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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

What do hotels do with the things left behind by guests?

23 replies

thenorthernluce · 12/09/2019 17:04

Does anyone know from experience?

Just curious, really, as we often leave behind random items we don’t need or want any longer (eg hand wash, bits of sunblock, unopened packets of snacks etc). I always hope the housekeeping staff are allowed to keep what they find that isn’t obviously lost property. (We also leave a daily or cumulative tip and a short thank you note).

OP posts:

pikapikachu · 12/09/2019 17:06

Ds forgot something at a Premier Inn and they had a Lost Property where his forgotten item was stored.

kitk · 12/09/2019 17:09

I used to work in a hotel- it depends on what is left. Phone chargers, electronics etc got sent back to the guest, housekeepers could do what they wanted with half used bottles of shampoo etc. Illegal porn and drugs got handed to the police. Wish I was kidding about that last one but sadly it happened more often than the shampoo

Heyduggeefordays · 12/09/2019 17:10

Not sure about hand wash etc but things like sunglasses etc are put into lost property the hotel keeps it for a set number of days and if not claimed it’s donated to the local charity shop.

Hadalifeonce · 12/09/2019 17:14

I once left a cheapish watch in an hotel, when I telephoned to ask for it to be returned, I asked why they didn't contact me as they knew my contact details. I was informed that it was policy not to, to protect the privacy of their guests. (ie you might be there illicitly and not want your partner to know)

kitk · 12/09/2019 17:15

@Hadalifeonce that never occurred to me when I worked in hospitality. I'd phone away

violashift · 12/09/2019 17:24

I always think you could not trust something left by the public. What if they had done something to the shampoo ie used hair removal cream. Probably unlikely, but there are disgusting people out there.

Remember the thread about people weeing in hotel kettles.

OrangeJustice · 12/09/2019 17:28

I’m a housekeeper in a chain hotel. We log anything of value so chargers, perfume etc. Anything else we either throw away unless it’s unopened. A lot of hotel guests are generally disgusting so I’d not want to use anything that wasnt sealed.

The best things we find are unopened bottles of wine or beer

livingthegoodlife · 12/09/2019 17:35

We left a brand new jellycat unicorn in a premier Inn once. I enquired less than an hour later and it was gone. I even visited in person a week later to check their lost property but it wasn't recorded. Im convinced someone took it for their own....

I'd think most consumables get chucked eg shampoo/suncream etc.

JustOneLastThing · 12/09/2019 17:36

Sorry to hijack....but do hotels mind when guests bring food and drink? I usually take a selection of booze with me but worry that when checking in the clink-clink of my bag or the bin with the empties irritates the staff!

OrangeJustice · 12/09/2019 17:54

Of course not. We want you to have a nice stay. We do like it when you leave the empties and rubbish neatly bagged by the bin though

Raisingwildanimals · 12/09/2019 18:09

@violashift people wee in kettles?!

terriblyangryattimes · 12/09/2019 18:15

Ex hotel manager here. As a PP said generally we don't contact the guest if we find something- partly because its incredibly time consuming and would end up being a full time job in a big hotel and partly in case we land someone in deep you know what if we leave a message or send an email and someone else finds out they were there.

Plus you'd be surprised at what people leave behind on purpose. Full suitcases of clothes (family stayed every year and were from Bahrain- they left their jumpers and heavy clothes here and bought new when they returned the next year) plus books, half used toiletries etc.

We kept things for 6 months then anything useful we sent to the salvation army to reuse (they also got our old pillows and duvet covers if they were still in good condition)

BeanBag7 · 12/09/2019 18:16

My husband used to work for a cruise line. They would throw away stuff like old suncream and shampoo. Clothes would be donated.
Anything of value (iPods, cameras, binoculars etc) used to be kept for 6 months and then auctioned off to the staff for charity.

terriblyangryattimes · 12/09/2019 18:18

We did have someone come back a week later saying they had left 350 in cash in the room and had forgotten it... told them we hadn't found it and they pleaded to be let into the room to check themselves. Miraculously the room wasnt occupied by another guest (though had been in between them leaving and coming back a week later)

Lo and behold they found their cash- all of it! They'd put it underneath a heavy bedside table and clearly the room attendants hadn't been doing a thorough job hoovering!

HirplesWithHaggis · 12/09/2019 18:21

I left behind a gold chain. Apparently they couldn't find it in the specific drawer I left it in.

Must be 20 years ago and I'm still cross.

violashift · 12/09/2019 18:21

Raising. A vile person at work also admitted it to me.

https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am iibeingunreasonable/3548513-Peeing-in-hotel-kettles

Gladimnotcampinginthisweather · 12/09/2019 18:28

I rang a hotel because I had left a book behind. They said they would send it back to me at some ridiculous cost or they could put it in a charity shop. I don't know if they really put it in a charity shop, but I didn't pay to have it sent back.

Fartymcnarty · 12/09/2019 18:32

My husband once left and unopened rubber pussy sex toy at centre Parcs. It was a joke birthday gift from one of his friends who came with us. Poor chap never got to test it out hope someone did!

MelonSlice · 12/09/2019 18:36

Sorry to hijack....but do hotels mind when guests bring food and drink?

Nope. Sometimes when I don't fancy eating in the restaurant, I'll order a takeaway, get it delivered to the front desk, and the receptionist will phone me to let me know its arrived.

kalinkafoxtrot45 · 12/09/2019 22:36

I one forgot my PJs in a hotel, they called me to see if I was still in town so I could collect them. Also, I lost my engagement ring, it must have rolled under furniture, but they searched and found it. As it was a hotel I often used, they kept it in the safe until I was next there. Both of these were small, family run places, and I guess that probably makes a difference.

hiphopchick · 12/09/2019 22:39

@thenorthernluce

They generally go into a lost property box or cupboard. They will try to contact the person who lost said item, but if there is no luck, after 6 months they offer the items for staff to take.

GotToGoMyOwnWay · 12/09/2019 23:27

We’ve been contacted for the following

Clothes left in drawers (teenagers)
Phone chargers (teenagers)
iPod (teenagers)
Jewellery (teenagers)

I now check their rooms with a fine tooth comb.

WiddlinDiddlin · 13/09/2019 01:33

Left my kindle in a hotel in Nottingham.

Rang when I was in the car on teh way home, I'd been gone 20 minutes... they couldn't find it (in the specific place I told them I had left it), I rang back when I got home and still no... lying twats. So I had Amazon block it which is apparently pretty hard to undo.

Still annoyed.

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