Vacation rentals feel like home, which is exactly why it's worth knowing what's in them. Most booking platforms require hosts to disclose any security cameras, and many don't allow cameras inside at all. Here's a short checklist for your first ten minutes.
Before you arrive
- Read the listing for any mention of cameras, doorbells or noise monitors. Disclosed outdoor devices are normal; anything inside private areas is a red flag.
- Save the platform's support contact in your phone.
When you walk in
- Do a slow walk-through of bedrooms and bathrooms first.
- Look at smart speakers, clocks, chargers, smoke detectors, picture frames and anything with a small hole pointed at a bed or shower.
- Check the Wi-Fi network list on your phone. A very long list of devices with camera-like names can be a hint, though many smart home gadgets connect too.
Use a detector the right way
A pocket signal detector like NotWatched helps you narrow down where a wireless signal is coming from. Turn off your phone's Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, keep away from the router, and sweep slowly. A strong reading near a smart TV or the router is expected; a strong reading from a "charger" next to the bed is worth a closer look.
Then switch off the lights and check for lens reflections with the lens finder, since cameras that only record to a memory card don't transmit and won't show up on a signal meter.
If something seems off
- Don't unplug or remove it. Take photos first.
- Contact the platform's support and the host, and ask to be moved or refunded if needed.
- If you feel unsafe, leave and call 911.
A few minutes of checking won't make any place perfectly safe, but it lets you settle in knowing you've looked.