What you can and cannot take from your hotel room

Do you admit that you have taken hotel toiletries (or in some cases, even ordered some extra to take back with you)? While putting these teeny tiny shampoo, conditioner and body wash bottles in your luggage might be seem like something that a great percentage of travellers do, it's crucial to distinguish between what you can and absolutely cannot take from the hotel room. Shampoo and conditioners? Yes. Towels and robes? No.

You might want to steer clear of this or be very sure of the items you can take or are allowed to take from your hotel room; otherwise, do you remember that embarrassing viral video of an Indian family vacationing in Bali, Indonesia, caught stealing accessories from their hotel room?

They had taken towels, hairdryer, soap dispensers and coat hangers. After the hotel staff realised that several items from the room were missing, the hotel staff was instructed to search their luggage. The police were contacted and the stolen items were returned to the hotel and no charges were pressed.

Things you CAN take from your hotel room

• Hotel toiletries including shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soap bars, sewing kit, dental kit, and disposable slippers are kind of the most popular choice when it comes to slyly nicking those bottles away. You CAN take them.
• You are allowed to take stationery items such as pen, pencil, notepad or envelopes.
• It's fine to take the shoeshine kit too. 
• You can also take beverage sachets which are mostly sachets of green tea, other flavoured teas, and pre-mix coffee.

Things you CANNOT take from your hotel room

• It is a crime to take towels and bathrobes from your hotel rooms. (If you are someone who is guilty of this, make sure you don't do it again or you might get arrested.)
• You cannot take cutlery such as coffee mugs or glasses either.
• Guests who stole towels from their hotel rooms have served prison time. A woman who stole two towels during her stay at the Transcorp Hilton Abuja hotel in Nigeria got arrested and was in prison for three months.
• And it's a strict no-no policy to take (rather steal) electrical appliances including kettle, hairdryers, telephone and steam irons. (no, you cannot take shower heads or pull out taps either)
• Pillows, pillowcases, bed sheets, bed covers - you absolutely cannot take.
• Neither are you allowed to take those wooden hangers that you so wished you had at home.

So, the next time you feel the urge to take something from your hotel room, make sure you are allowed to take it; or if you're confused, then you can ask the people at the reception.

ALSO READ | Thai paradise Koh Samui has less than 30 days of fresh water left. Tourists are to blame too