Importance of Security in Hotels

The guest, who comes to a particular hotel, comes with an understanding that
he and his belongings both will be safe and secure during his stay at the hotel.
At the same time it is also quite important that the hotel staff and assets are
protected and secure.

Hence it is very important to have a proper security system in place to protect

staff, guests and physical resources and assets such as equipment, appliances
buildings, gardens of the hotel and also the belongings of the guest. The
management must take care that the security and safety systems cover the
following areas: Guest: Protection from crimes such as murder, abduction and
health hazards from outsiders, hotel staff, pests, food poisoning etc.

Staff: Providing staff lockers, insurances, health schemes, provident funds etc.
Protective clothing, shoes, fire fighting drills, supply of clean drinking water
use of aqua guards, sanitized wash rooms etc. Guest luggage: Secure luggage
store rooms and proper equipment such as luggage trolley and bell hop trolley
should be provided. H

otel Equipment: Lifts, Boilers, Kitchen equipment, furniture fitting and

building etc. must be protected and for these the security and safety should
cover up fire safety equipment, bomb threat security system, water floods
security system, earthquake security system , safe vault security system etc.
Protection of raw materials, goods, provisions and groceries etc. for this the
security system should cover proper storage and pest control systems, apart
from the application of total material management system.

SAFE DEPOSIT

Though hotel is not responsible for the guest valuables, the rule to this effect
is written in the guest registration card and also notified in the in guest room
.but a hotel offers a free safe deposit facility for his valuables. Hotels have
bank type of lockers installed at the front office cash. A locker is allotted to
guest that can be opened by using two keys .the master key is with the front
office cashier and other key is issued to the guest.

A contract is also signed in between the guest and the hotel. Whenever a guest
wants to open that locker it has to be entered into the locker operating
register. Signatures are always verified with the specimen .head cashier
inserts his key then a guest inserts his own key, and then only a lock can be
opened. Guest is left alone to operate his locker.

Guest can lock the locker with his own key. At the time of departure the guest
is asked to vacate the locker. If the key is lost by the guest .then the locker will
be drilled open in presence of the guest and can be charged for the
replacement of the locker. If the forgets to vacate the locker, he or she has to
be informed by the hotel to come and vacate it either personally or by sending
an authorized person with authority letter.

These days some hotels have installed an electronic safe deposit box in each
guest room .this safety box can be operated by using an electronic number.
Guest can use any number to open the lock. The number selected by the guest
becomes the locker’s code number .the guest’s are advised to keep there
valuables in the electronic safety box. Though hotel is not responsible for any
lost item .But hotels take this issue as prestige issue. So an inquiry is done on
the hotel security level.