HotelChatter

Blogger DesertMama, who had a scary hotel room experience of her own due to the front deskers issuing a key to her room to someone else (this is terrifying, but, unfortunately, not as uncommon as it should be), suggests investing in the alarm; a six-inch wedge with a 9-volt battery that you simply place behind your hotel room door:

If someone tries to open the door, the wedge design, with its rubber bottom, will stop the door from opening, while the motion sensor triggers an alarm. There is even a volume control (low, medium, and high - up to 118db). The Door Stop Alarm should scare away any intruder, alarm anyone else nearby and definitely alert you to someone trying to open the door (quick, grab the lamp as a weapon and call security). And, yes, it works! I've tried it myself. As a woman who travels frequently and often spends nights alone in a hotel room - this is one item I'm keeping in my suitcase from now on.

We could definitely see this being useful if you find yourself in a sitch where someone gets ahold of a key to your room — and, um, the one DesertMama recommends is made by PlanetMace and it's $17.95. At the very least, it will help you sleep just a wee bit better.

Has anyone tried out this gadget? Is it effective — or is it just really loud and annoying to other hotel guests when it goes off accidentally? Talk to us.