Safety
MyFriendsHotel is a trust network, and the same choices we make in everyday life can serve us well online.
There are a series of tools provided by MyFriendsHotel to help you with your decisions online.
These Tools are:
- Members profiles and photos
- Guestbook with Feedback from other Guests
- On-site messaging service
- User Histories
- Interests
- Groups
- Forum
- Unique Booking Reference*
* Unique Booking Reference
A unique booking reference will be generated for each booking. This reference number is received by Guests upon completion of their booking and needs to be given to the Host to allow them to access the 10% booking fee. This ensures that a Host / Guest meeting has taken place and protects both the Host and Guest from fraud.
The above tools can help support your decision to stay with another user but in the end the decision is yours, and yours alone. We recommend that you contact the Host / Guest to build a rapport and a degree of trust. This will make the meeting and the overall experience much smoother and less of a game of chance. We’re all different and that’s what makes the world such an interesting place. However, we want your experience to be interesting for the right reasons!
Personal security and trust are central pillars for a strong and happy on-line community. MyFriendsHotel is no exception. Whilst we believe our members are like-minded people you should behave as you would in the real world – be smart and cautious.
Things you can do to stay safe:
You choose who you stay with. If you don’t feel comfortable being a Host / Guest then don’t book or accept a booking. Once at the accommodation if the Host / Guest does not feel comfortable with the arrangement then there is no obligation to continue with the booking. If the Host is unable to validate the booking then the Guest is entitled to a refund, minus the MYFRIENDSHOTEL commission.
- Be sure to confirm your booking with your Host before you travel to stay with them.
- When reviewing a Host / Guest look at their Guestbook feedback. However, if they do not have any feedback this is probably because they have not been a Host / Guest yet and you should not hold that against them!
- Does your Host / Guest provide a profile picture? Understandably, very few people wish to deal with members who wish to hide their identity.
- Send them a message using our text messaging system and get a feel for who they are – a simple message can tell you a lot about someone.
- Before you stay with a Host / Guest tell someone that you are doing so and forward them your booking confirmation details. You should also call family / friends before you travel and when you arrive.
- It is a good idea to arrange a telephone conversation with your Host / Guest before confirming a booking.
- If possible, try and arrange to travel with friends. There is added safety in numbers.
- Upon arriving at your Hosts accommodation; ask them if any other Guests or visitors are expected and if plans change then make your concerns known.
- Once you have arrived at your Hosts accommodation; make yourself familiar with the layout of the house, possible fire exits and get a feel for the surrounding area.
- If you feel uncomfortable leave!
- Plan in advance so that you can find alternative accommodation in case your first option falls through. Within reason, the more time you allow yourself the more likely it is that you will find suitable accommodation.
- A Back-up plan might be needed. It’s unlikely but it’s not a bad thing to consider the alternatives in case your Host can’t be there due to unforeseen circumstances or upon arrival you don’t feel good about staying. As such, a back-up plan could save the day.
- In an emergency call the Police. Take a note of the local police number before traveling to your Host. It is imperative that you contact the police should a Host break the Law. This will also make the removal of the user from this site much easier.
NOTE:
We will always operate within the law and expect all of our members to act lawfully at home and in any country they may be visiting. Where appropriate, MyFriendsHotel will work with any authorised law enforcement agencies and provide them with any necessary details, as long as this does not infringe your rights.
If you are from a law enforcement body then please contact us: security@myfriendshotel.com and provide your name, e-mail address, phone number and the reason for your intervention.
We will look into the incident and implement measures to make this service safer. MyFriendsHotel is our community and we will do everything in our power to protect it.
What if…You have to leave immediately?
- Stay calm.
- Phone friends or family and tell them your plan but do not panic them.
- Get to a the nearest main transport link as soon as possible.
- Call your back-up or a Hostel, Hotel, B&B for an available bed.
- E-mail us as soon as possible: safty@myfriendshotel.com. Give a detailed account of what happened. We want to police this site and ensure that no unwelcome members use this site.
- Leave feedback on the Host’s Guestbook and make it: a) Detailed b) Factual c) Impartial…try not to get emotional about it and remember that you are strengthening the integrity of the network by reporting inappropriate behaviour. If you need help with this, please contact us.
The MyFriendsHotel.com experience needs to be safe and enjoyable for everyone. Safety and trust is central to building a community such as this and we take it seriously.
If you have a problem with a Host / Guest please send me an e-mail: peter@myfriendshotel.com and cc. safety@myfriendshotel.com
The best safety measure is always to use your COMMON SENSE.
