When you travel, the last thing you want to think about is sustaining an injury while you’re away from home. But unfortunately, hotel-sustained injuries are not uncommon. As a travel writer, I’ve stayed in so many hotels over the years, and seen so many different things happen, so I want to share more about avoiding common hotel injuries to help future travelers!
While my article may not be brimming with happy travel news today, it is very transparent and honest. Learn how to avoid common hotel injuries to keep moving through your getaway.
Hotels are teeming with opportunities for injury; from the minute you check in until the moment you leave, you are at risk of sustaining an injury.
Interestingly, some of the most common injuries do not occur on the slopes or in the great outdoors but in your home away from home- the hotel.
From slipping in the shower to bed bugs and beyond, several hazards await you during your stay. No matter how hotel-sustained injuries occur, they all can be costly and debilitating.
To help you avoid sustaining injuries during your next vacation, we have compiled a list of the most common hotel-sustained injuries and how to avoid them.
How To Avoid Common Hotel-Sustained Injuries
Please bookmark this page and share the link with anyone who travels; it’s a quick and transparent read to help you before something happens.
Everyone is at risk for injuries sustained at hotels, so many risks are at play; let’s look at these closer.
Table of Contents
#1 Use The Steps To Avoid An Injury While Staying At A Hotel
Make a habit of using the stairs instead of the elevator whenever possible.
First, elevators break down in hotels more often than you are aware, and you might end up on the elevator with the adventurous soul attempting to bust you out from within, which will not end well!
Plus, when you race to catch an elevator in a hotel (mainly because they are usually slow), the elevator doors can create horrendous bruises on your arms and legs if you are not careful.
Second, elevators should never be used during an emergency.
Third, often too many people crowd into elevators, making them an unhealthy breeding ground for germs (The mental aftermath of Covid, sorry)
Last, elevators can take a long time to arrive, so often, the steps are the best way to get to your room!
#2 Avoid A Foot Or Toe Injury While Staying At A Hotel
One story we tell many people is about a stay in Baltimore, in a gorgeous hotel, with carpet nail tacks that cut our feet.
The room was so clean and gorgeous that it made sense to be comfortable until we walked where the carpet ended and the marble began and “OUCH” to bleeding feed from exposed tacks that once reported maintenance tended to, but it left our toes injured and very sore!
The moral of the story is how to avoid common hotel injuries such as feet and toe injuries is to NEVER walk around the hotel barefoot, not in your room, not in the halls, nowhere!
The floors can be dirty, and sharp objects might be on the ground.
The solution to avoiding common hotel injuries to your feet is to pack flip-flops in your carry-on luggage; they are inexpensive, helpful, and as close to BARE as we dare!
#3 Avoid Hotel Bars and Alcohol
Hotel bars are notorious for being overpriced and full of people looking to exploit tourists.
Alcohol flows freely, and people are often more likely to take risks when drunk; since you don’t have to leave the hotel, your mindset might be too freeing.
Don’t forget the danger of drink spiking, which is often underestimated. Although most people believe that drink spiking only happens in clubs or bars, the reality is that it can happen anywhere.
Hotels are no exception. Hotel guests are especially vulnerable to drink spiking because they often let their guard down while on vacation.
Glasses are a target for awful people looking to spike your hotel bar drink or roofie it and then follow you to your hotel room, where you could become a potential victim of in-hotel crime.
Hotel bars can lead to many problems, from fights breaking out to drinks being spiked with the potential for unsolicited in-hotel room crime.
4. Google and TripAdvisor Are Your BFF In Planning
Before Booking A Hotel, Research Its Safety Record.
When traveling, one of the last things you want to worry about is sustaining an injury at your hotel. But unfortunately, accidents can happen anywhere, and hotels are no exception.
You can do a few things to avoid sustaining an injury while staying at a hotel.
Before booking a hotel, be sure to do your research.
- Check online reviews and see if there have been any reports of accidents or injuries at the hotel.
- Contact the hotel directly and ask about their safety record.
You’ll find that Google and TripAdvisor reviewers provide vivid captures of injuries sustained at hotels and might even discuss tips for avoiding common hotel injuries at the particular hotel you are considering.
For instance, a TripAdvisor review might state: avoid the bar area on Wednesday nights, it’s a local party scene, and we know that because the police were called 2x while we were in the bar.
Use those reviews to your booking advantage so you can avoid booking at a place where the potential for hotel-sustained injuries of particular kinds might exist due to all of the elements that are already known and in play might create a brew for disaster!
#5 Hotel-Sustained Injuries Including Slipping And Falling
One of the most common ways people are injured in hotels is by slipping and falling.
To avoid this, always be aware of your surroundings and watch for hazards such as freshly mopped floors with or without signs marking such.
Carpet to floor areas where the edge may be exposed, and a thin shoe might catch on the edge.
Slippery areas around the pool area and walking too fast on a particular surface for the conditions.
Wear appropriate footwear, and avoid walking in wet or slippery areas.
If you do happen to fall, try to fall safely by falling on your side or rolling to distribute the impact.
How To Avoid Common Hotel Injuries: Do This When You Arrive
- When you arrive at the hotel, familiarize yourself with the layout.
- Locate the exits in case of an emergency.
- Visit the pool area and decide if it is safe
- Ask how to use any of the gym equipment you might be unsure of
- If you are uncomfortable in an area of the hotel, avoid it
- If you don’t like the floor, you are assigned to ask for a different room.
In general, use common sense and be aware of your surroundings. If something doesn’t look safe, it probably isn’t. By following these tips, you can help ensure a safe and enjoyable stay at your hotel.
Protocol: When You Get Injured At The Hotel During Your Stay?
If you do sustain an injury while staying at a hotel, the first and foremost thing you should do is seek medical attention if needed.
But, if the injury is not severe and requires no medical attention, you should still inform the hotel staff about the incident and ask for their assistance. The hotel staff may be able to help you fill out an accident report and will likely have a record of the incident.
In addition, it is always a good idea to take photographs of the scene of the accident and your injuries.
WHY? This will serve as visual documentation and can be helpful in the later stages of any potential claim, which will be discussed in a different article about being injured on the hotel premises where you are staying at..
If there are any eyewitnesses to the accident, get their contact information, such as an email or phone number. If they are willing to provide it, don’t push this. It could feel creepy to others.
Once you have taken care of the accident’s immediate aftermath, you can start to think about whether or not you want to take legal action, which we will discuss in our next article.
Taking quick and decisive action after sustaining an injury at a hotel is the best way to protect yourself.
- Seek medical attention
- Notify Hotel Management
- Take Pictures (if you can)
- Retain a lawyer
Quick Review of How To Avoid these common hotel-related injuries.
- Use the stairs instead of elevators to navigate your hotel
- Do not walk around the hotel barefoot. The floors can be dirty, and there may be sharp objects that can injure your feet.
- Do not leave your belongings unattended in hotel rooms. Thieves often target hotel rooms, and you don’t want to allow them to steal your belongings.
- Do not drink alcohol to excess while staying in a hotel. Alcohol can impair your judgment and make you more vulnerable to sustaining an injury.
- Be aware of your surroundings while staying in a hotel. Hotels can be hectic places, and it is easy to become distracted. Pay attention to your surroundings and be cautious of potential hazards.
By following these tips, you can minimize the risk of sustaining injuries while staying in a hotel. Remember, the most important thing you can do if you suffer an injury while staying in a hotel is to seek medical attention immediately.
Dana Vento: Award-Winning Travel Writer & Seasoned Explorer
Join me on a journey through the world’s wonders. From compelling stories at Niagara Falls to accolades in writing and Instagram photography, my global adventures are rich with experience. Each article offers a slice of life—from cruising the seas to exploring vibrant Aruba—turning every trip into an award-worthy adventure. Here’s to a life of exploration and unforgettable stories
Disclosure: Dana Vento is a travel writer sharing her knowledge of hotel stays and things she has seen happen when she travels. All travel is at your own risk; any articles cited are purely to support the article and are not meant to bring negative attention to any brand, person, or thing. The article brings awareness and a light overview of what injuries could happen while visiting or staying at a hotel.
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