I’ve always figured that hotels expect you to take off with the shampoo but are entitled to be peeved if you disappear with one of the pillows. However, it turns out that one in five Australians are happy to be light-fingered when it comes to linen.
Picture by Thomas Kohler
A survey of 5,000 Australians by Zuji about their holiday habits unveiled the following figures:
- 65% have taken hotel toiletries for use at home
- 20% have taken bathrobes, pillows or linen
- 23% have taken something from the mini-bar without paying for it
- 35% would hide items they had broken in the room
- 40% have watched an adult movie on a hotel channel
- 86% have tipped hotel staff for exceptional services
I’ll freely admit to the toiletries and the adult movies, but haven’t done the other things on this list. As I’ve said before, I wouldn’t tip hotel staff in Australia, and to be honest I’m dubious about the high figure here.
Where do you fit in on this list of potential hotel “sins”? Share your experiences (and justifications) in the comments.
Dan Lehman
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 9:35 AMThings I’ve typically taken from hotels:
- poor service & bad food
- inattentive housekeeping
- damaged garments after laundering
- a deep sense of resentment
Things I’ve /recompensed/ myself with are:
- cloth laundry bags (they make great beach bags)
- network cables (I keep forgetting to pack one)
- a glass paperweight in the shape of a pyramid
Damien
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 1:49 PMAgreeing with Dan on this. Hotels offer massive prices, with often poor service and very little included. I think it is fair enough for patrons to take some minor items such as robes, towels, shampoos, pens, etc etc (not that I have done this with anything beyond bathroom toiletries) as compensation / making up the cost
Jason
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 3:35 PMMan, you guys are cheap. Network cables? Really? Why not pack the bedhead and light fittings while you’re at it?
vanish222
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 6:24 AMI tried that – wouldn’t fit in my suitcase.
LG
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 10:01 AMWant to be careful with the linens, saw somewhere they are starting to install RFID tags in them to stop people with light fingers…
Vron
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 10:53 AMYep, I heard they have now installed EAS gates at most exits, next time your walking off with a bath robe on you’ll have a SWAT team up your Ass !
Seth Grimshaw
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 10:56 AMThat’s one hell of a flossing you’ll receive.
Xav
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 11:08 AMIs anyone else uncomfortable with the overshare, that Angus watches porn in his hotel room? Now we know the real reason for all that sitting around naked during the Luggage Free Challenge!
Grayda
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 11:20 AMOh c’mon Xav, if your parents do it, then why can’t Angus?
(teehee!)
Grayda
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 11:23 AMWe’ve helped ourselves to pens, pads of paper (if my wife forgets to pack her sketchpad) and damnit, if it were legal, I would have walked out with the pod coffee machine and milk aerator in the Mercure Welcome in Melbourne!
But we’ve also wondered about the bathrobe or slippers in the closet, but they’re too scratchy to take.
Brett
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 11:44 AM“I’ll freely admit to the toiletries and the adult movies, but haven’t done the other things on this list.”
Was this done while you were doing the one suit tour of Oz? This is why I bring my own silk liner for the beds……..
BTW, anyone stayed in a Japanese/Korean love hotel?? Next time, lift up the sheets and have a look……
Tim
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 12:03 PMI wanted to take a bathrobe from the hotel in Baton Rouge, Louisiana (USA) as it was quite nice, but figured they would charge my card for it so opted not to. But when checking out they tried to charge me for 3 nights of valet parking which was quite nice since i didn’t have a car there, made me wish i did take it.
light487
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 2:42 PMUnless it was a genuine mistake, I can’t see myself taking anything other than some of the toiletries.. the stuff they replace (or at least are supposed to) change for every new guest. The shampoo, conditioner and shower gel get used all in one go when I stay in hotels.. the comb and toothbrushes and toothpaste are something I’ve conciously taken… however I have never seen this as stealing as I had already used or partially used them to begin with. They’re only going to be thrown out.
When I stay in a hotel, I always have longer than normal showers and make use of the bathtub where I wouldn’t normally when I am at home. I use a more than generous amount of showergel and shampoo/conditioner because it’s something I am effectively paying for; a bit of luxury.
As for pens and pads, if they are tiny little things.. I guess I wouldn’t be worried about that.. but bathrobes? bed linen?? etc… that is going too far.
Escherichia
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 12:00 AM+1
Michelle
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 2:42 PMToiletries, yes. Slippers – yes: they are disposable and I don’t think they can’t re-use them if you’ve openned the packet due to health regulations.
Anything else – I assume they will charge to your credit card and you pay for anyway so I don’t bother.
dude
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 4:47 PMGotta squeeze as much out of that money as possible
-light globes
-salt from inside the shake
-umbrellas
-paperweights
-toiletries
-towels
-pillows
-milk
-robes
-soap
-shampoo
-shower cap
-slippers
-shoe shine kits
-pens
-network cable
-the thing that holds the network cable in place
-paintings
-apples in reception
uhh yeah
Aliasalpha
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 5:09 PMWhen it comes to the few hotels I’ve stayed in, you were HOPING you didn’t come away with something…
Rob
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 6:59 PMNever taken anything except pen/pad and left over toiletries which will be tossed out anyway.
But I often leave a heap of rubbish (left over brochures from conferences, newspapers, food).
Rarely left a tip in US hotels even though this may be expected over there.
Re: pens and pads – I reckon they welcome them being taken as a promotional item. Mind you, not sure I have ever stayed in the same hotel twice.
Derek
Tuesday, August 9, 2011 at 7:46 PMNothing, it is stealing.
light487
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 11:11 AMSo you say that taking toiletries, which are consumables that you’ve paid for and made partial use of, is stealing? It’s no different than paying for a chocolate bar or bottle of bar from the mini-bar; half finishing it and then putting it in your bag for later. You certainly are under no obligation to consume them in your room. These are consumables though.. not bathrobes and linen, which are not consumables.
Dan
Wednesday, August 10, 2011 at 4:08 AMAny soaps/shampoo/bubble bath that we have opened, as we figure these will be thrown out. Always take the biscuits that are provided with the tea and coffee, these are good for the road.
Never tip (in Aus) as it’s not really an Australian thing to and secondly because you rarely get service worth tipping.
I can’t think why