The Real Reason Why You Should Leave a Towel By Your Hotel Room Door

Updated: Apr. 05, 2023

This hack will help ensure your hotel stay is as safe as possible.

Traveling is exciting—new cuisines, adventures and more await! Unfortunately, sometimes our excitement for a well-deserved getaway can overshadow the necessity of taking safety precautions when traveling. After all, being in an unfamiliar place can be nerve-wracking, especially if you are traveling solo.

The good news is that if you’re staying in a hotel during your trip, there are various tricks you can use to make the hotel experience safer and more comfortable. One of our favorite hacks includes leaving a towel by your hotel room door.

Why should you wrap a towel around your hotel door latch?

Unrecognizable housekeeper holding towels at a hotelandresr/Getty Images

Trust us, you’ll sleep easier at night with this hotel door handle hack. Here’s how to do it and why it’s a good idea.

@cici.inthesky My military father raised me and my sisters to be situationally aware and vigilant where ever we are. I have raised my daughters the same way. We dont live in fear, we are cautious. #aviationtiktok #travelhack #flightcrew #flightattendantlife #hotelsafety#greenscreenvideo ♬ original sound – CiCi in the Sky

According to flight attendant @cici.inthesky, who travels frequently, you should take a small hand towel from your bathroom and put it around the door’s safety latch when staying in a hotel room. This provides an additional layer of protection. Then, close the latch lock with the hand towel. Ultimately, this makes it more challenging to open the door. To ensure you don’t forget to do this, simply keep the towel by your hotel room door so you can remember to use it whenever you’re in the room.

Other hotel safety tips you should know

If you are staying in a hotel during your trip, there are other tricks you can use to make the experience safer.

Be aware of red flags

For starters, before you even arrive, familiarize yourself with hotel red flags and do your research. For example, book a different hotel if there are reports of bed bugs, only old reviews, doctored photos or if the price seems too good to be true.

Check for bed bugs

When you arrive, there are certain things you should check out. For instance, look for bed bugs under the mattress, examine safety precautions and ask about safety protocols. You can use this guide for the things you should look out for in a hotel.

Make sure your doors are fully closed

Once you’ve decided you’re comfortable staying in the hotel, it’s time to enact some safety precautions. For instance, ensure your door shuts fully when you exit or enter your room, as hotel doors can be heavier than usual.

Look at the fire escape plan

Additionally, you should get familiar with the fire escape plan and count the number of doors to reach the exit staircase in case of fire.

Close your peephole

Another way to ensure your safety is to close your peephole. Or, if there’s no way to close it, you can simply take a tissue and push it in, so there’s no way for anyone to see into your space.

Be wary of unexplained visitors

You should also be wary of someone coming to your door and claiming to be housekeeping. Do not open up and call the front desk if you didn’t order anything.

By following these precautions, you can rest assured you’ll have a relaxing hotel experience. And don’t forget to use this helpful shoe hack to ensure you don’t forget anything in the hotel safe!

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