Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer • Hacker News Board

Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer

#231

Post by carlob » Sun, Sep 25, 2022, 6:15 PM UTC

GekkePrutser wrote: post #219

carlob wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

Charging devices, leaving the TV on to fake occupancy as the article suggests. Also AC is much more efficient if it keeps the room at a stable temperature rather than letting it heat up and then cooling it down again. I never set it that low myself but some hotels don't have a temp setting, that's true

AC might be comparatively more efficient at cooling the room 1 degree rather than 5, that doesn't mean that keeping that temperature for 8 hours will consume less energy than cooling it once you come back in.

If it were really overall more efficient it would be cheaper for the hotel owner to just keep it on all the time, but clearly it's not.

Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer

#232

Post by kingofpandora » Mon, Sep 26, 2022, 6:23 AM UTC

lordgrenville wrote: post #33

graderjs wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why do not order room service, what's the risk there in your opinion? I like the stuff about personal photo next to the bed as well as using the in-house services and tipping. That's smart man!

Poisoning I guess. I recently heard an interview with Eliot Higgins from Bellingcat and he said he doesn't order room service for this reason.

Imagine modelling your life after Eliot Higgins ...

Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer

#233

Post by kingofpandora » Mon, Sep 26, 2022, 6:28 AM UTC

talliedthoughts wrote: post #90

Scoundreller wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> My biggest worry in hotel rooms these days is how to rig the A/C to stay on while I'm out. Heated blanket on the thermostat? Or do they have timed-shutoffs or door-key based systems that cuts off the electricity when you leave? What do you do then?

Ask for a second key and leave it in the slot?

Those slots don't require a specific key. Put your library card in there and it'll work fine.

Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer

#234

Post by kingofpandora » Mon, Sep 26, 2022, 6:30 AM UTC

interactivecode wrote: post #61

SwiftyBug wrote: post #40

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought you shouldn't leave your passport in the hotel room. Shouldn't we be carrying our passports at all times while traveling abroad, as it is the only valid identification on us? I never worried about where to leave the passport because it's always with me in a money belt inside my pants.

yes you are required to have it on you at all times, it's not just for border crossings. It's the only valid id outside of your own country.

That's not at all true.

Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer

#235

Post by samus » Mon, Sep 26, 2022, 3:29 PM UTC

lm28469 wrote: post #222

toss1 wrote: post #215

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>>What's your threat scenario ? If you fear for your life when ... It is not just "fear for your life", it is simply being a bit prepared for the kinds of thefts and emergencies that are not uncommon. It is not like petty thieves preying on tourists only frequent the favelas of Rio; they're in just about any tourist town. The threat and response model is merely don't make it obvious that you're a target, and take a f…

I've never been anywhere I remotely had any chance of being a "target", it must be dreadful to live like that

Whenever you visit certain areas in any city with lots of tourists, you are a target. Maybe you manage to blend in by chance and appear to be a local, or you exhibits behaviors that turn the thieves off. Or you haven't been targetet yet (knock wood)

Re: Hotel safety tips from a former intelligence officer

#236

Post by [deleted] » Mon, Sep 26, 2022, 4:12 PM UTC

graderjs wrote: post #28

starky wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I honestly can't think of many times where I actually told my name to the front desk anyway. Usually I have a printout of the reservation or hand them my passport since they need it anyway. It is easier for the front desk to type what they see than try to type what you say or spell out loud, especially in foreign countries that don't necessarily have experience with your name.

I normally just verbally ask staff, "can you just write my room number down and not say the floor out loud." I don't want random people who happen to be around the front desk counter at the same time knowing what room I'm in... come on.

[deleted]