November 17, 2025 | 09:04 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Hotels provide various facilities for the comfort of their guests. Some items are allowed to be taken home, such as bath amenities. However, hoteliers admit that many guests take away items that should remain in the hotel rooms.
For example, towels and sandals, and there are even cases of much larger and stranger items being taken. The owner of a hotel in Phaea Island, Greece, revealed that guests are often tempted to take away items that make their stay comfortable.
However, according to the hotel owner, there is one item that is most frequently taken, and it is indeed allowed to be taken home, which is the sandals. Made from recycled towels and coconut soles, the sandals are part of the hotel's sustainability program. "Guests are free to wear and take them home, no charge and no questions asked," said the hotel owner who preferred not to be named, as quoted from Travel+Leisure.
Unfortunately, not all guests stop at taking the sandals. Some have requested items that are impossible to fit in a suitcase, such as ceramic artwork or art pieces from the hotel's collaboration with the Benaki Museum. Nevertheless, there are also plenty of guests who take items without permission.
Survey on Lost Hotel Items
According to a survey by Wellness Heaven of 1,376 4 and 5-star hotel managements, mostly in Europe, the list of items most frequently lost from hotel rooms was revealed. Towels topped the list with 79.2 percent of hotels reporting theft, followed by bathrobes at 66.4 percent.
Other small items are also frequently taken by guests, such as hangers at 49.8 percent, pens at 41.8 percent, and cosmetic products at 36.5 percent. Other commonly lost items include batteries at 30.4 percent, tableware at 27.5 percent, and displayed artwork in the rooms at 24.4 percent.
Larger Items
The list does not stop at small items. Hotel managers admitted to losing items such as coffee makers, hairdryers, TV remotes, and even entire TVs. More extreme cases mentioned thefts of bathroom fixtures, sauna benches, and even pianos. A hotel manager in Italy recounted an incident where three men posing as technicians managed to steal a piano from the lobby.
The Station House Inn in Lake Tahoe, United States, reported that hotel-branded coffee mugs are the most frequently lost item. According to Kate De Palma, the marketing manager of PlayPark Hospitality, around 20 mugs disappeared within a few hours after being displayed in the lobby with complimentary coffee.
"We thought guests really liked the new design, but not a single one purchased them," she said. As a result, the hotel now displays a sign urging guests to buy the mugs before using them.
Annisa Nur Alimah contributed to the writing of this article.
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