Trip to Italy - hotel safes

I would worry about theft in the room as the same level as the US. Never leave anything of value laying around and always lock by suitcases when leaving. It is my practice to carry everything of value on me at all times. That way I know where it is. Others advocate the hotel safe for everything. I assume that is safe but there has to be a master key/code for those safes -- so....... No right or wrong way to do it.

Some hotel employees can easily open the safe, I have had to have it done. I still used the safes for passports and e-reader that I didn't want to carry around all day. I except the odds of loss vs benefit with the hotel safes where I have stayed. Another option is to leave it with the front desk safe but that is less appealing to me.

I have had to call maintenance when the room safe didn't work properly - had to replace the battery. It took more than a couple of minutes and involved getting the safe out of the cupboard (can't remember how it was secured there). So maintenance staff can access the hotel safes, but I figure the chance of that happening is close to zero.

I use the hotel safe to store my passport,money,and any important documents. I have had no problems using the safe. If the safe is large enough I put my netbook inside the safe. As for things in my luggage I have had nothing stolen thus far as the maids in europe seem to honest. Since I do not use a money belt this is my only option.

Theft is much more about opportunity than about honesty.