6 Ways Your Hotel Can Help Guests Feel Safe and Secure

Taking measures to step up and maintain hotel security can ease travel concerns and lead to a better guest experience.

Now that pandemic fears have eased, safety and security is at the forefront of travelers’ concerns when it comes to health, privacy and physical security at hotels.

“After living through years of economic insecurity and a global pandemic, [guests] want to feel secure when they’re away from home,” according to Hotel Management. “They want to know that you’re faithfully taking action to protect their health and physical safety while still addressing their growing expectations for an ever more convenient, personalized and enjoyable hotel stay experience.”

Performing regular reviews and updates to your hotel’s security measures in place is critical to smooth operation, according to ROAR for Good, a technology company dedicated to workplace safety.

“Safety and security have always been primary concerns for both tourists and business travelers alike,” says ROAR for Good. “Generally speaking, the hotel industry is keen to strike a balance between robust security measures and a welcoming atmosphere.”

Here are six things your hotel can do to boost guests’ sense of safety and security.

1.  Employ cloud-based security solutions

A cloud-based access management system allows hotel staff to securely manage and monitor with a Wi-Fi connection hotel access points and doorways to hotel rooms, the pool, fitness center and other common areas, says Hotel Management.

“Whether at the front desk or traversing a guest room hallway, you’ll know what’s happening in the building and can address situations in real-time before they become a problem,” according to Hotel Management.

2. Provide ample lighting

Make sure your hotel’s parking lot, hallways and alleys are well-lighted and maintained, advises ROAR for good. Criminal behaviors often happen in dimly lit areas, so ensure that bulbs are checked and replaced when broken or improved lighting systems are installed, advises ROAR for Good.

3. Hire security officers

Positioning security officers in the lobby, parking lot or other areas of the hotel shows guests that your property values guests’ expectations for safety and security, according to security company American Security Group (ASG).

According to ASG, security guards create a safer guest environment by:

• Monitoring people coming and going at all hours
• Identifying suspicious individuals and activities
• Preventing volatile situations from escalating
• Monitoring surveillance equipment

“Hotels should have security officers regularly patrol the hallways, stairwells, lobbies, parking lots, restaurants and bars,” says ASG.

4. Stay on top of maintenance

ROAR for Good cites the “broken window theory,” the theory that factors like rundown buildings, broken windows and burned out lighting signal to guests and unsavory types that criminal activity already exists at your hotel, so it invites more of the same.

Keeping hotel grounds, rooms and hallways well-lighted and maintained and bushes and other landscaping trimmed lets guests know that the hotel is well-managed and maintained, including guest safety and security.

5. Use contactless key methods

Using a hotel app or another contactless key method means guests aren’t in danger of someone else finding their room key and gaining access. In fact, more guests expect and prefer to use contactless “keys” to gain access to their rooms.

Nearly 40 percent of those surveyed said they would like to use their smartphone as a room key when they stay at a hotel, according to the most recent National Technology Readiness Survey (NTRS).

6. Position security cameras around the hotel

Surveillance cameras in hallways, common areas and the parking lot add a sense of security for guests as they explore and use the amenities and features offered by your hotel