Etiquette with toiletries in a hotel

[Holidayornot]

AIBU to pocket them?

I've been lucky enough to stay somewhere pretty naice for last few days and they have fancy assed brand name full size toiletries. My husband says it's not on to pocket them every day but I think it is. What's the etiquette?

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

Full-sized toiletries? Certainly not.

Malmaison tell you to take the full size bottles.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

I always take nice toiletries, cost is factored into the room price so why not?

Of course it is. Obviously you don't unscrew bottles which are fixed but anything else is part of the room rate.

[JustDanceAddict]

Mini - for sure. Full sized - no.?

[reni2]

I'd feel a bit uncomfortable using full-sized pre-used toiletries in a hotel room. I'd have an irrational fear somebody tampered with it. I know it's more ecological and cheaper, but still wouldn't use them myself.

[2rebecca]

It seems petty and grabby to me to pocket them every day if staying for a week, it just puts hotel prices up. Surely there are only so many small toiletry bottles you use anyway? When it comes to shampoo I usually take a travel sized bottle of my own stuff anyway. I'll sometimes take half a bottle if I've part used it as it will only be chucked if small bottle but space is usually scarce in my luggage. Sounds like some of you don't get out much.

[MrsHathaway]

Carrying your own risks leakage into luggage. I use the face cloth too, so I don't have to pack a damp cloth.

[2rebecca]

I pack mine in a plastic freezer bag as usually also taking sun lotion, mozzie repellant etc so shampoo and conditioner are minor editions

[2rebecca]

additions

[rookiemere]

2rebecca - Like you I bring my own shampoo and conditioner, but I always take the body moisturiser and shower gel as it's an ideal size for bringing to the gym. I generally take the soaps too as sometimes we go self catering and these things aren't supplied so it seems a bit of a waste to have to bring and leave a big bar which probably gets thrown out.

I wouldn't take them every day of a 7 day stay though as I do agree that is a bit much, but I would take whatever is left on the last day - usually 2-4 in the place we stay in with 2 bathrooms.

[flamingnoravera]

I've just left a hotel in China with 12 toothbrushes in my bag. They kept replacing them every day. They are so useful for guests

Am I bad? Very bad?

[wiccamum]

Why are some MNters being so snobby? What's all this about giving the right impression "letting yourself down"? I don't have to prove anything to anyone, and if I stay in a nice hotel (which I am lucky enough to as both me and DH have to travel a fair bit for work) I always take home any bottles I've not used by the end of the stay- as others have said, they are great for gym,camping etc and are only going to get thrown away. If I don't like the smell or product, I won't bother just for the sake of it....but I am a sucker for Molton Brown, Decleor or L'occitane. The price of this tends to be factored in to the room cost anyway. Lighten up people!

[MamaLazarou]

at the people who give free hotel toiletries as Christmas presents! Have you spotted yourselves on the tightwad thread?

[Marynary]

I have always assumed that you are expected to take toiletries home if you don't use them. It is included in the price of the room.
I've never stayed anywhere that had full sized bottles. Why would they use them rather than miniatures?

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

It depends on the hotel really. I stayed in a really nice 5 star recently that expected the guests to take away full sized toiltetries (they were L'Occitane)

Agreed. I've taken toiletries from The Ritz and The Adlon. They weren't full size but definitely not miniatures. I doubt the put the room rates up because of this.

The Malmaison chain has full size which they encourage you to take.

[venividivicky]

I haven't read the whole thread but isn't it a bit petty,tacky and indicative of low level kleptomania to take anything at all, even the smaller items. Why can't you just buy your own products? I just find this sort of behaviour bizarre.

[KwickNC]

Veni you're probably the bizarre one here

[AgaKhant]

I collect these all the time, and the little toothbrushes and flight packs etc. I encourage everyone I know to, too.

They are really useful for school Xmas fayres for jam-jar tombolas or the children's secret-santa-for-parents fundraisers (not the toothburshes). We donated tonnes of them to the Xmas present collection for women & children in shelters for abused families. Little things like wet-wipes and tissues are good for those boxes too.

I'm planning on expanding my re-distribution of freebies scheme this year to include the Trussel Trust next Xmas.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

Here are a couple of quotes from the
hotel industry. The highlight is mine. I'm sure there are people for whom staying at the top hotels is an everyday occurrence then there others for whom it is an occasional treat. The linked article also makes clear the toiletries are part of the room cost.

If the free toiletries are what you want, then go wild, said Jacob Tomsky, author of the best-selling Heads in Beds, a memoir of ten years spent in the hotel industry.

“Hotels have plenty of items, all cute and travel-sized, waiting in store rooms and all you have to do is pick up the phone and ask. And checking out from the hotel isn't like going through airport security. No respectable hotelier is going to want to pry open your luggage and search for shampoo. We hope you take the amenities. We want you to use them later and think of us."

"Hotel rooms often also include branded material like pens, pencils, notepads, postcards, and the like. These can be considered as marketing material. Every time you use the hotel's pen, for example, you will indirectly be advertising the brand. It is probably safe to assume that the hotel management will be OK with you taking such items with you when you leave".

articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/30/travel/tr-61363

[2rebecca]

You obviously don't need them if you're giving them away so why not just leave them? There seems a feeling of if you've paid for it you must take it whether you need it or not, like people who stuff themselves until they feel sick in all you can eat buffets.
It seems a huge waste of plastic to carry away a load of plastic containers you don't need. Landfill sites are full enough as it is. Fine if you're there 1 night take it but going home with a suitcase full of small plastic bottles just seems grabby and wasteful.

[KwickNC]

2rebevca the plastic will eventually go to waste anyway surely...

[wiccamum]

I really like the idea of using the cosmetic freebies in gift boxes for shelters/ homeless appeals. We had a Xmas appeal in our area recently. Ladies were encouraged to donate a handbag and fill it with a few "essentials"- sanitary products, shampoos, hairbrush and that sort of thing. These were then given to vulnerable women in the area. I'm going to save my hotel minis for the appeal next Crimbo. I also work in an industry where I get given a lot of marketing materials in the form of stationary. I really don't need it, but stock pile it and my DH takes it over each year to a school in Zimbabwe, as he goes over there for work. These companies spend millions on these types of marketing, so I don't think it's "petty or tacky" to find a use for it and redistribute the wealth a wee bit.

[LassWiTheDelicateAir]

These companies spend millions on these types of marketing, so I don't think it's "petty or tacky" to find a use for it and redistribute the wealth a wee bit.

Exactly. It's marketing material.

[MrsHathaway]

wiccamum - the shelter will be grateful for miniatures all year round, for when women arrive with nothing at very short notice.

The Christmas appeals are twofold: more new clients at Christmas who need basics () and so that everyone in a shelter at that time gets at least one present whether that's a box if chocolates or a new lipstick or a Boots 3-4-2.

Do consider dropping off your miniatures all year round (one of the school run mums works for the local shelters so it's easy for me).

[wickedwaterwitch]

I love that old thread - fantastic posts from expat and aloha especially

Totally agree that is fine (and expected) to take toiletries from hotels

[LeaLeander]

Why not take the pillows and bedding to donate to shelters as well? I'm sure the hotel chains can afford it, eh?