Here's an interesting conversation starter from MSNBC about stealing hotel amenities. So, do you steal hotel amenities?
To me, there are two levels of hotel amenities. There are the basic grooming products (soap, shampoo, mouthwash, etc.) and the more valuable items (towels, robes, etc.) IMO the former are up for grabs -- take them if you like. As such, taking them is not stealing. The latter are not meant to be taken -- and to do so is stealing. Therefore, I take the basic items when I like (which isn't often since there stuff isn't really that good) and I never take the other things.
How about you?
Egads, who would spend a small fortune to stay in a pricy hotel only to swipe the linens, decorating accessories and bathroom fixtures? It would be far cheaper to purchase those items than to spend the night. Imagine explaining the used showerhead in your luggage to customs officials when you reenter the country.
Personally, I don't want to explain to guests in my home why all our towels have "Motel 6" embroidered on them.
Posted by: lurker carl | June 12, 2009 at 03:06 PM
Embroidered Motel 6 towels? Now that's a first! :-)
Posted by: nazirv | June 12, 2009 at 03:17 PM
Weird. I guess if the opportunity to steal was always as easy as in a hotel we'd have quite the crime rate. Hmm, my rental car does have a nice radio....
Posted by: Strick | June 12, 2009 at 03:24 PM
The first level of amenities that you mention, to me, are included in the price of the room and they are mine because I paid for them, but I usually don't take them anyway because, like you said, it is not that high quality. Taking the second level amenities never even crossed my mind.
I have heard of people taking the soaps, shampoos, etc. and giving them to homeless shelters. I may start doing that.
Posted by: rdub98 | June 12, 2009 at 03:29 PM
This is actually a dilemma I recently had. We stayed at a hotel that had Neutrogena products which I use frequently. We had two bathrooms so there was double everything. There were no seals on anything. My question is, do they leave the items for the next people and if so, how do they know it wasn't used? I ended up taking the shampoo and lotion from the bathroom we used and the face cleanser from both bathrooms because it's good stuff and I didn't want it to go to waste.
BTW, I would never, never take the towels or anything other than opened toiletries, that is definitely stealing.
Posted by: Laura S. | June 12, 2009 at 03:32 PM
The hotel can charge you for taking the linens and towels. Who wants to pay $20 for a towel that has been well used or $50 for a bedspread. The stuff you can take is worthless, makes your skin dryout or smells like old lady perfume.
Posted by: LyndaS | June 12, 2009 at 03:33 PM
The "first-level" amenities are there for you to use. They replace them before the next guest. Included in cost of room. Take or not as you prefer. I have gobs of them, but primarily from business travel (thus nicer hotels with a better class of amenities than I would ordinarily get). They're handy for people who want to avoid checking in bags, as they're normally small enough to go through the ordinary security line.
The rest...yuck!
Posted by: Sarah | June 12, 2009 at 03:37 PM
I imagine the shampoo products and such just get thrown out and wasted if people don't take them. I take them and then use them if I'm traveling and not staying in a hotel. I believe that they are included in the price of the room, so you might as well get your monies worth.
For the record, I don't think the robes or sheets or towels are included in the price.
Posted by: Claire | June 12, 2009 at 03:37 PM
We always take the lotions etc we don't use, and do use them at home before opening a large new shower gel or whatever. The "sewing kit" things I have on a shelf in my bathroom have saved me a few times. We generally stay in sheraton, and like the quality of the products. A lot of the time housekeeping will just sweep all the little shampoo bottles etc into the garbage anyway, in case they're opened. They don't have the time to investigate every item.
I've stayed in plenty of hotels where the price of the bathrobe or slippers (and it's a helluva lot more than you'd pay at macys!) is listed in the book by the bed, with the room service. Beyond that, why on earth would you think it's okay to help yourself?! Would anyone steal from boutique hotels with books on the shelves and artwork not glued to the walls?!
Posted by: guinness416 | June 12, 2009 at 04:18 PM
Never towels, robes, hair dryer, etc. Sometimes pen and pad of paper. Yes to beauty products (and have gotten brands like Molton Brown, Aveda, Bliss, Malin + Goetz) to use when traveling to places that might only offer a sliver of soap or at the gym (I also keep lotion in an office drawer.) Disposable shower caps are great to pack shoes so they don't soil clothes in luggage. Plastic laundry bags (used to send to the hotel laundry, which I never do) are used to separate dirty laundry from clean for return trip. I don't take products daily for housekeeping to re-stock, just at the end of the stay.
Posted by: Eliot | June 12, 2009 at 04:46 PM
I don't see a problem taking extras of the toiletries like soap & shampoo. Those items are there for our use anyway. They expect us to consume them. I don't see a real difference between using them at the hotel and taking the extra home.
But the stuff like sheets & towels is not meant for us to take freely and you'll probably get charged for it.
Posted by: Jim | June 12, 2009 at 04:49 PM
I take the showercaps they give at every hotel in which I stay. They're great for deep conditioning treatments!
Posted by: Danielle | June 12, 2009 at 04:58 PM
If I crack the seal on a liquid bottle or bar of soap, it's mine to take if I want it--it will be thrown out otherwise (health code regulation in most if not all areas).
If these and other small items like pens and pads of paper bear the name of the hotel, I'd consider taking them as well, even if I haven't cracked the seal. The hotel's name on these items serves as advertising and promotion to remind you of your stay. I would be willing to bet that hotels have generated far more revenue through repear business by keeping their names in front of customers in this manner than the soaps and shampoos cost.
If the soaps and liquid items don't bear the name of the hotel, I leave them if I haven't broken the seals--but it is worth noting that some hotels get these for free from the manufacturer in exchange for acting as a sample distributor.
Taking robes will get you charged. Taking towels or sheets--incredibly tacky under any circumstances, whether they bear the hotel's name or not. Taking the tissue box out of the holder or an extra box of tissues or toilet paper that's in the vanity? Also tacky, unless you anticipate an emergency and there's just no place to buy them.
Posted by: MelMoitzen | June 12, 2009 at 05:46 PM
before - i would just about take everything that was free (especially in college). but now not so much unless it's really cool - i generally trash it after i take it so there isn't any point to it anymore. :)
Posted by: Ms Banker | June 12, 2009 at 07:17 PM
My sister and brother in law just returned from South Korea where their suitcases were weighed upon entry to and exit from the hotel. The weights were different, and the hotel claimed they had stolen a towel or something.
45 minutes, a bag search and a room search later they were allowed to go...
Posted by: Michael | June 12, 2009 at 09:22 PM
I tend to take the soaps/shampoos that I've used (or that I'll actually use), but I don't bother with the toiletries I don't need/want. And I definitely don't take the stuff you're not supposed to (towels, sheets, etc) it just seems wrong!
Posted by: Stephanie | June 12, 2009 at 11:55 PM
Michael, are you kidding?
Their weights must have also changed, too.
Posted by: aa | June 13, 2009 at 12:34 AM
Sometimes I take the slippers they offer in Japan / the Far East. Otherwise most of the products are inferior to what we have at home.
-Mike
Posted by: Mike Hunt | June 13, 2009 at 02:41 AM
The toiletries are complimentary--many hotels have a sign saying so. But I don't take them unless they're really special. My little plastic airport security baggie is usually already full of makeup and etc.
Hotel towels, bathrobes, and sheets? Obviously, taking these is stealing. Hotels often leave signs in the room saying so. Most likely the hotel would charge you anyway if they disappear. (I have seen signs in hotels saying they'll charge you some ridiculous price like $150 for a bathrobe if you leave with it). Also, who arrives at a hotel with the half-empty suitcase you'd need to conceal one of those huge robes?
Posted by: MC | June 13, 2009 at 07:33 AM
The pens and paper...100% of the time those come home with me. :-D We'll take hand lotion if it's there; usually I end up using the shampoo and soap in the room, so that pretty well stays.
Posted by: Josh Stein | June 13, 2009 at 07:58 AM
We take the soaps, shampoo's etc. and use them later when we are camping. As far as towels, sheets etc. we leave them, they are not ours, we are renting them along with the room.
Posted by: Matt from St. Louis Metro | June 13, 2009 at 08:20 AM
If you manage the right hotel, there is a pool service which gives out additional towels. This is rather easy to take. I have when the quality was very nice and there was no embroidery on them. Of course, I am a thief and I will steal. Also, I will hit all the common bathrooms with a backpack and take home a trunkfull of toilet paper. I get away with it and the thrill has kinda gone because it is too easy and there is no real need to do it anymore. However, I sure have done it. Perhaps I am the only one who will admit it.
Posted by: Allen | June 13, 2009 at 09:28 AM
We ALWAYS take the toiletries for the homeless shelter. And, yes, the hotel WILL cahrge you for th other stuff.
Posted by: Al Howard | June 13, 2009 at 11:36 AM
I agree with Allen and do the exact same thing. Even if I never get in the water, I always make a point to stop by the pool or fitness center and grab 2-3 towels to take home with me. They are often much higher quality than the towels in the hotel room, especially since they are so lightly used.
Since I always stay in Marriotts (Platinum Marriott Rewards member) and since they use Bath and Body Works shampoos, I always take as many home with me as I can fit in my luggage. If I have time in the morning, I will walk down every hallway, taking them from the housekeeper carts. I have not bought shampoo or soap for years and it's great!
What else do I deserve to take home from hotels? Certainly not the sheets or pillows, but I always take the batteries from the TV remote (I have not purchased AA batteries for years) and usually all of the toilet paper. Oh and I never buy light bulbs either. If one burns out at home, I carefully bring it with me in my luggage (I have a special plastic case specifically designed for fragile items) and exchange it with a good one from my hotel lamp.
If, in today's challenging economy, you are not doing everything you can to save money, while taking the amenities you rightfully deserve, then the only person you are hurting is yourself and I truly feel sorry for you.
Posted by: StevenK | June 13, 2009 at 11:44 AM
Steven,
You are thieving and the reason why I must pay $100 or more to sleep in a decent hotel room! Take the toiletrie from your room, as well as paper, toilet paper, and tissues which are for your consumption; but GEEZ!, not the towels or the housekeepers cart's supply, or the batteries from the remote! Isn't the 'free' (bagels and yogurt you steal) breakfast and housekeeping (I'm sure you don't tip) good enough!!!!!!!!!!!! Too much is enough!
Posted by: Holly | June 13, 2009 at 11:55 AM
For ALL YOU THIEVES OUT THERE! Sure you're saving yourself money (maybe), but WHY DO YOU THINK THE MOTELS RAISE THEIR RATES? IT'S BECAUSE OF YOU! YOU'RE IDIOTS!
Posted by: Ardis | June 13, 2009 at 03:07 PM
Am I the only one to think that StevenK is kidding?
The towels and such is the same as stealing as people above said. I don't bother with toiletries normally. I agree that they are included in price, but I don't particularly like them. The space in my bag comes at a premium: I take the smallest bag I can fit my stuff into, so I rarely have free space. With every item I consider buying on a trip, I always need to think 1)how will I fit it in my bag? 2) how much weight will it add?
@Michael - interesting story from South Korea. Don't they have any souvenirs or items that visitors buy? It seems like unless one visits relatives/friends and brings tons of gifts or doesn't buy anything at all in a place, the bag will always be heavier. Or the visitors in this particular hotels need to keep all of their purchases separately in plastic bags or have them weighted in stores and have store receipts with weight of each item.
Posted by: kitty | June 13, 2009 at 09:29 PM
I am not kidding. There is no humor in saving money by taking what is rightfully yours.
If an item is DISPOSABLE, such as batteries or light bulbs, then there is no harm in being the one who is responsible for its disposal, is there?
As for the shampoos and soaps, they GIVE THEM AWAY and EXPECT customers to take them so, again, there is no harm in doing so. Heck, you can even go to the front desk and ask for more and they would happily oblige. Incidentally, I also take advantage of the free complimentary "Forget Something" toothpaste, toothbrush and shaver, all free for the asking. They are always quality name brands and, because I travel so much, I have not had to purchase them for me or my family, for years. How much have you wasted on these items over the past year?
I understand that taking pool towels might be considered wrong, but they are not part of the guest room inventory, are they? Who cares if I take them, then? Once again, they are giving them to me, as many as I want, and it's not my fault if I choose to take full advantage of their generosity.
Let me respectfully remind you...With the economy the way it is, with lower wages and record high prices, if you are not doing everything in your power to save money then you are a fool. There is nothing wrong with taking all that society has to offer, especially in today's uncertain financial climate.
Posted by: StevenK | June 13, 2009 at 11:13 PM
StevenK,
If you are truly trying to do everything in your power to save money, why not step it up a notch?
Purchase a tent and save yourself the cost of a hotel room or use e-meetings and avoid the travel costs all together.
As ardis points out, you are just increasing the marginal cost of renting a room out and driving hotel rates up.
Hypothetical: If you rented your spare bedroom out to someone, would you consider the costs of towels/toiletries/batteries in your rent rates? What about the 'disposable' food you kept in your pantry?
Posted by: Ryan | June 14, 2009 at 12:00 AM
Hmmmm... does anyone actually think that taking the soap can be considered stealing? The same people probably think you should leave the morning paper behind as well...
Posted by: shadox | June 14, 2009 at 01:04 AM
When I was a kid we stayed in sprawling resorts when we went on the typical family vacation. My sister and I would ball up the stationery (they'd give you a whole sheet in those days) and stuff the balls of paper up the coin return of every coke machine in the place -- someone would put in their 2 quarters for a $.40 coke and ... viola .. no dime returned. Just before leaving we'd run around with our little hands and pull those wads of paper out and get the booty. Some machines had them removed but most didn't. A few times a machine would have a new dent.
Posted by: Gone | June 14, 2009 at 09:47 PM
StevenK,
Please tell us what your cutoff point is for pilfering.
Saving money and stealing are quite different, one happens to be illegal. I would assume the rightful owner of those items care if you steal them.
The furniture in a hotel lobby isn't on your room inventory, are that also fair game for decorating your home? Do you also take the cloth napkin, dinnerware and utensils home after a restaurant meal? How about the table and chair? Or the cart from the grocery store? I'd love to see a rental car after you're through with it.
Posted by: lurker carl | June 14, 2009 at 10:09 PM
StevenK, your post was so ridiculous that I honestly thought it was meant as a joke.
But since you are serious, here is a thought: maybe if you spend apparently considerable creative talents that you use to figure out what else you can take from a hotel and how to justify it, maybe you figure could make enough money that you don't need to steal the light bulbs and towels?
Nobody argues with you about shampoo and soaps. These are indeed for your use and are part of the cost of the room. Everything else you mentioned is stealing. This type of behavior raises the cost for everyone; if enough people follow your example, you may find your next stay in a hotel much less comfortable - no pool towels, for example.
Talking about disposable items: Since light bulbs and batteries are disposable, you wouldn't mind if guests to your home take some of yours as well, would you? Let me explain it to you as I would to a 5 year old: "disposable" means that you only dispose of them after they stop working, not while they are still operational. Hotel owners actually spent money on them expecting them to last a certain amount of time. I am surprised you don't understand it. If every hotel guest followed your example, the hotel would have to buy bulbs every day. Then they will have to raise the cost of the rooms for everyone. Next time you go to a hotel, you'll pay a lot more - to account for people taking stuff.
Really, I would argue that a CD player is disposable as well; after all it probably would take more money to repair it than to buy a new one. Even a computer can be considered disposable - how many people repair it after it stopped working and is no longer under warranty? Would you take it too? I'd argue - probably yes, if you thought you could get away with it. Right? Because you are just a thief, and your explanation about the economy is the same explanation every thief is using. A maid that cleans your room could apply the same justification in taking your stuff as you use to take the hotel's items.
@lurker carl - great points.
Posted by: kitty | June 14, 2009 at 10:57 PM
I doubt StevenK is serious - but to those who talk about raising the cost of hotel rooms for others - I think you completely miss the point. It's not about the cost to others - it's about the cost to ME.
There are only two reasons for not taking batteries, toilet paper, pillows, bedsheets, etc. (i.e, for not stealing) and they are:
1. You may have a moral issue with being a thief, or, if that does not work for you,
2. You may get caught.
I have lived in places where trees were stolen out of front yards at night, wheels off parked cars, etc. Any society has its norms - hopefully most of the US is not that low.
P.S. I recently stayed in a hotel in Russia where the pricelist in the room included everything, and I do mean EVERYTHING - not just the towels, but the bed, mattress, plasma TV - everything. They only take cash however, so I don't know if they go after you for the balance after you leave or if it is just so they can charge you for breaking something.
Posted by: Mark | June 15, 2009 at 04:31 AM
I like the words "used up" and "disposable". Such items are clearly yours for the taking. ;)
Posted by: yipeng | June 22, 2009 at 08:50 PM
With the economy tanking still further, I've opted to stop staying in hotels. Now I check out Facebook and other social sites to see who's away from home and then break in. I get to use up their food (which would probably go off or make them fat), use their tv and lights, which means burglars don't think the place is empty and take their car out for a spin so it doesn't rust.
I'm doing their community a service.
Posted by: StevenK | March 09, 2011 at 11:37 AM
Thanks to StevenK, they now put SCREWS on battery latch. LOL
Posted by: Sheraton | April 05, 2011 at 12:41 AM
you sickos wanna steal towels huh?? well heres a fun tip. go to the gym or pool area where they have a whole shelf loaded down with towels and take one of those. just fyi i've never done that myself. one time i went to the front desk and asked if i could take a towel with me during the day because i was traveling with the air force and was expecting a lot of physical exhertion that day and she just gave me one. honesty is the best policy but still a pretty sneaky idea i had though right.
Posted by: jack | July 14, 2012 at 01:55 AM