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This ranking is incredible! The phrase "all inclusive" is taken by some Italian holidaymakers to mean very Literally. The hotel as a victim of theft. What do guests most often secretly pack in their suitcases? A survey among more than 1000 hoteliers...
Attention, spoilers: Hotel soap is not worth mentioning in this list. 1,157 hoteliers were surveyed, mainly in Italy, Germany and Austria (634 from the 4-star segment, 523 from the 5-star segment in 2019). Statista has published the result.
What do hotels steal most often?
P.S. What is allowed in the hotel, you will find at the bottom (much less than you think)...
Rank 20: Mattress
How does it work - do you unobtrusively tuck the button under your arm when you check out, or do you rope the pad out of the window beforehand? In fact, mattresses are often stolen from rooms in 4.2 percent of all hotels surveyed.
Rank 19: Lamp
Why do you take your toolbox on holiday - are you looking for a nice (hotel) room lamp? In 4.3 percent of the surveyed accommodations, guests regularly dismantle the lamps.
Rank 18: Telephone
So much for the age of mobile telephony: in just under 5 percent of hotels, the room phone is often packed away.
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Rank 17: Television
The suitcases are getting bigger, the TVs in the hotel room are rather small: In 6.1 percent of the hostels, guests regularly pack the TV set from their room.
Rank 16: Coffee machines
The coffee in the hotel usually tastes really good: In 6.9 percent of the accommodations, guests pack the coffee machine for home out of sheer enthusiasm.
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Rank 15: Light bulb
"Honey, we don't have any light bulbs at home. Will you pack some more?" This or something similar is probably how the conversations go when these holidaymakers pack their suitcases. In 7.3 percent of hotels, visitors regularly pack their light bulbs for home.
Rank 14: Hairdryer
In 8.4 percent of the hotels, the hairdryers are often packed away. This figure would probably be significantly higher if hairdryers were not already firmly screwed on in the majority of hotels.
Rank 13: Remote control
The remote control at home has disappeared - how "convenient" that hotels usually have universal TV controls (work on every TV set). In almost every tenth hotel, the remote control is regularly stolen, exactly in 9.1 percent of the cases
Rank 12: Tablet/PC
Many accommodations have upgraded their technology and offer room service via tablet. This seems to tempt some guests: In 12 percent of the hotels, the tablet is regularly stolen from the room.
Rank 11: Tableware
Coffee cups, small plates - a minimum set of tableware is usually available in every hotel room. Many guests cannot resist this. In 12.7 percent of the accommodations, dishes are often stolen.
Rank 10: Pillow
Slept like heaven on holiday?! For some guests, probably the reason to take the super cosy hotel pillow home. In 14.3 percent of hostels, pillows are often stolen.
Rank 9: Blankets
Duvets, woollen blankets, bedspreads - some people seem to have a lot of space in their suitcases. Blankets are regularly stolen in 15.6 percent of hotels.
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Rank 8: Pictures
Italian style - usually unusual, creative, with a love of detail. Probably why pictures are regularly stolen from every FIFTH (!) hotel. The forbidden souvenir to take home.
Rank 7: Batteries
Why go to the kiosk or supermarket when you can just take the batteries from the remote control in the hotel room (or whatever). In 22 per cent of hotels, thieves often strike here.
6th place: Cosmetics
A widespread misconception: Shampoo and shower gel bottles are included in the room rate - WRONG! You are allowed to use what you need on site - but do not pack anything else. In fact, this is also theft.
5th place: Cutlery
The cute little espresso spoons, the beautifully curved forks and knives - cutlery is regularly stolen in every third (!) hotel. Exactly in 33.6 percent of the hostels.
Rank 4: Pens
In almost 40 percent of the shelters, the pens, usually ballpoint pens, regularly disappear. Exactly in 39.1 percent of the cases.
3rd place: Coat hanger
Even with ten massive, chic wooden hangers, you can't pack one for home. In half of the hotels, this is nevertheless the case. In 49.3 per cent of the accommodations, the hangers are often stolen.
2nd place: Bathrobes
Hotel bathrobes are usually extra fluffy - and one of the classics for hotel thieves. In 65.1 percent (!!!) of hotels, the bathrobes are often stolen. In fact, many properties now offer in-house robes for purchase. P.S. Forewarning: In the meantime, some hotels send a bathrobe bill without comment.
Place 1: Towels
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In first place: HAND TOWELS. Mostly beautifully fluffy, spotless white. Three quarters of all hotels - 77.5 percent to be exact - often find their guest bathrooms without towels.
What is allowed to pack in the hotel?
From a purely legal point of view, you are not allowed to pack anything in your hotel room. A hotel is not an all-inclusive supermarket where you can pack slippers, shower gel and a few towels. The hotel's task is to make the guest feel comfortable, but not to equip them with products.
Hotels usually don't mind if you pack your (used) terrycloth slippers or your opened shampoo. These things would be disposed of before the arrival of the next guests anyway.
It is not for nothing that hotels have become more and more theft-proof over the past years: Wall lamps and televisions are screwed on, as are hairdryers and pictures. In some hotels, bathrobes are only available on request (which makes it virtually impossible to steal them later). Shower gel and shampoo are often available from fixed soap dispensers.
As far as mattresses are concerned, we are definitely curious about the future anti-theft device....
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first published 13.6.2022
Source: Statista 2022: "What is most often stolen in hotels?"
