How to Detect a Spy Cam in Your Hotel Room

What Hidden Cameras Really Look Like

Maybe we’ve all been watching too much “Mission Impossible,” but there’s a big misconception about hidden cameras I’d like to set straight. Unless your hotel perv is a bona fide spy with access to the Russian FSB’s latest catalog, they’re probably shopping on Amazon. If they’re shopping on Amazon — or anywhere else where the going price of a spy cam is under $100 — they aren’t going to be using tweezers to install a camera the size of a lentil in your thermostat.

Spy cams are actually kind of clunky. The tiniest model I tested while searching for the best hidden cameras of 2024, for instance, was 1.5 by 1.5 by 1.5 inches, a solid cube. That isn’t much smaller than some of the smaller top home security cameras we’ve reviewed, such as the Blink Mini, which measures 2 by 1.9 by 1.4 inches.

We’ll take a closer look at what that means for your privacy below, but your average hotel spy camera is almost always going to come embedded in a larger, bulkier structure that can conceal it. That structure could be a clock, photo frame, tissue box, book, smoke detector, or a hundred other things.

Where to Look for Hidden Cameras In Hotel Rooms and Rentals

Spy cameras could be hidden in just about anything, but they’ll usually be conspicuously out of place. Take your average $50 “smoke detector camera.” Pretty sneaky all by itself, but when you place it directly above a bed or next to the shower in the bathroom, it becomes a red flag.

You may also want to take a close look at any hooks across from your closet. That’s usually the changing area in hotel rooms, so it’s prime real estate for pervs with hook cams ($29.99 on Amazon).

Creeps have also been known to get pretty inventive when covering their tracks. There have been cases of peeping toms rigging hotel door peepholes and screw heads, and installing cameras in alarm clocks, picture frames, and USB chargers. You can find the last three readymade.

Bottom line: Whether it’s a pretty obvious fake smoke detector hanging over your pillow or a pinhole in an electrical outlet you’d never in a million years suspect of harboring secret surveillance equipment, you’ll have to take some steps to neutralize it.

How to Detect a Hidden Camera and What to Do About It: A Four-Step Guide

1. Scan the Local Network for Devices

Wi-Fi analyzer apps such as Fing and Wireshark should show you any devices connected to the same network your phone is on. Surveillance cameras will usually show up as “generic devices.” If you spot any, you can start your hunt. There are, however, two caveats here.

One, Wi-Fi scanning apps aren’t foolproof. In our own tests, there were times when the apps we were using failed to pick up Wi-Fi–enabled recording devices.

Two, some spy cams don’t stream over Wi-Fi. They record directly to a micro-SD card embedded in the camera, so they won’t show up on network scans. If your network comes up clean, that doesn’t mean no one’s watching.

In both cases, it’s time to move on to step two.

2. Make a Sweep of Your Room

We know that most continuously recording devices need to be either wired or plugged into electrical outlets because their battery life is limited. Start there, giving chargers, smart devices, sockets, and weirdly positioned smoke detectors and clocks a closer look.

Pay special attention to the bathroom and bed area, and keep an eye out for pinholes in walls, outlets, and fittings. Finding those holes can be tricky. Spy cams are bulkier than you may think, but only the lens — or a portion of it — may be visible.

3. Shine Your Flashlight at Any Suspicious Objects

Spy cams have an Achilles’ heel. When you shine light at a camera lens, it will reflect it back. After you’ve located your suspects, start your inspection. You don’t need any fancy tech for this. Your phone’s flashlight will do.

Shine your flashlight directly at the object you believe may be housing a hidden camera. You may need to look carefully, since the openings can be pretty small. If the device reflects your flashlight back at you, it’s time to take action.

4. Call the Police If You Find Something

When you discover a hidden surveillance camera in your hotel room or rental property, your first reaction — after shock and disgust — may be pure fear. Double that if you’re staying in a rental property and the hosts are nearby or even in the same building. These are sociopaths we’re talking about.

That’s why we recommend getting out of the room or rental immediately. When you’re in a safe place, call 911. If it’s a property rental, such as an Airbnb, you can also contact customer support. The one thing we don’t recommend is taking your complaint directly to the host who installed the camera. That could get dangerous.

The Takeaway

The chances of uncovering a spy cam in your hotel room are pretty slim, as long as you’re staying at a reputable hotel. Airbnb rentals are more of a wild card, despite the strict regulations on surveillance cameras in place. It still doesn’t hurt to scope out your lodging, though, and it really doesn’t take much time or effort.

If scanning the local network makes you feel too much like Ethan Hunt in “Mission Impossible,” simply give your room and bathroom a once-over. If you notice something suspicious — a smoke detector where it doesn’t belong or a strange hole in an electrical outlet facing your bed — just beam your phone’s flashlight at it.

It’s better to go a little overboard on travel security than to live with the idea that a peeping tom may have been watching your family’s most intimate moments because you didn’t take a few basic precautions to stop them.

FAQs

How big are spy cams?

Most of them are at least 1.5 by 1.5 by 1 .5 inches, which means only the lens will be visible when you’re looking for them. The camera itself will be embedded in a larger object.

How do I search for hidden cameras in my hotel room?

First, use an app to scan the local network for suspicious devices. If you find any “generic” devices nearby, sweep the room. Shine your phone’s flashlight at anything that looks suspicious. A hidden camera lens will beam the light back at you.

Are hidden camera detectors worth buying?

Probably not. Good ones are expensive, and if a stalker isn’t using a device over Wi-Fi, a detector won’t pick it up.

Can Airbnb hosts use hidden cameras?

Unequivocally, no. Hidden cameras are not allowed on the premises of any Airbnb rental.

What should I do if I find a hidden camera in my hotel room?

If you actually discover a hidden recording device in your hotel room, get out of the room and call the police. (For more on this, see Step 4 above.)