In-Room Hotel Safes: The Smartest Way To Protect Your Guest’s Property

December 28, 2009 · Print This Article

There are many reasons people stay at a hotel and they are usually preoccupied with thoughts other than the safety of their possessions, but they shouldn’t be. Hotel theft is one of the top security concerns and many establishments take multiple measures to ensure that their guests are protected, as well as themselves. With today’s technology, it is not only the items lost but also the information the devices contain that are so irreplaceable to guests. In-room hotel safes provide a more secure place to keep travel documents, papers, traveler’s checks, and jewelry than traditional safety deposit boxes or safes that are kept in a centralized area in the hotel.

In-room hotel safes are unique from other safes in several ways: they offer maximum security and flexible access options, while remaining user friendly. If your guest can use a telephone, they can program and use an in-room safe. Most models offer magistrate and digital options for guests and management in interchangeable panels, which allow guests to create their own security code or combination while maintaining a master code in case the safe needs to be opened in an emergency situation. Hotel safes have a modern, sleek design that complements the décor in a hotel room and UL-approved steel bodies that are strong and reliable. Hotel safes are specifically designed to easily incorporate themselves into a hotel’s guestrooms and budget.

Hotel Room Safe Options
There are two main styles of in-room hotel safes to choose from: a wall style or a floor style. An in-room wall safe is excellent for hotels with limited guestroom space. They can be mounted in the open or hidden in a closet or cupboard. Guests are more likely to use a wall style safe because they are on eye-level and easier to use, as they do not require bending over. Floor safes may be preferable for larger rooms.

Recently designed in-room safes are made to accommodate the width and length of any laptops, but some are smaller. If you have business travelers that frequently stay at your hotel, you may want to make sure your safes meet this specification. Once you have chosen the style of in-room safe that best suits your hotel, you can select from a variety of safety features to increase the safe’s protection. The type and amount of features will vary with each model but can include:

? Mounting hardware
? Electric keypad
? Concealed hinges
? A mechanical key override if the lost combination or code is forgotten
? A power override
? Active motorized locking bolts
? Magnetic card readers
? Downloadable audit controls that store entries to increase in-house security and combat fraudulent claims.

Some in-room hotel safes, such as the Protex SHE-1108, offer both a mechanical key override and a power override feature. Other safes, like the DocuGem H230 and Protex BG-30C, come with both types of overrides, as well as a magnetic card reader. Card readers, also called Smart Cards, are the simplest way for your guest to access a safe, but not always the preferred method. Current research based on surveys of nationwide hotel chains, shows that most guests prefer the security of digital safes because they are simple to use and allow them to choose their own access code. To meet the needs of all your guests, many safes equipped with card readers are accompanied by digital access codes.

The security options you offer your guests are only effective if they are used.
In-room hotel safes provide a convenient, secure way for your guests to store their valuables. Guests are more likely to use them because they can access them 24/7, without going to the front desk for assistance in storing equipment they use everyday. Frequent business travelers that stay in moderately prices hotels often demand the convenience of in-room safes for their expensive electronic equipment. Thieves tend to target valuables that are stored in a central location to make stealing worthwhile and in-room safes eliminate the downsides to safety deposit boxes and larger safes that are stored behind the front desk. The bottom line is that in-room hotel safes are necessary to protect your guests, as well as your business.

Comments

Got something to say?

You must be logged in to post a comment.