Most hotels feature safes for their guests that are supposed to protect the contents from theft or fire. These safe boxes are usually small and placed inside the cabinets and the guests can create four digits and use them to store valuable items.
Are hotel safes safe? Actually, they are not safe and you should consider them as such when placing important items inside. The safes can be hacked, or physically broken by almost anyone.
Hotel safes are generally unsafe because of the following factors:
- The hotel’s management staff have access to the safe and have the means to reset the password through the panel (by using a master password). While most hotels have a professional staff, in some countries the staff is not so reliable.
- If the safe is not bolted to the floor or wall, it can be relocated easily and transported to another location without even being hacked.
- Low-grade safes are easy to pry open, easily drilled, or can even accept a general random master key.
Reasons why the hotel safes are not safe and why you should be careful
Employee Theft
Based on various statistics, most theft in hotels is conducted by the hotel’s employers such as housekeeping, cleaners, maintenance, managers, etc, and the theft rates are increasing at an alarming rate.
The most common method for employees to go into hotel safes is by using the master password, or by using common passcodes that most people generally use.
- Many guests are lazy and simply use generic passwords that can easily be guessed. We’re talking about passwords such as 1234, 1111, 0000, etc. These are the first passwords that anyone tries and the attempt is successful quite often.
- On the other hand, master codes are applicable to older versions of safes. You can simply google the model number of the safe, and most likely the master password is online. And let’s be honest, most low-tier hotels use generic safes that are sold on Chinese websites.
- To prevent employee thefts, you may try to:
- Use a strong password and avoid generic ones. Additionally, avoid pattern passwords such as L-shaped passwords, etc.
- Take a photo of the valuables on the safe before closing it. Place an item in a specific position so you know if someone moved it.
- Use a cheap hidden camera in the room to have some quick footage if something is missing.
Break-ins
Another method that hotel rooms and valuables are stolen is through break-ins. In this case, the perpetrators are not employees, but people from outside who may take advantage of the hotel’s poor security. Moreover, in some third countries, employees may work with thieves and share the goods together.
The thieves can enter through unlocked windows, or even through doors by using compromised master key cards. These cards are very common nowadays and give guests access to their rooms without the need for a physical key.
Sometimes these cards are hacked and can be used to access any type of lock. As we mentioned earlier, you won’t have any problems with reputable hotel names, but it’s a different story for regional generic hotels in shady areas or countries.
Once a thief goes into the room, he doesn’t need to unlock the safe, he simply can remove it and take it with him.
While the safes are generally heavy, the hotel safes are small in size and can be carried using a simply wheeled suitcase. Moreover, most of the safes are not bolted down and the cheap ones can even be easily drilled or cut open.
Why Hotel room safes are still safe for not-so-valuable items
While the hotel safes are actually not that safe, it’s still recommended to use them to store valuable items.
Think about it, it’s better to place items inside the safe and have a security layer than hide them in weird places inside the room.
Not all hotels and their staff members are shady. Most hotels, especially reputable names, aim to provide a safe and enjoyable stay for their guests. The safes are easy to crack if the means and time are there, but it’s not a walk into the park.
There are a few things that need to happen before someone can break into a hotel room safe:
- They need to have physical access to the room and safe
- They need to know the master code or have the tools (and time) to pry it open.
Moreover, most hotels have security cameras in hallways, entrances, and lobbies, if something is amiss the cameras will catch the perpetrator.
Generally speaking, you’re better off placing valuable items inside the safe, using a good password, and hoping for the best.
However, when traveling it’s better not to take a lot of expensive items with you such as jewelry, watches, etc. Keep it simple and travel with necessary possessions only.
How to stop theft from your hotel safe
When you check in to your room, try the suggestions listed below to increase the safety of your hotel safe. Take these precautions to improve your chances:
Use a random password and avoid the common ones such as 1234, 1111, 0000, 4321, 9876, 9999, etc.
Avoid using pattern passwords such as L-shaped, U-shaped, middle line, etc. Some old safes use an override password to open up the safe. Usually, this code is either 0000 or 9999, try to see if it opens your safe.
Check to see if the safe is bolted to the floor or wall. If so, the safe can’t be moved to another location without being opened.
Make sure the room’s door is closed with a deadbolt or chain. Also, ensure the windows are locked and change the room if they gave a first-floor room.
Take a picture of the contents (items) inside the safe while placing one item in a specific position. If the item slightly moves, you’ll know someone messed with the safe.
If the hotel looks shady, keep the important stuff such as passports, IDs, extra money, or wallet with you all the time.
Additional steps to secure your hotel safe and belongings
If you have higher-value items that you need to protect, you can take some additional precautions to improve the security of your room.
Use padlocking deterrent
You bring a padlock and use it in the safe for an extra layer of security. A second lock will make it more difficult for thieves to break into the safe, or let’s say, serve as a deterrent to discourage them. If they
know the master password, they’ll still need to go through the padlock.
Anti-theft ratchet bracket for safes
This is an amazing device that looks like a belt that goes around the safe and then you lock it tight. It works better if the safe is bolted down on the floor.
But even if it’s not bolted, the bracket adds another security layer and serves as a deterrent.
Use a hidden camera
Another suggestion is to use cheap hidden security cameras to monitor the room. These cameras look like everyday objects and, depending on the SD size, can record for a few days on motion detection.
For example, you can use a USB-style hidden camera, plug it into the outlet and let it record. If someone goes to the safe while you’re away, you can check the footage and take the necessary actions.
This works great if the thieves are from the hotel’s staff. Some hidden camera ideas are shown here.
Conclusion
While the hotel safes are inherently not that safe since can’t be easily unlocked via hacks or master password, it’s always recommended to better use them than not.
You can add additional layers of security by using padlocks, belt locks, hidden cameras, or contacting the management and asking for an external safety.
Lastly, if not necessary, don’t travel with expensive items that are difficult to protect, keep it simple and bring only the most necessary items.