Reader tips: When it comes to hotel theft, never let your guard down

We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.

Advertisement

This was published 5 years ago

Reader tips: When it comes to hotel theft, never let your guard down

Never let your guard down if you want to avoid  items being stolen from your hotel room.

Never let your guard down if you want to avoid items being stolen from your hotel room.

TIP OF THE WEEK

SPACE INVADERS

I have just finished reading Michael Gebicki's article "Will your hotel cover theft?" which reminded me of the two occasions when it has happened to me.

The first time was at a nice hotel in the centre of Florence. The hotel had lots of security, not the least of which was a fearsome female owner who watched all comings and goings.

Our room was broken into and all of our shopping stolen. It was all covered by the hotel as the owner was absolutely mortified that someone other than a paying guest had managed to get into her hotel.

The second time was in Central Asia about eight years ago, again a nice three-to-four-star hotel. We were packed up and ready to leave Khiva to spend 10 hours in a van crossing the desert to Bukhara when I ducked out of my room to have a quick breakfast, leaving my luggage and daypack containing money in the room.

Despite (or because of) the hotel having a huge staff on each wing of the building, in that 15 minutes that I was at breakfast, someone came into the room and skimmed a few hundred US dollars and some local currency from my daypack.

It wasn't until late that night after arriving in Bukhara that I discovered the loss. The local police would not take a report of the theft because it had happened in another province and I don't think that being a female helped either.

After many phone conversations, the hotel eventually agreed to cover the theft because, I believe, they realised that some of their staff were less than honest and it had probably happened before. I was lucky.

Advertisement

The moral is this: some thefts are unavoidable but others happen because we let our guard down. Never leave valuables in a room unattended even for a short amount of time. You never know who is watching.

Vicki Copping, Oatley, NSW

SPOILT FOR CHOICE

Oh Brian Johnston! You are forever adding to our bucket list (Traveller, September 9).

We now plan to visit Café Florian (Venice) and Enoteca Pinchiorri (Florence) during our forthcoming Italian Christmas trip this year.

Your recommendations have always lived up to our expectations. Please keep them rolling in.

Rhoda Silber, Manly, NSW

FEAST AND FAMINE

The ultimate destination on the Wild Atlantic Way in Ireland (Reader Tips, September 2) is Malin Head, the northernmost tip of Ireland's Republic, a rugged, windswept and stunningly beautiful place with blow hole chasms and the site of all of the act three of the latest Star Wars.

From here you can look out towards Inistrahul Island and, on a clear day, the Scottish Isles.

The region's famine museum is by far the best account in all of Ireland of the suffering, but also the resilience of the Irish through their quite brutal repression by the English.

We stayed at Whitestrand B & B, a self-contained cottage overlooking the Atlantic and were welcomed with great coffee and scones.

The Sea View Restaurant, once a simple pub, now serves truly gourmet meals while in Buncrana, overlooking Loch Swilly, there are other top quality restaurants. Everywhere, one's reception is warm and friendly, down to earth, genuine.

Visit Celtic forts on the Inishowen peninsula, St Patrick's Loch in the Glen above Malin town – one of the most serene experiences imaginable. There are walks along the cliffs and storeys of wrecked Spanish galleons.

John Croft, Eltham, VIC

PLAIN FASCINATING

In answer to your appeal for suggestions on how to help drought-stricken Australian communities through tourism (Traveller, September 8) we can recommend Charlotte Plains, a farmstay between Cunnamulla and St George, Queensland.

With the area itself in drought, we camped beside a bore pouring pristine artesian water out into drains for the stock to drink and where, in a small wetlands, there was an abundance of wildlife.

We bathed in old bath tubs in 42 degree water and owner Robyn Russell gave us a guided tour of her family property, where we gained an insight into the difficult life of those affected by drought.

We also learnt about a bygone era when these properties were like the English aristocracy with cooks, maids, overseer, accountant and jackaroos.

Heather Higgs, Healesville, VIC

Sign up for the Traveller newsletter

The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now.

Most viewed on Traveller

Loading