Trusting friends

Ignore last post, ( stressful day )

Thanks.

Her husband's traits have rubbed off on her?-
I once went on a cruise with 3 friends. After the captain's night, there were photos displayed on the stand, so that we could choose the ones we liked and order copies at the desk. I was absolutely mortified when we returned to the cabin and my friend showed me a photo she had "stolen" from the stand.
It really ruined my opinion of her....we are still friends, but that incident has left a nasty taste.

I would mention it, albeit casually, along the lines of 'I don't remember breaking a mug, do you? the hotel have charged me for it, how odd'. If she denies all knowledge, at least you have brought it into the open, and someone else may well be responsible. I do remember someone, many years ago, stealing a towel but making sure they took it from another room, not theirs. Otherwise it is going to fester, and you are going to find yourself examining the contents of her china cupboard on your next visit.

I have noticed on recent hotel visits polite notices advising that attractive items such as decorated water bottles, mugs etc can be purchased from Reception, and- not-so polite notices warning that missing items (towels, bathrobes, cushions, lamps (!) will be charged for. Apparently people do not regard it as theft.

If you're on a very tight budget then £6 is not necessarily a trivial amount.
The evidence is circumstantial/flimsy but if your friend admired the mug it is easy to jump to the obvious conclusion.
I hate confrontation but I think I'd mention that I'd been charged for a missing mug face to face and see if she blushed, or on the phone, sound flustered.
A good friend wouldn't fall out over this.

But how can the Hotel "prove" you or friend has taken the mug! what proof have they none! unless they have ctv in the room which they won't have.

I once left a nice short black jacket in a hotel room in Hull.

I know I left it there but they never found it! it was there when I left the room after breakfast and I realised as I was driving home.so rang them but there was no sign of it

Thanks everyone.
I just can't ask her now,but I will be checking next time we go away nothing is missing from the room.
It's not the £6 it cost me it's the thought that my friend could steal. We've been friends a good many years and I won't let it damage our friendship.

I dont think it is reasonable for you to judge her or act suspicous of her next time if you are not willing to ask for her side of things!

Maybe it broke and she told a member of staff who said "dont worry about it"?

Just ask her, honestly if you are friends at all why not speak to her?

Bearing in mind that you've said that you're going to chalk it up to experience, next time you go away overnight with her, I'd mention the bill the hotel sent you (keep it to one side) last time you holidayed with her and say (laughing) that you'll take an inventory every night and the morning you leave so they can't accuse you of stealing again.
Say that you were really upset to be accused of such a thing.
If she's any sort of friend and she did take the mug, she should own up but don't mention it until your next trip together.
Meanwhile, if you visit her, keep an eye out for the mug.
You don't want to be one...do you?.

What? No! Either speak up NOW or let it go.

There are a lot of mugs about.

I would say something like, "Blooming cheek that hotel has. They've charged me for a mug they claim was missing after we left. Can you believe it?" next time I saw her.

That way you are not accusing her of stealing, but if she did, she will know she has been caught.