Many hotels have been working hard to cut costs since the pandemic, charging more while delivering less to guests. One common cutback has been housekeeping, where even properties that offer it daily perform less service – maybe just a light service, replacing towels on the floor in the bathroom, emptying trash, and making the bed with existing sheets.
One cutback I hadn’t seen before, though, is this report from the Hampton Inn Dallas-Arlington Entertainment District: they do not offer soap. And it isn’t just bar soap, there’s no body wash either.
Tonight I checked in a Hampton Inn, and realize there was no soap in the bathroom. I went to the front desk and asked for soap or body wash. The Front Desk stated that soap and body wash is not provided in their standard rooms.
This is the first time I’ve heard of this, anybody else come across this?
I’m not sure what they expect guests to do after going number two in the bathroom?
Hilton’s website for the property actually uses a photo which includes soap in the bathroom. It also includes… Hilton Garden Inn logos, despite being for a Hampton Inn.
The shower had shampoo and conditioner – and not even a bracket for a bottle of body wash.
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inHilton
There’s a bar of soap on the shelf below the mirror in this photo – because the guest shamed the front desk into providing them one.
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I feel like this Hilton property is part of a surrealistic joke. They’re counting on guests to either pretend to be in on the joke and laugh, or they’ll ridicule guests who act confused.
Two polar bears are sitting in a bathtub. The first one says, “Pass the soap.” The second one says, “No soap, radio!”
But in the end the joke – and lack of soap – make no sense. And that is the point, the only way to understand it is to realize that hotel chains have lost total control of the properties operating under their brands. For the big chains, you are the product that get sold to hotel owners (“leads”) and the chains are just after net rooms growth so don’t want to impose costs on their franchisees.
Guests often pick hotels based on the chain’s reputation. They think they know what they’re getting from a Hampton Inn. But the individual hotel has an incentive to free ride on this reputation, taking in the revenue but spending as little as possible to burnish the brand. The chain, though, only has the reputation and loyalty program. When they allow the brand to lose its meaning, they’ll no longer have customers (prospects) to deliver to owners and the company won’t have value.
That’s just poor decision making by the owners and poor customer service.
What’s next-optional electricity?
The cheapest fleabags in the world provide soap. It’s a basic human necessity.
Another issue I discovered with Hilton lounges(the ones that still exist – mostly in Europe) is they don’t offer deserts. Vienna Hilton reason is since Covid….. it’s disappointing.
@ Gary — Chargeback.
The shampoo can be used as body wash although it isn’t great. I prefer small bar soap that is individually wrapped because it is more tamperproof as well as individual sized shampoo. I often carry personal supplies. No need to use something that may have jism in it (sarcasm.)
Completely gross to not provide soap for handwashing in the hotel room bathrooms. It’s a hygiene and health hazard. What’s next for low service level US hotels? Not providing toilet paper?
This sounds almost unbelievable!!!! This is insane!
I almost always have a small bar of soap, either one not used on a prior stay or a partially used one from an earlier stay. Why? Because I’ve been in plane lavatories where the soap was out and not refilled in one, multiple or even all the lavatories. But most people don’t go around prepared like I do. 😀
I’m guessing it was an mis-informed employee. I would have spoken to the manager – first shake his/her hand and then let them know.
IHG eliminated soap for all brands about three years ago. Marriott supposedly eliminated it late in 2024.
Wonder if there is a mandatory list of items, such as hand soap, for licensed hotels in TX?? what’s next, no toilet paper??
@jns: you’re using the comforter as a blanket, yet that doesn’t get changed between guests unless it’s a place like Four Seasons. I know this to be true because my housekeeper has worked at dozens of hotels in Las Vegas.
the Hilton brand has gone down the shitter in the last 2-3 years and I will not be staying at their properties anymore
That being said, while a bar of soap is an absolute requirement, liquid body wash is not, so the wall mount dispensers having only shampoo and body wash is not a problem per se.
I love the idea to shake the manager’s hand. Tell him you just took a shit. (100% guarantee the cheapass manager is a man because women are too smart and above this kind of cheapness.)
Thank you, Gary, for continuing to name-and-shame specific locations like this where clearly a franchise will nickel and dime us consumers to oblivion unless corporate or a regulator actually does something about it. Shameful.
Isn’t soap a necessity due to turd management sanitary procedures?
Well in other news finally Hilton has an extended 2 hour check out fee now
For elites and non elites it’s only 75 dollars plus tax so they are hospitable hospitality heroes
I have had soap by the sinks in my IHG hotel rooms in 15 countries in the last 12 months.
I have had soap by the sinks in my Marriott hotel rooms in more countries in the last 12 months.
So if there is an elimination of soap by the room sinks to wash hands, I haven’t noticed it at IHG and Marriott hotels. Actually, I’ve not noticed this as a problem at any hotels in the last 36 months. But I’m close to being a wash between choosing liquid hand soap and soap bars when it comes to washing my hands.
GUWonder, do you really think anybody gives a shit about your supposed world travel or your Trinity-educated family members? By posting so frequently here you reveal yourself to be a basement dweller, although fortunately, you are of liberal (smart) instead of conservative (dumb) politics.
I urge you to take the hint that you got from FlyerTalk where you are PERMANENTLY BANNED.
Every Decent chain , motel, or hotel should offer a little bar of soap to wash your hands. Cut the shampoo and conditioner and body wash if you want, but I think health code alone in every town or city in the USA would mandate soap near a hotel sink?
NO SOAP FOR YOU!!
Has anyone thought of reporting this lack of soap to the local Board of Health?
We also should be prepared for removing towels. Dyson probably makes a body dryer that can vacuum the shower water off. Think of the laundry savings to be had.
“There’s a bar of soap on the shelf below the mirror in this photo – because the guest shamed the front desk into providing them one.”
Whoever did this should be ashamed of themselves. Stop making it normal to treat hotel workers like dirt under your feet. They are human beings too and there is absolutely no excuse to treat another person like garbage. You probably would have got your precious soap sooner if you acted with kindness. DO BETTER!
@ GUWonder — Me, too. They are stingy about restocking the bar soap, but I just ask for more for the home supply.
“ Unintimidated” sounds intimidated and can’t discuss the contents of the comment in this blog article and so tries to discuss me instead. Have at it, insecure Nelly.
“ Unintimidated” isn’t the only user name used by “Unintimidated” in the comments section here over the years.
Verifiable fact: GUWonder is banned from FlyerTalk.
Baseless speculation: I post comments under other usernames.
Fact check: TRUE
Erect is such a funny name
I just stayed at this exact hotel in Arlington last week. There was bar soap at the sink and body wash in the shower.
It is anything but baseless speculation to note that “Unintimidated” has been noted as having posted under multiple user names in the comments section on VFTW. Of course, denial — and its Soundex equivalent — ain’t just a river in Africa.
Mare things a miserable for the as they make them for us. A call to the local health department with a complaint may not get you soap tonight but it will probably get them an inspection they won’t want to have.
No matter what the properties say this is not a cost saving measure it is GREED.
Fortunately I do not travel near as much as I use to so I am not dealing with a lot of these problems any more. I have quit worrying about points, miles & upgrades. I shop hotels for location and price and stay where I want without worring about brand loyalty. There isn’t a HAMPTON INN in the entire USA that is worth $150 to $200 a night. I think a revolt is coming.
If Hampton by Hilton does not provide soap to all guests, it raises the possibility that the hotel may not supply soap to the food preparation workers in its breakfast area. It is concerning to think that Hampton’s food service staff could be trained to flush their hands in a toilet in an attempt to remove visible dirt before serving food to guests.
I’d report them to the health department.
@Erect @Dick — Thank you each for your service.
@GUWonder — Everything ok here? I hope and presume this is just playful banter. However, even a sarcastic attempt to dox anyone, as @Unintimidated appears to be suggesting, is borderline ‘not cool.’ Let’s be a little nicer to one another, if we can. Or, at the very least, please call me silly names instead. I ‘get off’ on it, after all. Feed me, too!
Wow always a few bad ducks in a raft. Glad these specific places keep getting called out publicly. No soap, a basic amenity? Pfft.
Om hardly a super Traveller, but I’ve yet to stay in any hotel or motel that didn’t provide soap and or body wash. Frequently both. And that includes most of the big chains.