Cards with built-in travel insurance?

gglaze

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

You are probably at far higher risk of having stuff nicked in a 5 star hotel than in a Travelodge.

Funny you should say that, that's exactly my impression after that experience - we had actually stayed at a different, smaller 4-star hotel for the weekend prior to the 2 nights at the Renaissance, where I had also left the same money in my portfolio sitting out, without thinking to use the safe. No problems there - and the hotel felt like an almost family-run environment.

On the other extreme, when I came to Renaissance, had this experience, and then started really looking around, I realized they didn't have a single employee that wasn't obviously an immigrant from a poor country, so yes, exactly like that. I guess it's difficult to know these details about a hotel until you stay there once - but maybe its safe to assume all big hotels in the center of Paris are like that.

Anyway - my assumption is that with an electronic locking system, even if it is possible to electronically pick the lock somehow, at least all accesses to the room must be logged in the sytem somehow? And therefore, it must be possible to pull up a quick report of the accesses for the day and identify anything that looks odd. But maybe I'm wrong about that, I'm no expert.

[edit] ...and I'm also assuming there is plenty of CCTV coverage, so given the log of room accesses and the time-lapsed CCTV, it must be possible to match things up and see exactly who is entering/leaving the room every time. But maybe not.

chattychappy

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

You are probably at far higher risk of having stuff nicked in a 5 star hotel than in a Travelodge.

Most 5 star hotels are in big urban conurbations where many of the employees are "here today, gone tomorrow" people. Also, they are happy hunting grounds for thieves who specialise in prowling (5 star) hotel corridors - and to be honest, most hotel doors and locks don't need a master locksmith to get them open !

Agree with that. Big hotels are the worst IME.

In about 2002 I practically lived out a of a small hotel in Saigon. Often left my laptop out, later cash etc. Room cleaned every day. Nothing ever taken. Some of the staff would have been paid less than US$30 a month, but I could leave US$1000 out and it would still be there on my return.

Family owned, friendly. Some of those staff are still working there today (paid more now!)

No point flaunting wealth, or leaving tempting stuff out. Just my experience.

If you do lose stuff, some management just rely on your letting it go. A threat to involve the police can yield results. Leave stuff out and have it stolen - it's theft. Yep, your carelessness might prevent an insurance claim, disclaimers might prevent the hotel being liable. BUT, it would still be a criminal offence in most jurisdictions. I have heard of situations where the hotel managers have "made good" losses rather than have the police involved. Funny that.

InsideInsurance

Think there are a lot of generalisations going on..... ultimately there are crooks and thieves in all walks of life.

High end hotels, odds are the customers are going to be better off than in the youth hostel down the road but at the same time they also tend to have better vetting and procedures.

Chatting to the barman at a recent stay overseas they were saying they were all but strip searched whenever they come in or leave the property to ensure they didnt have anything on them and given the majority had been shipped in from the Philippines and were living on site then losing your job for the allegation of a theft (didnt have to be proven in most cases) meant losing your home, your visa and you having little money to get a flight home to the other side of the world.

Personally use the safe in all hotels for anything other than clothes, books and makeup (wifes, mine does go in the safe ) simply because its not worth giving temptation to people

yangptangkipperbang

InsideInsurance wrote: »

Think there are a lot of generalisations going on..... ultimately there are crooks and thieves in all walks of life.

Chatting to the barman at a recent stay overseas they were saying they were all but strip searched whenever they come in or leave the property to ensure they didnt have anything on them and given the majority had been shipped in from the Philippines and were living on site then losing your job for the allegation of a theft (didnt have to be proven in most cases) meant losing your home, your visa and you having little money to get a flight home to the other side of the world.

I think you are doing the generalising that you say that others are doing.

I would think if you have to "strip search" your staff, it doesn't say much for your "better vetting" procedures

chattychappy

It is true that some parts of Asia rely on migrant labour, including Filipinos to do this kind of work. Also true that after a couple of complaints they can be sent back without any kind of fair process. Many wouldn't step out of line because they have too much to lose. But it can go the other way - resentment builds up (or debts, missing family, or other problems) and they grab what they can and flee. This is especially the case where management treats them like dirt. Some of these workers gather in parks in Hong Kong or hang around the main station in Taipei on a Sunday afternoon. Quite informative to get chatting to them. Anyway a situation arose with a friend of mine with a Filipino. Good references, reliable agency etc. She stole everything she could get and left. Just panicked.

I'm getting off the subject a bit. But in general I would trust smaller hotels than big ones. Most of my experience is in SE Asia and Far East.

OH and one last thing. In backpacker land, a lot crime is from other backpackers or their compatriots who got a bit stuck there. The guy that falls in love with the bar girl or whatever. Stays on, runs out of cash. Can't get a job. If backpacking, always be suspicious of the Brit (or Aussie etc) who seems just a little too suntanned, or speaks just a little too much of the local lingo.

dalesrider

gglaze wrote: »

Yes, but we sort of can prove it actually - I spent a lot of time with the general manager going through this - since it is an electronic key system, all room access is logged, and although he would not make a clear statement to me to confirm it, it was pretty clear he was able to internally confirm that only the one person from housekeeping had physically opened the door, with the card registered to that person.

Cloaned card.....

lisyloo

only the one person from housekeeping had physically opened the door, with the card registered to that person

This is not 100% proof.
The person could have had their card stolen unknowingly and replaced.
If the door was propped open or on the latch someone else could have entered.
Obviously I don't know the entire layout and possibilities, but just because onyl one card was used, doesn't mean that the owner used it, neither does it meant that was the thiefs method of entry.

It sounds a bit like the hotel manager could not really be bothered but I think you have to be very careful about making any allegations.

I tend to put all valuables in the safe including phone, ipod (but not clothes or expensive toiletries) mainly so that insurance would cover it, but I would never travel without insurance.

InsideInsurance

yangptangkipperbang wrote: »

I would think if you have to "strip search" your staff, it doesn't say much for your "better vetting" procedures

Question of cause of "have to" or "chose to"

When I worked in a Tesco call centre back in my student days they would randomly search about every 5th person as they signed out of the office. Have to say I was never sure what they were looking for, as all that they provided were a desktop computer, a call centre telephony turret and the odd biro.... the first one you're going to notice if its in my pocket, the second I am not sure why anyone would want to steal but again, noticable if in my jean pockets and your onto a loser if your going to try and sack someone because they have a biro in their pocket which you alleged they stole. They never looked at papers so it wasnt to stop people taking credit card numbers.