One traveller is urging others to complete a quick safety check before falling asleep in their accommodation after a horrifying experience.
Travel guide asks tourists to do a 10-second task before falling asleep in a hotel(Image: Getty)
If you’re someone who enjoys exploring foreign destinations, you’ll understand how draining travel can sometimes be, and after an action-packed day all you crave is climbing into a comfortable bed. Nevertheless, it’s absolutely vital as a tourist to inspect your hotel room before settling down for the night, as even a brief moment of precaution can help prevent potential issues.
Sue Ross, a travel expert and founder of Sue Where Why What, has revealed she was recently burgled whilst on holiday. She explained: “On my recent trip to St Lucia, I was robbed. I was staying alone in an apartment, and an intruder broke in while I was sleeping and stole from me. It was a sickening experience, but I was also very lucky. “
Sue is now determined to help fellow travellers remain safe and has disclosed that the single hotel safety measure she wishes she’d adhered to was ensuring the windows were shut.
As reported by the Express, she continued: “If there is one big thing I have changed it’s appreciating air conditioning, or using fans to get the air circulating. I will never open the windows at night again.
“Or, only if I’m sure that there is no way of this incident being repeated. If there isn’t any air conditioning or a fan, then again, the higher your room, the better for both safety reasons and access to a cooling breeze.”
Whilst it may appear straightforward, leaving windows open makes it easy for intruders to gain entry, and even occupying a higher floor isn’t without risk if there’s a balcony or fire escape close by.
Simply take a moment to ensure the windows and curtains are fully drawn as this helps keep you as protected whilst you’re sleeping.
You should also think about securing the door before retiring for the night with a rubber doorstop, a more sophisticated alarmed version or even positioning a chair against the door can be sufficient to frighten off intruders.
Burglars typically look for easy opportunities, and any obstruction can make them think the person they are robbing is on high alert so it is not worth the effort.
Taking the time to lock up is usually enough to get robbers to turn away from your room, and thereby keeping you safe while on holiday.
Most guests also avoid using the hotel safe in case they forget their valuables, but it’s a useful place to store your items so that they don’t get stolen.
If you’re worried you might leave behind valuables in the safe box when it’s time to check out, then there’s actually a straightforward method to prevent this.
Simply place your shoes on top of the safe box, as a reminder to check the safe before leaving your hotel room for the airport.