Holiday-Rental & Hotel Safety for Solo Travellers
When you're staying somewhere new on your own, safety comes down to checking your space when you arrive, controlling who can enter, and having a way to call for help even when you're far from home and everything is unfamiliar. A few habits let you relax and enjoy the trip.
Choosing where to stay
- Read reviews with an eye for comments about security, locks and the host's responsiveness.
- Prefer places with a private, secure entrance and clear check-in instructions.
- Save the local emergency number before you travel — 112 across the EU, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US — and note that silent options differ by country.
When you arrive
- Check the locks on doors and windows, and make sure they work from the inside.
- Locate exits and how you'd leave quickly if you needed to.
- If it's a rented apartment, understand who else has keys — the owner of the rented apartment, a cleaner, a property manager — and how you'd know if someone was expected.
- Trust your first impression. If something feels off, you're allowed to leave and find somewhere else.
While you're staying
- Keep the door locked and use any secondary latch or chain.
- Don't broadcast that you're travelling alone to strangers.
- If you hear someone at the door unexpectedly, you don't have to open it — confirm who it is first, and give yourself time.
Getting help far from home
Being in an unfamiliar place is exactly when a reliable, simple way to call for help matters most. Learn the local emergency number on arrival, and keep a silent option ready: SilentCall works on any phone with no app, so one quiet press records the situation and alerts the people you trust back home, unless you cancel. It doesn't replace local emergency services — it makes sure someone who loves you is informed too.
People also ask
How can I stay safe in a holiday rental alone? Check locks and exits on arrival, understand who has keys, keep the door secured, and save the local emergency number plus a silent way to call for help.
What should I do if someone comes to the door unexpectedly? You don't have to open it. Confirm who it is, give yourself time, and if you feel unsafe, reach help — silently if speaking would draw attention.
What's the emergency number when I travel in Europe? 112 works across the EU. Note the local number and any silent/SMS options for the specific country too.
Learn more
- A stranger enters the holiday apartment you rented (a story) → /en/stories/stranger-enters-holiday-rental/
- How to call for help when you can't speak → /en/call-for-help-when-you-cant-speak/
- 112: Europe's emergency number → /en/answers/112-emergency-number/
SilentCall is a personal-safety service, not a replacement for emergency services. In a life-threatening emergency, always contact your local emergency number if you can safely do so.