"Stealing" plush hotel bathrobes
May 11, 2005, 4:13 pm
#76
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: lapsed UA 1K (now a lowly 2P), HGP Platinum
Posts: 9,607
Originally Posted by jfe
Let him who has never taken anything cast the first stone.
What I think is interesting is to watch people respond to the scenario just to see what their reasoning says about their moral development.
According to Kohlberg, there are 6 stages of moral development:
1. Which decision will hurt me less (fear of punishment)?
2. Which decision will benefit me more?
3. Which decision will get me more approval from others?
4. Which decision will follow the law?
5. Which decision will bring the most benefit to society?
6. Which decision will adhere to universal prinicples of ethics?
We're all somewhere on this scale. Those who say it's ok because it's built into the price are focused on stage 2--get all your benefits. The OP who ultimately didn't take the robe might be at stage 3 and declined because of his father's disapproval or may be at stage 1 because he wants to know how likely punishment would have been.
As adults, we probably have an expectation of stage 5 or at least stage 4 reasoning and I think that's driving the stone casting.
May 11, 2005, 4:22 pm
#77
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: This year we're going to the BAFTAs!
Posts: 5,518
Originally Posted by SchmeckFlyer
... to what I assumed was an inocuous topic by essentially branding me a thief despite all my pleas and explainations to the contrary (i.e. I knew before posting taking the bathrobe without paying would constitute theft, and I never did steal it), I will avail myself. It is too beautiful a day (finally) to get worked up over such things!
May 11, 2005, 4:23 pm
#78
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Upstate NY
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, UA Gold, AA Gold, Delta Silver
Posts: 32
Give the OP a break!
Apparently none of you riding the high horse have seen the Holiday Inn's recent charity promotion: About the Towels, We Forgive You.
While I'm generally thought of by my peers as somewhat of an extremist when it comes to property rights (You don't support the illegal downloading of music off of P2P networks, what?!) I do have an issue with the vast number of people who are lambasting the poor OP, so I'd like to purpose a single guideline for the rest of the post:
If you have ever stolen anything from a hotel, and that includes the disposable items that you might have used during your stay, and not returned it, you can't make post a critical remark about the OP without detailing exactly what you stole and how many times in the post.
That being said, I never take anything from the hotel rooms I've stayed in, even the disposable) shampoo or soap, (I usually bring my own, and it's nicer than what pretty much any hotel has) except, on occasion, when I'm traveling abroad to some place fairly remote, I do like to take a copy of the hotel's stationary and corresponding envelope. However, in those instances, I always call the front desk to make sure that's ok.
As a follow up to what a lot of people are saying about bathrobes and such being available for purchase, there was actually an article in United's Hemisphere magazine about this not too long ago (I'm thinking February ish) it might've been AA though I don't remember. The article was a feature on a frequent flyer who had built an entire house based on all the hotels he had stayed at around the world. What he said was that you can find pretty much everything a hotel has in it is for sale, right down to the tile in the lobby, and that if the hotel can't provide you with the product on their own, they can at least direct you to the originally supplier. So keep that in mind the next time anyone finds themselves yearning for that "perfect" bathroom sink in the Mandarin Oriental or whatever.
While I'm generally thought of by my peers as somewhat of an extremist when it comes to property rights (You don't support the illegal downloading of music off of P2P networks, what?!) I do have an issue with the vast number of people who are lambasting the poor OP, so I'd like to purpose a single guideline for the rest of the post:
If you have ever stolen anything from a hotel, and that includes the disposable items that you might have used during your stay, and not returned it, you can't make post a critical remark about the OP without detailing exactly what you stole and how many times in the post.
That being said, I never take anything from the hotel rooms I've stayed in, even the disposable) shampoo or soap, (I usually bring my own, and it's nicer than what pretty much any hotel has) except, on occasion, when I'm traveling abroad to some place fairly remote, I do like to take a copy of the hotel's stationary and corresponding envelope. However, in those instances, I always call the front desk to make sure that's ok.
As a follow up to what a lot of people are saying about bathrobes and such being available for purchase, there was actually an article in United's Hemisphere magazine about this not too long ago (I'm thinking February ish) it might've been AA though I don't remember. The article was a feature on a frequent flyer who had built an entire house based on all the hotels he had stayed at around the world. What he said was that you can find pretty much everything a hotel has in it is for sale, right down to the tile in the lobby, and that if the hotel can't provide you with the product on their own, they can at least direct you to the originally supplier. So keep that in mind the next time anyone finds themselves yearning for that "perfect" bathroom sink in the Mandarin Oriental or whatever.
May 11, 2005, 4:32 pm
#80
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Austin, TX
Programs: lapsed UA 1K (now a lowly 2P), HGP Platinum
Posts: 9,607
Originally Posted by ScottC
Originally Posted by JPGIV
I do like to take a copy of the hotel's stationary and corresponding envelope. However, in those instances, I always call the front desk to make sure that's ok.
May 11, 2005, 4:36 pm
#81
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: This year we're going to the BAFTAs!
Posts: 5,518
Originally Posted by JPGIV
If you have ever stolen anything from a hotel, and that includes the disposable items that you might have used during your stay, and not returned it, you can't make post a critical remark about the OP without detailing exactly what you stole and how many times in the post.
If the OP wants to steal stuff that's his choice -- but please don't tell us taking things that are sold without paying for them isn't stealing. (Or that you're doing a favor by displaying towels with a hotel's logo in your home: "Gee, I was going to stay at the Four Seasons but I saw a Hilton towel at tazi's so I've decided to stay there instead.")
May 11, 2005, 4:41 pm
#82
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta, American, United, Virgin Atlantic, BA, JetBlue, SW, etc.
Posts: 201
The Perfect Sink
Well.....sometimes they won't tell you the supplier! I tried for a long time to find out how to get the sink from Morgans in NYC and gave up. Of course I didn't steal it, but I found something similar and in the end better. The design was inspiring.
I have a friend who recently "reproduced" their Ritz Carleton vacation bed with various different retailers although they apparently would sell you all the components. They did it more cheaply. So much easier with the web.
I have a friend who recently "reproduced" their Ritz Carleton vacation bed with various different retailers although they apparently would sell you all the components. They did it more cheaply. So much easier with the web.
May 11, 2005, 5:48 pm
#83
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: BWI
Programs: AA PLT and that's that!
Posts: 8,349
Originally Posted by robb
That's the same reason I still write my name in my underwear long after mom stopped sending me to camp.
LOL! btw, your suggestiojn that hotels put their name on their towels to prevent stealing gets blown away when you consider that almost anything in the room is for sale these days.
I am going back to Sol Melia for more towels!
May 11, 2005, 5:51 pm
#84
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: BWI
Programs: AA PLT and that's that!
Posts: 8,349
Originally Posted by jabrams72
Given the issues Sol Melia has been causing, here Easy 1,000 AA miles and here Delta I think their towels are fare game. How many towels can you get for 1,000 miles (or vice versa)
Does dinnerware count if has the hotel name on it???? Ahhh... Iberostar espresso cups
Last edited by tazi; May 11, 2005 at 5:59 pm
May 11, 2005, 5:58 pm
#85
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: BWI
Programs: AA PLT and that's that!
Posts: 8,349
Originally Posted by oyster
OK, in all seriousness where do you draw the line? And more importantly how can any one of us define where that line should be for someone else?
For one person taking a pen will be stealing, for others it would be something more valuable such as an ashtray.
For one person taking a pen will be stealing, for others it would be something more valuable such as an ashtray.
For one person, cashing in on an obvious fare mistake would be unethical where for others it is a mileage earning opportunity. Yes, where do you draw the line???
May 12, 2005, 5:33 am
#87
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Mendocino, CA
Posts: 105
Originally Posted by robb
I suppose Kohlberg forgot about Stage 7 - What would Ned Flanders do?
). Keep 'em coming, Robb! ^
May 12, 2005, 8:43 am
#88
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Evergreen, CO
Posts: 1,460
You're joking, right?
Originally Posted by thesaints
Isn't charging $5 for a minibar item worth 50c a form of theft ?
What about when I replace the above item with an identical one bought at Walgreens instead ?
The crime is in the eye of the beholder.
What about when I replace the above item with an identical one bought at Walgreens instead ?
The crime is in the eye of the beholder.
The second idea raises an interesting point. Arguably, it is stealing because you're using the convenience aspect of the item (it is in your room when you want it) without paying for it. OTOH, you've replaced an object you took with one that is indistinguishable, and the hotel is not out the opportunity cost of the item (assuming that you're the only occupant of the room). I guess this is analogous to copyright infringement...
May 12, 2005, 8:46 am
#89
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Evergreen, CO
Posts: 1,460
Consumables
Originally Posted by alanh
For me it breaks down to consumables vs. non-consumables. Stuff you might use up while there is okay, even if you're taking stuff that you don't actually use while staying there. I have a friend (originally from Russia) who takes this to extremes -- he puts soaps, etc., in his bag every day so the maid will replace them, and even takes the spare roll of toilet paper. (We're trying to break him of that.)
Stuff the hotel will reuse for anther guest -- towels, robes, matresses, TVs -- are off limits.
Stuff the hotel will reuse for anther guest -- towels, robes, matresses, TVs -- are off limits.
May 12, 2005, 8:57 am
#90
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Evergreen, CO
Posts: 1,460
Advertising
Originally Posted by tazi
Someone made a point earlier about items with the hotel name being meant for advertising and as such, being OK to take. What about hotel towels with the name of the property embossed on them? btw, most of the hotel robes also do have the property's name on them.
I am not returning my large fluffy Sol Melia towels!
I am not returning my large fluffy Sol Melia towels!
I have a very nice collection of hotel vans in my garage at home. ^