Hotels in Lagos will soon close up if you keep taking these things

By Rebecca

17 January 2020

I want to believe I'm not the only one who thinks that once I pay a certain amount to book a room, in say Prest Cruise Waterfront Hotel in Lekki Phase 1, then I am entitled to pick out practically everything mobile in that room. If you are like me or you know a friend who has said it one time or the other, then gather here let us have a chat. Some people even go as far as saying that most of the toiletries and other amenities are given to the hotels for free. That?s a fun thing to say till you imagine a brand gifting every hotel that starts up around them, how will such brand grow.

There?s this thing with exhausting money spent out that makes so much sense to us. For instance, I take a Napep and even though I can see my bus stop just in front of me, I refuse to alight because I paid my fare, it is not completely exhausted till I?m dropped at my final destination. That is the same way we sometimes feel when we lodge in rooms and think everything in that room belongs to us till its time to check out. That is the signal to move everything in the room out with me because I paid for the room.

Hotel rooms

Lets now imagine everyone thinks the same way. Going around believing they are entitled to leave with every and all things mobile in a room they paid for, how then do we expect them to make any progress in their business since all they do with funds is replace things that are supposed to last a while.

When you then go to the cheap hotel in Ikeja and they decide that since you paid for a night, then all you deserve is the bed you sleep on covered in a sheet and they do not think towards you cleaning up the next morning. I wonder if that will make everything just better.

Yet you expect that there will be no hike in the price for that just one room that provides you with all the toiletries you need to feel at home and even go as far as providing you with hairdryers and every other basic amenity that makes life way more easier for people. You lodge into some rooms and all you find there is the bed covered in a sheet. You won?t even think to complain because you know you got exactly what you paid for.

Imagine me going to book a room at Oriental hotels in Lagos and I just have to remind the front desk that I need a basic thing as a bed cover. Trust me, I will be sharing that experience on twitter, if not for anything, then certainly for clout chasing.

hotel rooms

The funny thing about these picked items is that they will certainly stand out outside the hotel building. Bathing soaps used in the hotels are not the kind used at home. The towels and linens are branded, the cutleries have extra weight. Still, we derive fun in picking them, like they come as bonuses.

Yet the minute you forget your charger and it?s reported nowhere to be found you call those working at the hotel thieves. And you go on about how careless they are with things belonging to their guests and how they have to give you a refund because the charger is original.

Nobody searches you when you decide to check out of a hotel, but can we say the same of those who work at these hotels. Go to hotel gates at times when shifts change and see workers get searched, maybe then you will know and understand how badly these hotels are affected by the things you tag small and think they won?t notice especially since you paid for the room.

One thing you should be aware of is that these things are not included in your bill. They are just given by the hotel to ensure you are properly catered for during your stay with them. When you do not use them it will be really nice to leave them behind so that a guest who truly needs them during their stay will be advantaged to use them.

Notepads and pens from hotels

The easiest things people take from hotels are pens and notepads. Because they are light and very easy to move. They can sometimes be complimentary gifts from the hotel, and other times, they are just made available in case you need them. If you take this, don't feel too attacked, the hotel will, at the worst-case scenario, stop making them available in the rooms.

Bathing soaps at hotels

One common thing people take from their hotel rooms is the soaps. You go into the bathroom, see these fine cute little soaps in their wrapper sitting nicely on the soap dish and you decide it will look better in your handbag. The funny thing is most people will use their personal soaps to bathe, but still feel the need to take the soap. Others will use it and decide it will be wasted if they leave it there, so they decide that the best option will be to take it along with them. Good thinking, I mean it is unsafe to leave something like a bathing soap we already used behind at a public place right?

Another funny thing people remember to take from the hotel is the toilet roll. Especially if it is still in the wrap. A guest will see it sitting either on the table or on a shelf and decide that the toilet paper will work better if it comes along with them. 

Shampoo and conditioner at hotels

Onto the shampoos and conditioners. These are most likely to be found in hotels like the Lagos continental, intercontinental, Presken. Hotels that speak class will always remember to include this to the toiletries found in the bathroom.

Toothpaste is very rare to find in hotels. Nobody knows why, but they always seem to leave it out. For the few ones who remember to include it, I can imagine the kind of trouble they will have keeping up with providing new tubes when guests keep taking them home with them. It will be better if they can deliver the ones in the sachet instead. But I guess that does not speak class.

The above-mentioned things are still understandable when you pick them from the rooms. I would take them if I use them already, if not, I leave them untouched. They are little things the hotel management will probably be willing to overlook. So let's not make much fuss if you felt attacked in any way. But going from here, if you are found guilty, we will leave you till another day.

Cutleries and napkins at hotels

The one thing people find easy to take from hotels is the cutleries and table napkins. They get these from the restaurants once they go there to eat. Some even take it once they have meals delivered to their rooms. The funny thing about this is that most of the silverware used in hotel restaurants are always extra heavy and as such will be so out of place at your kitchen amongst other cutleries. Just imagine if everyone who ate at a hotel or their restaurants felt entitled to their cutlery, how will they keep up with that?

Towels in hotels

Then there is the common trend of the hotel towels going missing. I wonder if people forget that the towels are branded with the hotel?s logo, yet you still feel you have paid for even that. Have you ever imagined a hotel placing a tracking device on all their branded stuff? That will be an interesting discovery. As cops go to knock on people?s doors because they have tracked down their branded towels to your home.

Batteries and remote at hotels

Then there is the story of those who pick out the batteries from the remote. Why would anyone leave a room with the batteries in the room? Did they also pay for that as well? Some even go as far as taking the whole remote. Probably to use for their TVs at home or something. We still can relate with the soaps, but the batteries or the remote is a no-no. you do not expect the hotel to keep replacing the batteries and remote every time a guest leaves.

Robes and hangers at hotels

 Then there is the tale of those who leave with the bathrobes and hangers from the room. Common! These are the things the hotel managers barely ever think to always replace every time a guest leaves the hotel. They are branded and these things cost a lot since they are not expected to be the same as the ones outside the hotel. For the sake of the money spent on trying to give you comfort at these hotels, leave their robes and hangers in their rooms.

Then there are the uncommon stories of people leaving with miniature arts and fancy things kept at the hotel for the entertainment of the guest. Imagine getting to a hotel room and finding a rubiks cube there. It is there for you to try your luck. If it so interests you, then get yours the minute you check out, not leave with their rubiks cube because you were unfinished with it. I mean, such entitlement!

You keep searching for cheap hotels in Abuja, only to complain that their water is brown. What were you expecting? You could have easily searched for just hotels in Abuja or hotels in Lagos, pay your big money and then feel more entitled to take even their TV, because I know I will.

With all my long story, if you know I have attacked you here the way I have attacked myself, let?s meet in the comment section to drag ourselves.

By the way, don?t tell anyone I said I have a very big thick towel in my house with a beautiful gold engravement on it.

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