On our upcoming trip to Amsterdam and Germany we are going to be mostly using the "home base" approach - staying in holiday flats or, in a couple places, B&B's for 2-4 days at a time. Is it generally safe to leave passports and extra cash in a rented holiday flat while you are out for the day? For B&B's we'll probably try to leave stuff in a safe if there is one - but not sure whether small inns would have them? We'll still use money belts while "in transit" between locales. But I'm wondering whether it's necessary to carry passports and all our cash and cards around Amsterdam in money belts, or whether we'll be safe leaving it at our home base.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
1525 posts
I walk around with a day pack of some sort - sometimes a smallish book-bag and sometimes a more stylish messenger bag. Inside, besides a guide book, water and food, we keep whatever electronics we have (which is small) and passports. That bag is kept very close. That feels better to me than keeping those items in our lodgings. There are risks either way, and those risks can be pretty low if you are reasonably careful. I just feel better having it with me than not. Never used a money belt, but I do have my wallet on a tether of sorts that saved me once from getting picked. So far never had anything taken from us except a camera we foolishly left behind slung over a cafe chair.
Posted by
Vernon, Canada
32325 posts
K-B, I always keep my Passport and credit cards with me, as losing them or having them stolen would be a BIG problem! When storing a Passport in a Money Belt, it's a good idea to keep it in a zip-lok bag to protect against perspiration. You mentioned "all our cash". Are you planning to carry a large sum of cash, or obtain cash as needed from ATM's? Happy travels!
Posted by
Lakewood, Colorado
19238 posts
I came back one day after sightseeing to find the maid's key in my door. Apparently mine was the last room she "tidied up" so she didn't get to another room and notice she did not have her key. Anyone could have unlocked the door and entered my room. But everything valuable, including my passport, was with me. Of course, I could spend money to stay in rooms with safes, but that would just use up all the money I saved by not having it stolen. Only one place where I have stayed has had a safe. One night I locked all my stuff in the safe and the next morning it wouldn't open. The manager had to get a special tool to take off the front of the safe. While I was waiting for him to do this, I missed my train. I feel that my neck pouch is secure. I don't need all the problems not using it causes.
Posted by
Indy area, IN
21 posts
So glad you posted this! I was thinking of the same question myself. We are visiting family living in Germany so I don't have worries when staying there, but my husband and I are taking a trip to Paris and renting a flat. I have been wondering if it would be OK to leave our passports and extra cash in the flat that does not have a safe or if we should keep them in a money belt. Hopefully more people chime in on their thoughts!
Posted by
Staten Island, New York
217 posts
I am also staying at private flats and inns although i would think yowog intuld be ok in tthe flats since its private and no one is coming in to clean your room I think i would still keep my passport on me with a copy in the room hidden in my bag
i think you should have back up id and credit cards just in case stashed someplace else that is just me i worry
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
If you use a moneybelt and standard precautions when out and about, the safest place for valuable documents is on you. If I leave something of value in my room, I at least place it inside my luggage and have the travel lock on. It won't prevent a ransack theft, but at least it's not left out in the open for someone to just grab.