How to Find Hidden Cameras in an Airbnb or Hotel (5-Minute Scan)

Picture this.

You check into your rental after a long travel day. You kick off your shoes, flop on the bed, and finally relax.

Meanwhile, a tiny camera inside the alarm clock on the dresser is recording every second of it.

It sounds like a movie plot. Unfortunately, it’s not.

In South Korea, police found that about 1,600 motel guests had been secretly filmed by cameras hidden in TV boxes, wall sockets, and hair dryer holders. The footage was streamed live to paying viewers online.

And these spy cameras keep getting smaller and cheaper. Some cost less than a nice dinner out.

The good news? You don’t need special equipment or an hour of searching to protect yourself. You just need to know where to look.

Here’s the quick 5-minute scan I’ve used in rentals and hotel rooms around the world, using nothing but my phone.

First, a quick note on Airbnb’s rules

In 2024, Airbnb banned indoor security cameras in listings worldwide, even ones that are out in the open.

Hosts can still have outdoor cameras and doorbell cameras, as long as they disclose them in the listing.

So here’s the simple rule: if you find a camera inside an Airbnb, it shouldn’t be there. Period.

Of course, a rule only stops honest hosts. The creeps are the reason this scan exists.

1. Think like a creep (and skip 80% of the room)

Nobody wants to spend an hour checking every crevice after a long flight.

You don’t have to.

Instead, ask yourself one question: “If I were a creep, where would I want to see?”

A creep isn’t hiding a camera in the kitchen or the entryway. They want a view of the places where you’re most vulnerable:

• The bed
• The shower and toilet
• The spot where you’d change clothes
• The couch, if it’s a fold-out bed

Those are your “hot zones.” Spend your five minutes there.

In a big room, there’s one more spot worth checking: the edges of the room. A camera tucked in a corner or along a wall can capture the whole space at once.

2. Look for things that seem out of place

Once you know your hot zones, scan them for anything that feels a little off.

A few examples:

• A smoke detector directly above the bed (or above the shower)
• An alarm clock angled oddly toward the bed
• A USB charging block plugged in next to the bathroom sink. Who charges their phone in the bathroom?
• A random gadget that doesn’t seem to do anything

One rental I stayed in had a strange phone-like box mounted on the wall, with no phone attached, pointed right at the bed. That’s exactly the kind of thing worth a closer look.

Pro tip: Before your trip, spend two minutes searching “hidden camera” on Amazon. You’ll see exactly what these gadgets look like, from clocks to chargers to pens to car keys. Once you’ve seen them, they’re much easier to spot in real life.

3. Check anything plugged into the wall

Battery-powered spy cameras exist. But if someone wants to record guests for days at a time, they need a camera that won’t die.

That means power.

So in your hot zones, pay extra attention to anything that’s plugged in:

• Alarm clocks (some of the most common hidden cameras out there)
• USB wall chargers and charging hubs
• Extension cords and power strips
• Wall outlets themselves

That last one surprises people. You can buy wall outlets online with a camera built into one of the sockets.

Here’s the giveaway: the camera socket usually won’t accept a plug. If one socket in an outlet facing the bed won’t take your charger, look closer.

And here’s a sneaky one. Many hidden camera chargers actually work. You could charge your phone with one and never suspect a thing.

4. Do a quick hands-on check

If something looks suspicious, pick it up (or at least get close).

• Feel for bumps or anything that seems out of place.
• Look for a tiny hole on the side facing the bed or shower.
• Flip it over. A QR code on the back of an everyday object can be a sign it connects to Wi-Fi. (Smart home gadgets have these too, so it’s a clue, not proof.)
• Look for a small slot or flap. Several of the cameras I’ve tested hid a memory card behind what looked like a battery cover or a sticker.
• Unplug it. If the screen or light stays on after you unplug it, that’s a red flag. It means there’s a backup battery inside.

5. Use the flashlight test

This is the single most useful trick for spotting a hidden lens.

1. Turn off the lights and close the curtains as best you can.
2. Turn your phone flashlight to its brightest setting.
3. Shine it slowly across each suspicious object.

A camera lens reflects light back at you with a small, sharp glint.

The key word is slowly. Move the light around from a few different angles. If you sweep it past quickly, it’s easy to miss.

This works even on cameras hidden behind a dark or mirrored cover. When I shined a light on a camera alarm clock, the lens and a row of tiny night-vision lights suddenly showed up below the numbers.

Bonus trick: Many hidden cameras use infrared lights to record in the dark. Your eyes can’t see that light, but a phone camera often can. In a dark room, open your camera app and point it at the suspicious object. On many phones, the front (selfie) camera picks up infrared better than the main one. A faint glowing dot is a big red flag.

6. Don’t forget the bathroom (and look up)

The bathroom is the second place a creep would go after the bedroom. So give it a little extra time.

Check anything that points toward the shower or toilet:

• Outlets and USB chargers near the sink
• Light fixtures. Some hidden cameras are built into working light bulbs, so check the bottom of the bulb, not just whether it turns on.
• Toiletries, decorations, and air fresheners the host left behind

And here’s the spot most people forget: the ceiling.

Our eyes naturally scan at eye level. But a smoke detector, vent, or light above the shower has a perfect view.

7. Scan the Wi-Fi with your phone

Many hidden cameras connect to Wi-Fi so someone can watch remotely. That gives you another way to find them.

Two free apps help here:

• Fing (iPhone and Android): Connect to the rental’s Wi-Fi, then scan the network. You’ll get a list of every device connected to it. Look for anything labeled as a camera, or brand names you don’t recognize. A quick Google search will tell you if a brand makes cameras.
• AirPort Utility (iPhone): This one lists nearby Wi-Fi networks. Some cheap cameras broadcast their own network, so an oddly named one can be a clue. To make it work, go to your phone’s Settings, find AirPort Utility in your apps list, and switch on Wi-Fi Scanner. Then open the app and tap Wi-Fi Scan.

Smart move: Run the scan, then unplug the suspicious alarm clock (or whatever you’re unsure about) and scan again. If a device disappears from the list, you’ve got your answer.

One limit to know: this only catches cameras on Wi-Fi. A camera that records to a memory card won’t show up. That’s why the physical checks above still matter.

8. When in doubt, cover it or unplug it

You don’t need to be 100% sure something is a camera to protect yourself.

If an object in your hot zone still bugs you after your scan, just:

• Unplug it, or
• Throw a towel or t-shirt over it, or
• Turn it to face the wall.

This goes for smart TVs too. If the TV has the best view of the bed (it usually does), unplug it or drape something over it at night.

It takes two seconds and gives you total peace of mind.

What about hidden camera detectors?

You can buy handheld hidden camera detectors for a fairly low price. Most have a small viewfinder and flashing red lights that make camera lenses easier to spot.

Personally, I’ve found the phone flashlight works well enough for a quick scan. A bright travel flashlight or a good headlamp is a nice middle ground, and both are handy to pack anyway.

But if a detector gives you extra peace of mind, there’s no judgment here. Whatever helps you sleep at night.

What to do if you find a hidden camera

If you find something that’s clearly a camera:

1. Don’t tamper with it. Leave it where it is.
2. Take photos and video of the device and where it’s pointed.
3. Get yourself to a safe place, then contact the local police.
4. Report it to the platform you booked through (Airbnb, Vrbo, or the hotel’s management), not just the host.

There’s a reason I say not to go straight to the host. If they’re the one who put it there, the first thing they’ll do is make it disappear.

Don’t forget your digital privacy

A creep willing to hide a camera might not stop there.

In a rental, the Wi-Fi router is usually sitting out in the open. And everyone who’s ever stayed there has the password.

In hotels, scammers can set up fake Wi-Fi networks with names that look just like the hotel’s real one.

So for anything sensitive, like banking or email, I either:

• Use a VPN before connecting to any rental, hotel, or public Wi-Fi, or
• Skip the Wi-Fi entirely and use an eSIM data plan on my own phone instead.

The bottom line

Hidden cameras are creepy. But they’re also beatable.

You don’t need to search every inch of the room or buy fancy gear. Just focus on the hot zones, check what’s plugged in, do the flashlight test, and cover anything that still bugs you.

Five minutes. That’s all it takes to travel with real peace of mind.