One woman's elaborate hotel safety routine sparks backlash after viral TikTok
How far do you go to make sure that you're safe on holiday?
Probably it's just as much as locking your hotel room door, and maybe engaging the deadbolt.
One woman's elaborate seven-step hotel safety routine has gone viral on TikTok, with many people calling her out for being way too paranoid.
Watch the video above.
TikTok user Victoria has shared her elaborate hotel safety routine. TikTok
In the video, which has now racked up over 14 million views, Victoria starts off by putting the Do Not Disturb sign on the door and locking it.
Then, she blocks the peephole with a tissue, jams a washcloth into the deadbolt to "close the gap" and rolls up a bath towel behind the handle to stop anyone opening the door.
She also positioned an ironing board against the door to stop it from being able to open, and used a hanger to clip everything together.
Of course, the comments section was flooded with people sharing their thoughts.
"By the time I do all that, it's morning again," one user wrote. Another simply said: "This is insane."
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An ironing board can be used to block the door from being opened. TIkTok
While some people thought that Victoria's process was overly cautious, others shared their own security processes.
"I take two portable locks, and a mini camera that links to my phone for when I'm out," one said.
However, one person pointed out that Victoria's set-up was a bit of a hazard. "And now imagine trying to get out of that in the dark in a fire in the middle of the night," their comment read.
Another said they had "never stayed in hotels where I felt so unsafe," adding: "Is it an American thing? I am genuinely curious."
Many people pointed out that if they're worried about safety, they wouldn't hang the Do Not Disturb sign on their door. "That makes it a clear indication there is someone in the room," one wrote.
One person shared that they could have used these safety precautions in the past. "A hotel once double booked our room and people walked in on us changing and refused to leave - this would be good for that too."
In 2021, a travel risk expert shared intel about the 'safest 'rooms to book when staying in a hotel.
Staying between the second and fourth floors are safest, particularly in the case of fire.
"Make sure you are staying between the second and fourth stories of the hotel because fire department ladders rarely reach above fourth story."
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Choose a room on floors nearer to the ground, in case of a fire. Getty Images/iStockphoto
He also said guests should also avoid revealing their room number out loud while within the hotel – ask hotel staff to write the room number down.
His reasoning for this is because "hotels attract criminals" who pose as other travellers in hotel lobbies and reception areas.
"They are looking for people checking in alone because they can hear what room they are allocated – the receptionist says they are in room 301, for example," he said.
He said when the thieves see the guest in the hotel bar or restaurant they know the room is unoccupied and a good time to strike.
