Former CIA agent shares tips for staying safe in a hotel room

The former CIA agent shares things he did to stay safe in a hotel room. Photo / TikTok, @mccloskeybooks

Few people are more aware of potential risks than CIA agents, so if safety is a priority when travelling, you may want to listen to the advice shared by former CIA analyst David McCloskey.

After spending eight years in the CIA, McCloskey now works as an author and has taken to social media to share insights and advice from his time with America’s civilian foreign intelligence service.

In a recent clip, shared to TikTok, McCloskey said there were four things CIA agents did or looked for when booking a hotel room.

The first point was that CIA agents should always behave as though their room has been bugged and is being monitored.

“Assume your room is wired for audio and video the whole time you’re there,” he said. “Assume that the internal security service [of] the country you’re in is watching you.”

The second was to ignore any signs that someone has been in your room if you can tell things have been moved.

“Don’t let them know that you know,” McCloskey advised, suggesting you should note someone has been inside the room but continue going about your business.

This, however, isn’t the best advice for regular civilians, who should alert hotel staff if they think someone has taken something from the safe or been in the room without permission.

@mccloskeybooks

Hotel tips from the CIA, including what to do if the internal security service poops on your bed, and why you should always book a room between the 4th and 10th floors #hoteltip #travel #cia #poop

♬ original sound - David McCloskey

The third tip is a “very practical” one, which is useful for agents and everyday travellers and relates to securing the room.

McCloskey suggests guests place a doorstop inside the door, to make it harder for anyone - “even the hotel staff” - to get inside. This is particularly helpful when you are sleeping, he said., although it does present safety hazards if there is an emergency.

The fourth and final tip is to book rooms between the fourth and 10th floors.

“Below the fourth floor, [you’re] susceptible to car bombs and other insanity - above the 10th floor and the firetruck ladders in most places can’t reach you,” he said.

So, when you see James Bond living it up in a penthouse suite in a movie, you know it’s not accurate. Not just because of the cost but the lack of safety.

“No penthouse bookings,” McCloskey said. “It’s not just because of the absurd cost [to the] taxpayer, [it’s a] safety concern.”

Many viewers were slightly disappointed by the tips, according to the comments, with many stating they thought the video would share money-saving tips.

Others claimed the information did not seem that relevant to the everyday person.

“I always check for bedbugs but not susceptibility to car bombs. Thanks for the advice,” one person wrote.

“I’ve been kidnapped or spied on zero times… so maybe I should give some tips,” another joked.

One person said the advice seemed overly paranoid, a critique another TikTok poster received when she shared her seven-step routine for securing a hotel door.

In the video, the woman shows viewers her “hotel safety tips”, which would take about five minutes to complete and involves the use of an ironing board.