About 5 months ago, we posted about a hotel in the US offering peephole security curtains to what seemed like paranoid guests. Fast forward to present day and we're seeing more Peeping Tom hysteria over hotel room peepholes. Does the hysteria have some grounding based on this man's {1-min} video showcasing a tampered peephole in his hotel room?
Peeping Problems Based on the above video and responses to the video, it appears there are two ways your hotel room could be creepily viewed via the peephole: 1) the peephole isn't secure and can be quietly removed creating a hole in your door; 2) through a reverse peephole viewer. What? Yep. Gizmodo posted about it a few years ago. The little gadget can reverse the convex lens designed to view out, not in.
Solving the Peeping Problem 1. Bring a post-it note to place over the door. 2. Tape over the peephole. 3. Use toilet paper or tissues to block the peephole.* 4. If you want to get really serious, buy an actual peephole cover (from $6.99) *Using toilet paper is efficient and easy. I just tried it during my stay at the Luxe Hotel Sunset Blvd last night and it worked like a charm.
Although the chances of hotel room peeping are virtually nill, taking precautions by locking the door with all the locks, being mindful of open windows on low floors, and now, covering your peephole are good safety practices. Maybe we should have added a peephole curtain to this week's 2010 Christmas Gift Guide for Travelers?
[photo by kalleboo]