Am I being paranoid?

[ohairas]

We're going on a little trip for our anniversary next month. We're staying at a Comfort Inn, a fancier one too.

I plan to dress vintage every day, and am taking lots of goodies. The thing is I'm scared someone is going to steal my stuff when we're out shopping and such. Is this irrational?

I don't want to have to lug everything in from the car every day either, that's rediculous.

If it were normal clothes I wouldn't be freaking out. But having things that are irreplacable really bugs me. And probably NO ONE would even want my stuff anyway. But what I'm taking is quite a bit of $$ invested for me.

Our relatives had their passports and everything stolen from their room. Granted, it was a Motel 6, bad area, and they should've never left passports and such there to begin with.

I guess I need to just chill out.
Nikki

 

[nobodyspecial]

I've never had anything stolen from a hotel room including hotels in Mexico and Jamaica. I'd not worry about it. If taking these items along causes you anxiety you may be better off leaving them at home. The anxiety may ruin your weekend.

 

[The Shirt]

Not paranoid! I've never had trouble in any of the hotels I've stayed at. I do admit though - if I bring a particular vintage dress or item along on a plane that I would feel heartbroken losing - I will carry it in my carry on. Too many stories of lost luggage. I feel better with it no more than 10' away from me.

Perhaps you can stash your most prized items in a suit bag and transfer to a car if you feel the need for it. I suppose it depends on how you feel about the location your hotel is in verses where are you driving/parking.

 

[scotrace]

I've had the same fears. I'll be traveling in South Carolina next week and am planning what to take and not. Part of the deciding is figuring out how to protect what I do take.
I think that if you never leave the room with your stuff out in the open, you're fine in any decent hotel. Close up suitcases, put away your stuff, take ipods and phones with you, etc. Before I lave the room anything I couldn't deal with missing goes into a zipped and possibly locked suitcase.

I completely trust that the place I'm staying in will be careful about hiring honest people. All the same, why leave your grandmother's brooch sitting by the nightstand?

 

[Brinybay]

Not sure I understand. Are you staying in one spot the entire time? If so, then why would you leave valuable stuff in the car? Are you planning on buying a lot of stuff on your trip? If so, rather than lug it around with you, ship it home. It may add to the cost, but it'll set your mind at ease.

P.S. Just because your paranoid doesn't mean they're not out to get you! (Just kidding!)

 

[Joie DeVive]

You're not paranoid at all.
I also have never had trouble in hotels, but I don't usually take overly valuable things with me. My husband is worse. He won't let the maids service the room unless we are there. lol
If you have jewelery, I'd consider putting it in the safe in the office. Most places won't cover it otherwise. I'd also leave anything that would totally break your heart if something happened to it home. I dunno, I think I might be more worried about a car break in, than theft from the room. [huh]

 

[LizzieMaine]

I'd be more worried about leaving something valuable behind, or otherwise losing it than in having it stolen -- the more stuff you take with you the more chance there is you'll leave *something* somewhere where you'll forget it and leave it behind. Traveling as light as you can is the best way to avoid this.

 

[Leutnant]

You are FAR more likely to have your stuff stolen from the car, especially if it is luggage as a thief will take luggage intact and go through it elsewhere. Items stolen from hotel rooms, on those rare occasions when they occur, tend to be small valuables, easily concealed. It is quite unlikely that vintage clothing would be appealing to a thief. I wouldn't worry about it, but small valuables I would keep in a safe.

 

[Foofoogal]

One thing I read and do when traveling is whenever I leave my room I always put a do not disturb sign on. (may or may not want to leave the tv or radio on so they will think someone is in there.) The majority of the time I also stay in my room when they are cleaning it and also make sure suitcases are shut. No sense in just laying things around.
Some inlaws did have alot of their stuff stolen from a nicer hotel so it happens. Turned out to be an inside job and they caught the bandits.

 

[reetpleat]

I've had the same fears. I'll be traveling in South Carolina next week and am planning what to take and not. Part of the deciding is figuring out how to protect what I do take.
I think that if you never leave the room with your stuff out in the open, you're fine in any decent hotel. Close up suitcases, put away your stuff, take ipods and phones with you, etc. Before I lave the room anything I couldn't deal with missing goes into a zipped and possibly locked suitcase.

I completely trust that the place I'm staying in will be careful about hiring honest people. All the same, why leave your grandmother's brooch sitting by the nightstand?

When I leave abag in my car, i alwasy take the stuff out and scatter it across the car so they can see it is nothing valuable, like my gym clothes, and will not break in.

My poibnt being, that while valuables locked in a suitcase might disuede a maid or some such from pocketing something, if someone gets into your room, the liklihood of them grabbing a suitcase and running is much greater tah ngrabbing a vintage dress laid across a bed or in a closet. If your clothes are taken out so that a thief can se they are just clothes, then you would be safer than in a suitcase.

but jewelry and such should probalby be kept in the car or the security safe in the room or at the front desk.

 

[Diamondback]

You're not being "paranoid", Ms. Nikki, just "prepared". Explanation is waiting for you in a PM, ma'am.

 

[Tomasso]

whenever I leave my room I always put a do not disturb sign on....... leave the tv or radio on so they will think someone is in there.......I also stay in my room when they are cleaning it.

This is my MO as well.[huh]

 

[ohairas]

This sounds good to me too Foofoo...
It was an inside job with my relatives too..probably usually is.

One thing I read and do when traveling is whenever I leave my room I always put a do not disturb sign on. (may or may not want to leave the tv or radio on so they will think someone is in there.) The majority of the time I also stay in my room when they are cleaning it and also make sure suitcases are shut. No sense in just laying things around.
Some inlaws did have alot of their stuff stolen from a nicer hotel so it happens. Turned out to be an inside job and they caught the bandits.

Thanks everyone. I think I'll know more how I feel about it when we get there and I "scope the place out", lol~
Nikki

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Total paranoia. The odds of having something stolen from a holtel room are incredibly low. Still, leaving passports lying around is pretty dumb.

bk

 

[Mike in Seattle]

How about leaving things you're worried about in a locked suitcase that you've used a computer cable-lock to attach to a drain or something else that would cause a lot of noise & trouble to steal?

 

[sarah smith]

why don't you just buck up and go to a nicer place that you feel comfortable about leaving your clothes. I'm sure it would be less money to upgrade than replace.

 

[pgoat]

You are FAR more likely to have your stuff stolen from the car, especially if it is luggage as a thief will take luggage intact and go through it elsewhere. Items stolen from hotel rooms, on those rare occasions when they occur, tend to be small valuables, easily concealed. It is quite unlikely that vintage clothing would be appealing to a thief. I wouldn't worry about it, but small valuables I would keep in a safe.

+1 on the above.

 

[ohairas]

why don't you just buck up and go to a nicer place that you feel comfortable about leaving your clothes. I'm sure it would be less money to upgrade than replace.

No matter how nice the place, things can happen. And besides, we're staying there because we get free stays with our membership. If we didn't, we'd be staying at a bed and breakfast.
It's not just a regular Comfort Inn... it's fancy with supposedly one of the most gorgeous courtyards in town, ect. Kinda looks like an old Victorian.

Odds may be low, but I don't wanna be one of those low odds.

If I put anything in the car it would be in the trunk, and the thing is we'd be in and out of our car all day. Unlike the hotel room for hours.

Mike, I like your idea!

I wouldn't mind the phone or credit cards getting taken, or even my car...lol... I can fix that. But take my clothes, makeup and costume jewels and I'm gonna come unglued! :rage: Takes years to collect this stuff!
Nikki

 

[Miss 1929]

I don't think you have to worry about the vintage clothing! Most people don't like it. Unless you have a mink or something like that, in which case either keep it with you at all times or check it in the hotel office.
Jewelry? either have them put it in the safe in their office or keep it in your purse, if it is only a small bag.
NEVER leave anything in the car. That is the only place I have ever had anything stolen from!
And I agree, really important stuff always goes in the carry on.
But do be very careful not to leave it in the hotel. My husband forgot a white linen suit and silk tropical shirt hanging on the back of the door once, and by the time we called them that night they had "lost" it.

 

[ohairas]

BTW, I don't think someone would come get our stuff "just because". I'm thinking that since I'm actually going to be wearing this stuff, it will be seen in the hotel. So I don't want some teenybobber cleaning woman thinking she can be a diva with my wears!
This is an antiquing town, so people are more apt to be "into" vintage.
Nikki