Laptop safety

If it's out of sight, yes. Keep it in your luggage, or in a drawer, or even the safe. The chance that hotel staff might steal it is very low. But often the cleaning crews work in several rooms at once. Your door might be left open while they work in the next room, allowing anyone a chance to quickly sneak in and grab it if left lying in the open.

Is it safe in a hotel? Maybe. I've left a work laptop in my bag, stuffed in between some clothing to conceal it a bit many times...it's always been okay. But I've never left my own personal machine...it's just too important to me to risk losing it. I wouldn't want to lose the work machine either, but if I did, it wouldn't be the end of the world. I will leave my personal laptop right out in the open only in a trusted B&B where I personally know the owner & he's a one man show with respect to cleaning rooms, etc. Hotel room theft is sort of a common thing at regular hotels...sort of like theft at airports...it happens a lot. I agree that a room safe is best if it's big enough for your laptop. You could also put a small lock on your bag...that might make an easy crime of opportunity a little harder. BTW, this issue applies to any valuables...iPod, jewelry, or anything else people might wish to steal...you really shouldn't leave anything valuable behind unless it's in a safe. The bottom line answer is that it's really not that safe. I've just been lucky before with the work laptop.

Thank You both. I will leave it in my room hidden from view.

Susan, I always leave my Netbook locked inside one of my Packs, and so far haven't had any problems with that approach. Some Hotels will have in-room Safes, but I never use them. As Douglas mentioned, it's quite common for the Maids to have the doors for several rooms open at the same time, so it's a good idea to be a bit "discreet" with valuables as that may prevent "opportunistic theft". Happy travels!

it depends on the kind of hotel you're staying at but in general, yes, it's safe. putting it in a safe is best, if your hotel has an in-room safe. if not, put it out of view. i often travel with electronics including laptops and have never had a problem.

I travel a lot for business and when I leave my room, I generally just put my laptop out of sight (e.g. in a drawer or closet). You can always get a laptop cable and secure it to something fixed in your room (like a closet bar or chair). I use one of these at work when I am sitting in an open area. If you are not familiar with these, see the link below: www.kensington.com/kensington/us/us/s/1479/laptop-locks.aspx

I have a cheap netbook that I use for travel. I do not store my financial or other important personal data on my travel netbook. I also treat the travel netbook as if it were a pubic computer and do not save passwords etc. If it is ripped off, I am only out a couple of hundred USD. Travel is less joyful when you have to be paranoid about theft.

Susan, I just returned from Barcelona and Milan. I had a 15 inch laptop which proved to be too large for the in-room safes. At both hotels, I handed my laptop to the receptions desk to hold when I was out sightseeing. Safe Travels!!