Complimentary hotel toiletries .. no sanitary towels

[TwentySmackeroos]

I’m in a fancy hotel on my holidays (total beach/resort set-up; not corporate at this time of year) and the tray of free toiletries includes:
Shampoo
Conditioner
Shower gel
Bar of soap
Loofah/scrapy sponge thing
Make-up remover towelettes
Toothbrush/toothpaste set
Comb
Manicure set
Sewing kit
Shoe shine scuff fixer
Razor and shave balm

All the above have been replenished daily as used.

Meanwhile, a pack of panty liners retails in the hotel shop at €3.90. Tampax are €4.50.

Caught unawares (seven months into my first Mirena), I’ve been wadding loo roll and rinsing my bikini bottoms nightly. And obviously bought the panty liners when it became clear I needed to.

I’m a hotel middle-level manager (but no input into purchasing, in my role). Most guests here are parents under 45 with kids. There are loads of toilet facilities (spotless and well maintained) but no dispensing machines in any.

AIBU to think a sanitary towel or three in the toiletries tray is a reasonable expectation, when all other ‘immediate’ sanitary needs are?—and the shoe scuff fixer is not a pressing need IMO—

You make an excellent point there Twenty.
Good option for a campaign I think!

I visited Harvard University back in the mid 1990s and they had dispensers in the female toilets with free sanitary protection. I thought that was very enlightened. Don't know about their arrangements now

Have never found sanitary products amongst the complimentary sewing kit, comb and shower cap. it's never bothered me. I think the one time my period surprised me by arriving early I just went for the hotel shop and bought the necessary.

Would I be willing to pay more to stay in a hotel that provided sanitary protection? No....

I’m sure lots of people would take advantage of the products should the need arise.

Can you mention it to the hotel?

Maybe it’s a money making ploy - provide you with things you’re not entirely likely to need but looks impressive, but charge you for the necessities at a premium.

Agree with Dragon though, I wouldn’t necessarily pay more for that offering and tend to have a preference for sanitary products away so would really only use an ‘emergency’ supply if there were no 24 hour shops available.

Misses point spectacularly there dragon

Bloody hell, I’d NEVER thought about that. Even in the travelogue places where you can buy a cheap his or hers toiletries kit...NO sanitary protection.

What an excellent point.

Although I do remember being on a flight years ago (it may have been to America?) And the airplane toilet had a section for toilet paper, paper hand towel section and also a sanitary pad section with a couple of complimentary pads in it... Have never seen one on a plane since but that's because I now fly easyjet or Ryanair

I always keep a few sanitary towels in my wash bag even if I'm not likely to need them. They don't take up much space and gives me peace of mind.

Never seen them provided by hotels before.

That is SUCH a good point.

I feel a campaign coming on.

Sanitary products are too personal to bee included in basic complimentary sets. I think they expect you to bring your own. The shop would really be emergency only in which case the price is fine.

Periods very often surprise you in your late 40s. No idea whether you're on for a 20 day or 60 day month.

I’m staying in a hotel that has a tampon and a sanitary towel in the bathroom. It’s the first time i’ve ever seen this and it makes me want to shout for joy despite no longer needing them.

I stayed in a five star hotel in the UK for one night a few years ago and ran out of tampons just before midnight (much heavier period than expected). I asked at the front desk if they could help and was told that they didn’t keep that sort of thing. I still feel embarrassed about the ‘murder scene’ I accidentally left behind. That’s the business case for hotels offering sanitary protection even if it is on demand.

Sanitary products are too personal to bee included in basic complimentary sets.

Loo roll is pretty “personal” too but that’s universally provided.

I've never noticed it before. It's a good point.

I’ve always carried an emergency stash - don’t we all! This time, I didn’t. I’ve never had a shoe shine emergency. I have had toothpaste emergencies, and sewing kit emergencies. I understand that a shaving emergency can arise, male and female. And who does t appreciate a comp nail file and orange-wood stick for those nail emergencies?

But why aren’t emergency sanitary towels on the list? Even one?

A few years ago, my luggage got lost by BA and I got the dinkiest doll-sized toothbrush and the worlds largest T-shirt. And a razor. Pad? Nope.

I've stayed in lots of hotels with complimentary kits and never seen a towel or liner although they often have all sorts of stuff

and I totally agree about the business case! Incredibly embarrassing for the guest and not so lovely for housekeeping

When I say personal I mean some like tampax, some like towels, some need panty liners, some need matresses. Didn't mean in the sense it is intimate.

If you're unexpectedly in the situation of needing tampons/pads, then you'd most likely use what was provided initially until you could get hold of a proper supply. It wouldn't be impossible to put out a regular tampon, an applicator tampon and a pad. I can't see why you wouldn't when all those other things are provided just in case.

@starzig the vending machines in toilets you buy tampons and towels from only give you one choice of each but they are still brought. This indicates even if the hotel only stocked super absorbency bulky towels, women who were caught short would still use them.

Your entire list is gender neutral though except make-up remover. They have sanitary towel disposal bags in most hotels.

I spend 200 days a year in hotels. I don't want sanitary towels I want bath gel (not shower gel- real bath gel/oil))

ALL the items I mentioned can be bought in a 24 hour shop. But nothing stops you in your tracks like needing one single solitary sanitary towel. I could survive without conditioner if necessary, for 12 hours. Sanpro is not a big or unusual ask but is not offered as standard. Why not?

Sanpro is not a big or unusual ask but is not offered as standard. Why not?

The majority of hotel guest are male
Some religions would be offended by tampax or indeed sanpro

The majority of hotel guest are male

That’s less and less true and not in a resort.

Some religions would be offended by tampax or indeed sanpro

Which religions are offended by all sanpro?

Yeah that's what I said. You got an emergency you take what's available in the shop.

Have you asked reception? I stay in hotels a lot and there’s often either a note in the folder in the room, in reception or in the bathroom that they are available on reques.