Hey, it’s the source of those 18 tiny shampoobottles and bars of soap in that bottom drawer of your bathroom cabinet!
Yep, I’m talking about hotels and all thestuff we like to take from them, even if we don’t use it! But be careful there, sticky fingers – you’retechnically only allowed to take certain things!
Let’s start off with the stuff you’vealready been taking home for years...
1. Soap and lotion
This is probably the only thing you can find in any hotel regardless of the price range. That bar of soap is there for you and onlyyou to use. The next person who stays in your room willobviously get a new one. Same goes for any lotions or hand creams. Those are nice for the dry air on the planetrip back home!
2. Shampoo and conditioner
If these items are branded with the hotel’s logo, they actually want you to take them! It’s a hotel's sneaky way of advertisingitself because many people bring them home to place in guest bedrooms or give away tofriends.
3. Toothpaste and mouthwash
Feel free to take your Barbie-sized toothpaste and mouthwash to-go when you check out. Some hotels also provide travel-sized toothbrushesfor guests, probably because that’s the one thing we often forget to pack! And forget about the guest bedroom – theseminis come in handy for your carry-on. Or, ya know, when you’re running late forwork and realize you forgot to brush your teeth…
4. Shaving cream and razors
Hey, if the hotel so kindly left you some shaving stuff, kindly accept the gift, evenif you packed your own! But if you’re about to get on a flight backhome, check your airline’s regulations about having aerosols or razors in your carry-on. Free stuff is cool and all, but you don'twant to get an extra pat-down at security!
5. Deodorant
Was that thing on your pits? Yeah, please, take it with you… Even if it wasn’t, the deodorant is yoursto keep! Ok, enough toiletries – let’s get intothe good stuff!...
6. Sewing kit
This thing is a real lifesaver for frequent travelers. But it might be hard to find a small sewingkit that won't take up much space in your bag. Don't miss your chance to take these teenyweenie ones from hotels!
7. Shoeshine kit
Such kits usually include black shoe polish, a shine cloth, and shoeshine brush. Not many hotels have this item in the rooms,but you can ask for it at the front desk and keep it for good.
8. Shower cap
Experienced travelers know a pretty cool trick for your next trip: while packing your stuff,simply put your shoes in a shower cap to make sure dust or dirt on the soles of your footwearwon't get on your clothes. That’s smart!
9. Plastic bags
Just like a shower cap, they can come in handy for organizing the stuff in your luggage. For example, if you don't want to mix yourclean clothes with the dirty ones, then throw the soiled garments in those plastic bagsmost hotels provide. You can also use them to protect your clothesfrom any bottles in your suitcase.
10. Hairbrush or comb
Yep, it’s yours. But any other hair tools you find in a hotelroom, like a hair-dryer or straightener, shouldn't be taken. Sorry!
11. Stationery
Ever notice how when you need to write something down, a pen is nowhere to be found? Every single time! That's why most hotels provide you with pens,pencils and notepads. They won't mind if you keep them. Again, they want you to swipe the stationery– they’ve plastered their logo all over it, and you know, you’re going to lose thatpen somewhere! And of course if you actually don’t moveit, then it’s stationary stationery.
12. Envelopes
While you’re stocking up on writing utensils, go ahead and throw the envelopes in your bagtoo. It’s one of those things you always forgetto buy even though you need it more often than you realize. Who cares if your holiday cards come in anenvelope with some hotel’s name on it? It’ll still get the job done! Merry Christmas from the Do Drop Inn!
13. Magazines and newspapers
You can grab any reading materials the hotel has left for you to entertain yourself. Again, they’ll be nice on the plane tripback home, especially if you don’t have in-flight movies! However, some magazines might have specialstickers on them, which means they must stay on the hotel premises. Be sure to check for that!
14. Coffee, tea, and sugar
If your hotel provides stuff to make warm beverages right in the room, then don't hesitateto take the tea bags, coffee pouches, and sugar packets if you want. Just make sure those items aren’t part ofthe mini-bar – otherwise, you'll have to pay for them! And…You can’t take the coffee machineor tea kettle… bummer…
15. Coffee mugs
Strictly speaking, guests aren’t allowed to take the mugs from their rooms or fromthe dining area. But if you really like your hotel coffee mug,steal it while they ain’t lookin’! No, I’m kidding! Simply ask if you can take it – chancesare they won’t have a problem with it. If you do steal it, and are caught, down atthe police station, they’ll take your picture holding it, and it’s a whole different coffeemug—shot.
16. Bottled water
If you're staying in a country where drinking tap water isn't okay, then most local hotelswill stock your room with free bottled water. But if you're in a place where tap water issafe to drink, be ready to pay for these bottles. So, this freebie often depends!
17. Snacks
To avoid extra spending, you should assume that all food and drinks in your hotel roomare not free. Except for small chocolates you might findon your pillow. But if you see some snacks or fruits in thehotel’s common area, it's probably fine to take them to keep hunger pangs at bay whileyou're out exploring a new city.
18. Bathrobes
Rules regarding these are a bit tricky and depend on the hotel. In many places, a mithing bathrobe…a mithingbathrobe? Take two: a missing bathrobe will be addedto your bill. Some hotels even put price tags on the bathrobehanger to make sure guests are aware that it’s not a free item you can take home. However, many pricier hotels consider it agift and even add an embroidery with the guest’s initials on it! Well, “gift” is a stretch – you probablypaid for that customized bathrobe in the price of the room!
19. Slippers
They’re not reusable, so if you leave them in the room, they'll get thrown away. That's why it's no biggie if you get holdof one pair. They’ll be especially useful on your flightback home if you're wearing shoes that are uncomfortable for a long trip but don't fancywalking around the plane in your socks. But keep in mind that some expensive hotelshave much nicer slippers compared to those cheap flimsy ones, and those should be leftfor future guests. After they get cleaned and sanitized, of course!
20. The Bathtub ducky
Got attached to the rubber ducky left to keep you some company in your room? Then don’t leave your new friend behind! Besides, he’s seen waaay too much at thispoint… Rubber duckies are pretty cheap, and eventhough they’re reusable, the hotel staff probably won’t mind if you take it. Just ask them to make sure.
21. Umbrellas
Plenty of fancy hotels have them in case of bad weather. They’re usually stored in the lobby insteadof the guest rooms. Obviously, umbrellas are pretty expensivecompared to slippers, but in most cases, you can keep one. And again, those are branded, so if you useit after staying in a hotel, more people will find out about it. There’s no such thing as too much advertising,right?
22. The “Do not disturb” sign and magnetickey card
Tired of your roommate barging in as you’retrying to get some work done? Well, next time you stay at a hotel, go aheadand grab that Do Not Disturb sign and take it home with you. As for the magnetic key cards, not sure whyyou’d need those, but they’re free for the taking as well. The hotel deactivates it after you leave anyway….
Ok, our list is getting pretty long, and that’s not even all the things you can take from your room!
Other freebies didn’t make it to the list simply because getting them is more of an exception than the rule. But many exclusive hotels go out of theirway to impress guests, providing them with Rubik’s cubes, stress toys, and even teddybears!
Oh, and one more tip that should cover allthe basics:
if you ever want to take something from a hotel room but doubt you can, simply ask if you can purchase the item or check if your hotel has an online shop where youcan buy all those cute pillows and soft blankets. Because, yeah, you can’t take the bedding and towels! Now it’s your turn.
Q. What things from the list would you take homefor sure?
Let me know down in the comments!
If you learned something new today, then give this post a new comment and a new follower and don't forgot to share it with a friend.
But – hey! – don’t go stealing thatcoffee mug just yet! We have more cool post for you to check out.
Be the ruler.
0 Comments