Just this past week I was on a “girl’s trip” to Kentucky with two friends. We were gone two days and one night, which obviously meant only one overnight stay in a hotel. We did not pick the hotel at random; it needed to meet certain standards. We needed it to be in a safe area, have a good reputation, two queen beds and one pullout couch, be within 30 minutes of our Saturday destination, have food close by and it needed to have a large parking lot so we could park our huge truck pulling an 18-foot trailer. Once all of these criteria were met, we booked the room.
We arrived on Friday night and got checked in with no problems by a lovely, mature lady with pretty gray hair. We grabbed our luggage and headed to our room on the second floor. We got to our room and the door was open, meaning it was propped open by the inside door security bar. This was not expected, and we immediately backed away from the door (took a photo) and headed back to the elevator. We went back to the front desk to ask for another room, on another floor, plus they need to investigate or call 911.
The receptionist could not believe it was open and asked us several times if we entered the room. We said “heck no, we did not”. She said she wanted to check it out because she assumed the cleaning people propped the door open thinking they would go back in there but she was the only one at the front desk. A friend and I looked at each other and we both knew we were going to help her without saying a word. We asked her if she wanted our help and she was very grateful. We got checked into our new room on the third floor and met her back on the second floor.
The four of us arrived at the original hotel room, and sure enough, the door was still open. The receptionist was genuinely surprised again because she said that she was on this floor not long ago, the door was closed and it was after the cleaning crew had already left for the day. Odd, right?
Jess and the hotel employee stay right outside the hotel door and my friend and I headed in with pepper spray pre-deployed in our hands. Our goal was not to engage, it was to look, verify and leave but decisions on our actions would be made based on the circumstances presented to us. It took about three seconds to verify that no one was in there and no unexpected items were found.
The hotel employee was so relieved and so were we. We closed the door and as we were about to walk away, the people staying in the room across from the room we were just in came out. We casually asked if they had noticed this door open at any time during their stay and they said “No, it has been closed”. We all looked at each other again and walked away perplexed.
I wanted to share this story with you because there were many ways we could have handled this situation with many changes:
- Is this a “Not my monkey, not my circus” situation?
- Am I first responder by trade? Is it in me to gravitate to those in need?
- Do I want to help? If so, can I be helpful with the skills I have?
- Do I want to involve myself as nothing but a good witness?
- Am I alone, or am I with family?
- Yes, I carry my firearm on body every day. Which state am I in, and what are the laws about concealed carry?
- I carry pepper spray in my pocket. Do I pre-deploy with my strong hand or do I keep my dominate hand free to transition to my firearm? Do I practice “tool cycling” with both hands so I can drop and get to my gun efficiently?
- Do I have a clear goal?
- Do I have a plan when entering, looking and then leaving?
These are just a few things that will play a part in your decision making when the opportunity to help others arises. My advice to you is to think ahead, have a plan already in place and know who you are.
Now let’s switch gears and think about how we can stay safe when staying in a hotel. Here are a few simple tips that can help you sleep better when away from home.
- Choose a reputable hotel.
- Park close to the entrance and under lights.
- If possible, ask for a room on the third through sixth floors. This is high enough to avoid break-ins through a window, but also low enough to get out in case of an emergency or fire (know where the stairs are).
- Always report suspicious activity or people.
- Be aware of your surroundings.
- When first entering your hotel room, open the door aggressively and so wide that it hits the wall. This is the perfect place for a bad guy to hide so opening the door like that confirms there is no one there.
- Walk around your room and bathroom looking for anything out of place.
- Check your room for hidden cameras in mirrors, vents and even lights.
- Make sure your room phone and your cell phone work.
- Make sure your windows and doors are, or can be, securely locked.
- Use all security features on the door plus bring your own (additional items to prevent the door from opening or prevent gadgets from being able slide in around the door that could pull on the handle and open it from your side).
- Use your “Do Not Disturb” sign when you leave to indicate you do not want people in your room at any time.
- Once again, know who you are and trust your instincts.
I hope this helps you while traveling during the holiday season. Remember, if you pick your hotel in advance and follow these guidelines, when not in your own bed, you may feel safe enough to get a good night’s sleep.
