Upon checking in to a room when on holiday, one of the first things that most people do is check out the bathroom. In most cases, a fluffy white stack of freshly washed towels sits on a shelf or on a table in the restroom of the room. During the course of a stay, many people end up tucking one or two of them into their suitcases to use for various things back home. As innocuous as it may seem, hotel theft - especially the theft of towels - is an all-too-common problem and can have some unpleasant consequences for those unlucky enough to get caught Hotel Towel Factory.

The High Price Of Hotel Theft

Most people scoff or laugh off any serious discussion of hotel theft, but the fact is that such thefts cost the industry approximately $100 million each and every year. As room rates continue to rise - and people complain more and more loudly about it - the issue is more pertinent than ever. After all, the hospitality industry has to recoup those losses somewhere, and increasing room rates seems like an obvious solution. Considering that very few thieves are ever apprehended, most hotels never get the chance to charge them for their crimes.

What If You Are Caught?

After checking out from a hotel, the housekeeping staff tidies up after you and does a quick inventory of the room's belongings. In budget hotels - where low-quality towels are par for the course - a missing towel or two is hardly given a second thought. In those cases, the housekeeper simply replaces the missing items and goes on about her business. The absence of more expensive towels in a luxury hotel, however, can result in belated charges to a guest's room - and many places charge handsomely for guests who help themselves.

Stealing Is Stealing

For whatever reason, many hotel guests don't regard the theft of towels and other "small" items to be that serious of a matter. The fact remains, though, that stealing is stealing. When you abscond with a hotel's towels and other items, you are costing them money. If you'd like to continue enjoying low-priced rooms far into the future, you can do your own part to help by leaving the hotel's items for the next guest to enjoy. If people become more conscientious about stealing from hotels, rates could even end up falling in the future.