What You Can and Cannot Take From Your Hotel Room

Hotel guests often find themselves wondering what amenities they can take home. The general rule of thumb in the hospitality industry, as highlighted by Booking.com, is that consumable items are for guests to use and keep. This includes small, single-use toiletries like shampoos, conditioners, and soaps, as well as complimentary items such as tea, coffee, sugar, and bottled water. Disposable slippers are also typically permitted.

However, the line is drawn at items intended for reuse and belonging to the hotel. Guests should refrain from taking towels, bathrobes, bed linens, hangers, glassware, and in-room appliances like hairdryers, irons, or kettles. Even items like decorative pieces, lamps, and television remote controls are part of the room's inventory and are not to be removed. Items from the minibar, unless explicitly stated as complimentary, are always charged separately.

Some hotels have specific policies, such as participation in programs that collect leftover toiletries for donation to charities. In such cases, guests are advised to check the hotel's policy. While most guests take only minor items, there have been instances of guests attempting to remove surprisingly large objects, including showerheads and even furniture components. Authorities consider the unauthorized removal of hotel property as theft.