It is a common situation; theft of goods in hotels. Many guests like to take a souvenir home to
keepsake a memorable stay in a beautiful hotel. Some souvenirs have been used as a marketing tool and if they are stolen, the hotel gets nice advertising, but what if they are not souvenirs?

A hotelier would rather see the guest walk out happily than confront them with possible theft and thus accept the loss of a guest who does not return. The damage caused by the theft is too limited for that.

However, theft can be prevented in some cases. Below are a number of hotel room articles that are very popular by hotel guests, but which cannot be taken with the help of a simple adjustments.

Water kettle

A water kettle can stand on its own, on a desk mat or on a so-called hospitality tray. A desk mat or hospitality tray protects your furniture on which the kettle is placed and contribute to the design of your room or accommodation.

If a combination of water kettle and hospitality tray is chosen, you often get the option to attach the water kettle to the tray. This means that the heating element of the kettle is attached to the tray, often by means of a screw plate, so the kettle cannot be taken by guests. A guest can only use the kettle with the heating element, so taking only the upper part will not result in a working water kettle at home.

Coat hanger

Clothes hangers are a good example of a hotel item that is often accidentally stolen. A dress or suit is taken from the closet onto the hanger and placed in the protective bag or a suitcase. To prevent this, the hook of a clothes hanger can easily be replaced by an anti-theft pin. This pin must be hung in a ring, which has been slided around the clothing rail. The guest can take the hanger out of the ring to hang their clothes and then put it back in it. However, it is not attractive for a guest to take home a hanger with a pin, as the needed ring cannot be removed from the rail, which makes the hanger not usable at home.

Hair dryer

Ironing station

An ironing station (ironing board and iron) is often purchased as a set. There is a simple attachment to the underside of the board, where the cord of the iron can be attached to. This offers enough space for the guest to iron their clothes on the board with the iron, but ensures that the iron itself cannot be taken along.

Guest supplies

Nowadays, small packages for shampoo, body lotion and soap are being replaced by larger bottles for less waste and to stimulate sustainable use. The small bottles are often taken by guests because ‘it is convenient for traveling’ or it is a nice memory of their stay at the hotel. Taking these small items is budgeted by the hotels. However, this is not the intention with bottles of, for example, 400 ml which are intended for multiple uses.

Placing a bottle freestanding in a bathroom or toilet room is not a good idea, there is no barrier for the guest to take it with them, except for moral. Since there is already a greater barrier to take something with you if it has to be detached or disconnected, a wall holder is a good option in this case. A frequently used option is the dispenser which is mounted onto the wall and is refillable, but this is certainly not the only option. A chic designed bottle can also be hung onto the wall by means of a corresponding mounting and does not detract from the appearance or use.

What experience do you have with theft in your hotel? Which products can still use innovation to combat theft? If you have any questions or would you like to discuss this topic further, please contact us and we will be happy to help!