from vegetation)
• Room should not be at upper floor level close to a fire escape or service stairs that are accessible to an intruder

Note: as the floor numbers rise so does the difficulty to escape the building or be rescued

Avoid the following:

• Rooms at the end of a long corridor away from the main movements of hotel personnel and guests, suspicious noises from inside are less likely to attract attention
• Rooms with windows/doors that can easily be forced or have no security locks, chains or bars, especially when at ground floor level or with connecting balconies
• Rooms with inadequate curtains (making it easy to reconnoiter what is inside)
• Rooms without a functioning telephone to hotel security
• Hotels without guards or poor security.
• Hotels without night-service at the reception desk to respond to an emergency call

• Do not admit into your room someone you don’t know well, for example, somebody you met during the day or who drove you to the hotel, the taxi driver bringing up your luggage, or someone whom you haven’t called for. (Example: a ‘service staff’ member bringing food or drinks that you did not order, etc.)

• Single occupancy: balance your need for privacy with the need for security, share a room with a colleague or at least get adjacent rooms
• If something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t
• BE ALERT – BE AWARE – HAVE A PLAN… You and those you travel with must remain security conscious
• If you are unhappy with the room that has been booked for you, ask for another one. If you can’t get another one, consider changing hotels.

Angel Alert Network provides Security Assessments for countries and large cities around the world. Traveling only after acquiring an understanding of your destination and its unique security issues is highly recommended.