Hotel security and safety tips for employees

What is hotel security?

Hotel security is all about keeping your guests, staff, and property safe. It covers everything from using surveillance cameras to monitor key areas, to having digital locks or key cards for controlled access to rooms. 

Many hotels also have security staff onsite and set up procedures to handle emergencies, whether it’s a fire or a medical issue. Beyond the physical side, hotels are also responsible for protecting guests’ personal information, like payment details, making sure their data is safe from breaches. 

In this blog we’ll cover all aspects of hotel security and how you can improve it at your accommodation business.

Why is safety and security in hospitality important?

When guests feel safe, they’re more likely to enjoy their stay, return for future visits, and recommend the property to others. In contrast, safety issues—whether it’s a theft, a breach of personal data, or a lack of emergency preparedness—can quickly harm your hotel’s reputation and lead to negative reviews. 

A strong focus on safety and security not only creates a welcoming environment but also builds trust, showing guests that your hotel is committed to their well-being. This is essential for fostering guest loyalty and maintaining a competitive edge in the market.

Hotel safety tips for employees to ensure security

Keeping track of the security of your hotel, guest house or hotel can present some unique challenges.

Often as an owner, your role can be part landlord and part resident. A tenant can often be occupying a room that is in the same property you reside. The furniture, kitchen utensils and bedding are the same ones you use daily.

Special consideration needs to be taken when securing your property.

Strategically control guest access

One of the oldest ways many people implement security is to have different keys for different areas of the guest house. There is an access key for the main door and a unique key for the room that they are staying in. A guest cannot access any other parts of the house without the appropriate key.

However, this system is cumbersome. You need to be home to hand over the key, and there is the possibility that the keys can be easily duplicated. Not very secure.

A popular alternative is the use of automatic door locks. Electronic door locks are becoming more and more popular and affordable for small business owners.

Electronic door locks enable you to lock and unlock a door remotely. You no longer need to worry about exchanging keys and it allows you to monitor who is entering and exiting your property from your smartphone.

Each guest gets a custom code that they use to enter and lock the doors with. You can keep track of who enters and exits your home and whether a guest is locking the door when they leave. This can all be done without you physically being there. Once the person has finished their stay, you can easily wipe the passcode so it can’t be used again.

If you do choose to get an electronic door system, make sure it is installed by a professional. This will save you a bunch of headaches, and money in the long run. It will also ensure that the system is effectively and not able to be bypassed.

Stay alert for unusual behaviour

Installing tilt motion sensors is a great way to let you know if certain valuables have been moved. If something sets off the sensor, you will be alerted via an app on your mobile phone.

You can install other sensors that alert you when a door has been opened for too long, or opened and reopened multiple times. This can be a good alert to potential parties happening. These sensors can keep you in the loop of any out of the ordinary behaviour throughout the guests stay without violating their privacy.

Participate in proper hotel safety training

You need to be properly trained to handle a variety of emergency situations. Contact your local authorities to see if there is an emergency training seminar available that can provide you and your staff with the information and resources you need to handle emergency situations correctly.

Assess hotel security and safety risks regularly

You should work to prevent emergency situations from occurring, and the best way to do this is to minimise risks that are present on your property. Be sure that your landscaping is clear of obstructions and that your pavement is not cracked or damaged.

This can help reduce the risk of slip-and-fall accidents. Verify that there are no obvious fire risks in your property, and request that your guests refrain from using candles in their rooms or from smoking on your grounds.

There are a few practical measures to take when being proactive with safety, particularly with hotel safety technology. Make sure that you have smoke detectors, fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors and other equipment properly installed throughout your property. Test all equipment at least once a month to be sure it will work correctly in the event of an emergency.

Always adhere to occupancy rates so that there are not too many people present at any given moment.

Be aware of hotel safety and security procedures

Being aware of hotel safety and security procedures is essential for both staff and owners to ensure a secure environment for everyone:

• Regularly review these procedures to respond effectively to emergencies or unexpected situations. 
• Make sure all employees know evacuation routes, the locations of fire extinguishers, and how to properly use emergency alarms. 
• Stay up-to-date with local safety regulations and routinely update staff on any changes. 
• Establish a clear communication line for reporting suspicious activity or maintenance issues.

Hotel security tips in case of an emergency

Your hotel provides guests with a respite from reality, but unfortunately unexpected emergency circumstances can and do still occur. In addition to being prepared for emergencies, employees must follow practical safety tips every day.

Whether it’s a raging storm that wreaks havoc on your property or an accident happens and results in a serious injury, you will want to be prepared with a hotel emergency plan.

You need a comprehensive emergency procedure that is easy to implement. If guests come to harm under your care, it could seriously damage your reputation and your direct bookings.

The following tips can help you create a hotel incident response strategy.

Create a hotel emergency team

Your team of staff need to be dedicated and ready to respond in the event of an emergency.

You need to identify the chain of command so that the team can act swiftly during an emergency incident.

Whether it’s a fire at the property or a fatality that takes place at your hotel, your emergency team needs to be able to act in a calm, professional manner to make sure that the situation is handled in the best way possible.

Prepare a hotel disaster kit and publish its location

A variety of emergency situations require you to have supplies on hand to take care of your guests as well as your staff members. Your disaster kit should include these basic supplies:

• First aid kit
• Flashlight
• Batteries
• Bottled water
• Blankets
• Radio
• An emergency set of room keys
• Copy of the emergency plan

You also could store other convenience items in this kit, which can help your guests during an emergency. Board games, a deck of cards, pillows and non-perishable snacks may provide your guests with comfort during a stressful time.

Control the situation or the situation controls you

In the event of a hotel emergency, be sure to remain calm. You need to be the leader for your guests and guide them through these unexpected and difficult circumstances.

I don’t have to overthink Little Hotelier. Little Hotelier delivers, and it makes a huge difference when you trust a system. I absolutely love Little Hotelier’s efficiency which conclusively supports my aims and objectives as a hotelier.

Claire Moseley,

Owner

Derwent House

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How to improve hotel security management

It’s a scenario that is experienced by many hotel operators – you’re tidying the guest room after a stay, and you notice that one or two items have gone missing. It seems to happen several times each month, and the costs continue to add up.

You take pride in the fact that you offer amazing products and services to your guests to enhance their stay, but unfortunately this is sometimes too much temptation for those guests with sticky fingers. To help keep your hotel products in your location and prevent hotel theft, consider the following tips:

Emboss hotel products with your property name and logo

Providing your guests with a plush white robe or a pair of satin slippers is a luxury that many enjoy while they are travelling. Some enjoy it so much that they decide to pack the items in their luggage and take them home. However, when you emboss or embroider the items with your brand name and logo, it may seem like a less appealing item for their own wardrobe. In the event that a guest takes it anyway, at least you can rest easy knowing that your hotel is being promoted back in their hometown!

Include promotional items in the room

Many guests swipe an item from their room simply because they want to take a souvenir home from their trip. While this isn’t necessarily the right way to keep a memory, it’s important for hotel owners to understand the motivation behind the theft. Rather than accepting the fact that this type of theft happens, prevent it by incorporating promotional items into your budget.

Leaving a coffee mug in each room with your hotel name on it can be a worthwhile souvenir for your guest that also prevents additional theft at the same time, since they will get the souvenir that they are hoping for. Because you have budgeted for these items, your business doesn’t suffer as a result.

Install hotel security systems especially on valuables

Certain valuable items can be tempting for guests to sneak out of the room. High-definition flat-screen TVs, iHome devices, charging stations, and other luxurious amenities that you provide are items that are commonly stolen from hotel rooms. To help prevent the loss of these items and to minimise the expense of replacing them, invest in anti-theft devices that can be installed.

This makes it more difficult for guests to carry them away when they check out, and also can help you identify the individual who attempted to steal the items. Installing these alarms is an investment for your business, but it will be worth it to help prevent additional theft from your guest rooms.

Consider setting up a hotel safety box

A security safe is a great extra precaution and adds an extra layer of security for your valuables. A safe can be used to store important documents and valuables such as birth certificates, passports, jewellery and cash. Make sure your safe is not easily visible from living areas and is bolted to the floor to make it hard for unwanted intruders to take off with it.

Unfortunately, hotel theft is a reality that you will likely deal with at some point during your career as an operator or owner. However, when you implement these loss prevention strategies, you will have a better chance of reducing thefts and minimising the cost of replacing the hotel products.

Hotel security checklist to ensure guest safety

Preventing theft is important, but so is managing overall security. Let’s look at how employees can work with management and security services to ensure a safe environment.

• Are hotel security devices operational and covering key areas such as entrances, corridors, and parking?
• Is all lighting in corridors, staircases, and exterior areas fully operational?
• Are hotel security locks functioning properly for guest rooms, elevators, and restricted areas?
• Have fire alarms, smoke detectors, and sprinklers been tested and maintained recently?
• Are all emergency exits clearly marked, illuminated, and free from obstructions?
• Is there a system in place to monitor non-guest visitors, such as vendors or contractors?
• Are security personnel monitoring all entry points and deliveries effectively?
• Are room service and housekeeping staff verifying guest identities before entering rooms?
• Is luggage scanning or inspection being performed, particularly in high-risk areas?
• Have staff participated in recent security drills for fire, evacuation, or intrusion?