10 Critical Hotel Safety Tips For Women Traveling Alone - Page 3

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If you only see travel as a luxury, and a total indulgence that is enjoyed in the moment but ceases to provide benefits once it’s over, think again. Research has found that adapting to foreign cultures can boost creativity, so if you’re looking for inspiration for your next book treatment or business venture, a vacation may be just the ticket.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed and on the edge of burnout, you should know that studies have found that even short vacations can do wonders for reducing stress. Travel is about so much more than just having fleeting fun. It enriches your mind, helps you feel more connected to others, and is an excellent way to spend some of our short time on this earth. Each of these facts make this next fact hard to hear: Americans leave thousands of vacation days on the table, unused, every year.

If you’re guilty of letting your Paid Time Off go to waste, perhaps part of the reason is you can’t find someone to travel with. Between coordinating schedules, budgets, and desired travel destinations, it can be hard to find the perfect travel companion. This could all lead your adventurous spirit to tell you to travel alone. That can actually be a wonderful way to travel, since you aren’t weighed down by the agendas and needs of others. However, if you are a woman traveling alone, there are some realities that can’t be ignored, like safety precautions. A lot of it begins with choosing your accommodations, and on that note, here are hotel safety tips for women traveling alone.

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Spring for location

When traveling with a partner or a group, your move may be to look for budget accommodations, even if that means booking something a bit of the ways outside of the city center. The closer you are to the sites, the more expensive hotels become. That being said, the closer you are to the sites, the safer you are, too, as you won’t need to be taking taxis or making long walks by yourself. As a woman traveling alone, it’s worth it to spring for a hotel within walking distance of everything you want to do. It could literally be worth your life. You’re always safer among crowds, and near a city center where there are streetlights, businesses open late and plenty of activity and movement.

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Look for protected entry

Some hotels have exposed doors, meaning anyone from the street can walk right up to your hotel room door. You don’t want that as a solo traveler. Make sure your hotel has protected entry, meaning someone must go through lobby doors, pass a concierge, and go down enclosed hallways to get to the room doors. You can usually determine this by simply calling the property and asking about it, or by looking up photos of the property.

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Ensure there is parking

If you’ll have a car for this trip, make sure there is secure parking on the property. Some properties have their designated lot a couple of blocks away from the hotel, or don’t have one at all, leaving guests fending for themselves looking for street parking or independent paid lots. You don’t want to have to park alone on a dark street late at night. Make sure the property has a parking lot on site, so you can park within view of the lobby door aka within view of the concierge, valet, and other onlookers. If there is a rare night when the lot is very full, splurge on the valet so you aren’t the one taking the car to a nearby street.

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Ask for discretion from the concierge

Your hotel concierge might be accommodating but loud. But as a woman traveling alone, you don’t want anyone who might be standing around to hear your room number or small talk like, “So, you’re traveling alone?” Ask the concierge to write your room number down – not announce it and not verbalize your travel status.  If it’s too late and she’s announced it, kindly explain the situation and that you’d like a different room.

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Inquire about security

It can be a good idea to call in advance and ask some questions about hotel security. You can find out if there are security guards on call at night, and if someone mans the front desk 24/7. You can also ask if there are surveillance cameras, and if the outdoor parts of the property are well-lit at night. It’s best to stay somewhere where somebody keeps an eye on the property the entire night.

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Bring a door stopper

Even if you’ve determined a property is very safe, there is no harm in taking extra precautions. As a woman traveling alone, it’s a good idea to always bring a door stopper. Even if you’ve taken the precautions of choosing a hotel in a safe neighborhood with a 24/7 concierge, there is still no guarantee that someone won’t try to gain access to your room. A door stopper is an additional layer of protection.

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Ask to be near others

While you may prefer the quietest corner of the hotel, the quietest is also the least occupied i.e. the least safe. If you’re traveling alone, you don’t want to be the only guest on your hotel floor or in your corner of the building. Having people nearby is your safest bet when traveling alone.

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Read reviews closely

You can always look to the input of other travelers to see if a hotel is suitable for solo female travelers. Look at reputable travel sites, and do a word search in the reviews of phrases like “traveling alone,” “female traveler,” “felt safe,” “safety issue,” “security” and any other words that may be important to you. This should give you a good idea of which properties are the most, and least, suitable for solo female travelers. If you have friends who traveled to the area, ask them for their input on the safest neighborhoods to stay in, as well as areas to avoid.

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Don’t tell strangers where you’re staying

When you’re out and about on guided tours or other activities, it’s normal to get chatty with other travelers. They may ask you questions like where you’ve gone shopping, where you’ve dined and where you’re staying. Don’t tell a stranger which hotel you’re staying at. You don’t know their intentions. If they’ve already gathered that you’re traveling alone, you don’t want them to also know what property you’re staying at.