Safety of Pesonal Items Left in Hotel - ITALY

Sherry,

I usually keep my Passport with me at all times, either in a Money Belt or other secure location. When I was in Rome I stayed in a Hostel, and decided I'd leave my Passport behind when I was out touring for the day. I usually keep my Driver's license with me, as it's useful for renting Audioguides.

The Hostel didn't have Lockers in the rooms, but they had some sturdy steel Lockers down by the front desk (guests have to provide their own Padlocks, and I made sure the one I used was high security and extremely good quality). I didn't have any problems at all.

It's difficult to provide a complete answer, as the "back door" places I usually stay don't always have amenities such as in-room Safes.

Happy travels!

Hi Ken and thanks for that info. Sounds like a smart idea taking your passport with you. As a woman I find it impossble to think of walking around without a bag (purse)to throw everything into and hard to imagine just carrying around a money belt (what if I need a mirror, lipstick, lipliner, comb, gum, hairspray etc! ha ha ha!) but I DO understand the need NOT to carry all with me. WEll, now I only have to worry about light packing.. and that's a whole other story. Thank you for your advice.

During my five week adventure in Europe, which included Venice, my passport and valuables stayed secured in my moneybelt unless my room had a safe, which only happened in three hotels. As for the other stuff we ladies feel we need to take along with us at all times, I had a small over the shoulder bag along with me which contained my day money, lipstick, comb, tissues, etc. Although it would have been upsetting to have this small bag stolen, all I would have lost was a few dollars worth of items, plus under Euros 100, while the rest of my valuables were secured under my clothing. During my travels, I spoke with others who had been the victim of pickpockets which made me realize the precautions I had been taking were necessary.

Thanks Barbara for your response. Good idea to carry a small little bag with minimum items. Actually you also answered another question I had regarding how much cash money to carry around each day. All your info sounds great. Thank you. I am so very excited about seeing Italy -this trip is one year away but it seems a lot of things have to really be preplanned. As I mentioned earlier on ships you have it all and you only take day excursions and things are very safe back at your stateroom. This certainly will be a new and exicting experience - lite packing, lite carrying - delicious eats -should be memorable!!.

I have never had anyone breach the room safe. If the room has no safe we use the hotel's safe. I always carry a copy of my passport - but unless I'm going banking (haven't done that in years) or going to make a large purchase (Venice, Ponte Vecchio in Florence, art galleries in Rome) I don't carry my passport anymore. I would never leave anything of value in a room, if it is not in a safe. I even lock up my cheap costume jewelry!!! Knock on wood - I have never been stolen from.

Sherry..........I just got back from Italy last night and we stayed in Bed and Breakfasts all through Italy. They all had small safes in the rooms. Bring 2 copies of your passport (xerox) keep one seperate from your passport and one on you. If there is a safe, keep your PASSPORT in it and carry around the copy. A lot of time if the room does not have a safe, they will have a hotel safe. You should be fine. Have fun and I wish I were going BACK with you..............I love Italy!

Sherry, wear a money belt or neck wallet and carry your passport & credit cards with you. Even if a room has a safe, do you trust it? And don't forget human fraility; imagine being 100 miles down the road and realizing your passport is sitting back in the safe of your previous stop.

Sherry, I'd carry my passport with me in my moneybelt, but any other item I don't want to take with me I leave in my LOCKED suitcase in my room. I travel for a living and do this also all over the USA. The maids, etc. aren't going to steal your suitcase, so the things are safe in there, even if there's no safe in the room.

I concur with a lot of others. Keep your passport with you at all times in a safe secure place. Also made a copy of it and fold it up. I also scanned one and mailed it to my self. Word of caution I had my passport in my cargo pants which I thougt were really secure however I had my pocket picked on the subway in Rome. Fortunate for me they just took the little corn purse with about $70 dollars and left my passport!

Based on my experience common sense and following guidlines in these posts goes a long way. But ALSO, the basics: don't be TOO cautious...my beloved wife felt insecure leaving the camera in our room while I was in the room sleeping, so she 'hid' it. And of course since it was in an uncommon place it was forgotten the next morning. Never saw it again. Have a routine. Don't allow yourself to become disorganized.

Sherry, one thing to remember also is that people who tend the rooms in Rome and Venice tend to be more trustworthy than they are in the US in some places.

If anything you have is so dear that you can't possibly part with it then either leave it at home or find a way to bring it with you.

If it can't be left at home, there is no safe in the room, and there's no way you can carry it with you for a day (for example, a laptop) then see if there is an affordable baggage locker at a nearby train station.

I unlike so many other posters do not carry my passport with me. I have never stayed in a hotel that did not have a room safe maybe just luck. I don't stay in 5 star accomodation usually 3 star so. Safe's seem pretty common now. If there isn't one I'd carry your passport in a money belt. As far as forgetting things I always take my valuables out of the safe the night before and put them in my purse or bag. Also do a double check before I leave as I am somewhat forgetful.

Hi all and thank you all for your replies. Helen, I think you are correct about the hotel safes.. my friend tells me that a lot of the hotels have safes and they are safe. I just would feel better if I carry it with me like so many have suggested. I just want to say that this is a wonderful website for novices like me who are going to Europe for the first time. So many things to think about - baggage, passports and the like and so many wonderful responses to my questions. I wish I could meet you all and hear about your travels. Thanks again. I'll keep checking to see if anyone else responds and I do appreciate all the wonderful replies. Since we don't leave until Sept of 2008 we have lots of time to plan our trip .

Sherry