Hotel Safe in the room

I've never had a problem with hotel safes. Have used them for about 50 years without a mishap and generally consider them safe. However I only use them for passport, jewelry, and computer, I've never left cash or cards in them. Those I carry with me.

A moderately competent picker can be in it in 30 seconds. Watched a half dozen face book videos and saw how easy it was. Worse, I own 3. Two different mfg, purchased years apart ... one key fits two of them. Then there is the issue.... will you forget you left your passport there? Many do. But all that aside, ithink sure, they generally serve their purpose fairly well.

First, I have never had a problem with them whether domestically in the US or internationally.

Second, I rarely travel with anything I cannot afford to lose. If I do have something valuable (only happened once) it goes in the hotel safe deposit box. Of course those are getting rarer.

After a couple RS tours I started to keep my passport, cash and spare credit card (in a single small bag) in the hotel safe once we checked into a hotel. I always take them out and put them in my daypack before I go to bed each night; and put them back in the safe the next morning. I repeat this routine until we depart for another city.

P.S.
I started this routine for a good reason. After a hotel I was staying in Paris had a false fire alarm at 3 am; I woke up so disoriented I was spending precious time looking for my passport everywhere :) It also helps to prevent the scenario of leaving one's passport in the hotel safe accidentally when leaving for another city. It's a bit tedious but I think it's a good practice.

Used room safes for years, both in the US and abroad. Never had an issue, and I think it's very, very rare to experience one. Worried about forgetting to unload it when moving on? Put one your shoes - of the pair you'll put on in the morning - in it the night before check-out.

Oh, and test it to make sure the code you programed will work before putting valuables in and locking it up.

Over the years, I have had problems with hotel room safes 3 times, each in a different country. Now I avoid using them. One time it was a battery that failed when my travelling companion had a laptop in the safe; the hotel was able to fix it. One time it was some kind of mechanical problem so that it wouldn't lock; thus I had nothing in it while waiting for the hotel to bring in someone to fix it the next day. And one time it was my fault when I thought I had understood the Spanish instructions for setting and locking but I had done something wrong and couldn't open it. The B&B host promptly got an offsite locksmith so that I could retrieve my passport and get to the airport in time. Fortunately, none of these were disastrous.

Early on in my travels, I used the safe, but one time it wouldn't open. I had tested it empty and it was fine. Later, with my passport inside, it wouldn't open so I asked the front desk and they used a key. I stopped using safes after that and joined the "keep the passport with you at all times" camp.

Back in the days when I carried more cash (foreign and US), I would leave the unneeded stash in the safe. Never a real "problem", but a situation similar to SueH above.

I stayed at a hotel in Sydney, Australia for close to a week. I stashed my extra Aussie Dollars in the safe as per my then custom. Four days later, I couldn't open the safe to get my cash out. The front desk quickly sent someone with a key. I was told that if you leave the safe locked for over 3 days, it needs to be re-opened with a key.

Since Covid, I have traveled with much, much less local or US cash (sometimes no local depending on country) and haven't needed to use a safe.

I carry passport with me at all times. I find that easiest and I don't worry about it being stolen from my purse or inside zipped pocket or money belt.

OP - I have also read all the scary stories regarding hotel safes. There is nothing new here, stories go back decades. All I can say is, other than the above incident which was really nothing except enlightening as regards this particular hotel's policies, I never had a problem. I'm sure I used hotel hotel multiple times a year for decades.

If it works for you, they are "fine." I only dont because I know i would forget.

Have you ever checked into the room and found that the safe was locked? Probably not because the cleaning crew uses their safe key to clean out what was left behind by the previous guest (possibly). When my then S.O. left her watch in a hotel safe in Winchester and I called the hotel from London the manager did say the cleaner had found it and they were trying to contact me. Nice, honest folks, and cleaning crews with the key.