Add avoiding rooms on the first and second floor to your hotel safety checklist, as these are the areas most prone to crime. Rooms on the 3rd-6th floors are ideal. Not only is there typically less crime on these floors, but in the event of an emergency, you can quickly get downstairs and evacuate the building.

Safety experts and fire marshals generally agree that the safest rooms are located between the second and sixth floors, and ideally close to the emergency stairwell. The ground floor is avoided by security-conscious travelers because it is the most accessible to intruders from the street or parking lot. Conversely, staying above the sixth or seventh floor is a safety risk during a fire, as most fire department ladders cannot reach higher than that, and smoke rises, potentially trapping guests on the top floors. A room located "down the hall" from the elevator but near the stairs is the "sweet spot": it avoids the high foot traffic and noise of the elevator lobby (where thieves often linger) while providing a quick, direct exit path during an evacuation. It is also a "travel pro-tip" to count the number of doors between your room and the exit so you can find your way in the dark or through smoke. Always use the deadbolt and the security latch immediately upon entering the room.