Ever stayed in a hotel and felt tempted to pack something extra in your suitcase? You’re not alone. Hotels across America lose around $100 million every year to guests who help themselves to more than just the complimentary toiletries. Some travelers feel entitled to take items home as souvenirs, while others simply can’t resist the luxury they’ve experienced during their stay. The American Hotel & Lodging Association reports that about 87 percent of guests admit to taking something from a hotel at least once. From small trinkets to surprisingly large items, people have found creative ways to smuggle hotel property into their luggage.
Towels disappear from rooms faster than housekeeping can replace them
Walk into any high-end hotel bathroom and you’ll find stacks of fluffy white towels rolled, folded, and displayed everywhere. These aren’t your average department store towels. Hotels invest in premium cotton towels that feel amazing against your skin after a shower. The soft, absorbent fabric makes you want to wrap yourself in them forever. Housekeeping restocks towels daily, which makes some guests think the hotel won’t notice if a couple go missing. Some people even hide unopened towels on their first day so staff will bring fresh ones, accumulating enough to fill their linen closet at home.
The numbers are staggering. According to industry reports, between 100,000 and 200,000 towels vanish from hotel rooms annually. Hotels lose up to 20 percent of their linens every month just from guest theft. That includes bath towels, hand towels, washcloths, and bathmats. The matching white or cream colors fit with any home bathroom, making them even more appealing. High-end hotels that provide luxury towels face even higher theft rates because guests want to recreate that spa experience at home. The problem has gotten so bad that hotels must buy towels in bulk just to keep their bathrooms stocked.
Those tiny shampoo bottles rarely stay in the bathroom
Look under any hotel bathroom sink and you’ll find an array of miniature toiletries that look almost too cute to leave behind. The individually wrapped soaps, travel-size shampoos, conditioners, lotions, and body washes make perfect travel companions. Hotels have started featuring high-end branded products from luxury beauty companies, which makes these little bottles even more desirable. What used to be a last resort if you forgot your toiletries has become a luxurious treat. The compact size makes them easy to tuck into any corner of your suitcase without taking up valuable space.
Many hotels display extensive collections of toiletry items in the bathroom, and guests interpret this as an invitation to stock up. Some travelers collect enough mini products during a week-long stay to last them a month at home. Hotels replenish these items daily, which reinforces the idea that taking them is acceptable. The branded packaging with hotel logos turns these toiletries into souvenirs that remind guests of their vacation. Many people justify taking handfuls of these products because they paid for the room, so they feel entitled to everything in it.
Bathrobes get stuffed into suitcases despite their size
That plush bathrobe hanging in your hotel closet feels like heaven when you slip it on after a hot shower. Hotels provide these robes knowing most travelers won’t pack their own bulky robe from home. The soft, fluffy fabric wraps around you perfectly while you relax on the comfortable bed. Some hotels embroider their logo on the robes, which makes them feel like special keepsakes. When guests discover the hotel robe is nicer than the worn-out one they have at home, they suddenly find room in their luggage for it.
Stealing bathrobes ranks high on the list of commonly taken items from hotel rooms. Some hotels have started selling their robes in the gift shop, hoping this gives guests a legal way to own one while deterring theft. Displaying the price might make potential thieves think twice about taking the robe without paying. However, many guests still manage to jam these bulky items into their suitcases for the trip home. Hotels consider bathrobes personal items that shouldn’t be reused by other guests once worn, which might make some people feel less guilty about taking them.
Pillows walk out of rooms because guests want better sleep at home
Hotels pile multiple pillows on beds to accommodate different sleeping preferences. Some guests need firm support while others prefer soft cushions. Decorative pillows add color and make the bed look inviting and luxurious. Many upscale hotels offer pillow menus with various options ranging from memory foam to down-filled choices. After experiencing the best sleep of their lives, some guests decide they need to take that comfort home with them. The hotel monogram embroidered on pillowcases makes them feel like special souvenirs worth taking.
People have different ideas about pillows as personal items. Some travelers bring their own pillow from home because they consider it too intimate to share with strangers. Ironically, many of those traveling pillows probably came from previous hotel stays. The abundance of pillows in hotel rooms might make guests think one or two won’t be missed. Hotels face the challenge of providing enough pillows for comfort while knowing that excess makes theft more tempting. The relatively low cost of pillows compared to other furnishings doesn’t make the loss any less frustrating for hotel management.
Bed linens and sheets vanish when quality is exceptional
Most people don’t bother making their bed during a hotel stay, but some guests strip the sheets right off and pack them. High-thread-count linens with that silky, luxurious feel create an irresistible temptation. Upscale hotels invest in premium bedding to pamper their guests and create memorable experiences. When you slide between those crisp, soft sheets after a long day of travel, you understand why people want to bring that feeling home. The frequency of stolen linens directly relates to the quality of those linens.
The theft rate for bed linens is surprisingly high. Hotels must purchase towels and linens in bulk just to stay ahead of the constant losses. The better the quality, the more likely guests will try to take them. Some thieves even steal curtains if they particularly love the fabric or design. Hotels keep meticulous records of who stayed in each room and when inventory goes missing, but pursuing individual guests for stolen linens often costs more than replacing the items. This creates a frustrating cycle where hotels must factor theft into their operating costs.
Pool and spa towels are easier targets than room towels
Hotels with pools or spas manage two separate towel inventories. Room towels get counted by housekeeping, but pool towels operate on a more relaxed system. Guests can grab as many pool towels as they want without anyone tracking individual usage. The self-service setup makes it incredibly easy to walk off with one or two. Hotels often use different colored towels to distinguish pool towels from room towels, but this doesn’t stop determined thieves. The casual atmosphere around the pool creates a false sense that taking towels isn’t really stealing.
Unlike the controlled environment of guest rooms, pool areas offer minimal oversight. Staff simply restock the towel shelves when they run low without counting exactly how many disappeared. This lack of accountability makes pool towels prime targets for guests who want to add to their home collection. Some hotels have implemented towel card systems where guests exchange their room key for pool towels, but many properties still rely on the honor system. The constant need to replace stolen pool towels adds significant expense to hotel operations.
Slippers rarely make it past checkout
Hotels provide complimentary slippers so guests don’t have to walk barefoot on hotel floors. These cozy footwear items make the trek from your room to the spa or pool much more comfortable. Once you’ve worn the slippers, they feel like personal items that shouldn’t be shared with the next guest. This logic makes many people feel justified in packing the slippers for home use. The compact size means they fit easily into luggage without taking up much space or adding noticeable weight.
Hotel slippers with embroidered logos become especially tempting souvenirs for guests who want reminders of their vacation. The soft, cushioned soles feel great on tired feet, making them practical additions to your home collection. Many guests reason that since slippers touch your bare feet, they’re too personal to recycle for other guests anyway. Hotels factor the cost of regularly replacing slippers into their budget because theft rates are so predictable. Some properties have switched to disposable slippers to reduce losses, but luxury hotels continue providing high-quality versions that guests can’t resist taking.
Room service items including silverware end up in guest bags
Order room service and you’ll receive your meal complete with real silverware, salt and pepper shakers, condiment bottles, and decorative touches like small vases. Everything arrives on a tray that gets left outside your door when you’re finished. The tiny jam jars, individual mayonnaise bottles, and miniature ketchup containers look like collectible versions of regular condiments. Their small size makes them easy to slip into a bag, and many guests view them as novelties worth keeping. Even the silverware finds its way into suitcases when guests decide to upgrade their utensil drawer at home.
Hotels lose countless pieces of room service items every year. Teacups, butter dishes, and those little bud vases decorating the tray all disappear regularly. Mini-bar items present a different challenge because guests consume the contents and try to avoid charges by refilling bottles with water or other liquids. The small bottles of alcohol are stolen both for consumption and as keepsakes. Hotels must constantly inventory and replace room service supplies, adding these theft-related costs to their overall expenses. The casual nature of room service delivery makes it easy for guests to keep items without feeling like they’re committing a crime.
Artwork gets taken right off the walls
Hotels invest in artwork to create attractive, welcoming spaces for guests. Paintings, photographs, sculptures, and decorative pieces make rooms feel more like homes than sterile accommodations. Some guests admire the art so much they decide it would look perfect in their own living room. Taking artwork seems particularly bold because rooms typically have only one piece on each wall, making its absence immediately noticeable. Despite this, hotels constantly replace stolen artwork, and many now bolt pictures to walls to deter thieves.
The unique pieces displayed in hotel lobbies and dining areas sometimes disappear along with items from guest rooms. Hand-woven rugs, marble sculptures, and original paintings all become targets for guests with sticky fingers. Hotels must balance creating beautiful spaces with protecting their property from theft. Some properties have started using less expensive reproductions instead of original artwork to minimize losses. The boldness required to steal large, noticeable items suggests that some guests feel completely entitled to hotel property, regardless of value or obviousness. This entitlement costs the hotel industry millions annually and ultimately gets passed on to all guests through higher room rates.
Hotel theft isn’t a victimless crime, even if it feels harmless to take a towel or two. The $100 million in annual losses gets absorbed into operating costs, which means everyone pays higher room rates to cover what thieves steal. Many major hotel chains now share databases of problem guests, creating blacklists that can ban you from properties nationwide. What seems like a harmless souvenir could result in you being unable to book rooms at your favorite hotel chain ever again. Next time you’re tempted to pack that fluffy bathrobe, remember that hotels know exactly who stayed in each room and when items go missing.
