The Shocking Hotel Room Security Feature That Can Be Turned Against You

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her adventures around the world on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

See recent posts by Caroline Morse Teel

When you step into your hotel room and lock the door behind you, you think you’re safe from prying eyes. Unfortunately, that’s not always true, and there there’s one more important step that you should always take to ensure privacy—blocking the peephole.

Point of view looking through a peephole into a hotel hallway — Dot Slash Digital | Adobe Stock

Why You Should Always Block the Peephole in Your Hotel Room

Woman looking through peephole in wooden door — cunaplus | Adobe Stock

Although peepholes are designed to offer a one-way view from inside your room to the exterior, they can be reversed fairly easily—allowing anyone outside of your room to see in.

A recent viral video shows a guest checking the peephole in her room at a Las Vegas hotel, only to discover that it offered a clear view inside her room.

There was also the famous case of reporter Erin Andrews, who was the victim of a similar hotel room peephole tampering. In this incident, Andrews was illegally filmed through her room’s peephole.

Even if your peephole hasn’t been tampered with, there are small devices available called tactical door viewers that can reverse the visibility of peepholes without altering the peephole itself.

How to Protect Yourself

There are a few simple ways you can cover the peephole in your hotel room while still making it easily accessible in case you need to see out.

Stuff a small piece of paper inside the peephole
Cover the peephole with a bandaid
Use a tissue or piece of toilet paper to block the peephole

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