Laptops in hotel rooms safe?

[Thighlander]

My nephew had a 3500 USD Dell Laptop stolen from his parents home by some party crashers. Fortunately, his father had installed a "Lo-Jack" device on it. It showed up a week later, about 2000 km away. They got it back, with a damaged screen. The kid that stole it, sold it for 100 USD to someone who sold it on EBAY for 400. I think that the computer lojack thing was only 20 or 30 bucks. I was wandering if that would work in Thailand. The BiB would be highly amused I am sure. I sold my last notebook (IBM Thinkpad) in 1996, and have done fine without since. But, now that netbooks are about 100 USD; I am reconsidering, but would still not want someone to swipe it. I hate to baby sit, personal items. Guarding my passport is enough of a part time job.

[scorecard]

I look at it this way:

- I spent more than half of every month working/travelling across Asia, for last 10 years.

- Hotels, even 5 star hotels are not secure, there are so many people with master keys you can't believe.

- Again and again I have walked down hotel corridors, the room maid has gone to a storeroom or somewhere and the door of the guests room is left open and you can openly see laptops cameras etc.

- I take my laptop and all my personal documents with me always, unless i'm going to a party or disco or similar.

- If I'm going to leave laptop, passport etc., in the room I check if the inroom safe is well secured to the wall etc., and before I use it I clean the keys with shampoo or mouthwash or similar, put the stuff inside, close the door and press my own security number with a cloth or tissues covering my finger. (Why? There are many cases where professional burglars have opened hotel safes by checking for the natural oils that come off your finger.)

- I also keep my suitcase fully locked when I'm out of the room and also put it right inside the wardrobe etc.

- Why so fussy? Several times I've had documents interferred with in KL (6 star hotel) and in Taiwan (5 star hotel), an expensive camera was stolen from my fully closed but unlocked suitcase in Manila (5 star hotel), and hotel refused to listen to me, and a watch stolen from fully closed but unclocked suitacse in Jakarta, also 5 star hotel, but it was recovered when security insisted on searching the pocket of the room maid.

[CrossBones]

Get yourself a hard shell suitcase like a samsonite and lock the notebook in there. You can then lock the suitcase to a chair, or bedpost or something fixed in the room using a chain and padlock.

That is about the best you can do.

If you bring a guest to your room be sure to hide the keys somewhere or use combination padlocks

Edited September 13, 2009 by CrossBones

[greytown]

I look at it this way:

- I spent more than half of every month working/travelling across Asia, for last 10 years.

- Hotels, even 5 star hotels are not secure, there are so many people with master keys you can't believe.

- Again and again I have walked down hotel corridors, the room maid has gone to a storeroom or somewhere and the door of the guests room is left open and you can openly see laptops cameras etc.

- I take my laptop and all my personal documents with me always, unless i'm going to a party or disco or similar.

- If I'm going to leave laptop, passport etc., in the room I check if the inroom safe is well secured to the wall etc., and before I use it I clean the keys with shampoo or mouthwash or similar, put the stuff inside, close the door and press my own security number with a cloth or tissues covering my finger. (Why? There are many cases where professional burglars have opened hotel safes by checking for the natural oils that come off your finger.)

- I also keep my suitcase fully locked when I'm out of the room and also put it right inside the wardrobe etc.

- Why so fussy? Several times I've had documents interferred with in KL (6 star hotel) and in Taiwan (5 star hotel), an expensive camera was stolen from my fully closed but unlocked suitcase in Manila (5 star hotel), and hotel refused to listen to me, and a watch stolen from fully closed but unclocked suitacse in Jakarta, also 5 star hotel, but it was recovered when security insisted on searching the pocket of the room maid.

This is the best advice.

Hotel rooms are absolutely not safe. As has been noted maids come in and out leaving the door open carelessly, and the number of people that may have access through key copies is unknown. The only hotel safe I would consider safe would be if you can set your own combination to open it.

Edited September 13, 2009 by greytown