When you travel, you may notice that there is often a hotel safe located somewhere in your hotel room – typically in higher end hotels. Often, this safe is located in a closet or other relatively discreet location.

Most travelers look at a hotel safe like they do the other amenities: an iron, hairdryer, or shower cap. Something that’s nice to have but you probably won’t use it. Most people don’t even think to use it because they feel the hotel is secure enough or that their valuables aren’t at risk.

Many travel professionals will advise otherwise. If there is a hotel safe at your disposal and you have valuables of any kind, you are only ensuring their safety by using it. Hotel safes are very easy to use. Often there are instructions for their use right on the safe. If not, you can call the front desk to find out how to get your personalized access. This is usually a card that you swipe or an electronic combination.

One of the best things to keep in a hotel safe is extra cash or travelers checks. Whatever extra cash you don’t keep on you during the day should be kept safely in your safe. Also, things like jewelry and electronics that you don’t have on you when you leave should be stashed away in the hotel safe.

Think about all the valuable things that you carry with you on vacation: Expensive phones, laptops, GPS’s, media storage, cameras, etc. Most of us just think of these items of things that we need for vacation, but thieves will look at these as things they can steal from you.

Many thieves will target travelers in higher end vacation areas, knowing that they will be carrying some valuable electronics, jewelry or cash and travelers checks. You could easily be targeted in a hotel lobby. This is just one reason to take advantage of that hotel safe.

Another very practical reason is that when we travel with valuables, we want to know where everything is and that it is secure. Why waste time digging through all your suitcases and bags for your camera or travelers checks when you can just immediately place them in the hotel safe on your arrival? After using your valuables throughout the day, place them directly back in the safe when you return.

This can save you some stress when you pack up to leave and can’t immediately find something valuable. It can also save you some time each day when you prepare to leave – you will know exactly where to find your camera, cash, etc. so you can be prepared for the day.