What have you taken from the maid's cart?

[JohnneeO]

How many of you have grabbed an item directly off of the maid's cart in a hotel hallway? Once in a while, I am short a towel or washcloth, and I will head out to the hallway in my pajamas and just help myself. Once, I was sick with a runny nose, so I grabbed a box of tissues to take with me as headed out for the day. Other times, I have grabbed extra pens and paper while heading downstairs to checkout in the morning.

I reason that the maid/hotel would have brought me the items if I had had the courtesy & patience to call in a request, so there is no harm in doing this. No harm, no foul.

Has anyone else done this?

[bitburgr]

I've done it.

Shampoo, mouthwash, boxes of tissues and pens.

Oh...and lots and lots of chocolate off the turn-down-service-cart in the evenings.

[Ripper3785]

At the Hyatt in AKL a couple months back, there was a gentleman restocking the mini bars and left the cart with everything out in the hallway and was nowhere to be seen. I was very tempted to grab a beer/redbull/snack, but the beer was free up in the lounge anyway.

[wharvey]

I would never take it without asking... how much effort is it to ask the person who's cart it is if you can take the item?

You never know when there is some inventory check or something... I would not want them to get into any trouble... but just me.

[broadwayblue]

I have always asked (for extra soap, shampoo or towels)...and I would imagine taking anything that is available for sale in the room would be considered stealing.

[cptango]

Shampoo whenever I get the chance. It seems like those little bottles arent enough even though I have extrememoy short hair.

I did take a bag of microwave popcorn once as well but it is free in the room I just burnt mine.

[VC 10]

Rubber bath ducks from various Asia hotel chains!

[gerald5]

Usually just the small consumables - soap, lotion, etc... anything else might be stealing so I'd ask

[ByrdluvsAWACO]

Originally Posted by wharvey

I would never take it without asking... how much effort is it to ask the person who's cart it is if you can take the item?

You never know when there is some inventory check or something... I would not want them to get into any trouble... but just me.

I was wondering the same thing. Are they accountable for items on their cart? I always ask as well.

[blahter]

I've never needed anything from the housekeeping cart. Although I have in many occasions had to ask the housekeeper to let me back in my room because I keep on leaving them in my room

[SEAUAKID]

I have been known to swipe a roll of TP every once in a while.

As for the lotions and soaps that I love so dearly, I always ask and I always tip for their time.

[jgoodm]

I cant imagine they are accountable. IME stealing is common from the cart. I have seen it many times. It must be an understood and budgeted for issue in the hotel biz.

[deubster]

Originally Posted by jgoodm

I cant imagine they are accountable. IME stealing is common from the cart. I have seen it many times. It must be an understood and budgeted for issue in the hotel biz.

A couple of years ago I worked on a project installing wired and wireless internet for several major hotel chains, and looked at hundreds of maid supply closets. They all had boxes full of the amenities, and all the maids would just come in and grab what they needed to fill the cart. So, no, they can't possibly be held accountable.

[3timesalady]

I assume that if they were accountable, then the carts would go with them into the rooms, rather than sitting unattended in the hallways.

That being said, I don't think I've ever taken anything from a housekeeping cart in the hallway.

[szg]

Originally Posted by 3timesalady

That being said, I don't think I've ever taken anything from a housekeeping cart in the hallway.

Me too, I never took something from the maid's cart.