Do you leave things in hotel room after departure for the maids to take if they want them?

we went to Fiji a few years ago. We were told that chocolate is expensive there so it is the thing to put unopened chocolate with your cash tip for house keeping and unopened alcohol with a note. We purchased it at home and put it in our luggage.

would never give opened stuff.

I think this is different, and most would agree this would be appreciated. We know those behind the iron curtain couldn’t get good gear. I remember the fuss for the Russians getting their hands on Levi’s post 1989.

I only take the toiletries I need, dispensed into travel containers.

I tip housekeeping staff in local currency, same as I would tip in a restaurant or taxi. I have worked in UK hotels during my student years and loved a tip so like to return the favour now. It never really occurred to me that hotel staff might be desperate for basic items and that thought makes me really uncomfortable. I only really travel in Europe, but lots of pp saying guides in some countries have told them the staff are in need. I don’t know if I could enjoy my holiday thinking I was staying somewhere where staff weren’t being paid reasonable wages.

Surely those food tins are useful just in the kitchen cupboard? It's so helpful when self catering!

My mum in the 70s used to travel behind the Iron Curtain for work, she used to take new M&S knickers for the chamber maids in a variety of sizes. I used to think it was really weird but she said the ladies loved getting nice things.

This is about hotel guests and staff, no one mentioned race. The fact that you assume all the wealthy hotel guests are white and low paid staff are of a different race says a lot more about your prejudices than the posters here.

as per me there is nothing wrong. those are keep for only guest.

Last time i was in a hotel there was a wall mounted bottle of shower gel and shampoo that guests could use and the hotel refills. No one would call that skanky I'm sure so what's the difference between that and half a bottle of shampoo left by a guest?

I think it probably depends where you are. London, Spain, Rome - probably patronising. Some parts of Africa and Asia - probably very grateful.

When we went to Tunisia the guides said the staff would be very grateful for paracetamol and sanitary products. I tipped a young lad pennies (here) for fetching me a cup of tea to the beach and he was so excited it was like I'd given him a months salary 😔

When I worked as a chamber maid in Germany one summer, the only thing left for us were German magazines, mostly porn.

Have you never heard of period poverty? Even here in the UK there are girls who stay off school and women who stay off work when they have their period because they don't have adequate sanpro.

https://www.actionaid.org.uk/blog/2025/05/28/cost-period-poverty-risen

OP, I wouldn't bother leaving a tiny amount of shampoo or whatever, but anything that's three-quarters full and obviously fresh and clean-looking and in original packaging I would leave with a note saying that if anyone can make use of it they're welcome to it. I also leave a good tip. The idea that chambermaids earn a decent living and all go back to comfy homes of their own every evening (particularly in developing parts of the world) is ridiculous. Even here in the UK I know decent hotels that accommodate staff in bunk beds in caravans.

There's a little box by the path down to Botany Bay beach (in Kent, at the time of writing not yet in the 3rd world) where you can leave or borrow sand toys etc. I always remember it because it is such a lovely and also obvious thing to have. I think it has saved its weight in plastic buckets and spades a hundred times over.

More generally it depends on context imo. I work in a food bank. We occasionally get donations of open, used cosmetics, shampoos, food items etc. We don't offer them out - we don't know where they have been and frankly it feels insulting to offer them. I wonder what people were thinking donating them. But like others I'm sure I have left/would leave things in a hotel room, assuming that someone in the cleaning team would want them. I'm not sure my position is very logical! I suppose offering the items rather than making assumptions on behalf of a potential recipient is more sensible.

Yes, I leave Euros or dollars or the currency of the country that I’m in.
The same as when I visit/stay with family I’ll leave a thank you card and a gift - say chocolates or flowers.
I would leave partly used toiletries as I don’t want to transport them home. I’d expect them to just be binned.

Not great OP. Would you take used products? Why are you different to the cleaner?

Most of the time no I wouldn’t leave anything. I am going on holiday in the summer and have been told the locals appreciate shampoo, paracetamol and sanitary products.

However I have been warned I need to add some paper and sign what I have given them otherwise they get searched and think it’s stolen

Yes I do leave toiletries and anything else that might be usable in countries where hotel staff are likely living in poverty or be exploited and / or irregular migrants and / or very poorly paid - eg Egypt, UAE, Kenya, Tunisia, Thailand, Turkey, Mexico, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Brazil - also some poorer Eastern European countries. I also leave some local currency if possible. I have had direct feedback from staff in these sort of countries that it is welcome and definitely not insulting.

When I was on a clubbing holiday 20 years ago, the reps asked for any toiletries or sun screen that was left over. Pay was poor and they had their accommodation costs taken off their wage. It was more about the experience and being abroad for the summer than making money so they saved money where they could. Now I only take what I need but did leave money off vouchers for a local shop that was on bus tickets when I was in Berlin.

Ahh, yes the above it all observer. Who wouldn’t answer posts that they are tagged in. No, you wouldn’t lower yourself to that , and obviously all your posts are neutral. You weren’t being provocative in any way. You were just sayin

ive seen lots of stuff left in laundry rooms in Florida and beach resorts - presumably stuff that doesn’t fit in cases- inflatables for the pool, suncream, shampoo etc. even a pushchair and travel cot in Florida. They soon went. My kids took a lilo and put it back there at end of hols I thought it was a great idea. Not sure if it’s a good idea for the cleaners though they probably wouldn’t really be allowed to take it

I’m certainly consistent in maintaining accuracy were a miss-assigned quote is used wrongly as a pithy put down.

Looking at the ongoing, rather unpleasant back and forth between two posters above.

Mumsnet really is that legendary empty room where people come to start a fight with strangers, isn't it?

I was on holiday in Caribbean a couple of years ago and met the maid on our last day, she asked me if she could have my left over shampoo/conditioner and body wash. Broke my heart! Obviously gave that to her and left a good tip, but would never have occurred to me otherwise. If you’re in a poor country then I would, otherwise I wouldn’t.

What if you identify a recipient where you are staying, should you offer or bin?
Some holiday guests appreciate half a bottle of suncream.

I worked as a hotel cleaner for a bit while in uni, I would never have taken used stuff left in hotel rooms- gross!

You're very invested in rehabilitating poor Marie's image.