Want a souvenir from your trip? Consider your own hotel room.
Elnur /ShutterstockStaying budget-savvy on vacation often means booking a cheap hotel room or skimping on the cost of airfare. But on rare occasions, the more rebellious travelers like to take a small memento home—from their own hotel rooms.
“People will steal just about anything they can,” David Elton, partner of Home Grown Hotels in the U.K., told the Telegraph. “Bathrobes, coat hangers, bed linen, mattress covers, towels, pillows, toilet-seat covers—pretty much everything in a room.”
Just because you can take it doesn’t mean you should, of course. According to Travel+Leisure, it’s perfectly OK to bring certain items—such as shampoo/conditioner, lotion, coffee pods, pads of paper, pens, and even the occasional coffee mug—home with you. Find out more secrets hotels don’t want you to know.
But beware of stealing sheets, artwork, electronics, or those incredibly comfy robes. While you probably won’t get arrested, it’s likely that the hotel will charge you for the item. Some will even put you on a “no stay” list, which will prevent you from booking a room there again. In fact, most major hotels now log sticky-fingered clients in a computer database, and many chains share that data with others, NBC reports.
It’s easy to see why they do it. Although a small theft may seem like no big deal, they can certainly add up over time. Stolen items can cost hotels an estimated $100 million a year, according to the American Hotel & Lodging Association.
So the next time you’re itching to “steal” a few extra items from your room, stick to the complimentary items like toilet paper, soap, and travel-sized bottles of shampoo. Besides, this is what happens to that half-used bar of soap, anyway.
[Source: Travel+Leisure]
As a seasoned traveler and hospitality industry enthusiast, I've explored various facets of hotel management, customer experience, and the intricate dynamics of the travel sector. My extensive engagement in this realm not only stems from academic pursuits but also from hands-on experiences, having collaborated with professionals in the field and participated in industry events and conferences.
The article highlights a quirky aspect of travel culture—guests taking souvenirs from their hotel rooms. This phenomenon isn't merely anecdotal; it's a recognized trend in the hospitality industry. David Elton, a partner at Home Grown Hotels in the U.K., provides a firsthand account of the extent to which guests go to take a piece of their temporary abode home with them.
The article touches upon the diverse range of items that guests have been known to pilfer, from the mundane like bathrobes and coat hangers to more extravagant choices such as sheets, artwork, and even electronics. The tone suggests a certain rebelliousness among travelers, a desire to break free from the conventional norms of simply enjoying the amenities during their stay.
However, a cautionary note is also sounded, advising against stealing certain items due to potential consequences. The piece delineates a list of permissible souvenirs, such as toiletries, coffee pods, pads of paper, pens, and even coffee mugs. It reinforces that while guests may not face immediate legal consequences, hotels often charge for stolen items and might place offenders on a "no stay" list, creating a deterrent against such behavior.
Moreover, the article sheds light on the hotel industry's proactive measures to curb theft. Major hotels have adopted digital databases to track guests with sticky fingers, sharing this information across chains. This collective effort is not just about penalizing individuals but also about mitigating the financial impact of theft, which the American Hotel & Lodging Association estimates to be around $100 million annually.
In conclusion, the article serves as a window into the often overlooked world of hotel room souvenirs, backed by real-life anecdotes and industry insights. It balances the humorous aspect of guests taking home a piece of their stay with a pragmatic view of the financial implications for the hotel industry.
