travelmad478

I left my keys in a NY hotel room once--it had two beds, and I only slept in one, but dumped my stuff all over the other one and the keys got hidden under a little scrunched-up part of the bedspread. Called the hotel after a few hours when I realized it, and they did have them. I had our group assistant in the NY office run over and pick them up (the hotel was only a block away), and she Fedexed them to me. Mr. travelmad478 left his wallet in a hotel once the exact same way...we were far away by the time he noticed, and miraculously, the hotel found it and shipped it to him.

Twice I left things in BA lounges--once at LGW, where the quick-witted lounge attendant spotted it and then ran it all the way down to my gate when I realized and had the gate agent call back to the lounge for me. Once at JNB, where I realized when I get to the gate that I'd left a nice new sweater that was only on its second wearing I told them exactly which chair I was sitting in, and it had been maybe 25 minutes since I'd left it, but it was "lost" forever.

powerlifter

When I was in London. I Left an electric toothbrush on the bed. I had forgotten to pack it. When I got home I called the hotel, and they sent it back to me. I have always done a look around the room before i leave. It was the Hilton hotel at LHR.

LeoMick

I had a similar experience, but in Hong Kong. I left an envelope of about $200 in Chinese & Japanese currency in my hotel room. Only realized it 2 days later when I was in Guangzhou for a few days. Called the hotel, assuming it was long gone. Reported it as missing. 5 days later when I returned to Hong Kong & checked into the hotel, I asked about it. The hotel manager took me back to his office & handed me the envelope. Everything was there! This was the IHG Grand Standard Hotel. That would never happen in USA, dont imagine.

Athena53

I haven't had much luck, either. I left a SoniCare toothbrush behind in the Embassy Suites Des Moines and when I called the next day they connected me to Housekeeping, which went to voicemail. I left a message; no one got back to me. One incident that still frosts me is when I left a jacket in the overhead on the flight- a very nice one that was part of my son's warmups from NY Military Academy. I realized it only a few minutes after I got off the plane. They actually let me back on the plane. It was already gone.

Saddest story: one of my colleagues had to fly just after they detected the liquids plot that led to the 3-1-1 rule. They could carry NOTHING on the plane- had to check it all. And of course they lost his luggage. At his destination he bought a few basics but returned to his room after a day in the office to find everything gone. Housekeeping thought he'd checked out because there was so little left in the room. I don't know if he got anything back.

ghina

So I think it had no bling value, not worth stealing. But also the entire hotel staff were proactive and relaxed, like they were really taken care of, and so it appears there may have been some maturity in the tone set by management.

1) someone had to find it because it was plugged in behind the couch
2) the cleaning person had personal integrity or training to turn it in
3) the hotel needed a lost and found container in the hospitality area.
4) one manager found it, and handed off to another manager when the shift changed and they were perfectly up to date
5) I was just asked to pay for shipping (and not handing).

Only place I will stay when I return to Denver: Hyatt Place Denver South/Park Meadows

geepmaley

Just a couple weeks ago, i left the iPad I am typing on in a room at Residence Inn Tewksbury MA. I usually get a notification on my phone or carplay. I didn't notice one this time. Made it all the way to Logan airport (a hour with traffic), still didn't know. Then someone behind me noticed my computer bag was unzipped (that never happens) so I check in the bag, no iPad. Figured someone lifted it, but checked find my app and it showed in the room, so I called the hotel, manager was there. I couldn't return due to flight time and no car. He found it and sent to me via fedex no charge.

bunch of years ago i left an iPhone charger at a hotel at Schipol Airport and flew to Bordeaux. Called, they had found it. I asked how much to ship it to US since they couldn’t guarantee theyd get it to me before ai left and I was going to be moving around a lot (biz trip). Cost was gonna be like 75euros, so i told them to keep it and bought a new one in Bordeaux for like 20

PlaneSpeaking

I have no idea how I managed it but 2 years ago, I left a vintage watch behind in our suite at the Oberoi Grand Kolkata. I only realised when we got to our hotel in Mumbai and realised the watch was no longer in our hand baggage (it�s not worn all the time). It�s of enormous sentimental value and I was beside myself but after a couple of frantic calls to the Oberoi, they found the watch and I was able to arrange for a courier collection back to us in the UK. It arrived a few days later and to our great surprise, the case holding the watch was wrapped in a beautiful hand sewn and embroidered cover and which we unfortunately had to cut in order to get to the watch but the fact that someone went to such trouble was incredible. We were so grateful and were quite humbled by the experience.

GW McLintock

I once lost a stuffed lion toy I always kept in my travel bag since I was a kid at a non-affiliated all-inclusive in the DR. I like to think that it "went back to the jungle"

Most recently I left a computer charger in a room at the Aloft Anchorage. I called an hour after I left and they were able to grab it and hold it at the front desk for me. There were a few other instances over the years, but those were at places where I spent numerous nights per week, every week. There was one time I even got the same room two nights in a row (as we had to check out every day), and the charger I left in the room was still there!

-J.

Berniecfc

I once left a set of Bosie Headphones in my hotel room. Inside the headphone was my contact information. I went back to the hotel 2 days later and retrieved the headphones. I asked why no-one had contacted me to let me know I had left them behind? The reply was " It might put you in an awkward situation". Meaning I perhaps shouldn't have been at the hotel and after a time a staff member would have been the proud owner of a set of Boise Headphones.

JBinVT

My dear children; remember that nice stationery I bought you for your birthday? Now is the time to use it. Write to those hotels who have gone out of their way to return your lost item (particularly when lovingly wrapped!). Write by hand and in pen. If you can cite names and positions, please include them. A word of thanks (not just to the Desk but to Housekeeping as well �maybe they can post it in the �break room�) can make someone�s day�and maybe inspire more diligence in the future.

NotSoFrequentColorado

I've left things in hotel rooms a bunch of times. The hotel never contacted me proactively. Once I contacted them I was always able to get the item back; sometimes with a shipping charge, once or twice for free. A couple times the shipping was more than the item was worth so I declined. I've never had an item just stolen after leaving it (maybe because I tend not to have high-ticket possessions)

dliesse

I accidentally left a sweater in a motel room in Wendover, UT. Realized it the next day and called them, and they held it for when we passed through on the return trip. Can't remember ever leaving anything else (usually I leave things at home -- like my plane ticket, back in the days of paper tickets).

wilp888

A few years ago, I left a belt in my room at the Conrad Hong Kong but I didn't realized it at the time. I stayed at the hotel again after 3 months, and when I entered my room, I found my belt on the desk sealed in a plastic bag with my name on the bag.

rmc1

My wife has a great story. Her and her boss were in Tokyo and checking into the Imperial Hotel. Neither of them had any kind of status but the when her boss checked in, they had him wait as they went to retrieve a package. He did not have anything sent to the hotel so he had no idea what it was. It turns out that he had stayed 2 years earlier, he had gone jogging before he left and forgot his sweaty jogging shirt in the room. The hotel had cleaned it and had it waiting for him 2 years later!! I think that's one of those "only in Japan" stories.

sabbasolo

Once in Japan, I left my travel wallet with passport etc in the hotel safe, and travelled by train to Osaka airport, where upon attempt to check-in I realized. The hotel concierge came personally to the airport by train with my wallet, and refused even a tip. I caught the flight by the skin of my teeth - walked by head of station with my suitcases to the gate where I boarded last. Another "only in Japan" story.