Hotel safety routine branded ‘insane’ on TikTok

By the time you’ve completed the steps it will be morning – and time to check out – warn social media users

The video has been watched more than 16 million times (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

An elaborate safety routine for hotel stays has gone viral online – with many calling the creator paranoid for her seven-step procedure.

In a video that has been viewed more than 16 million times, Victoria – who shares videos under the account @Victoriasway and focuses on family, cleaning, hacks and recipes, according to her bio – can be seen guiding viewers through the complicated steps in a hotel room.

It begins with the straightforward step of putting the ‘do not disturb’ sign on the outside of the door before locking it, including the deadbolt.

She then suggests covering the peephole with what appears to be tissue, and then uses a small cloth to “close the gap” in the deadbolt.

Next, an ironing board is placed on its side and positioned under the door handle to “block” anyone from entering before she suggests rolling a towel up and placing it behind the handle to stop anyone from opening the door.

Her final step is to connect the deadbolt and handle together with a coat hanger “for added security”.

There are more than 7,600 comments on the video, with many suggesting that the advice is over the top.

“Pretty sure I’m not staying in a hotel that would require me to do all that,” said one TikTok user, while another wrote: “By the time I do all that, it’s morning again.”

“I’m hiring a bodyguard at this point,” said another comment.

Others warned that if there was an emergency “no one can get in to help you”, while this amount of work takes away the fun of staying away, according to some, with one commenter asking: “How is a vacation relaxing after doing/worrying about this?”

In 2021, a former marine and TikTok user in the Netherlands known for his viral life-hack videos uploaded a clip showing three innovative ways to stay safe in a hotel room.

He claimed that the only things needed for the techniques are a belt, a glass and a shower curtain rail that can be used to lock the door in a “triangular method”.