Has anyone run into hidden or covert metal detectors at hotels? I was denied a room at front desks while appropriately dressed and carrying well concealed . This happened 3 times on a weekday at locations that did not appear at all busy in a small town inTexas.
3 Likes
Weird. What reason did they give you? Were the legal signs posted at the doors?
Never happened… but everything depends on hotel’s policy.
Hotel may be a private property and state laws allow private property owners to determine and enforce any restrictions they choose. So that hotels have the legal authority to restrict or prohibit firearms on their property.
I always check it before booking.
2 Likes
@anon25963094 3 >> [quote=“Chris3, post:1, topic:74376, full:true”]
Has anyone run into hidden or covert metal detectors at hotels? I was denied a room at front desks while appropriately dressed and carrying well concealed . This happened 3 times on a weekday at locations that did not appear at all busy in a small town inTexas.
[/quote]
What about luggage/suitcase 
2 Likes
Hidden metal detectors? Did you do a search for such a thing before posting? Had you, you’d see that there really isn’t such a thing. All metal detectors for commercial use are not very inconspicuous. Honestly, I’d ask what the reason was or send your wife in to secure the hotel room if you think there’s something fishy going on.
2 Likes
Fascinating. Thanks for the post. I’ll stay tuned. Please don’t feel pressured to answer, but I’m curious as to what chain/company it was. I normally think of Texas as pretty liberal on firearm rights. And a small town at that.
2 Likes
Perhaps there was a different reason than your well concealed firearm? 
5 Likes
No signs. Said they were booked up.
2 Likes
Did not display luggage, since we wanted to make sure of a room.
2 Likes
We were well dressed in a recent model vehicle. I am over 70, so don’t appear dangerous or troublesome.
2 Likes
Holiday Inn Express, Fairmont Inn, Best Western
4 Likes
@Burdo [quote=“Burdo, post:6, topic:74376, full:true”]
Fascinating. Thanks for the post. I’ll stay tuned. Please don’t feel pressured to answer, but I’m curious as to what chain/company it was. I normally think of Texas as pretty liberal on firearms values. And a small town at that.
[/quote]
Maybe they were looking for a bim not a firearm.
`
1 Like
This thread made me very interested in hotel metal detectors / x-ray machines in US hotels.
Looks like the idea was born in 2017 in Las Vegas after Mandalay Bay shooting… but it was never applied in USA.
I’m wondering, if majority of USA big hotels did not find it worthy, why small town would use it? It is not a cheap stuff.
I’m not convinced that @Chris3’s incident was related to the firearms.
2 Likes
I’d guess it’s more an issue of low staff numbers or a large event.
What time of year was this? When I helped move my sister-in-law to college a few years ago move in weekend was the same as a FFA event. There wasn’t a room within 50 miles of West Lafayette- pop 48k
2 Likes
Was denied a room many times when traveling. After a few times I’d go just down the road and call back to the motel/hotel and say I was a doctor, contractor or something and the motel would say yes we have plenty of rooms available.
I know I wasn’t denied because of concealed carry, was denied because of riding Harley-Davidson’s motorcycles.
They had the mindset of I was a gang member.
First appearances mean everything to lots of people, I was a writer and photographer for Motorcycle magazine’s.
2 Likes
@Jerzees agreed, they aren’t cheap and making one discreet is even more expensive. It also takes training to use and maintain. So, I’m saying no, not used in this case.
A better explanation would be a lack of staff to support full capacity.
Last week I went to 2 different restaurants, on two different days, both closed. The following visit I asked them about it and they said closed due to no cook.
2 Likes
Metal detector, hidden or not, cannot tell artificial hip from IWB carry. A hotel violating ADA like this is not likely to get approval from corporate legal. File as myth.
3 Likes
Also doubt it was a metal detector - or x-ray. Expensive to buy/lease, maintain, operate or monitor. Lots of things can set off a metal detector including keys, watches, tools, pocket knives, artificial joints, etc. My brother has a metal plate in his head from a parasailing accident.
Probably post Covid staffing shortage, but also front desk staff and concierge are trained in profiling potential scoundrels.
2 Likes
Did they actually say “we are denying you a room because you are carrying a firearm?” or are you inferring that was the reason why?
I am super skeptical of a hidden metal detector or anything similar.Think of how much metal you may have on your body at any moment… belt buckle, folding knife, metal plate in head, metal hip, laptop, tools, steel toe boots, etc etc. Staff would just have a tremendous amount of false positives so as to make it useless.
Texas does have the ability to post signage that says no open carry or conceal carry is allowed and it carries the force of law. But they must have the proper signage (specific design and placement) for it to have legal effect.
So if it was firearms related, they would have inferred the presence by some other means (printing) or maybe they just ask everyone “do you have firearms? if so, get out”. I tend to think it was related to something else though.