Hotel robberies - who's responsible

I was reminded today about the importance of looking after your belongings on holidays when a friend was telling us about his mobile phone being stolen from his hotel room.  Over the years I have heard similar stories, and have had things taken from me too while travelling.  A friend's jewelry disappeared from her room, but was returned when she kicked up a stink.  A manager went to the maid's home and retrieved it - that was in Cleveland Ohio. 

 In Dublin, three young women was distressed to find their concert tickets stolen from a hotel room.  The other belongings were incidental but did include a quality camera.  In a select hotel in the BVIs my underwear went missing, more distressingly was the fact I was left with mismatched sets.  In another hotel in Greece, the maid or whoever helped themselves to a glug of vodka every day.  

A  colleague came into a room in Miami as a burglar made off  through the window with all  his electronics.  More upsettingly, Michaela Harte McAreavey lost her life when she disturbed a robbery in her luxury hotel room.

 So how much trust do we put in hotels?  Generally the incidence of robberies from hotel rooms is low.  Hotels spend a lot of time and money on choosing and training staff and security.  After all, if travellers lose confidence in a hotel, bang goes their business.   But one of the most important things to remember when we travel, we have more than those that look after us and it is our responsibility to take care of our possessions.  Use the safe, lock up your belongings, only bring the jewelry you will wear or  bring costume pieces.  Respect those who wait on you, a small tip at the end of a stay is always nice - but do leave a little note to say you are leaving  it.  Some hotels search staff at the end of their shifts.