People have probably been stealing stuff from hotels for about as long as there have been hotels. Small items, such as pens, pads of paper with the hotel’s name on them or single-use bottles of shampoo, if you can still find such a thing, are obvious. Those items don’t really count as “stealing” because hoteliers expect guests to take them.
But there are plenty of other things people steal from hotels. Many even warn you that if you take certain items—like the bathrobes—you’ll find a charge waiting on your bill.
A while back, Wellness Heaven, a luxury and spa hotel guide based in Germany, surveyed 1,157 hoteliers to find out what their guests stole, who, in terms of nationality, stole what, the most bizarre stolen goods and the theft preferences of those in four-star vs. five-star hotels. Here’s what they found out:
Which Items Are Stolen The Most?
Source: Wellness Heaven
It’s not surprising that people steal towels or even bathrobes. And I’ve certainly seen enough anti-theft hangers that won’t work in regular closets to know that people steal those, too.
But look down toward the bottom of the list. Tablets and light bulbs? Coffee makers and TVs? Phones and lamps? And honestly, forget about the value for a second…blankets, pillows and mattresses? Ew.
The Most Bizarre Stolen Goods
- A hotel in Berlin said that some of its guests have been known to steal all of the bathroom fittings from their respective hotel rooms. Bathroom fixtures, the head of a rain shower, a hydromassage shower, a toilet seat, a drainpipe and even an entire sink have been pilfered.
- A hotelier from Italy said, “Once I walked through the lobby, I noticed that something was missing, and soon after, I learned that three unknown men in overalls had taken away the grand piano, and it never reappeared…” I mean…how does one casually steal a grand piano? Asking for a friend. Anyway, to continue…
- In England, a hotel guest removed the numbers from his hotel room door.
- A hotel in France had a stuffed boar’s head on the wall. A guest was caught trying to steal it. Later on, his friends bought the trophy from the hotel and gave it to him as a wedding present. LOL!
- A hotelier in Austria said that the fragrant pinewood benches in the hotel’s sauna were stolen.
- In the Maldives, a hotel manager reported that they had to buy new flower arrangements several times a week to replace the ones that were snitched.
Theft Habits Of Guests At Four-Star vs. Five-Star Hotels
Source: Wellness Heaven
In addition to being asked what people stole, 634 hoteliers from four-star hotels and 523 from five-star hotels were surveyed to determine the behavior of thieves depending on their wealth—or, I guess, how much they were willing to spend on a hotel room.
This was actually the chart I found the most interesting. Guests at four-star hotels tended to steal the less expensive items, while guests at five-star hotels were more likely to help themselves to the pricier stuff. I guess the artwork, TVs and mattresses are just nicer in five-star hotels? 😉
Who Steals What, Based On Nationality
- German and British hotel guests appear to enjoy stealing towels, bathrobes, cosmetics and toiletries the most.
- Austrians’ favorite things to steal are dishes and coffee makers.
- Italians’ thievery tends to be focused on wine glasses.
- Guests from Switzerland are often the most interested in taking the hotel’s hair dryers.
- French hotel guests are the ones who tend to steal their rooms’ TVs and remote controls.
- Guests from the Netherlands focus on light bulbs and toilet paper.
- And finally, guests from the United States often enjoy stealing hotels’ pillows and batteries.
To be clear, this doesn’t mean every traveler from those countries is walking out with a suitcase full of hotel goodies. It’s simply what the participating hoteliers reported seeing most often.
Go to this page of Wellness Heaven’s website for more information about the survey.
Like any survey, take these results with a grain of salt. They’re based on what more than 1,100 hoteliers reported seeing—not a worldwide inventory of sticky fingers.
Still, it’s fascinating to see the patterns they noticed…and some of the things people apparently thought they could sneak out the front door with.
As for me? If the hotel still has those little bottles of shampoo, I might toss one in my bag.
The mattress, the TV and the grand piano?
Those can stay right where they are.
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