Hotel Safety

[Foreigner]

Many hotels have, in addition to dead bolt, a safety chain or a bar which can be used to block entry. Which is preferred (or neither)?

From (fire) safety point of view which of the two is acceptable?

 

[Dr Ralph]

Many hotels have, in addition to dead bolt, a safety chain or a bar which can be used to block entry. Which is preferred (or neither)?

From (fire) safety point of view which of the two is acceptable?

Does it make any difference. In a fire situation, both are going to add to the time taken to leave the room.

 

[RooFlyer]

Swing bar to me is less fiddly but I think the incremental time involved in undoing either device is immaterial in the overall time to reach safety from a hotel room.

 

[YSSY]

Many of the hotels with electronic key card have the deadlock built in. By turning this handle to the locked position hotel staff cannot enter using the key card (soft key) including a Master soft key. However, in exceptional circumstances they can use the Master hard key which overrides it. Good hotels should have the hard key carefully guarded.
In a previous life I worked as a nav officer on cruise ships and we had three hard keys, one with the Master, one with the Hotel Manager and one behind glass on the bridge. Master soft keys could be easily and safely monitored and checked.

 

[moa999]

Both are pretty easy to open on exit, and neither are strong enough to prevent someone entering with a battering ram or axe

 

[harvyk]

I don't see how this is too much different to my house. If I need to get out of the house quickly I will need to unlock a deadbolt no matter which door I choose.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Both are pretty easy to open on exit, and neither are strong enough to prevent someone entering with a battering ram or axe

Do you really worry that someone can open your hotel door with an axe or battering ram?

 

[moa999]

Not at all. Was just commenting that from the other fire perspective, both are accessible

 

[Hvr]

Actually safety in a hotel room extends well beyond the type of door stopper.

Whenever I stay in a hotel I always have a torch beside the bed do that if there is an emergency and there's no power then I still have light. I do actually have a look at the emergency plans so I know where to head if the worst occurs.

 

[TheRealTMA]

Not at all. Was just commenting that from the other fire perspective, both are accessible

Phew. I was wondering what hotels you stay in!

 

[Boca68]

Phew. I was wondering what hotels you stay in!

A while ago, in Atlanta, flights cancelled due to Tornados and thunderstorms. Was a wild night, awesome spectacle, but scary. Was put up in a Studio 6 motel not too far from ATL.

Not sure what was scarier, the storms or the clientele. Fire or not, door was deadbolted. Never slept a wink. Might have been a full moon too!

Remember staring at the ceiling and thinking are those bloodstains up there?

 

[Dr Ralph]

Actually safety in a hotel room extends well beyond the type of door stopper.

Whenever I stay in a hotel I always have a torch beside the bed do that if there is an emergency and there's no power then I still have light. I do actually have a look at the emergency plans so I know where to head if the worst occurs.

And i thought it was just me that took a torch on my travels.

 

[TheRealTMA]

And i thought it was just me that took a torch on my travels.

Many hotels have torches in the cupboard for emergencies.

We used to take a torch but mobile phones do all this now...

 

[Anna]

My biggest safety concern in a hotel is when reception staff hand another guest a key card to my room. Have been on both sides of that mistake - being given key cards to other people's rooms several times (they have never been in there so far, luckily, but I could easily have stolen their things if I was inclined to that), or once sitting quietly in my room reading the paper on a Sunday afternoon when other guests barged in with their luggage.

Now when I'm in a hotel room I always use the safety chain if there is one.

 

[Melburnian1]

Anna, there was some safety expert whose comments I read - he does not ever stay above I think the seventh floor of any hotel because that's the maximum that fire departments' ladders reach to. To me, that is taking safety to extremes. The chances of being in an hotel fire, earthquake or (shudder) 'malcious' act are remote. Not saying it cannot happen, but for all of us crossing a busy road in between traffic lights is a bigger risk.

 

[Foreigner]

Many hotels have torches in the cupboard for emergencies.

We used to take a torch but mobile phones do all this now...

The problem with torches on mobiles is that it chews lot of the juice. And if power goes, the mobile may not be fully charged after all. I keep a torch on my trips.

 

[tuapekastar]

The bar is marginally less fiddle and just as effective as the chain I guess, though as has been noted, no real difference when seeking to exit quickly. I always try and remember to use all the locks/bolts etc. as I have had HK staff enter the room when in the shower or even on the can.
Elderly friends were given their motel room key in NZ upon checkin and entered the room to be greeted by the sight of a gentleman enthusiastically err, paying court to his lady friend.

 

[albatross710]

The problem with torches on mobiles is that it chews lot of the juice. And if power goes, the mobile may not be fully charged after all. I keep a torch on my trips.

I put a mall LED light on my travel key ring which goes along with my banking fob. So I would never leave home without the company banking password or a night light.

 

[serfty]

Many constituencies mandate torches in hotel rooms - they are sometimes located under a bedside table sitting in a recharging dock, others in a wardrobe.

 

[Foreigner]

Many constituencies mandate torches in hotel rooms - they are generally located under a bedside table sitting in a recharging dock.

Serfty, oftentimes within wardrobe in holder fixed on the inner wall.