There’s nothing that signals a memorable hotel stay quite like a plush, all-enveloping bathrobe, shamelessly emblazoned with the property’s insignia. Sometimes, these terry treasures are so comfortable, you think to yourself, Maybe I should get one of these for myself. And, if your intrusive thoughts get the best of you, What would happen if I just…took this one home?
So what would actually happen if the bathrobe slipped into your suitcase? We spoke to a number of hotel managers to find out.
Luxury hotels go out of their way to source the very best in bathrobes, so it makes sense why guests often feel tempted to treat them as a souvenir. Plus, hotel merch has become a kind of status symbol, a marker that you, too, have stayed at the Chateau Marmonts of the world. “We went through a very detailed process of sampling, reviewing many options of brands, and focusing on quality and fit to ensure we picked the perfect bathrobes to match the Pendry Hotels & Resorts experience,” says Azadeh Hawkins, creative director at Montage International.
This attention to detail, however, comes with a price. There are many freebies available to you within your hotel room—slippers, pens, toiletries—but bathrobes are usually not one of them. “Typically in a luxury hotel like VEA, our guests know that a robe can be purchased… We will gladly sell a brand new one to you for $150,” says Kasey Pinedo, director of rooms at VEA Newport Beach A Marriott Resort & Spa. “If you do steal the robe from our luxury resort, we will also gladly charge you $150.”
Not every property actually sees a robe theft as a robe theft, but verbiage aside, they're still going to charge you for it. “If a guest chooses to remove a robe, our housekeeping team reports this to the front desk and a charge is applied to the room bill,” says Schuyler Clark, general manager of the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg, VA. “I can’t say it is stealing, more so that there is such a connection to the comfort that they accidentally find their way into their luggage. It just slips the mind to mention it upon departure, and we have a process in place to monitor.”
As for the frequency with which guests remove robes from their room, hotels see it happening quite often. At The Lodge at Bodega Bay in Sonoma County, CA, microfiber robes are sold for $95 each, and guests who take them from the room are charged the same price. The Lodge sells about 20 robes per month, one to two of which per week are taken from guest rooms.
To prevent the pilfering of these cozy commodities, many hotels, like the Pendry Newport Beach and The Clifton, provide robe hanger cards, detailing the cost of the item should guests wish to take it home. And, as is the case with most luxury hotels, the robes are also available for purchase at either the front desk or the gift shop.
Many hotel managers accept the thievery as a sign that the guest holds the hotel—and its luxe offerings—in such a high regard that they want to take a piece of their stay home with them. But it can also get out of hand.
Says Pinedo, “I was enjoying a night of poker at a friend’s house one evening five years ago. This friend frequented a luxury resort I worked at over the span of five years. When I went to use the restroom at his house, I found four branded bath robes from the resort I worked at, and about 30 towels as well.” He adds, “Needless to say, he never stayed at any of the hotels I worked at again!”
FAQs
You just need to know what to ask for.
“If a guest chooses to remove a robe, our housekeeping team reports this to the front desk and a charge is applied to the room bill,” says Schuyler Clark, general manager of the Craddock Terry Hotel in Lynchburg, VA.
Do hotel robes have trackers? ›
Don't do it. The hotels know, guys. THEY KNOW. According to a Miami-based company called Linen Tracking Technology, a lot of hotels stitch tiny microchips into their towels, robes, pillowcases, cloth napkins and other linens.
What is the most stolen item from hotels? ›
Towels and bathrobes stolen most
Towels and bathrobes top the list of the most stolen items in hotels. Following these, hangers, pens, and cosmetics are the most frequently pilfered items. However, some guests go beyond these small thefts. Coolly, they take away fittings from the bathroom without a second thought.
Do hotels keep track of towels? ›
However, it also lets hotels keep track of towels and robes that guests make off with. “One hotel uses the chips to monitor the elevator banks,” company vice president William Serbin told the Huffington Post. “Any time one of their towels passes through the elevator bay, housekeeping gets an alert.”
Do hotels charge you for stealing robes? ›
We know it's tempting, but stealing a hotel robe is considered theft of property. While most hotels won't do more than charge your credit card for the missing item, it's best practice to ask the concierge if you can purchase the robe first. In some cases, they may even have a brand-new robe you can take home.
How do you tell if a hotel is watching you? ›
Scan the Local Network for Devices
Wi-Fi analyzer apps such as Fing and Wireshark should show you any devices connected to the same network your phone is on. Surveillance cameras will usually show up as “generic devices.” If you spot any, you can start your hunt. There are, however, two caveats here.
What gets shoplifted the most? ›
The products most commonly stolen from supermarkets
The products most frequently stolen from supermarkets include foodstuffs, hygiene products, cosmetics and fashion accessories: cheese ; meat and charcuterie.
Do hotels notice stolen towels? ›
Taking pricy essentials, like sheets, makes it harder for hotel staff to do their job. According to the The Telegraph, however, 68 percent of people in a survey admitted they steal linens and towels from hotel rooms. Beware that some hotels can track stolen towels, thanks to electronic tags, Huff Post reports.
Do hotels reimburse for stolen items? ›
If an individual's personal belongings are stolen from their room by housekeeping, the hotel may be liable. Liability of the hotel does not require that the hotel have any knowledge that led to the theft. The guest would only have to prove the hotel was negligent.
Can you keep hotel robes? ›
However, all of these items belong to the hotel and are meant to stay in the room. Bathrobes should almost always be left behind as well. Hotels do launder them for the next guest.
While dark colors hide stains, making it difficult to notice problems, white sheets and towels allow a hotel to quickly notice potential problems during routine inspections and make sure all rooms stay equipped with clean, quality linens.
Do hotels know if you are in the room? ›
Many newer hotels have motion sensors on their wall mounted thermostats - this is used for both energy savings and safety. They're called Occupant Control Systems, and can be used by house keeping to determine whether a room is occupied - the sensor is on the lower right.
Do they wash hotel robes? ›
Whether visitors use their bathrobes to lounge in their rooms or after a swim at the hotel pool, each one of your hotel bathrobes will have to be washed regularly to meet the high standards of the hospitality industry.
Can hotels see what your looking at? ›
Yes, hotels can easily see what you're browsing on their network. As WiFi network administrators, hotels can see which domains you visited and how long you spent there, even if you're browsing in private mode. Use a personal hotspot or a VPN to keep your browsing private.
What is the etiquette for robes? ›
Robe etiquette really comes into play when guests are around. If you have overnight guests, make sure you are dressed appropriately while going about your morning or post-shower routine. Typically, this means wearing your pajamas or clothes underneath, not just your underwear.
