Staying in a hotel should only mean having fun and spending the rest of the stay worry-free. That is why securing your room before you leave should be one of the priorities, as there is a lot of foot traffic inside a hotel.
Locking your room from the inside is easy as you can monitor your room 24/7. However, if you are going to leave it, you might want to know how to lock it from the outside.
In this article, I will show you how to lock a hotel door from the outside with these quick and easy steps:
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Ways to Lock a Hotel Door From the Outside
Most hotel doors are installed with a hotel safety lock and key which are used to lock the hotel door from the outside. Just insert the key into the keyway and turn it counterclockwise and you’re good to go.
However, if you think locking with just a key would not suffice or your hotel door does not have an outside lock, there are different ways to secure hotel door depending on the availability of materials and the type of lock that you have.
Here are some ways to lock a door from the outside:
If your hotel door has a deadbolt locking mechanism, you can use it to lock your hotel door or lock a bedroom door from the outside. To do this, follow these steps:
- Make sure you are packed and have not forgotten anything important in the hotel room.
- From the outside of the hotel room, close the door.
- Turn the knob so that the bolt is in a locked position. Note: try to open the door without turning the knob. If it doesn’t open, the bolt is already locked.
- Insert your key and turn it clockwise. Your deadbolt has now been locked from the outside.
For doors without an outside keyway and without lock from outside, you can install a DIY door lock without drilling.
- Prepare a set of angle hexagonal keys, hair elastics, and paper.
- First, attach the hexagonal key, so the angle is flushed with the handle.
- Wrap the hexagonal key with the hair elastics so it will not fall.
- Insert the paper between the handle and the hexagonal key to avoid scratches.
- Make sure the distance between the hexagonal key and the lock pin is very close.
- Try the DIY lock by inserting another thin hexagonal key into a hole in the doorknob. The lock should be open.
This process will not in any way lock the door but will only stop it from being unlocked. To install a wedge, follow these steps:
- Prepare a wedge appropriate for the gap between the hotel door and the floor.
- Insert the wedge between the hotel door and the floor.
- Knock on the wedge until it snugly fits through.
- Try to open the door to make sure the wedge does its job.
Like the wedge, it is not safe as it can be uninstalled from the floor. However, it is effective to stop the door from unlocking. To install a door stopper, follow these steps:
- Prepare your door stopper.
- Install the door stopper right outside the door. Make sure the door stopper sticks onto the floor.
- Try to open the door and see if the door stopper works.
- Adjust the distance between the door stopper and the door if needed.
Some of the hotel housekeepers just barge in especially when you are not inside the room and no one is responding. To counter this, grab your “Do Not Disturb” sign (which is usually provided and can be found inside the hotel room) and hang it outside.
If you cannot think of things and you’re in a hurry, you might want to call for assistance. Here are the steps to do it:
- Plan how long you are going out of your hotel room.
- Call reception or directly ask them for help. Their numbers are usually attached to the phone for easy access.
- Explain your situation. They might ask you a few questions about why you want to lock it from the inside and the time you are going to be back.
Tips to Lock a Hotel Door From the Inside
Be it because you have to sleep or you do not want to be disturbed, you might want to lock your hotel door from the inside. Here are some of the things you can do to lock it:
- Use internal door latch
- Use the deadbolt system
- Hook the chain lock
- Put down the hotel room door stopper
- Lock with hanger
- Install a portable door lock from outside or inside
The Importance of Locking a Hotel Door
Hotel room door security should be a must, especially when you bring your family and valuables with you. The following are the reasons why you should know how to secure hotel door:
- Your family’s safety. Especially when you have children, you might want to keep them inside the hotel room rather than having them run around the hotel corridors where they can harm themselves or get lost.
- Safety for yourself. Going on a vacation and staying in a hotel room alone can be quite a worry if you do not know how to make your room more secure. Always lock your hotel room door locks when you go out, or you are sleeping.
- Prevention of theft. Top-notch hotels have cameras and security guards to improve security. However, several thieves and robbers still can get around the hotel’s security.
- Ensure privacy. Having unwanted guests, such as the housekeeper, barge in unexpectedly during the party might spoil the fun. Lock your hotel door and put a “do not disturb” sign outside the door knob.
- Your pet’s safety. It might be wise to keep your door locks locked as they can go outside your hotel room, mess with other people, or worse, get missing.
Conclusion
Needless to say, having your family, yourself, and your valuables kept secure in a hotel room should be done before going out and having fun. Choose a hotel with the best security to lessen the worry of thieves and robbers.
Knowing how to lock a hotel door from the outside can be a good addition to the security already established by the hotel. You can never go wrong by being extra careful.
I am the last member to join Revolar and might be just the luckiest to work with dedicated people like Teddy and John. Our team has established a process where my only job is writing the best content to deliver incredible ideas and guides.
