This is the item most frequently stolen by hotel guests: “80,000 a year”

Tourism in Spain is booming – and so is a certain type of theft.

In 2024, Spain welcomed 93.8 million international visitors, marking a 10.1% increase from the previous year and setting a new all-time record, according to the National Statistics Institute (INE). But while the sector is thriving, it turns out some tourists are taking more than just memories home with them.

What item is most stolen from hotels?

The one favorite ‘souvenir’ guests take away with them is hotel towels.

That’s according to Antonio Catalán, president and founder of AC Hotels, who appeared on the Nude Project podcast week. When asked what items are most commonly stolen from hotel rooms, he didn’t hesitate: “Towels,” he replied.

Catalán estimates that over 80,000 towels go missing each year from AC Hotels’ properties – a surprising figure given the chain operates just 91 hotels across Spain.

“They’ve got the logo on them”

Catalán, who launched AC Hotels in 1998 and hails from Navarra, said the problem isn’t limited to Spain. His hotels in Italy are also frequent targets. And while the thefts are often laughed off, he reminded listeners that the towels are branded – making them rather conspicuous souvenirs.

A sharp critique of Airbnb

Later in the interview, Catalán turned his attention to Airbnb, the vacation rental platform that has increasingly eaten into Spain’s hotel market share. He described its practices as “illegal” and “unsafe,” calling on the Spanish government to “do something” and regulate the platform.

Forget stars – it’s all about brand

Catalán also dismissed the importance of hotel star ratings, claiming the system has lost its value. “The rules used to be stricter – now they barely even assign stars anymore,” he said. For him, what matters most is brand identity. “The key is having a name people recognize,” he insisted.

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