So I'm sure you can imagine what happens in places where there isn't even an attendant to try, and the rest of the building is not other hotel guests having a potential lousy night but people's actual homes.

Oh absolutely, and we had an experience in London where the apartment upstairs was used for a party while we were there and the landlord, who owned both apartments didn't care, wouldn't take responsibility.

Yeah, I suspect the more important function of a hotel is to isolate visitors from residents. In that case, your hotel probably (mostly) worked.

That's the exception rather than the rule.

Most decent hotels have staff and security.

Hotels in the US by far do not have security. It depends how large the hotel. Typically, places with large meeting spaces or banquet halls with a few hundred rooms and bars/restaurants will have security.

But your typical mid market hotel in the ~80 room to ~160 room range like Hampton Inn, Residence Inn, or Holiday Inn Express will not have any security, or anyone on property other than 1, maybe 2 people working the front desk. And they certainly aren't going to do anything other than call the police if something happens.

And the police may also choose not to do something if they don't feel like doing anything.

Wasn't decent, and one could argue that we got what we paid for :)