Does pilfering hotel toiletries hurt housekeepers?

heavenlyjane

Level 2 Member
True confession: I pilfer hotel toiletries off the housekeepers cart if I happen to walk by and she/he is in the room and cannot see what I am doing. It's a weakness of mine (I am otherwise honest) and I've convinced myself that no harm is being done. I usually just grab one or two items at most. Shower gel makes the best hand soap so I collect those in particular.

I would stop doing it in an instant, if I knew that I was getting the housekeeper in trouble for my actions. Does anyone know if housekeepers get in trouble for not accounting for their daily inventory?
 

smittytabb

Moderator
Staff member
True confession: I pilfer hotel toiletries off the housekeepers cart if I happen to walk by and she/he is in the room and cannot see what I am doing. It's a weakness of mine (I am otherwise honest) and I've convinced myself that no harm is being done. I usually just grab one or two items at most. Shower gel makes the best hand soap so I collect those in particular.

I would stop doing it in an instant, if I knew that I was getting the housekeeper in trouble for my actions. Does anyone know if housekeepers get in trouble for not accounting for their daily inventory?
Why not just put the ones from yesterday in your bag so they replenish again? If you lived down the street I'd give you some of mine. I have more than I can use in a lifetime. I may end up donating them to a homeless shelter at some point. I wouldn't take them from the cart, but I travel a lot.
 

italdesign

Level 2 Member
I don't know the answer to your question, but I always call the front desk if I need/want more. Save the shadiness for more rewarding business (there's plenty ;))
 

Alice

Level 2 Member
I do that with extra coffees, but if I can, I knock on the door of the room the person is cleaning and ask if it's ok to take extras. It has never been a problem. Given that we're two females and a baby, I'm usually asking for umpteen extra towels as well. In our case the extras are for using, not for taking home. If I was staying somewhere I loved the bath products, I wouldn't have any issue with asking for a couple of extras.
 

BuddyFunJet

Level 2 Member
I only pilfer the good stuff like Bulgari or L'Occitane.

Once at the Skyloft in Vegas, the room's storage area with all the Bulgari Vert back stock was open. At checkout, the cupboard wasn't bare but close.

As to your question, I can't imagine that a dozen or so items would even be noticed given the number of rooms that the cart services per day.
 
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churnman

Level 2 Member
It can irritate some of them if they have a long ways to go back to restock their cart and had already placed the set amount they needed in their cart. But, most bring extras with them in case guests ask for more. I always just ask them for more if I see them cleaning a room. They seem happy to give me extras and appreciate that I ask instead of taking them from their cart.
 

heavenlyjane

Level 2 Member
I only pilfer the good stuff like Bulgari or L'Occitane.

Once at the Skyloft in Vegas, the room's storage area with all the Bulgari Vert back stock was open. At checkout, the cupboard wasn't bare but close.
It can irritate some of them if they have a long ways to go back to restock their cart and had already placed the set amount they needed in their cart. But, most bring extras with them in case guests ask for more. I always just ask them for more if I see them cleaning a room. They seem happy to give me extras and appreciate that I ask instead of taking them from their cart.
This is a great solution. Thanks.
 

Felix

Level 2 Member
As posted above they give them out no questions asked. Im sure there is a stockpile of them somewhere in the hotel.
 

Jackgamer

Level 2 Member
My wife really liked the pens that were in our Ritz Carlton hotel room...so she took them! I hope i won't be charged..;)
 

currid7

Level 2 Member
I worked in the laundry room at a Hampton Inn in high school, my sister was a housekeeper. No one keeps track of the toiletries. Granted, that's a Hampton Inn and it wasn't Ferragamo, but it's probably the same at high end places too. I will tell you the non-toiletry items (pens, pads, etc.) have much smaller stockpiles. But for the most part, cost of doing business.
 
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