The fee of 50 lei for a stained towel, imposed by a hotel in Mamaia, caused thousands of reactions. The Romanians divided into two camps
A seaside hotel sparked a heated debate on Facebook after it announced it was charging a 50 lei fee for towels stained with coffee, foundation, hair dye or other substances that cannot be removed by professional cleaning.
50 lei fee for a stained towel Photo source: Pixabay
The representatives of the accommodation unit claim that the measure is only applied in situations where the towels are irreparably damaged and can no longer be reused.
“Unfortunately, at check-out we sometimes find towels irreparably damaged due to coffee stains, foundation, hair dye or other substances that permanently stain the fabric. We have called all the available laundries in the city and tried various professional cleaning solutions, but these stains cannot be completely removed,” hethey explained.
Hoteliers say that after the introduction of the tax, they have received more negative reviews and low marks from some customers, but they believe that the measure is necessary to cover the costs generated by the goods that need to be replaced.
“He who spoils must pay”
Many of those who commented on the post supported the hotel's decision and believed that people who damage the goods made available should bear the costs.
“From my point of view, this is not about a penalty, but about the recovery of a real material loss. In most fields, when an object is damaged through the fault of the user, the cost of its replacement is borne by the person who caused the damage. But this is also where education comes into play.” wrote a user.
Another person recounted that, being dyed red, she preferred to avoid using hotel towels for her hair precisely to avoid staining it, concluding that “many lack common sense.”
Many commenters argued that the correct solution would be to charge a security deposit at check-in, fully returned upon departure if no damage is found.
“I would also add that the tax money should be taken from the beginning of the stay, and…after the check and if everything is in order, should be returned to the client”, suggested a user.
Others reported similar experiences from abroad. One user said that at a hotel in Barcelona he paid a guarantee of 50 euros, an amount that was returned to him after checking the room, while others mentioned similar practices in Greece, Canada or Hungary.
“Towels are consumables”
On the other hand, there are netizens who criticized the measure and argued that such situations are part of the normal costs of a tourism business.
“Towels and bed linen are consumables. It seems absurd to me that as a hotel/guest house owner you should not take such losses into account”, commented a user.
Another commenter, who stated that he has worked in the hospitality industry for 17 years, pointed out that foundation, make-up or coffee stains are part of the normal use of a hotel room and that introducing a charge will generate negative reviews rather than real benefits for the business. He recommended the hotel to prevent such situations by offering special towels for removing make-up or by discreetly informing tourists about their use.
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Another user mocked the measure by asking: “What's next? Toilet paper tax?”, arguing that the occasional loss of a towel should be absorbed into the facility's operating costs.
There were also commentators who questioned the value of the tax, arguing that the price of a used towel could no longer be equivalent to that of a new product.
Different practices from one hotel to another
Damaged property policies differ from accommodation to accommodation. Some hotels provide in the accommodation terms and conditions the possibility of cost recovery when certain items are damaged and can no longer be reused, from towels and bed linen to furniture or appliances.
According to an analysis published by the travel website UponArriving, most hotels do not charge for stains that can be removed by regular laundry procedures. The situation changes, however, when textiles are damaged in a way that makes them impossible to reuse or requires complete replacement.
The cited source says that many hotels consider minor stains as part of normal business and remove them through normal cleaning processes. In contrast, permanent stains caused by hair dye, self-tanning products, certain cosmetics or other difficult-to-remove substances are treated differently, and some establishments choose to seek compensation from customers.
The authors of the analysis point out that there is no generally valid rule. While some hotels bill separately for damaged goods, others prefer to bear these costs. Practices differ not only from one country to another, but also between hotels of the same category.
A similar case has divided the internet in India as well
A similar controversy occurred in late 2024 in India, after a customer posted a video on Reddit in which he claimed that a hotel in Mumbai had asked him to pay about 118 lei (2,500 rupees), plus taxes, for coffee-stained linens and a pillow.
In the footage, the customer and hotel staff were negotiating the amount of the damage. The tourist claimed that it was only a few drops of coffee and suggested that the textiles be cleaned before they were considered damaged, while the hotel representatives claimed that the stains could not be removed.
The case has sparked a wide debate online. Some users considered that this is damage to the property and that the hotel has the right to claim compensation if this is provided for in the regulations. Others argued that hotels, including four- and five-star hotels, usually bear such costs without passing them on to customers and do not charge extra for such incidents.
The case revealed the same dilemma that can be found in the debate in Romania: where is the line between the ordinary use of goods made available to tourists and their damage in a way that justifies the charging of compensation.
