Tag Archives: Locks

by | November 16, 2012 · 8:58 am

Hospitality Industry Security Risks: Major Hotels Increase Review Of Guest Security Processes After Recent Reports On Door Lock Vulnerability

“…An assault on guests or theft of their belongings during a hotel stay can result in a court case…the “reasonable person” test is used to determine the outcome. If hotel owners are made aware of a procedure or item in their property that is not keeping the guest safe, they are required to do what a reasonable person would do under those circumstances. “And if they don’t, they’re negligent…”

Recent media reports scrutinizing the vulnerability of guestroom door locks have brought hotel guest safety issues to the forefront of hoteliers’ minds. As the media and traveling public continue to express their concerns, hotel companies are taking steps to ensure a safe environment for guests.

Marriott International, for example, issued a statement on its website that said the company is in the process of implementing solutions to resolve any issues with door locks that could compromise guest safety.

Reevaluating standards and policies
As hotel management companies and major hotel brands continue to review security processes and implement solutions, there are a few points for hoteliers to keep in mind when it comes to guest safety, according to Fred Del Marva, president of hotel consulting firm Del Marva Corporation.

Guest safety starts at the front desk during the check-in process, Del Marva said. The standard policy throughout the industry is for front-desk employees not to verbally issue guests their room numbers, he said.

For more:  http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Articles.aspx?ArticleId=9384&par1=z7Vqd2AtHfkNLvAuP25I0Q==&par2=2EAFVJU1Lms7zTjNNV7iNMJVd1wKf1Q9bx5n/Mqpu2K12/66UcXBIn1NuEvyifCh&goback=.gmp_922967.gde_922967_member_186188808

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Filed under Crime, Guest Issues, Insurance, Liability, Maintenance, Management And Ownership, Theft

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by | January 3, 2012 · 6:35 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security Risks: California Hotel Rooms Targeted By Thieves As Guests Leave "Patio Doors Open During Nice Weather"

“…(thieves) targeted first-floor Hotel Zoso rooms with open patio doors and took electronics, money and credit cards that were left out in the open…timing it so all the tourists were going to dinner and leaving their patio sliders open because the weather was nice…”

Most of the desert’s 17,000 hotel and motel rooms are expected to be filled from mid-January to early May as season kicks into high gear, leaving the door open for petty thieves to attack.

A number of people fell victim to a Palm Springs hotel burglary spree from April to November because they made two errors that police want current visitors to avoid.

He said eight of the 14 thefts were in October when temperatures were higher and guests left their doors open.

Visitors may not want to keep doors ajar now because of cooler weather, but simply having more people in town increases the amount of potential burglary targets, officials say.

Kazen suggested travelers lock all doors, hide property and be aware of their surroundings to ensure their safety. “They’re just kind of common sense things,” he said.

But they’re also steps that Howard Bianco learned to follow the hard way about five years ago.

The 48-year-old Indio man stayed at a Best Western Inn near Los Angeles International Airport and left his curtain open as he stepped out for dinner one night.

“Someone looked in, saw my iPod and camera, and, long story short, I found the door bashed in and they were gone,” he said. “Never saw them again.” The experience taught Bianco to be more discreet when staying in hotels. He encourages others to do the same, he said.

 In the case of the Hotel Zoso burglaries, the thefts appeared to be crimes of opportunity where the suspect took items from open rooms he came upon by chance.

After climbing over a front wall, Thompson entered first-floor rooms, flipped security latches in case occupants tried to enter from the hallway and took whatever he found, Kovaleff said.

“Stuff small enough to carry,” the sergeant said. “He was in and out.”

Thompson was arrested Nov. 11 after police set up a sting at the hotel. As two officers hid in the bathroom, the suspect entered a room through an unlocked patio door.

For more:  http://www.mydesert.com/article/20120103/NEWS0801/201030305/Hotel-season-can-also-bring-out-some-burglars?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFrontpage

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by | January 2, 2012 · 6:29 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Security Risks: Denver Hotel's "Room Key System" Malfunctions Locking Guests Out Of Rooms For Three Hours

“Shortly after midnight on New Year’s Eve, the hotel experienced a malfunction of the electronic room lock system. Once we became aware of the situation, we contacted the manufacturer of the system who provided technical support…”

Due to the inconvenience, the hotel gave guests refunds for the room.

Guests at the 628-room Denver Tech Center Marriott were locked out of their rooms when the clock struck midnight New Years. A room key malfunction kept guests out of their rooms from midnight until about 3 a.m.

Crowds of people packed into the lobby hoping to get key cards that worked. Others went to sleep in hallways. Hotel guests say it got pretty wild. “It was like a madhouse in there. It was crazy. I thought riots were going to start,” said Kyle Novak.

Denver Police say an officer called for assistance around 12:40 after a large disturbance in the parking lot. There were numerous reports of assaults and property damage.

In response to the incident Jennifer Atkins, the hotel’s general manager released the following statement.

 “We are sorry for the inconvenience this caused and are providing the night’s lodging free of charge to all registered guests. We will continue to work closely with the manufacturer of the lock system to better understand what may have caused the malfunction and will do what we can to prevent a similar malfunction from happening in the future.”

For more:  http://www.kwgn.com/news/kdvr-nye-guests-locked-out-of-denver-marriott-201211,0,7988711.story

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