22 Free Things You Can Take from a Hotel Room

Hey, it's the source of those 18 tiny shampoo bottles and bars of soap in that bottom drawer of your bathroom cabinet. Yep, I'm talking about hotels and all the stuff we like to take from them, even if we don't use it. But be careful there, sticky fingers, you're technically only allowed to take certain things. So let's start off with the stuff you've already been taking home for years. 1. Soap and lotion This is probably the only thing you can find in any hotel, regardless of the price range. That bar of soap is there for you and only you to use. The next person who stays in your room will obviously get a new one. Same goes for any lotions or hand creams. Those are nice for the dry air on the plane trip back home. 2. Shampoo and conditioner If these items are branded with the hotel's logo, they actually want you to take them. It's a hotel's sneaky way of advertising itself because many people bring them home to place in guest bathrooms or give away to friends. 3. Toothpaste and mouthwash Feel free to take your Barbie-sized toothpaste and mouthwash to go when you check out. Some hotels also provide travel-sized toothbrushes for guests. Probably because that's the one thing we often forget to pack. And forget about the guest bathroom – these minis come in handy for your carry-on. Or, you know, when you're running late for work and realize you forgot to brush your teeth. 4. Shaving cream and razors Hey, if the hotel so kindly left you some shaving stuff, kindly accept the gift, even if you packed your own. But if you're about to get on a flight back home, check your airline's regulations about having aerosols or razors in your carry-on. Free stuff is cool and all, but you don't want to get an extra pat-down at security. 5. Deodorant Was that thing on your pits? Yeah, please, take it with you. Even if it wasn't, the deodorant is yours to keep. Ok, enough toiletries, let's get into the good stuff! 6. Sewing kit This thing is a real lifesaver for frequent travelers. But it might be hard to find a small sewing kit that won't take up much space in your bag. Don't miss your chance to take these teeny-weeny ones from hotels! 7. Shoe shine kit Such kits usually include black shoe polish, a shine cloth, and shoe shine brush. Not many hotels have this item in the rooms, but you can ask for it at the front desk and keep it for good. 8. Shower cap Experienced travelers know a pretty cool trick for your next trip. While packing your stuff, simply put your shoes in a shower cap to make sure dust or dirt on the soles of your footwear won't get on your clothes. That's smart! 9. Plastic bags Just like a shower cap, they can come in handy for organizing the stuff in your luggage. For example, if you don't want to mix your clean clothes with the dirty ones, then throw the soiled garments in those plastic bags most hotels provide. You can also use them to protect your clothes from any bottles in your suitcase. 10. Hairbrush or comb Yep, it's yours. But any other hair tools you find in a hotel room, like a hair dryer or straightener, shouldn't be taken. Sorry! 11. Stationery Ever notice how when you need to write something down, a pen is nowhere to be found? Every single time! That's why most hotels provide you with pens, pencils, and notepads. They won't mind if you keep them. Again, they want you to swipe the stationery, they've plastered their logo all over it, and you know, you're gonna lose that pen somewhere. And of course, if you don't actually move it, then it's stationary stationary. 12. Envelopes While you're stocking up on writing utensils, go ahead and throw the envelopes in your bag too. It's one of those things you always forget to buy even though you need it more often than you realize. Who cares if your holiday cards come in an envelope with some hotel's name on it? You'll still get the job done! Merry Christmas from the Dew Drop Inn! 13. Magazines and newspapers You can grab any reading materials the hotel has left for you to entertain yourself. Again, they'll be nice on the plane trip back home, especially if you don't have in-flight movies. However, some magazines might have special stickers on them, which means they must stay on the hotel premises. Be sure to check for that. 14. Coffee, tea, and sugar If your hotel provides stuff to make warm beverages right in the room, then don't hesitate to take the tea bags, coffee pouches, and sugar packets if you want. Just make sure those items aren't part of the minibar, otherwise you'll have to pay for them. And you can't take the coffee machine or tea kettle. Bummer. 15. Coffee mugs Strictly speaking, guests aren't allowed to take the mugs from their rooms or from the dining area. But if you really like your hotel coffee mug, steal it while they ain't looking! No, I'm kidding. Simply ask if you can take it. Chances are they won't have a problem with it. If you do steal it and are caught, down at the police station, they'll take your picture holding it, and it's a whole different coffee mug shot. 16. Bottled water If you're staying in a country where drinking tap water isn't okay, then most local hotels will stock your room with free bottled water. But if you're in a place where tap water is safe to drink, be ready to pay for these bottles. So, this freebie often depends. 17. Snacks To avoid extra spending, you should assume that all food and drinks in your hotel room are not free. Except for small chocolates you might find on your pillow. But if you see some snacks or fruits in the hotel's common area, it's probably fine to take them to keep hunger pangs at bay while you're out exploring a new city. 18. Bathrobes Rules regarding these are a bit tricky and depend on the hotel. In many places, a missing bathrobe will be added to your bill. Some hotels even put price tags on the bathrobe hanger to make sure guests are aware that it's not a free item you can take home. However, many pricier hotels consider it a gift and even add an embroidery with the guest's initials on it. Well, gift is a stretch. You probably paid for that customized bathrobe in the price of the room. 19. Slippers They're not reusable, so if you leave them in the room, they'll get thrown away. That's why it's no biggie if you get hold of one pair. They'll be especially useful on your flight back home if you're wearing shoes that are uncomfortable for a long trip but don't fancy walking around the plane in your socks. But keep in mind that some expensive hotels have much nicer slippers compared to those cheap flimsy ones, and those should be left for future guests. After they get clean and sanitized, of course. 20. The bathtub ducky Got attached to the rubber ducky left to keep you some company in your room? Then don't leave your new friend behind. Besides, he's seen way too much at this point. Rubber duckies are pretty cheap, and even though they're reusable, the hotel staff probably won't mind if you take it. Just ask them to make sure. 21. Umbrellas Plenty of fancy hotels have them in case of bad weather. They're usually stored in the lobby instead of the guest rooms. Obviously, umbrellas are pretty expensive compared to slippers. But in most cases, you can keep one. And again, those are branded, so if you use it after staying in a hotel, most people will find out about it. There's no such thing as too much advertising, right? 22. The Do Not Disturb sign and magnetic keycard Tired of your roommate barging in as you're trying to get some work done? Well, next time you stay at a hotel, go ahead and grab that Do Not Disturb sign and take it home with you. As for the magnetic keycards, I'm not sure why you'd need those, but they're free for the taking as well. The hotel deactivates it after you leave anyways. Okay, so our list is pretty long, and that's not even all the things you can take from your room. Other freebies didn't make it to the list simply because getting them is more of an exception than the rule. But many exclusive hotels go out of their way to impress guests, providing them with Rubik's cubes, stress toys, and even teddy bears. Oh, and one more tip that should cover all the basics. If you ever want to take something from a hotel room but doubt you can, simply ask if you can purchase the item or check if your hotel has an online shop where you can buy all those cute pillows and soft blankets. Because, yeah, you can't take the bedding and the towels. Now it's your turn. What things from the list would you take home for sure? Let me know down in the comments! If you learned something new today, then give this video a like and share it with a friend. But – hey! – don't go stealing that coffee mug just yet! We have over 2,000 cool videos for you to check out. All you have to do is click on this left or right video and enjoy! Stay on the Bright Side of life!