Is it stealing to take home towels an toiletries from a hotel?
Discuss.
Is taking hotel toiletries stealing?
13 thoughts on “Is taking hotel toiletries stealing?”
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Towels – yes. They are reused and the hotel prices the room accordingly.
Toiletries (shampoo, etc.) – no. These are discarded after each guest and the hotel prices the rooms accordingly.
I’m with Anonymous.
Good question. I don’t think it is.
What about using unsecured internet services? Is that stealing? If I’m out somewhere and need to get online and can hook on to an unsecured network…is that dishonest?
Oh wait…I just read it again.
Towels – definitely. Don’t take the towels.
Toiletries – well, feel free to take those. They put them in small bottles for a reason…you won’t get that much. However, I don’t usually use them because I don’t like the products. Usually I leave the items there. But if I forget something and need it and they have it I use it.
My dad has worked in the hotel industry for years. One of my favorite stories is one guy that came to our hotel and cleaned the room out. He took lamps, sheets, bedspreads, curtains, towels – you name it. My parents discovered he was a rodeo guy and contacted some rodeo organization he was a part of. They froze any of his earnings from rodeos. He called my parents and was really upset about this. He said, ‘It’s pretty tough to earn a living when you’re salary gets frozen!” Their response was, “Well, it’s pretty hard to run a business when people steal you blind.” Within a week a box arrived with everything he had taken. :0)
I should clarify that Kim doesn’t steal hotel towels! I believe most hotels charge credit cards if towels are missing, at least I would hope so! I think it is reprehensible to steal things like that, but I agree with the small shampoos, soaps, etc. They are there for single or short use, and included in the price. Towels…well those are more pricey to be replaced and so no, not designed to be kept. Yes, stealing!
Why stop with the towels? Why not take the bed linen, too? ;-)
Hi Macy,
Thanks, I feel happy after reading your comment. I am sure hotel owners do not like your thought.
I am pretty sured Macy’s comment was sarcasm.
Oh, yes, I a sure it was too I could see it, but then being Canadian, I recognise sarcasm (well most of the time…)
Speaking as a hotel manager, toiletries are for a quest’s use while there or to take home. Any left in a room after checkout is thrown away even if it has been unused as they can not guarantee that it has not been tampered with. At least any reputable hotel is SUPPOSED to do it this way. Credit cards are imprinted on registration cards and any items other then toiletries that are taken are charged accordingly. In our hotel there was a sign in the bathroom that stated that if guests wanted any of the other items such as bathrobes, linens, towels etc there was a price list for them all. That usually stopped people but every now and then something would go missing like a hair dryer that can only be used with the wall unit. DUH..
I think stealing towels is wrong, personally. They can easily be washed and reused; the hotel room price does not include towels.
For toiletries, however, they’ll probably be thrown out anyway, so I don’t see a problem with it.
Stealing towels costs the hotel and drives up the price per night for people who don’t steal the towels.
Toiletries are ok though!
Interesting :) Well personally I think taking anything without permission is not good. It can be anything. So I do think taking toiletries is even not ok.