Feature: Hotel safety tips

Hotel is an essential place which strangers and other visitors especially cannot do away with. It is an integral component of our tourist industry and one important enquiry tourists often make is about hotel accommodation and how safe hotels are for occupancy or check-in.

Notwithstanding measures and assurances of protection of life and valuables, there are cases of murder, harm and threat of harm, break-ins, and stealing, in and outside hotel rooms. These are uncommon, though.

Some of the security lapses in our hotels can be put squarely on the heads of security authorities and others on the laxity of guests. As a guest, you are your first point of safety and, therefore, when you check into a hotel or an inn, why not ensure that you secure everything of yours from the claws of the bad guys?

Most often, these bad guys tend to be our own employees, especially the house keepers. So management before recruitment ought to do thorough security check on the job of their kind of surveillance and monitoring of staff behaviour and movement.

Do the background checks on these young guys and ladies you employ. They can embarrass you as records show that some do pilfer valuables of guests.

Also get dedicated with uncompromising security to monitor the activities of intruders, employees and suspicious and doubtful guests.

What about the responsibility of the guest in terms of safety?

As a guest or room occupant, remember that anyone can be assaulted, stolen or even murdered in his or her hotel room. It is important that you do not let anyone in your room, either by forgetting to lock up properly, or by actually opening the door to strangers.

Here are a few tips whilst in your room.

• Use the swinging metal security lock when you are there.
• Make sure your door is shut and locked. Do not prop the thing open, not for a second. It does not take long for an observant thief, for instance, to grab your wallet or mobile phone and dash out.
• Use your peep-hole when one knocks. You never have to open your door if you are not comfortable doing so. If you are unsure of who is knocking, call the security or receptionist.
• Do not trust someone claiming to be an employee if you are not expecting one.
• Report strangers and suspicious behaviour immediately.
• To protect your valuables;
  Use the safe provided in the room to store keys, wallets, cash and other valuables you are leaving in the room. If safe, check with the front desk (receptionist), they may have locked storage available for your use.
• Do not leave your valuables lying around the room.
• For your identity and safety, it is advisable you comply with request to fill in your emergency contact information.
• Always keep your cell-phone with you.
• Make sure you have police emergency numbers and hotel contacts at your fingertips.

There are a few tips that will guide you as you enjoy the comfort of the room.

My brothers, be careful of the prostitutes and the pimps who lurk around some of the hotels. They are more dangerous than you can imagine. Why can’t management do something about that whilst the Police go about their part arresting and prosecuting?

Ghana is a relatively peaceful country, but as a place of human beings, like any other place, criminals would definitely take their portion or all of something they have not partook in acquiring.

Why not help the police to protect you and your valuables even when in a secure hotel?

Enjoy your stay in our hotels, but take care of yourself and your valuables. Watch out and be suspicious of everybody and anything including fellow guests and employees.

Source: ASP Freeman Tetteh/The Spectator
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