What you can take: Anything else “complimentary”
In addition to the above, hotels and motels often provide other complimentary items, like dry-cleaning bags and certain promotional items, says Asmussen. Higher-end hotels may provide extras like shoe-shine kits, travel-size sewing kits, toothbrushes, razors, cotton swabs and nail files—all of which are fine to take.
Joanna McCreary, general manager for the W Hotel in Austin, Texas, adds that some hotels even give exclusive complimentary gifts, which you are, of course, free to take. “We don’t advertise it,” she says, “but we love giving people Champagne at check-in on peak arrival days at the W Austin.” She explains that the company gets a good deal on nice bottles since it buys in bulk, and hey, who doesn’t love complimentary surprise Champagne after a long trip?
What you can’t take: Sheets and towels
When thinking about taking something from a room, step away from the towels. Towels are the most commonly stolen item from a hotel room, according to a 2023 survey of nearly 1,500 hotels conducted by Wellness Heaven, a luxury and spa hotel guide. Blankets and pillows were No. 9 and 10 on the list.
However, while it might be common, it is not OK, Allen says. Hotel sheets, towels, blankets, pillows and other linens are things you definitely shouldn’t take from hotel rooms. As McCreary explains, a hotel’s goal is to prepare the perfect room for the next guest. Taking pricey essentials, like sheets, makes it harder for hotel staff to do their jobs. It creates extra steps for housekeepers, who need to fetch new ones and update inventory, and costs the hotel money—which, over time, gets passed on to all the guests in the form of higher rates.
What you can’t take: Batteries and electronics
Batteries—usually taken from inside the TV remote control—clocked in at No. 6 on the most commonly lifted items from hotel rooms, while tablets were in the No. 8 spot. Batteries are cheap, but it’s annoying for the next guest to discover they are missing when the TV remote doesn’t work. While you won’t necessarily get charged for them, it’s poor hotel etiquette to take them. And then there are tablets, which are often provided in higher-end hotels for ordering services and pulling up maps, menus and schedules. They are pricey and most definitely not a perk of your stay. Staff will notice their absence, and you will be charged if you take this item, usually the amount it costs the hotel to replace it.
Conteh notes that in most cases, there are disclaimers on all items that shouldn’t leave the room—especially expensive electronics. “An example is Claridge House’s Aavgo tablet,” he says. “They note that there will be a cost levied on the room charge if a tablet or other item of value goes missing or is removed from the premises.”
