Complimentary hotel toiletries... love them or hate them?

I always collect them and pass them on to the local homeless shelters.

I like them too and it’s part of the ‘added value’ that makes a hotel stay enjoyable.
I take them home & then use them if we’re self catering. You need a bit of luxury when you’re camping
I use a body sponge & it’s surprising how many showers you can get out of a little Molton Brown bottle.
As for landfill - I either keep the little bottles & use them for small quantities of eye make remover or put them in the recycling.

Sometimes I am grateful for them. Can't see what the problem is, if you don't want to use them don't, they will be available for next guest. Surely travelling to the accommodation uses a higher carbon footprint.

Where we live plastics and waste are incinerated to generate power, so saving on fossil fuels

I used to collect them, but found i wasnt using them at home as i had regular size containers. For a special birthday we treated ourselves to a wonderful tour of Cuba. I had heard they are very short of toiletries so bagged up small packs of shampoo, soap, body lotions etc and gave them away on our travels. The recipients were all delighted. As was I.
I dont collect them now but don't often stay in hotels, especially now, so never say never.

I sometimes take toiletries if they are a ‘good’ brand (eg. Milton Brown, Elemis) I do love the White Company brand and always take whatever remains after use from our cruises on P & O. Sadly, due to this Covid virus, I think it may be a couple of years before we will be cruising again.

They can be collected and given to food banks as a little luxury.

I always have collected the toiletries when I have stayed in a hotel. I have either then decanted the contents into bigger bottles and the small ones have gone for recycling or donated them to our local refuge that makes up little bags for those suffering from domestic abuse and have nothing beyond the clothes they stand up in.
I once stayed in a hotel in Birmingham for 2 nights and as I returned to my room while the chambermaids were still on their rounds and my room hadn't been touched. I told them not to bother as I was staying for a second night, they asked if I needed anything and to help myself from the trolley. I just took some more milk , teabags, coffee and sugar and one of the staff asked why I hadn't taken any toiletries! She then grabbed one of the laundry bags and grabbed handfuls of the shower gel, soap , shampoo and body lotion as well as even more coffee, tea and sugar plus biscuits! It all came in handy for either my workplace, weekends away and the refuge!!

I’ve had some really nice ones in our world travels , especially in some of the Asian hotels and Scandinavian ones. The things I don’t like are those horrible little white towelling mules but some of the shampoos are very nice. One place in Dubai had a spray that was supposed to help you sleep. It was lovely. The soaps are usually too small, though, so I take my own. On board some of the ships they also have some good stuff. The Viking cruise line is good. I am missing going to the hotels but in the future will probably think of enforced lockdowns. Never the same again and it puts you off some of the well known hotels they are using for this purpose.

As the ex-proprietor of a small hotel that sometimes catered for stays of only one or two nights, I can tell you that the toiletries are mostly needed so such short term guests do not have to lug big bags. Larger dispensers were not popular and brought complaints. Provision of toiletries is quite expensive, more than you might think. Unused items are not thrown out when the room is cleaned. The chambermaid referred to by Jaylucy would have been sacked in my establishment. The costs have to be carefully calculated. as despite what many people think, the margins are small.

cornishpatsy

I used to have a friend that would not only take the toiletries but unused teabags, biscuits and anything else complimentary.

I think she must have stayed in my guest house in Plymouth as some of our guests used to take anything that wasn’t nailed down.

When I worked we were asked would we take all the little toileteries and bring them to work where they sent them to a local homeless charity.

I would rather toiletries were available at Reception in the event that you had forgotten to pack them.

I do know that many hotels now have refillable bottles that are attached to the wall of the shower/bathroom so that there is a reduction of land filled items.

I’m feeling better about them now!
It seems they are not all getting wasted.
I use the shower caps to put over bread as it’s proofing.
I will now take them and pop them in Xmas shoe boxes.
Thanks all ?

I never rely on them as but they are nice to have!! When ds was at school someone must have had connections as at their bazaars they did a lucky dip where a load of the prizes were little bags made up, each with 3 tiny hotel things. DS would always come home with a load. The little hand soaps were useful for taking away to self catering cottages as we got caught out once or twice and only had shower gel with us

I collect them, put them into small bags and give them to the local refuge for women. I love to think that this is little bit of luxury will help them when their world must feel as if it’s falling apart.

I take away anything I haven't used if I remember/fancy them

Blossoming

I love the ones in Malmaison in Oxford ?

I think they are Molton Brown, aren't they? Always a delight. On the other hand did you actually like the Oxford Malmaison? I stayed one night there and could almost feel the awfulness of when it was a prison. Hated it and felt incredibly depressed! (Sorry, a bit of a tangent there)

I'm not always mad about the toiletries but I do love to find there's a shower cap or two.

Always take my own but use theirs if good quality. Never use large refillable bottles as who knows what's in them, too easy to tamper with.

I love the plastic shower caps as I use them to cover my embroidery hoop to keep it clean and safe whilst travelling. Otherwise only use them if recognise the brand and have used it at home.

Food banks usually take toiletries too and say they're especially useful for people who are homeless or living in temporary accommodation. Hair conditioner is especially useful, as it is often included in complementary items in hotels, and, as it's regarded as a luxury, people don't tend to buy it for food banks.

I like them especially if they're really good quality. We like staying in the various Hotel du Vins around the country when we're allowed to & their toiletries always smell lovely. We once stayed in a hotel with a shower over the bath but the shampoo & liquid soap were in large bottles attached to the wall. They had rather stupidly been fixed at the ideal height if you were showering but no good at all if you were bathing as they were far too high to reach!

I love the little toiletries. I always bring them home and they are perfect for taking to the swimming baths with me.

Before I retired as a nurse I , and the rest of my colleagues used to save them for patients that had no families to bring toiletries in for them .
Some was provided by the hospital but not nearly enough.

The best miniature toiletries I ever had were The White Company. I have been hooked on their fragrances ever since.

I always take my own so ignore whatever they leave out.