Getting into rooms at some Sacramento hotels without a key or even identification is relatively easy and points to a need for improved security, a KCRA 3 hidden-camera investigation has found.

After checking into several hotels over the course of months, KCRA 3 approached housekeepers in hallways and claimed to be locked out of a room.

In each case, the housekeeper involved opened rooms and did not ask for identification. Sometimes, KCRA 3 was let into the same room more than once.

KCRA 3 found that maids at the DoubleTree, downtown Holiday Inn and the Radisson all opened room doors upon hearing a claim of being locked out. In each case, no identification was necessary.

At the Holiday Inn, a maid provided access twice. The general manager said housekeepers are routinely told not to let anyone into a room.

At the Radisson, a supervisor asked for a name but no identification. The general manager said the supervisor should have asked for an ID.

When told of the lapses in security, managers at the Holiday Inn and Radisson were cooperative and eager to address the problems.

The managers at the DoubleTree, where pilots and flight attendants say on a routine basis, asked KCRA 3 to turn our video camera off and leave the hotel.

Barry Miller, DoubleTree general manager, refused to comment and said he was not interested in the results of the investigation.

Because so many pilots and flight attendants stay at hotels, the Department of Homeland Security said keeping such lodging safe is a issue of national security.

Pilots travel with official airline identification badges, flight plans and security codes. When they check into a motel, their uniforms and other materials are often left inside their rooms.

The Department of Homeland Security also talks about the importance of hotel security on its Web site.