Considering the lost property process at your hotel is crucial. Here’s why…
Human error is inevitable wherever you go. No matter how many times you check the drawers, items still get left behind by accident. Therefore, as a holidaymaker and valued guest, you expect your hotel to have a process in place to reunite you with your belongings.
What can be found in hotel lost property?
Hotels often have a range of items in their lost property stores. Phone chargers and clothing are the most commonly found, however, there are some items left behind that might surprise you.
Apparently, it’s quite common for hotel staff to find false teeth left behind in rooms. Shockingly, according to one UK hotel chain, guests left behind a total of 80 prosthetic limbs in a single year! (Source: Global Grass Hopper article)
UK hotel giant’s report suprising lost property findings
Travelodge publishes an annual report of the most unusual possessions left at their 525-strong hotel portfolio. One of their most recent reports from 2019 features some weird and wonderful items found in Travelodge Bath. These include:
- a pair of Alpacas called Ant and Dec
- a 65-year-old luck Bonsai tree
- an Aston Martin
- a dissertation
- a precious 20-year-old celebrity autograph book
(Source: Express article)
However, Premier Inn also reported some of the most unusual items of lost property, finding:
- a glass slipper
- a goldfish found in Birmingham – which was never reclaimed!
- a historic WWII gas mask
- a huge family portrait proudly hung on the hotel wall
(Source: Whitbread press release)
And that’s only a brief insight into the full list… These extraordinary and often unique finds demonstrate just how important a good lost property process at a hotel can be.
What do hotels do with lost property?
When hotel rooms are cleaned and tidied after your stay, housekeeping staff will find any lost items. Hotels have a responsibility to look after these; they must be safely stored and kept for a reasonable length of time.
However, did you know that hotels will not call guests to let them know that they’ve left an item behind in the room after checkout? It’s an unwritten hotel rule, in case the guests have been up to no good!
Ultimately, it’s up the guest to get in contact with the hotel in order to retrieve their lost items. So, it’s very important to make this as easy as possible.
How long do hotels keep lost property?
Hotels will have their own set of rules but will generally hold items for a period of 30 days to 6 months. However, many of them might never get close to being reunited with owners if there is no simple way for guests to retrieve them.
Hotels should have a robust system in place to manage their lost property (and if you don’t, I know the best people to talk to!).
A robust lost and found process can make a huge difference to your hotel
Losing belongings is inevitable. We all lose around 3,000 items in our lifetime, and when it’s something sentimental or expensive, most of us would do anything to get it back. (Source: Mirror)
In this series of blogs, we will explore just how important it is for hotels to prioritise lost property management. Including how it can have positive and negative effects on guests, plus how it can be a nuisance for staff.
Watch this space for more content!
Learn more
Meanwhile, explore our dedicated hotel page to learn more about how our lost and found software works. Plus, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter to stay up to date with all things lost property!
Want to speak to one of us? Get in touch with us here or give us a call on +44(0)20 8037 3970. We’d love to chat.