Booking a Hotel? Remember These Safety Tips!

When you go on vacation, you’re focused on relaxing, spending time with friends and family, and having fun. Most likely, the last thing on your mind is worrying about whether you will be safe at your hotel. It is important, however to take precaution to protect yourself and your family from harm.  

While enjoying your vacation, there are simple steps you can take to prevent accidents and keep yourself and your loved ones safe. Read some of our helpful tips below!

Booking Your Hotel

• Make sure your hotel uses modern electronic door locks. These security systems make it more difficult for rooms to be broken into because the security code automatically changes for each new guest.
• Don’t book a room on the ground floor. Rooms on higher floors are less likely to be broken into from the outside.
• Choose a hotel that uses surveillance cameras in hallways and public areas and has security guards on the premises.
• Make sure your room has smoke alarms and a fire extinguisher.
• When you check in, ask for two hotel business cards. Keep one in the room by your phone and one on your person at all times. That way you will know the address and name of your location if you must call for help in an emergency.

Staying Safe in Your Room

• Take a few minutes to look over your hotel’s emergency evacuation routes as soon as you arrive.
• Whenever you are in the room, make sure that you use all the locks provided.
• Keep the door and any windows or sliding doors securely locked at night and when you leave.
• If you must leave your child alone in the room for any period of time or if your older children are staying in a room by themselves, instruct them to always keep the door locked and to only open it for you.
• If someone unexpectedly knocks on your door claiming to be a hotel employee or a repair man sent by the hotel, keep your door locked and call the front desk. The front desk can send a security guard up to check on you or verify that a repair man actually does need to access your room.

Other Precautions

• When leaving and entering the hotel after dark, be sure to use the main entrance.
• Avoid going to the parking lot or parking garage alone, especially at night.
• Women should avoid using the elevator alone, and should exit as soon as possible if another passenger seems suspicious or makes them feel uncomfortable.
• If the hotel has a pool, be careful when walking near entrances and exits used by swimmers. The staff should keep the floor dry at all times, but the ground may be slippery.
• Accompany your children to the pool and supervise them in the water, even if there is a hotel lifeguard. (Read our Swimming Safety Tips)
• Never tell strangers what floor you are staying on or your room number.

Although hotels have a duty to keep their patrons safe, sometimes the negligence of their staff or security guards can result in injury and harm to guests. If you were injured because of negligence at your hotel, talk to our attorneys at De Castroverde Law Group. Our Las Vegas law firm is dedicated to helping victims obtain the justice they deserve. Visit the personal injury section on our website for more information.