Staying at a hotel comes with little comforts that can make a trip feel easier. Fresh sheets, fluffy towels, good pillows, and those tiny bottles of toiletries can make a short stay feel like a nice break from home.
Most guests pack their own belongings and leave the hotel room exactly as they found it. Still, hotel employees say some room items have a habit of disappearing, either because guests want to take them home or because they accidentally end up in a suitcase.
A survey of more than 1,200 hotel workers and property owners by Deluxe Holiday Homes found that items such as towels and TV remotes regularly go missing. Those replacements can add up, with hotels in the United States estimated to spend around $100 million a year replacing stolen items.
Here are 10 things that frequently go missing from hotel rooms.

Pillows
A comfortable hotel pillow can make a huge difference after a long day of traveling. Some guests like them so much that they take one home, but many hotels sell their pillows so guests can buy the same one instead.
Related: 14 Common Hotel Guest Behaviors That Staff Find Frustrating
Towels
Towels are among the hotel items that disappear most often. They’re soft, easy to pack, and tempting to take home, which means hotels can end up spending a lot of money replacing them.
Bathrobes
A plush bathrobe can make lounging around a hotel room feel pretty great. Some guests assume they’re included with the stay, but unless the hotel says you can keep one, taking it can result in a charge.
Hangers
Hotel hangers tend to be sturdier than the cheap plastic ones people often have at home. They’re also easy to tuck between clothes in a suitcase, which makes them an easy item for guests to accidentally or intentionally take.
Related: 14 Ways Guests Make Hotel Employees’ Jobs More Difficult
Toiletries
Small bottles of shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and soap are often free for guests to take after their stay. Larger refillable dispensers and other bathroom fixtures are usually part of the room, so taking them can lead to an unexpected charge.
Blankets
Blankets don’t disappear as often as towels or pillows, but hotel staff still find them missing from time to time. Quality bedding can be expensive, so replacing a blanket costs the hotel more than replacing a small toiletry bottle.
Hair Dryers
Hair dryers aren’t among the first things most people think about taking from a hotel room, but they still occasionally disappear. Sometimes a guest packs one by mistake, while other guests take one because they prefer it to the dryer they have at home.
Related: 11 Hotel Room Items You Should Think Twice About Using
Pens
Hotel pens have long been a popular little souvenir for travelers. They’re inexpensive and often printed with the hotel’s name, so staff usually expect to replace them as guests take them home.
Dishes
Coffee mugs, glasses, plates, and other dishes can also disappear from hotel rooms. Some get broken during a stay, but others simply end up in luggage, leaving the hotel to replace them before another guest arrives.
Remote Controls
TV remotes are one of the stranger things that sometimes go missing from hotel rooms. They can accidentally get packed with chargers and other electronics, but regardless of how they disappear, the hotel needs a replacement for the next guest.
Related: 12 Things Hotel Housekeepers Notice the Moment They Enter Your Room
