Hotels.com, a leading player in the online hotel booking space, has just unveiled its much-awaited Hotel Room Insights Report. This annual report offers a unique window into the often-forgotten and downright extraordinary items left behind in hotel rooms across the globe. The study compiles data from over 400 hotels worldwide, revealing trends in forgotten possessions, unusual discoveries, and strange guest requests.
The Most Commonly Forgotten Items
According to the report, certain everyday items top the list of things most frequently left behind in hotel rooms. The five most commonly forgotten belongings include phone chargers, dirty laundry, power adapters, makeup, and toiletries. However, in a surprising twist, 10% of hotels reported dentures as one of the unusual items left behind by guests.
Odd and Bizarre Hotel Room Discoveries
While forgotten phone chargers and laundry may seem typical, the report shines a light on some incredibly unusual items discovered in hotel rooms. Among the most remarkable finds were a Rolex watch, a $6 million (₹50 crore) timepiece, a Hermes Birkin bag, luxury car keys and documents, an entire car tire, an engagement ring, a tooth, and two full-leg casts. Even more surprisingly, some guests left behind live animals such as a pet lizard and a chick—both of which were safely returned to their owners.
Peculiar Room Service Requests
The report also captures some of the most unconventional room service requests made by guests. Among the stranger demands were an Evian-filled bathtub for a child’s bath, a customized allergen-free menu for a pet, burnt toast, a caviar-topped hot dog, fresh goat milk, 4 pounds of bananas, and a request for a high-five from a staff member to confirm an order.
Strange Parallels: Uber’s ‘Lost and Found’ List
Interestingly, Hotels.com is not the only platform to offer a glimpse into forgotten items. Uber’s 2023 Lost and Found Index features an equally eccentric list, which includes items like a fog machine, a weight loss guide, a pregnancy test, and a friend’s fake tooth. One of the most memorable items on Uber’s list? A Danny DeVito Christmas ornament. As for the most commonly left-behind object in Uber cabs—clothing, with shawls topping the list.
This insightful report from Hotels.com offers an amusing and sometimes astonishing look at what guests forget, request, and leave behind during their hotel stays.