What hotel room items would you consider OK or even expect to take with you when you leave?
It would be interesting to have peoples opinions/stories of what is thought of as OK to get away with, and what is just plain going too far...
So what do you think is OK to take from a hotel room while packing your bags?
I'm not talking about a family run hostel/B&B; I'm talking big chain hotels, mainly the top notch, expensive, higher end.
What can you REALLY expect to come away with for your money after a stay?
I'm interested in any stories you have of what you have taken (maybe you really needed/liked that towel), or what you think is feasible to take, or whats just plain criminal - but you heard they took it anyway.
Maybe the hotel has billed you extra for something you thought was ok - maybe you really wish you had taken their dressing gown as you ended up leaving your own there - maybe your not welcome there anymore.
Any stories/opinions could be interesting...
Reply to this Hello Graham 😊
Sometimes I take the body lotion, shampoo and the other bathroom cosmetics they put in the bathroom. Sometimes, I also take the sewing kits, if I dont already have one to travel with.
I dont take the towels or anything else. There have been a couple of times when I have been tempted to take a clean hotel towel and leave the unlaundered one that is in my bag, but I didnt do it.
Mel
Reply to this The only thing I really take from hotels are the toiletries. Some hotels have awesome shampoos and body lotions. I have never taken towels either...I do believe you would be charged for taking that kind of stuff. On one of my recent mystery-shop jobs, I stayed at a hotel...I think it was the
in downtown Toronto and there was a price list in the hotel room stating how much you would be charged for whatever item you took from the room. So if you take their towels for example, they would automatically charge you money and assume you wanted to "buy" the towels. They even have a price for the "" shower head by Kohler that they have installed in the bathrooms. I found that pretty amusing because who would attempt to take a shower head? Reply to this Would anyone who does steal the hotel towels ever admit it?
One time my boyfriend stayed a few nights in a hotel in the US. He was there for work, and the company he worked for at the time put him in a fairly nice hotel. When he was checking out, he had to wait at the reception for around 20 minutes. What for? He thinks they were checking to make sure he did not take the bath robes, towels etc. If he had taken them, would they really say something to him at the reception in front of everybody. Seems like a wierd thing for a fairly fancy and pricey hotel to make a fuss about. But, I suppose even well trained staff would start losing their patience with customers if things like shower heads were taken on a regular basis.
Reply to this That would be bad customer service if they really did say something to him at the reception desk in front of everybody. I would give them a big X on my evaluation form.
Reply to this I too have noticed a price list in a hotel I stayed at (a Ritz in Jakarta - work paid.....or I'd be in a hostel), but I think it was more of a scare tactic. They didnt check my room when I checked out.
I'm going to another Ritz in Jakarta next week, and may take a towel or such, to test my 'scare tactic' theory.
I dont think they could risk making a mistake and billing people incorrectly for something small when their charging 190USD/night, as they could lose a potential returning customer.
Their pillows are also REALLY good, and massive.....is that too far 😊?
Reply to this if it fits in your suitcase, not at all too far : )
Reply to this They didnt check my room when I checked out.
Maybe they keep your credit card details and charge you later. Or charge the company you work for. I am imagining your boss getting an itemised list of the things you pilfered from the hotel room with a bill for the cost. :D
Reply to this Their pillows are also REALLY good, and massive.....is that too far 😊?
That depends on what they are charging for them. 😊
Reply to this The pillow wouldnt fit in my (current) small suitcase. But I think if someone did happen to have a suitcase that it would fit in, and they wanted it enough, then its nothing that good old denial couldnt cope with.
I dont know if i could do it (on moral grounds), but then again, who is the real victim, some fat cat bloke 😊
Reply to this Would anyone who does steal hotel towels admit it?
I, personally, have never taken a hotel towel, nor have I encountered many worth stealing. That said, growing up I do remember a few towels with "Hilton" emblazoned on them in the bathroom, so either one of us kids took one accidentally or it was my mother (I bet it was my mother). Also one of my favorite blankets as a child was a red and blue airline blanket from Delta. Go figure! That was from the late 80's/90's though, and such a higher quality than the flimsy airline blankets (if they exist) are today.
We also had a huge collection of hotel lotions and soap bars growing up - to the point that it embarrasses me now how we must have been that family opening all the drawers to see what "free stuff" we could find. I'll often take the toiletries, particular conditioner, because they're the perfect travel size (plus I always forget to bring my own, and lower-end hotels only offer that 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner stuff that it awful on my hair). With most toiletries if you've already opened it or touched it in ANY way they'll just throw it out, so may as well use 'em later. But I don't take something just because it's there.
Oh, and hotel pens! I'm always running out of pens, so those are awesome.
Reply to this Oh, I sometimes take a couple of pens too to keep in my bag while travelling. I also take sachets of salt from hotels and planes, because I add salt to drinking water when I am in hot destinations to help prevent dehydration.
Reply to this Let me chime in, speaking from a former life working in hotels...
The toiletries, the pens, the pads of paper would be items I expect are meant to be used either there or if you took them home. From my experience, the hotel expects to have to replace those items each time a guest stays and factors that as part of their yearly budget and rates. The pens are, frankly, advertising. These items really can't be reused by the hotel and as such have to replace them (well, I suppose the pens could be reused, but they run pennies a piece and probably too insignificant to really consider).
Towels and pillows, on the other hand are expected by the hotel to be reused after laundering. As such, I would say those items are not meant to be taken (or charged for if taken). I too have seen the signs, though frankly think it would be difficult to actually carry through on charging you on the items. If they charge a credit card, you could dispute the charges and it becomes a matter of the hotel proving how many towels were in the room when you checked in. I suspect the hotel would, at the very least, have to demonstrate they kept scrupulous records of how they stocked the rooms prior to check-in. The hotel would still have to demonstrate a housekeeper didn't make an honest error. The time and effort needed to demonstrate you actually stole a towel is probably not worth it. The cost would exceed losing a towel here and there. I suppose, however, if you started going crazy taking towels, they might then find it worthwhile to pursue the cost of the towels. It's a delicate balance of trying to keep costs down for the hotel to remain competitive and profitable, and yet being customer service friendly in a highly competitive market.
I would urge people to not take the towels and pillows, no matter how nice they are unless they want to pay for them upfront. Ultimately, the hotel is a business and has to cover that cost when they lose towels. In other words, they have to raise rates. Also keep in mind while many chain hotels are franchised and owned by large corporations, there are also chain hotels who are franchised to smaller business-owners. So, while stealing is not justified just because it's a "big company", it's all the bigger of a sting when it's a small business owner.
Reply to this Hi would second Gary on his post. What is supposed to be used by you while in the room...that you use it there or later...is for you and is fine to get away with.
What is supposed to be re-used by other laters on is therefore a steal.
A funny border line object is the sleepers. In some places, there are very nice...and are always brand new, so this is never an issue.
When Leslie was borned....he went on flights straight on...and on a very regular basis. Some airlines do provide a special safety belt for infant to be "put" on the adult ones. Some simply don't used them as they say it is not safe. What is interesting, is that this is a completely conflicting view and nobody has ever came to me with a proper explanation.
We were flying a lot Thai...who do provide one. So one day we left with it. I even had his name "sewed" on it. You should have seen the staff on planes when they saw him after this "already" equiped. Once he grow up and didn't need it anymore, I return it to Thai airways. Thanks for them, we were able to use the belt on airlines who would not provide one.
For the hotel industry, I have spoken with few general managers about this issue. Interesting enough, it seems to them that the things that "disappear" the most are in 3 star hotels where big groups check-in.
Reply to this My most interesting time was when I was an assistant manager of a Hampton Inn. We got this big but light box one day. In the box was a blanket. Apparently, there was a group of high-schoolers in the hotel, one stole a blanket, was caught by the principal of his school, and he had to mail it back with an apology letter. I was impressed enough that I sent a letter back thanking the student and explaining to him why it is so important to not steal - ultimately prices have to be raised on people just like him to make up for those losses.
Reply to this I never take anything other than the toothbrush set --- i use one for the duration of my stay, and keep the extras. It's a no no to take the towels. I remember one hotel guest checking out was asked to open up her suitcase because the bedcovers and duvet were missing! How embarassing.
Reply to this Normally I don't take anything other than toiletries. Only once did I take a towel. The hotel had a play ground and my child had fallen and hit their head. As we were leaving the parking lot I realized I still had a towel, the one with ice in it for their head. I did feel guilty about it though.
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Reply to this Whenever my friends and I travel, we just take the toiletries (well only the nice ones), the pen & pad with the hotel's logo (for souvenir) and also the shoe bag.
That's pretty ok I guess. Towels are no no.
Reply to this This discussion just cracks me up.
Can't remember the last time I stayed in any room where there was anything that could physically be taken. Towels, toiletries, bathrobes - what places are you guys staying in?
Reply to this ...what places are you guys staying in?
My flights were so delayed on my way back to Germany from India last month that the airline put me in a 5 star hotel in Istanbul. There was plenty of stuff there worth taking there. 😉
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