Brits are a sticky-fingered bunch when it comes to nabbing things from their hotel room, new research has found.
Coming away with an extra souvenir or two from your holiday is common and sits in a strange area of legality, like sneaking your own popcorn into the cinema.
Arguably the most famous example of hotel room theft came in the Friends episode where Ross attempts to stuff his suitcase full of as many free items as possible, in revenge for being forced to book an expensive suite.
As the hapless comedy figure makes his way through the lobby the tightly stuffed bag inevitably bursts, pouring lamp bulbs, batteries, shampoo and dozens of other freebies onto the floor.
While this may be the extreme end of holiday pilfering, a full 67% of Brits have admitted taking part in the activity at least once.
According to KAYAK, the world’s leading travel search engine, a third of people have taken complimentary hotel items like shampoo and conditioner bottles, while 30% take tea bags and coffee capsules.
More than one in 10 (12%) have taken towels, and 5% have wrapped them around glassware from the hotel.
A few people even admitted to taking home decorative items (3%) and batteries from the remote control (3%), with one in 100 saying they have taken silverware or the room bible home.
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Top 10 items that Brits have taken home from a hotel
- Shampoo/conditioner 50%
- Tea bags and coffee capsules 30%
- Slippers 18%
- Vanity kit 15%A co
- Towels 12%
- Dressing gowns 7%
- Glasswear 5%
- Hangers 4%
- Decorative items 3%
- Remote batteries 3%
According to the international study, which surveyed 10,000 travellers across 10 countries*, Brits came out joint fourth with France and Spain as the most likely to pack a few extras in their case.
Overall, Germans are the least likely to take anything from the hotel, with just over half admitting to snatching items (56%).
Americans were revealed as the most likely to nab items from their hotels, with three quarters (75%) admitting to have taken extras home with them.
British women are apparently less susceptible to packing a few extra items as 38% claim they have never taken anything out of a hotel, compared with 28% of men.
Of course there are some items that are off limits - lightbulbs, plants and bed linen being among the list - but that hasn't stopped some holidaymakers from walking away with these in their cases. To help you sift through the hotel room etiquette rules, we've put a guide to the dos and don'ts of what you can take from hotel rooms.
Do you take freebies from your hotel room back home? Let us know in the comments below.
