Hotel Etiquette: What Is Free to Take and What Must Stay Behind

Knowing what you can and cannot take from a hotel room helps avoid awkward situations and makes your stay more enjoyable.

Small Luxuries You Can Take

Hotel rooms are filled with small details designed to make a guest’s stay comfortable and special. From mini bottles of shampoo and shower gel to stylish accessories, every item adds a touch of luxury. Luckily, many of these essentials are meant for guests to take home.

Most hotels allow guests to take soap, shampoos, shower gels, and lotions in travel sizes. These items are provided regardless of whether you’ve opened them or not. It is also common to take tea bags, coffee, sugar packets, disposable cups, and small stationery like pens, notepads, or local maps. In higher-class hotels, guests may even find complimentary extras such as champagne on arrival, toothbrushes, razors, sewing kits, cotton pads, or nail clippers — all of which are designed for personal use and can be taken without guilt.

What Must Stay in the Room

While small toiletries are fair game, other items are strictly off-limits. Sheets, towels, robes, pillows, and blankets are considered essential inventory for the next guest. Taking these items creates unnecessary work for hotel staff and financial losses for the hotel, which ultimately affect all visitors.

It is also forbidden to remove batteries, electronics, hangers, drinking glasses, cutlery, or decorative items. These are integral to the functionality and comfort of the room and their absence can lead to fines or even a ban on future bookings.

Hotel Etiquette for a Stress-Free Stay

Taking small complimentary items as souvenirs is completely acceptable, but drawing the line at hotel property ensures that both guests and staff enjoy a respectful relationship. A simple rule of thumb: if the item is consumable and designed for one-time use, it’s yours. If it’s part of the room’s furniture or linen, it stays behind.