Executive Summary
- Most Orlando hotels need unarmed, uniformed guards in public areas plus patrol coverage—armed posts are situational, not default.
- Hotel security in Orlando must balance guest experience with real protection: visible enough to deter, professional enough not to disrupt.
- Any provider should start with a site walk and risk assessment, then deliver post orders, staffing plans, and a reporting cadence your management team can actually use.
- Florida law requires proper licensing: Class D for security officers, Class G for armed/firearm duties, regulated by FDACS under Chapter 493.
- Next step: Book a free consultation—we’ll assess your property, identify risk points, and provide a no-cost coverage estimate. Call (407) 953-1290.
Why Hotel Security in Orlando Is Different
Hotels aren’t warehouses. They’re public-facing, high-traffic, and run 24/7. Orlando hotels specifically deal with a mix of tourists, convention traffic, theme park spillover, and nightlife—which means your security plan has to handle everything from noise complaints to trespassers to medical emergencies.
You’re balancing three realities:
- Guests expect warmth and privacy. Security that feels aggressive or intrusive damages the guest experience.
- Problems start small. Loitering, noise, unauthorized visitors, parking issues—these escalate if not addressed early.
- Serious incidents still happen. Assaults, theft, domestic disputes, medical emergencies. You need a plan that works when it matters.
Hotels also fit CISA’s definition of soft targets and crowded places, meaning prevention, visibility, and rapid coordination matter more than reactive force.
For Orlando specifically: high-occupancy weekends, convention surges, and after-hours access points (pools, parking garages, side entrances) are where most incidents concentrate. Your security patrol services plan needs to account for these patterns.
What Types of Security Do Orlando Hotels Use?
Most hotel security programs use a layered approach—not a single armed-vs-unarmed decision.
Unarmed, Uniformed Guards (Most Common)
Best for: visible deterrence, guest and staff support, lobby presence, pool and amenity checks, access control, and de-escalation.
This is the baseline for most Orlando hotels. Guards hold a Florida Class D Security Officer License, which requires 40 hours of training.
Foot Patrol (Interior and Exterior)
Best for: hallways, stairwells, elevators, conference corridors, service areas, and perimeter checks.
Foot patrol catches problems early—before a noise complaint becomes a disturbance, before a propped door becomes a break-in. For Orlando hotels with multiple buildings or large footprints, this is essential.
Vehicle Patrol / Mobile Patrol
Best for: parking lots and garages, perimeter loops, late-night exterior coverage, and properties with multiple buildings.
Mobile patrol is also a cost-effective option for limited-service hotels that don’t need a full-time lobby post every hour. Learn more about security patrol services in Orlando.
Armed Security (Situational)
Best for: documented violent incidents, credible threats, specific cash-handling requirements, or when hotel policy and insurance require it.
Armed guards in Florida must hold a Class G Statewide Firearm License with 28 hours of firearms training.
Reality check: If a security company pushes armed coverage as the default for every hotel, that’s a sales tactic—not a risk-based recommendation. See our breakdown of armed security services vs. unarmed security services to understand when each makes sense.
Event-Specific Coverage
When your Orlando hotel hosts conferences, weddings, sports teams, or tour groups, you may need temporary coverage for entrances, credential checks, crowd management, overnight quiet-hours patrol, and parking/rideshare staging.
Armed vs. Unarmed: How Orlando Hotels Should Decide
This isn’t about ego or optics. It’s about matching security posture to actual risk.
Unarmed is usually the right baseline when:
- Your primary goals are deterrence, access control, guest service, and early intervention
- Your lobby is busy and you want a calm, professional presence
- Most incidents are behavioral (noise, loitering, trespass attempts), not violent threats
Armed may be appropriate when:
- You have documented violent incidents or credible, specific threats
- Your property has high-value targets or unusual risk exposure
- Your policies and insurance support it
- The provider can clearly explain training, use-of-force policy, and escalation boundaries
Florida licensing requirements matter here. Any provider you’re considering should be able to explain exactly how their guards are licensed for their assigned duties.
What to Look for in a Hotel Security Company
A uniform is easy. A controlled security operation is not.
A Real Onboarding Process
Ask whether they produce site-specific post orders—written instructions that define posts, patrol zones, what’s allowed vs. prohibited, escalation rules, and reporting requirements.
Risk assessments should follow a recognized framework. ASIS International provides widely-used guidance for building these programs—not as law, but as methodology.
Licensing and Compliance Documentation
At minimum, your provider should explain:
- How they verify guards are properly licensed (Class D for unarmed; Class G for armed)
- How uniforms and identification are handled (Florida law includes requirements around agency identification)
- What training is baseline vs. site-specific
Supervisor Oversight
Hotel security fails when guards operate in a vacuum. You want supervisor check-ins (random and scheduled), performance reviews against post orders, fast backfill when someone is late or no-shows, and a single point of contact for management.
Reporting That Management Can Use
Vague reports make your security program unmanageable. A professional provider delivers daily activity reports (DARs), incident reports with time/location/actions taken, and trend summaries so you can adjust staffing and policies over time.
De-escalation Training
Hotels are people-centric environments. Your provider should train for calm conflict resolution and have clear boundaries for when to disengage and escalate. OSHA guidance on workplace violence prevention emphasizes that training and controls reduce risk.
Hospitality Fit
A hotel guard’s job is partly customer-facing: professional and approachable presence, knows how to interact without escalating, protects guest privacy, and understands staff workflows. If intimidation is their only tool, they’re wrong for hospitality.
What the First Month Should Look Like
If a provider is competent, the first phase follows a predictable pattern.
Week 1: Site Walk, Risk Assessment, Draft Plan
You should see a walkthrough of lobby, guest floors, stairwells, pool/amenities, parking, loading dock, and employee entrances. The provider should identify uncontrolled access paths, blind spots, and after-hours vulnerabilities—then deliver a staffing recommendation based on layout, guest flow, and incident history.
Good providers align with CPTED principles—design and management choices that reduce opportunity for crime.
Week 2: Post Orders, Escalation Rules, Communications Plan
You should receive written post orders, radio/phone communication expectations, and an escalation tree (front desk → manager on duty → security supervisor → emergency services).
Weeks 3–4: Stabilize Operations, Tune Patrol Patterns
You should see consistent patrol timing and coverage, documented activity and incidents, and a feedback loop to refine the plan based on what’s actually happening.
What Hotel Security with Two Friends Typically Includes
Based on how we scope hotel security in Orlando, clients typically request combinations of:
- Lobby and entrance presence — high-visibility deterrence and guest support
- Guest floor patrols — quiet-hours enforcement, suspicious activity checks
- Parking lot and garage patrols — vehicle break-in deterrence, loitering prevention
- Amenity checks — pool, fitness center, conference spaces
- Incident response and documentation — clear reports, not vague narratives
- Staff safety escorts — closing shifts, cash drops, parking walks (if applicable)
- Event surge coverage — weddings, conferences, sports weekends
Coverage can be 24/7 or targeted to high-risk periods (evenings, weekends, peak seasons). Two Friends Security serves Orlando and a roughly 55-mile radius throughout Central Florida.
Buyer Checklist: 10 Questions Before You Hire
Use this to separate real operators from “warm body” security:
- Are your guards properly licensed for the role (Florida Class D; Class G if armed)?
- Will you write site-specific post orders for our hotel and update them when conditions change?
- How do you handle trespass and unauthorized visitor issues without escalating situations?
- What does supervisor oversight look like (frequency, audits, performance feedback)?
- Can you show a sample Daily Activity Report and incident report?
- What is your backfill plan if a guard is late, sick, or no-shows?
- How do you train guards for hospitality environments (guest interaction, de-escalation, privacy)?
- What’s your escalation protocol for medical issues, disturbances, suspected crimes, and emergencies?
- Do you provide trend reporting so we can reduce incidents over time—not just react?
- Can you coordinate with hotel management policies (quiet hours, pool rules, access rules) without acting like law enforcement?
If a company can’t answer these clearly, they can’t run hotel security consistently.
Florida Compliance Note
Private security in Florida is regulated by FDACS under Chapter 493.
- Class D Security Officer License: 40 hours of required training. FDACS requirements.
- Class G Statewide Firearm License: 28 hours of firearms training. FDACS requirements.
- Uniform identification: Florida statutes address identification requirements for Class D licensees.
Verify licensing and scope for any provider you hire.
Get a Free Hotel Security Consultation in Orlando
If you manage a hotel in Orlando or surrounding areas—including Kissimmee, Winter Park, Altamonte Springs, Lake Buena Vista, International Drive, and the convention district—schedule a free consultation.
We’ll walk your property, identify risk points, and provide a no-cost estimate for coverage.
Two Friends Security – Trusted Hotel Security in Orlando
Call (407) 953-1290 to get started, or click the button below to call directly.
Sources
- Florida FDACS — Class D Security Officer License Requirements
- Florida FDACS — Class G Statewide Firearm License Requirements
- Florida Statutes — Chapter 493
- Florida Statutes — §493.6305 Uniforms and Identification
- ASIS International — Security Risk Assessment Standard
- International CPTED Association — CPTED Principles
- CISA — Soft Targets and Crowded Places Resource Guide
