Holidy Inn has declared today, Thursday August 28, 2003, as "Turn in the towel day". Holiday Inn loses 560,000 towels a year due to theft/loss.

Have you ever taken anything from a hotel?
What was it and why did you take it?

I took a towel by accident once.

I don't even like hotel towels, so it was thrown away when I got home.

If you turn in any towel you took from a Holiday Inn over the past 50 years, they'll give a free "commemorative" towel in it's place....hmmm, wonder what they're going to do with all the old ones

I sometimes take the shampoo/soaps/lotions if I need samples, but that's legal.

I also took a bath mat towel from the Sheraton years ago. *experiences guilt flash backs*

I take only the things that are put out to be used up or taken: soaps, shampoos, lotions, shower caps, coffee, stationery - you get the idea!
But NOT towels, ash trays, or any furnishings like that!

My mother, on the other hand, had a philosophy about hotels/motels:
If they didn't want you to take it, they wouldn't put it out there!
I inherited a collection of ashtrays from some of the finest hotels in America!

I remember some time ago when the family was staying in a national chain hotel. Dad unplugged the TV to plug in a coffee pot that had been packed with the luggage.

No more than five minutes later there was a knock on the door from hotel security. It seems the TV was wired to an alarm system and unplugging it activated the alarm.

Years ago, my mum used to clean for a woman in the village where we lived. The lady was quite wealthy and was always going on a cruise or off on holiday to exotic places. She never failed to bring back 'souvenirs' of her trip. They ranged from towels with the hotel name on, cutlery and crockery and bed linen (also named) When she died, the lady's daughter invited my mum to choose an item from her house to remind her of her mum. There was very little that hadn't been pinched. However my mum chose a plate from the QE2, complete with picture of ship details etc. I now have it and in years to come you never know, it may be worth something.