Two hotel guests who stripped room of 'everything they could carry'

A hotel has released pictures of runaway guests who "stripped" the entire contents of a room including a kettle and towels.

Owners of the Dolphin Hotel and Restaurant in Pembroke Dock, Wales, said the "super friendly" man and woman hurriedly left after staying for one night.

The pair arrived with one small bag when they checked into the £80-a-night coastal hotel... but "left with much more".

Natalie Newton, 43, said: "They made off with the kettle, luxury towels, a lamp, the tea and coffee container, a charging tower and other stuff.

"This will cost at least £200 to replace everything but it also meant I couldn't rent the room out again until it was all replenished."

Newton, whose hotel has been in the family for 24 years, said it couldn't have come at a worse time.

"We're trying to run a boutique hotel and restaurant but first we had COVID and now we have the cost of living crisis - I don't know how much longer we can keep going.

"I tried contacting the couple. I have phoned the number they left, I have messaged them, but they haven't come back. I even tried charging their card but the payment was declined."

The unnamed couple were caught on CCTV carrying large bags to their car - with the male making two trips with a holdall. In an appeal on social media, the hotel warned other guesthouses to be on guard for the pair who stayed at the Dolphin on Saturday.

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"Ironically they were super friendly, with a Welsh accent, so guessing that they are potentially not that far away (Rhondda, Llanelli, Swansea way maybe).

"SHAME ON YOU!"

What are you allowed to take from a hotel room?

The key is making the distinction between disposable items, such as coffee sachets which are used up after a short period of time, and durable items, such as towels which are expected to last for a long time.

Travel advice website TripSavvy states on its "hotel etiquette" page: "Anything that's complimentary is free for you to snag. This includes the mini bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body lotion, coffee, packets of creamer and sugar, and other bathroom amenities.

"The slippers will get thrown away after you leave, so it's fine if you want to pack them away for later use. Stationery, pens, notepaper, postcards, and envelopes are also a gift to you - and because they carry their logo, hotels consider these free advertisement."

On the other hand: "Guests often take towels, irons, hairdryers, pillows and blankets, according to the housekeeping department at Hilton Kingston. Cable boxes, clock radios, paintings, ashtrays, light bulbs, TV remote controls - even the Bible - are commonly stolen as well. However, all of these items belong to the hotel and are meant to stay in the room. "