People broke into my hotel room at 3.30am, and no one cared

By 4am we have the Wilson security guard and two Queensland police officers at our room door, explaining to them what has transpired. One of the officers takes notes as we speak with a view to filing a report, explaining "criminal intent" needs to be established (later we discover one of the officers records the wrong room - 315 instead of 316).

At 8am, when the hotel reception is again attended, a Seahaven Noosa staff member says he had already started viewing the CCTV footage. He attributes the incident to a pair of "skylarking" and inebriated male youths - who by Monday had become two women - who had been working their way through the resort in the wee hours, jumping in the spa and outside pool, even though it was between 14 and 15 degrees in Noosa at the time.

He says that we almost certainly left our door room ajar (the "it's-got-to-be-your-own-fault" defence). I don't recall us leaving the key-card operated door ajar and, even if I we did it doesn't justify such an intrusion at a vulnerable time and place.

Did they enter the room to rob and/or assault us or simply to admire the décor and perhaps make themselves a cappuccino on the in-room coffee machine? Were they really drunk or drug-affected or neither? Who, in fact, were these two, and why did the hotel seem relatively relaxed about intruders on its property?

Later that day, around lunchtime, I revisit reception to ask if the police had attended the hotel to view the CCTV video. The staff member says they hadn't. Pressed, he says that maybe they will come later today or tomorrow. Perhaps the next day.

His nonchalance is highlighted further when, on the Sunday morning, we ask to speak to the manager of the hotel. It eventuates that she hadn't even been informed of the incident, only learning of it, via my call to a local tourism officer, 24 hours later. Later, in an email, she admits not to have been alerted to the incident was a breach of Seahaven's protocols.

Nearly four days later Seahaven Noosa apologise and tell us there's nothing more they can do for us, referring us to the dozy Queensland Police in Noosa who, in turn, tell us nothing appears to have been done at their end, including, it would seem, a viewing of the CCTV footage.

The officers, we're told, who attended the hotel will contact us next week when they return to work. The person on the other end of the line to Noosa Police confides that a friend had experienced a similar hotel room intrusion in the early hours and was so traumatised she was unable to sleep properly for months. It's not as uncommon an occurrence as it may seem, we discover.

Nothing was stolen in our incident and no one was hurt, at least physically though possibly only because I was awake and scared the intruders off. In the scheme of life, it's a trivial matter. But, days later, I find the incident both sobering and disturbing. Pity the poor foreign tourist, should this ever occur to them.

Noosa is a fabulous place on many levels and Seahaven Noosa is a perfectly pleasant hotel at which to stay. And, true enough, it boasts an "absolute beachfront location" as well as fronting trendy Hastings Street, Noosa's classy dining and shopping strip.

Absolutely do consider a stay at Seahaven Noosa. But there, and elsewhere, do make sure the door is not ajar, shove a chair up against it for good measure and lock yourself in. However, don't necessarily count on the "welcoming" management and "personal service" of Seahaven Noosa or any other hotel, nor, for that matter the local constabulary, should anything go dangerously bump in the night as it did for us.

See also: The note that betrayed a hotel room's cleanliness

See also: Why I don't want housekeeping coming in to my hotel room