Hotel guests often feel tempted to take items from their stay, but while small amenities like toiletries are acceptable, items like slippers and towels are not, as they constitute theft. A Mumbai hotel addressed this issue creatively by offering mismatched slippers, making them less appealing to guests who might want to take them home. This strategy, shared by user Thejaswi Udupa on social media, went viral and received mixed reactions, with many praising the hotel’s ingenuity. However, some skeptics pointed out that determined guests might still find ways to steal the slippers, illustrating the ongoing challenge of minimizing theft in hotels.
It’s quite common for hotel guests to feel tempted to take a few items from their stay. While it’s typically acceptable to bring home small, disposable items like toothbrushes, toothpaste, and shampoo, certain amenities are definitely off-limits. Items such as slippers, towels, lamps, or any other hotel property are considered theft, which may lead to extra charges on the guest’s bill. Hotels usually have clear guidelines about what can and cannot be removed from the room, and it’s important for guests to adhere to these rules.
Recently, a hotel in Mumbai came up with a clever strategy to thwart the theft of complimentary slippers. A user named Thejaswi Udupa shared a photo featuring two pairs of flip-flops – one in olive green and the other in orangish-brown – cleverly positioned in front of the bathroom door. To make the slippers less appealing for guests to steal, the hotel provided mismatched pairs in varying colors, making them impractical for taking home. According to the user, this smart tactic ensured that the slippers were intended solely for use within the hotel room, thereby dissuading guests from taking them for outside use.
“This Bombay hotel provides bathroom slippers. But to ensure people don’t flick them, they provide mismatched pairs,” the post was captioned.
See the tweet here:
This Bombay hotel provides bathroom slippers. But to ensure people don’t flick them, they provide mismatched pairs. pic.twitter.com/zwAUMoPITI
— Thejaswi Udupa (@udupendra) February 28, 2025
The post quickly gained traction, and the hotel’s ingenious method received widespread acclaim on social media. Many users praised the hotel’s innovative solution, while others questioned its overall effectiveness, arguing that determined guests might still manage to take the slippers.
One user remarked, “My father used to say – when you lend someone a pen, never give the cap.”
Another noted, “those who want to flick would even flick the mismatched pair.” A third commented, “I don’t know. That hunter green and the tan kind of go well together.” A fourth added, “Innovative thinking at its finest! Hospitality meets reverse psychology!”
A fifth jokingly said, “I wouldn’t put it past Indians staying at the hotel colluding to find the person(s) with the matching piece and managing swaps so that everyone gets a matched pair.”