Use your deadbolt and security latch, door chain, or those little L-shaped mechanisms that are stupid easy to defeat. In some rooms, it may look like a deadbolt doesn't exist, there can be a small lever or even the door handle will turn up to actuate the deadbolt (this is old school).

I spend a lot of time in hotels for work and travel. Occasionally, I need to perform a task inside an occupied room, which always comes with a "key assist" which is just someone from engineering or the front desk. In very specific circumstances, even if the customer has the do not disturb up, operations will still break the do not disturb.

You'd be surprised how many people do not use any of the door security measures, they also don't answer the door when OPS knocks, don't answer the phone when OPS calls and we'll make entry in to the room and it surprises the shit out of them. I've walked in on people getting after it in bed, getting in-or just recently out of the shower, sleeping, and even firearms in the room.

When I'm a guest in a room, I throw the deadbolt immediately upon entry as well as any such security latch.

Tell your friends, tell your kids, tell whoever, use the deadbolts and security latches.

Some years ago I was reading one of the ‘super-spy’ type books. Reacher, Rapp, etc. In it, he always traveled with a rubber triangle door stop. He’d pop that under the hotel/motel door before attempting to get any type of sleep or shower time. I thought that was such a good idea that I do the same...even when I am not trying to save the world!

I use that door stop idea also, and use the ironing board as a cheap burglar alarm, just lean it against the door it better wake you up when it falls.

I gave rubber door stops to all my kids teachers....

When I was a cop I trained new cops, part of that teaching was taking new rookies to an abandoned house and having them learn how to kick a door for an emergency entrance if needed. BTW a “mule kick” (turning around facing away from the door and rear kicking the door) was the most effective method.

if a simple rubber door stop was placed under the door, it can’t be forced. You would be better off going through a window. I showed this to the SWAT guys who started training their guys(or offering refresher training) and they came to the same conclusions....the rubber door stop work. Even when using the door knocker they carried.

Search on YouTube for under door attack. Stuff a hand towel in the door handle. If you really want to go down a rabbit hole watch Deviant Ollam’s videos. Much of his Pen testing is done without specialized tools. Heck if you have an RV with “locking” storage most likely you have the most common standard key CH751. Much of what we consider secure is not.

I always use the deadbolt and whatever other security measures there are, plus I never ignore a knock on the door but I do use the peephole before I open up....after passing my hand in front of it.

quote:

Originally posted by MikeinNC:
I gave rubber door stops to all my kids teachers....

When I was a cop I trained new cops, part of that teaching was taking new rookies to an abandoned house and having them learn how to kick a door for an emergency entrance if needed. BTW a “mule kick” (turning around facing away from the door and rear kicking the door) was the most effective method.

if a simple rubber door stop was placed under the door, it can’t be forced. You would be better off going through a window. I showed this to the SWAT guys who started training their guys(or offering refresher training) and they came to the same conclusions....the rubber door stop work. Even when using the door knocker they carried.

That makes sense. It probably dampens the initial hit enough to where there isn't enough force to break the door frame, lock or hinges.

On a number of occasions, the hotel has rented the room I'm in to someone else. Sometimes they've attempted entry while I'm there, and in a few cases, I returned to my room to find someone else occupying it. In one case, a man with a handgun who began screaming and yelling when I entered the room I'd rented a full week ahead. He drew down on me. The front desk simply made a mistake.

A rubber door stop, if protruding past the door, is easily defeated. If it's visible, all someone needs to do is use a ruler or pencil to push it back. All it takes is knowing it's there.

In many hotels, the deadbolts don't work, either due to door misalignment or just junk equipment, and I've lost track of the number of times hotel staff has made entry without consent...sometimes several times each day. Not just domestic places, but abroad.

Most door latches can be defeated with a pen or a credit card, as can most doors if not deadbolted; many hotels use a lever that doesn't deadbolt, but is supposed to prevent the outside handle from turning, or the electronic key card from opening. Electronic keys are easily duplicated or even bypassed.

At one hotel, I received a call not long after arriving in my room. The caller referred to me as Mr. XXX, using my first name, instead of my last. It was clear this person had viewed my sign-in paperwork, as I signed last name, first. With a thick middle eastern accent, he demanded to know what my cargo had been (it was a military flight) and kept pressing for details of the flight and the cargo. It was about the time of the Mumbai attacks, and I told him I thought he was a terrorist from Mumbai. I notified our security personnel, but it was clear that the party surveilling us had much more information about us, than we had about them.

Hotels aren't secure, and there's more than just barring the door. Electronic security at hotels is a big, big issue, from visual and audio surveillance in the room to electronic surveillance of computers and devices using hotel internet.

There are hotels in some locations where we go that purposely mix the room numbers and floors. One might be in room 411, but it's not on the fourth floor, it's on the sixth. One might be in 102, but it's on the eighth floor, while 809 is on the first floor...the point is to delay terrorists from finding a guest by confusing the locations. This is the case in several places where I stay, and for good reason. In such cases, someone who wants in will get in; it's just a matter of time.

Some of the best secured rooms I've seen have been at military facilities, with features such as heavy metal frames, overlapping flanges that prevent access to hinges or door mechanisms, multiple doors, etc.

I'd also add, don't leave anything in the room that you don't want taken. If you go out to dinner, take valuables with you. Don't count on room safes, and don't leave objects like passsports, or money, or computers with any useful intel on them.

At one hotel, I noticed the door open and an arm enter, fishing around for an object near the door. I slammed the door on the arm.

Don't leave doors open to balconies, either; they're easy entry points, with latches that are seldom very good. One can carry small mechanic latches that will block those doors; the latches can also be defeated, but do present an extra obstacle.

I have often thought about the Israeli assination of Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh, in Dubai. He went into his hotel hoom, and the Israeli's broke though his door within seconds.

He deserved what he got, but he did nothing beyond shutting the door when he entered. If I was a wanted terrorist, I would have bolted the deadbolt the instant I closed the door, and more as mentioned above.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...f_Mahmoud_Al-Mabhouh

Wow!! Very interesting! Thanks
.

I've started to bring a $25 Wyze camera with an SD card for storage and I put it hidden in a corner.

This way I see who entered while I'm gone.

note: your legal right to record without consent may vary, but in most cases you are good to go since you legally rented the room.

Being that we will be staying in a motel all week next week, this was a good time for these reminders.

Thank you all!

I'd add that if staying in various hotels, it's easy to forget where you are, or the room layout, especially with lights out. Keep a flashlight nearby. Dont' block the door with anything you can't locate and defeat in the dark in an emergency. In the last few days, I've been awakened by a hotel swaying in an earthquake, and two different fire alarms. I've run into walls in the dark before, because I mistook the room for a different one. Once got stitches that way.

Lest that sound ridiculous, it's really easy to lose track of location, room layout, etc. I can't count the number of times I woke up and thought it was noon, but it was midnight, or visa versa...and looked out the window thinking I was somewhere, only to remember I was half a world away. Especially with travel, jet lag, grogginess from sleep, an unfamiliar room.

Know where the fire exits and escapes are. Keep shoes handy in case you need to leave, and your clothes together with the shoes. The shoes will be needed if you have to go quickly or there's burning material or broken glass. You don't want to ahve to look for that, especially. half awake, in the dark.

Don't use ice buckets or glasses that aren't disposable and that come encased in a plastic wrap. Ice buckets in hotels get used for things you don't want to know about.

Great advise. I'm always amazed at what occurs at hotels.

I was on a long term project in Boca Raton. One night the couple next door were in a heated argument - something about her refusing to do a certain sex act...there was alcohol involved...they were both slurring their words.

The guy locked her out of the room. She got confused and started pounding on my door...calling me all sorts of names thinking I was her boyfriend. I look through the peep hole (aptly named in this case) and she is totally naked.

No I did not open the door - I just told her she had the wrong door - try the next one.

I've done the rubber stop for many years and given them out to women I know who travel.
Chairs under the door knobs are always good as well.
I really agree on the flashlight- do that also.

People who travel alone should watch when drinking in hotel bars. One routine done in some countries (Mexico, islands) was to roofie a single woman and then the staff would "help" the lady who had too much to drink to a room.
After that-

quote:

Originally posted by sns3guppy:
I'd add that if staying in various hotels, it's easy to forget where you are, or the room layout, especially with lights out. Keep a flashlight nearby. Dont' block the door with anything you can't locate and defeat in the dark in an emergency. In the last few days, I've been awakened by a hotel swaying in an earthquake, and two different fire alarms. I've run into walls in the dark before, because I mistook the room for a different one. Once got stitches that way.

Lest that sound ridiculous, it's really easy to lose track of location, room layout, etc. I can't count the number of times I woke up and thought it was noon, but it was midnight, or visa versa...and looked out the window thinking I was somewhere, only to remember I was half a world away. Especially with travel, jet lag, grogginess from sleep, an unfamiliar room.

Know where the fire exits and escapes are. Keep shoes handy in case you need to leave, and your clothes together with the shoes.

I was involved in a hotel wide power outage a few years back. The whole area the hotel was in went dark. Happened at around 5:30AM while I was having coffee. I was amazed that I was the only one in the hotel wing my room was in that actually had a flashlight with him. Everyone else said they should carry one but they don't.

I always keep a flashlight next to the bed when home or in hotels and spare batteries for them.

Great info being hared here. I used to travel with a night light- you can set it to stay on or off, but, if the power is interrupted, it goes on! $15 investments, go buy some, one in the room, one on the bath. I always had several flashlights on nightstands, bathrooms. There is a USB charger that has a camera in it...get one and use it for when you leave the room.

People knocking the doors...ask who, but do not open.

Don't order room service...bring you own snacks in from a market/store, whatever.

If you are staying at a lodge which has two floor, always get a first floor with a car parking spot at the room entry. Bring your stuff into tearoom as quickly as possible.

If you leave teh room, take your valuables, especially handguns. Old brief scuffed up brief cases are great for this...I have an old Samsonite with is 40+ years and it looks it.

And I put the do not disturb tag on the door. I dont need fresh sheets daily and if I need towels, I just hunt down the maid to get them. The less people coming and going in the room, the better.

I have had whole area power outages twice while in hotel rooms once in VA and once in FL.

I had small penlight led strip lights in my backpack that lit up the two rooms bathroom and bed area with no problem.

I always use the deadbolt and triangle metal lock when I enter the room.

Some great ideas.
My wife thinks I’m nuts but I balance a spoon on the inside doorknob when we settle in for the night while staying at hotels.