<\/p>\n

I know all about traveling on a budget, and I’ll admit that when I was younger and traveling around the world as a single guy, I stayed at some questionable places in questionable areas just to save a few bucks. (Well, okay, I was also a bit young and dumb and sometimes looking for adventure that was found in some of these places.) Now that I’m a bit older, a bit wiser, and have a family, I’m more concerned with safety when selecting a place to stay. Unfortunately, lower priced hotels and motels may attract undesirable people, and the surrounding areas may be dangerous. As I mention in the above video, it is often way better to spend more and have a safe place to stay.<\/p>\n

Check out the hotel or motel on the Internet.<\/strong> However, be forewarned that sometimes places can look much better on-line than when you show up in person. It is a start though, and you can gain extra information to help your selection process by reading reviews on the location. Again, sometimes these are not always reliable, but they can help with your decision making.<\/p>\n

Ask people you know for recommendations.<\/strong> Sometimes we forget to just ask people. Friends, even those you only know on Social Media sites, may be able to offer useful advice and recommendations regarding a location you are going. This is especially true if one of those friends is a local who can steer you clear of dangerous or inconvenient locations.<\/p>\n

Check the place out when you arrive.<\/strong> If for any reason the location doesn’t feel right, or you have doubts in regards to it being safe when you arrive, go someplace else. Sure, it might be inconvenient and it might cost you more, but your and your family’s safety is worth it. If something isn’t right, go someplace else. Here are a few things to consider and be wary of:<\/p>\n

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• People hanging out and loitering in the parking lot.<\/li>\n
• Try to avoid motels that have outside entrances to rooms from the parking lot. A criminal can wait in a vehicle and attack you as you enter your room.<\/li>\n
• Use hotels that have indoor entrances.<\/li>\n
• The best hotels have indoor entrances and access is strictly limited to guests and hotel employees.<\/li>\n
• Look for hotel employees and\/or security officers visible throughout the facility.<\/li>\n
• A larger hotel is often better, especially when traveling abroad and anonymity is a consideration.<\/li>\n
• However, some travel experts recommend smaller hotels because strangers can be more readily detected. (Remember, these are just things to consider.)<\/li>\n
• Request a room close to places of activity, such as the front desk, hotel offices, or room service stations. Rooms near the elevator are safer than those at the end of the hall. Yes, you may have more noise with these rooms, but it is worth the extra security.<\/li>\n
• Any room you stay in should have a peep-hole on the door and double-bolt locks. The electronic card locks provide one level of security, but you also want the added bolt that you operate from the inside.<\/li>\n
• Avoid ground floor rooms. The windows should be secure against undesired entry, but being up a couple floors provides extra security that no one will be attempting to gain entry through a window.<\/li>\n
• The fourth through seventh floors are often recommended. These are high enough to ensure no one will be attempting to come in through a window, but not too high for the fire department’s aerial ladder in case of fire. (Most of these ladders don’t reach heights higher than the seventh floor of newer hotels. In older buildings with high ceilings, you might want to be on the 5th or 6th floor at most to be safer.)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  When selecting a hotel or motel, there are a number of things to consider. This page will provide you with the information to select the home away from home that will keep you safe.   I know all about traveling on a budget, and I’ll admit that when I was younger and traveling around the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"template_rightsidebar_horizontalnav.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"yoast_head":"\n