Brits told to use ’empty lip balm’ to keep safe when on holiday

Many people believe their valuables are safe deep in a drawer or hidden in a wardrobe, but this is exactly where holidaymakers should never keep them, a travel website has warned

An innocuous-seeming cosmetic item could save your holiday.

According to travel site Hotels and Discounts, where you place your valuables when at a hotel is very important. “Many people believe that their valuables are safe deep in a drawer” but this is precisely where holidaymakers should avoid stashing them, the website claims.

It also warns against using the closet as a storage spot for valuable items. Under the bed, inside the fridge, within the toilet tank, beneath the mattress, or in the laundry basket are all places travellers “should not hide valuables”, as these are well-known spots burglars may check.

Storing them in a backpack or suitcase isn’t wise either, they claim. When it comes to leaving money or jewellery in the hotel room, Hotels and Discounts advised holidaymakers to “forget about the in-room safe”, reports the Express.

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According to the website, this is the first place that thieves will check, and safes are often not that secure.

Instead, the best way to safeguard valuables is often by concealing them within the most ordinary items in the room. The travel site suggested “the handle of a hairbrush” as a clever hiding spot for important documents.

Booking platform Skyscanner recently offered advice on how to pack a suitcase and store belongings in a hotel room. The site suggested “packing valuables in empty bottles”.

“To avoid the worst-case scenario of being robbed, it’s best to be inconspicuous. Don’t flash cash or expensive jewellery. If you’re concerned about valuable items in your hotel room, hide them in an empty suntan lotion container,” Skyscanner’s advice continues.

“You could also utilise empty lip balm containers to conceal rolled-up notes.”

For those taking prized possessions on holiday, it’s a wise choice to either entrust them with the hotel’s front desk or, ideally, leave them at home to sidestep any potential jeopardy.

If you are wondering about the safest way to transport your valuables while abroad, the money belt may be the answer. They can be a savvy way to secure your belongings, not to mention garments that come with concealed compartments, or stashing items discreetly beneath your bra or underwear.

While most hotels are very safe and you’re very unlikely to find yourself in any bother, there are plenty of other tips those concerned about their safety can follow after checking in.

Esther, a cabin crew member with KLM, regularly imparts her travel wisdom and she’s issued a stark warning for holidaymakers, including a tip they should always follow when checking into a new hotel room.

In the video, the Dutch air hostess advises guests to “always” roll a bottle of water under the bed upon first entering a hotel room, to check “no one is under the bed without looking”. The theory is that if the bottle “doesn’t come out of the other side”, then it might be time to call in reinforcements, such as a staff member or a fellow traveller, to investigate.

Demi Bonita, from Spain, suggested a trick for detecting if someone’s been in your hotel room while you’ve been away. She advised: “Put the ‘do not disturb card’ between the door, so you can notice if someone has been in your room.”