HotelChatter

With that in mind, it goes without saying that luxury hotels will be ramping up security in a big way after last week's tragedy in Mumbai. While attacks of that nature are unfortunately not entirely preventable and, according to an New York Times story today, older luxury hotels may have design vulnerabilities like long hallways and high central atriums that make the structure difficult to escape and protect from attacks, there are safety precautions hotels can and will be taking to protect guests and employees.

The Oberoi, for instance, has not allowed any cars to be parked in front of the lobby's entrance (a glass wall) since the Marriott car bombing in Pakistan. At the Grand Hyatt in Jakarta, guards inspect all vehicles thoroughly, looking into all car trunks and using mirrors to check underbodies. Also, baggage is inspected by hand, and entrances are outfitted with metal detectors.

The Times points out that there are certainly more precautions that can be taken — particularly with regard to planning and preparedness of authorities and staff in the event that an attack does occur. At the Taj Palace last week, the attackers seemed to know the building very, very well, and "kept moving among large halls with multiple entrances, not allowing themselves to be cornered in small rooms without other exits." Authorities, unfortunately, were less familiar with the building's layout.

A security expert interviewed by the Times suggests a better system:

The police and first-response agencies should be working with the hotel industry to devise crisis action plans that would include computer programs detailing all internal and external aspects of hotel building structure ... For example, a prerecorded DVD walk-through of a hotel could be used to brief special forces assault teams to make sure that they know what to expect. Hotels may also ask staff to keep a closer eye on customers.

Of course, no safety program is going to be entirely attack-proof — but you can certainly expect tighter security at hotels in every major city. And as a guest, there are things you can do, too. Helpful suggestions from the MSNBC article:

· Before you even go inside, look for cars parked near the front entrance. If you spot an unattended vehicle parked near the front entrance, report it to a staffer.
· The same thing goes for unattended luggage in the lobby. Say something.
· If you spot entrances to the building that are not patrolled by security personnel, report those, too.

And the most important tip of all: "the bottom line is to be a proactive, aware traveler, and you increase the odds of your security and safety every time you stay at a hotel, wherever it is located."

[Photo: EPA/STR via Guardian]