Accomodation - Avoid These Scams and Pitfalls
1. Use the hotel safe deposit box.2. If you leave credit cards in the safe deposit box put them in an envelope, tape it shut and write your name across the tape to prevent it from being "borrowed", used and returned.
3. You can also sometimes put your own lock on the cylinder which contains your stuff in the safe deposit box.
4. Lock your bags when you leave them in your room.
5. If your room is locked with a padlock use your own instead (of course the cleaning lady will not be able to get in there so it may not be overly popular with hotel management).
6. If you sleep in a dormitory put the key to your locker in your pillow.
7. Sleeping on the beach many people put their valuables in the bottom of their sleeping bags. This is well known so you risk people slashing your bag in your sleep and stealing your stuff. Instead put your valuables in a plastic bag, dig a hole, put the sand back and your sleeping bag on top. Just do not forget it the next day! :)
8. In order to avoid touts trying to bring you to a hotel and collect commission just claim that you have already made a reservation.
Personal Experience - The Cusco Mistake
Saying that you have made a reservation when you really haven"t has its downsides. When arriving in Cusco I asked the taxi driver to take me to a hotel. He asked me if I had a reservation and I said yes. Upon arriving he insisted that he would walk me to the reception of the hotel. When I came there I said I had made a reservation over the Internet whereby they replied "But we do not have Internet." Maybe honesty is the best policy after all? :)
Happy travels!