Staying in a hotel can be a real treat, but that doesn’t mean that the experience doesn’t come without its disadvantages— and we’re not talking about a lumpy bed or loud neighbors.

What we’re focusing on today is the topic of hotel safety. When we first started our research on the topic, we were thoroughly creeped out to learn that there are no real crime statistics available for hotels. According to USA Today, local police departments don’t keep tabs on that type of stuff and hotels are notoriously touchy when the question of safety comes up.

Having said that, we don’t want you to feel at all scared or threatened when you’re away from home. There ARE ways that you can protect yourself.

Don’t believe us? That’s fine…

…but you SHOULD believe former CIA operative Drew Dwyer. In a post written for NewsRep, the international man of mystery shares some of the best ways to keep safe while you’re staying in a hotel. Some might seem a bit overly-vigilant, but they are all good things to know if you find yourself in a pinch.

And, after you read those, be sure to stick around to get some BONUS hotel safety tips. The more you know, the better!

1. Take fire safety seriously

   “Acquire or make a copy of the fire escape plan on the back of your door. Most of these just slide out.”

2. Request certain floors over others

   “Do not stay on the ground or the top floor. The ground floor is readily accessible to intruders and the top floor does not allow any maneuver room. The first or second (European) floors allow access for most Third-World country emergency vehicles.”

3. Give the illusion that you’re ALWAYS there

   “Keep the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door, even when you are not there.”

4. Don’t let anyone see inside

   “Keep the drapes/blinds pulled at all times, even when unoccupied.”

5. Keep it bright

   “Keep a light on in the room when unoccupied.”

6. Get to know your hotel’s floor plan

   “Know the fire escape routes and the locations of all stairwells and elevators.”

7. Keep sliding doors secured

   “Carry a screw-on-type lock or a 2.5-foot long, 1″ dowel with you to block any sliding doors. The screw-on-type locks can be found at most hardware stores in the States.”

8. Beware of intruders

   “Carry a motion alarm that can be placed over the doorknob. They are inexpensive and can be found in most electronics stores.”

9. Be prepared for a power outage

   “Keep a flashlight next to the bed and within arm’s reach.”

Other ways to keep safe in your hotel room

Those tips are great, but some are just a little too on-the-nose. Believe us, we’ve been delivering plenty of hotel-related stories to you over the years, and sometimes the dangers aren’t always so obvious.

For instance, we guess ex-CIA operative Drew Dwyer has never encountered BED BUGS, because if he had, he definitely wouldn’t leave this helpful bed bug-checking hack off his list!

And he probably hasn’t heard of how disgusting hair dryers are. We told you all about this when vacation season started, but it might be time that you get a little refresher.

Last, but not least— do not, we repeat, DO NOT, drink out of the glass water cups in your room. Just don’t. Unless you want to be exposed to e.coli, salmonella, or just some really tasty glass cleaner remnants…

Stay safe in those hotel rooms, folks. If you’re careful, you’re sure to have a successful trip!

We’d love to hear your take on hotel safety! Have you ever felt unsafe in a hotel room before? If so, what happened? Do you know of any other tips that we should add to the list?