The money topic

[ReefHound]

It's hard to believe that if there is a dishonest housekeeper or maintenance worker that can access a room and a safe to steal cash, that this is the first and only time they have done it. One thing about a thief is they will kep returning to the well until it is dry.

 

[Gdog]

It's hard to believe that if there is a dishonest housekeeper or maintenance worker that can access a room and a safe to steal cash, that this is the first and only time they have done it. One thing about a thief is they will kep returning to the well until it is dry.

Agreed. They were skimming. The people next to us felt like their cash was slipping away too quickly also. I'm pretty sure it's been going on. If you only take it in small amounts from long term guests, they may not realize it. I told her she has a thief and it will happen again until they catch that person. Sad how one person can make an organization look bad.

 

[Scared Silly]

Bummer to hear of the theft. I have never used a hotel safe and relied on scatter method. I scatter the money all around my gear.

Years ago after a dive trip with my young niecelings who ate all the Pringles before anyone else got any they decided to get us one of these. About the only time we eat Pringles is on a dive trip so it was fitting.

 

[ReefHound]

If I was a thief I'd totally steal the can of Pringles.

 

[chillyinCanada]

You can use fake suntan lotion bottles and all kinds of things. I also use the scatter method.

 

[Blackcrusader]

You can use fake suntan lotion bottles and all kinds of things. I also use the scatter method.

What I have done is with the dive centers I pay for 20 dives upfront in cash. Other cash I keep in waterproof freezer bags and I'd rather it get wet on a dive and dry out than leave in a room. In house hotel safes are easily opened some just need a magnet. They really are not safe at all. Some hotels will have safes for customers that are not in the rooms but in the hotel office.
In some instances with not large sums I have put cash into a smaller locked bag which then goes into my locked luggage.

Sometimes I remove the foam from my DJI drone hard case and store cash in there. Thieves don't always have lot's of time they want a fairly quick in and out and many places also have camera's in the hotel hallways but not all.

 

[Centrals]

What I have done is with the dive centers I pay for 20 dives upfront in cash. Other cash I keep in waterproof freezer bags and I'd rather it get wet on a dive and dry out than leave in a room. In house hotel safes are easily opened some just need a magnet. They really are not safe at all. Some hotels will have safes for customers that are not in the rooms but in the hotel office.
In some instances with not large sums I have put cash into a smaller locked bag which then goes into my locked luggage.

Sometimes I remove the foam from my DJI drone hard case and store cash in there. Thieves don't always have lot's of time they want a fairly quick in and out and many places also have camera's in the hotel hallways but not all.

Over 40 yrs of backpacking/travelling, including very poor countries, and I have yet to have anything stolen from my room/dorm/checked bag!
Locked luggage? Never.

 

[Tracy]

Well, some news. We decided to trust the room safe. We have been here 5 days. We did money inventory tonight from the safe as it seemed unreasonably thinner. We are missing $900 from the safe. We had asked for no maid service until today, the people next to us say they have seem maids at our room numerous times, but they really didn't pay much attention. At any rate, someone has access to the master key and has been slowly tapping out cash. The reason we know is because my spouse keeps a daily ledger of our cash expenditures every day on every item, no matter how small.
We just found out tonight, have messaged the hotel manager, and will talk to her in the morning. Trouble is with no proof of who took it the cash is just gone. We would ask to be refunded the rest of our stay and relocate, but literally everything is booked.
So..beware. The room safes are not safe at the Posada Arco Iris! This lesson is on me.

As an FYI, room safes are never secure. If you look on the front, there is a plaque that is screwed in place, usually small and brass. If you remove one screw, it pivots out of the way and there is a key hole behind it. There are about five keys to open pretty much every hotel safe made. It is how the reset the safe when you forget the combination. Housekeeping would do that reset when you check out if you left it locked. Much like everything, the safe is security theatre.
If you are traveling with a sum of cash, keep it in the front desk safe, they will note how much is there and they become responsible for it.
The hotel safes are there for the occasional smash and grab, or if you have guests over. Not for high security. Even to the smash and grab crowd, I doubt I'm the only person with those keys on their key ring.

 

[Centrals]

Insider's job is impossible to avoid.
This is what I heard:
Many yrs ago Atlantis Dive Resort in Puerto Gelera had the house safe burgled! The security guard was no where to be seen afterwards.

 

[ReefHound]

Hotel safes make for good decoys. Put a wad of small bills in there and an old phone to make them think they scored. Put the real cash in secret hiding spots.