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The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

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Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#101

Post by GarrisonPrime »

I don't see the mystery. It seems perfectly straightforward to me.

(1) Toothpaste, deodorant, tampons, and similar "intimate" items are highly desired by most people, and so, clearly, most people will bring them as a matter of course.

(2) Soap, shampoo, and other things you usually find provided by hotels are, however, awkward for the traveler to carry on their journey. But they are cheap for a hotel to provide, so they do so.

(3) Loofahs, shoehorns, and other misc. junk are just thrown in to cheaply create an image of luxury.

Why is this a mystery?

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#102

Post by killbrad »

Aloha wrote: post #2

I'm on the road 30-90 (or more) days a year. I bring my own: Shampoo (Cant stand the smell of most hotel shampoo), Soap (I like Dr. Bronners in the Bar, also, see above), Toothpaste (I'm preferential to colgate with fluoride), Deodorant (Unscented), Aftershave, Q-Tips, (2) Razors, Antacids plus a bevy of other personal care products. I don't use most of the toiletries left by the hotel, they don't smell good (though…

I sometimes suspect I'm one of very few Americans that don't use soap on my body. I wash my hair and face, and just rub the rest of my body under water. Soap just does nothing for me. And yes, I use deodorant. I've never seen a benefit to soap on my body.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#103

Post by killbrad »

semi-extrinsic wrote: post #17
pkd wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> So I suspect the real reason hotel's have no toothpaste in the rooms, is most travelers prefer to bring their own. Indeed, this was my thought too. I suspect that toothpaste is such a necessity that nobody travels without their own. Shampoos, conditioners et al are nice but not necessary and hence less liable to find a place in the backpack. The hotels must have observed the unused toothpaste tubes and simply remov…

Also, toothpaste is much easier to pack than shampoo. Packing a regular shampoo bottle brings a real risk of it opening and leaking all over your luggage. Toothpaste, not so much.

And in the US, 3 oz or less. And it better be less if you don't want TSA stopping you. I've been stopped a number of times at TSA for 3 oz bottles of mouthwash or lotion. They don't make be throw it away, but it is an inconvenience having them paw through my bag.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#104

Post by killbrad »

pttrsmrt wrote: post #3

Oh no, this like a "cannot unsee"-picture. I will never be able to stay at a hotel again without being troubled by the lack of toothpaste. It begs the question: What else in the world do we not see until we see it?

Black circular spots on sidewalks. Those were all gum someone spit out. You'll never be able to unsee that now.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#105

Post by gutnor »

copperx wrote: post #53
careersuicide wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> risks offending users of a "higher" or competing brand I strongly suspect that I am not alone in the stubbornness of my toothpaste preference. I will grudgingly use a different shampoo if I have to as most shampoos don't have too strong of a smell. In any given day I use probably 3 to 6 different soaps, with only the one in my house being my preference (mmmmmmmm coconut ginger) so using some random soap at a hotel…

I feel like an alien after reading your comment. I will gladly use any soap, shampoo, or toothpaste as long as it's free. I have never met someone as picky as you say you are with your toothpaste. I don't think you're the norm in any way.

I'm very picky with my toothpaste. The marketing hype convinced me that a specific brand had "the best" toothpaste in the world just at the time I had serious teeth issues that cost me thousands.

I currently live that proper state of delusion that allows full placebo effect and toothpaste is not expensive enough to warrant a reality check.

Thankfully, that's not a taste related thing like parent, so I borrow toothpaste from friend, family or hotel the few times I travel. Also, since it is feature based, other brands have started introducing similar feature, allowing me a bit of variation.

But really I can understand parent, I have had a period were I was so scared of going to the dentist (I was 30+ at the time) that I was following a very strict routine religiously. I took my toothpaste, brush, rince and floss on my wedding night. They travelled with me to another continent on my honey moon. I took them to the hospital to use on the night my son was born.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#106

Post by caf »

ghaff wrote: post #71
caf wrote: post #28

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Another movie one: Between the time that Tyler Durden pointed out the "cigarette burn" marks at the change-of-reel and the time that digital projection displaced film, I'd notice them _every_ time.

Cue dots were actually largely anachronisms in most commercial movie theaters before digital came along because multiplexes spliced most films onto one large platter--though cue dots may still have been present. There were typically two cue dots for each ~15 minute reel. On the first cue dot, the projectionist would start the second projector running while the second was the cue to actually switch over.

They did still have the cue dots on each reel, because smaller movie theatres still used changeover projection. In such a theatre you'd also often see a slight jump in the positioning of the picture when the changeover happened.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#107

Post by Manozco »

tuna-piano wrote: post #63
caseymarquis wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nope. Same deal. I'd probably pay about $5 more a night in exchange for toothpaste being provided. I'll be on the hunt for Hyatt now that I know it's standard there.

I'm not sure this Hyatt thing is true? I recently stayed at a Hyatt and didn't see toothpaste in the room. Maybe their spokesman misinterpreted for "standard in room" and "available upon request"

I also stayed in a Hyatt in Vancouver recently and no toothpaste. The "issue" was that I was flying with only carry on luggage, so no toothpaste possible in the cabin and I had to to grocery shopping for a tube of toothpaste for one night in Vancouver...

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#108

Post by partiallypro »

Most hotels that I've been to that don't have toothpaste in the rooms do have them available at the front desk upon request (at no cost.)

It's a cost saving measure, and I assume most people travel with their own toothpaste (so much preference, is small and doesn't flag TSA search.) If someone stays one night, even if they don't use the toothpaste, you still have to replace the tube. Makes more sense to keep a small supply at the front desk/back-room.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#109

Post by ghaff »

Manozco wrote: post #107
tuna-piano wrote: post #63

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm not sure this Hyatt thing is true? I recently stayed at a Hyatt and didn't see toothpaste in the room. Maybe their spokesman misinterpreted for "standard in room" and "available upon request"

I also stayed in a Hyatt in Vancouver recently and no toothpaste. The "issue" was that I was flying with only carry on luggage, so no toothpaste possible in the cabin and I had to to grocery shopping for a tube of toothpaste for one night in Vancouver...

>so no toothpaste possible in the cabin

Sure it is. Buy a travel/trial size tube. I do it dozens of times a year.

Re: The Mystery of the Missing Hotel Toothpaste (2013)

#110

Post by Scoundreller »

jameshart wrote: post #97
careersuicide wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> risks offending users of a "higher" or competing brand I strongly suspect that I am not alone in the stubbornness of my toothpaste preference. I will grudgingly use a different shampoo if I have to as most shampoos don't have too strong of a smell. In any given day I use probably 3 to 6 different soaps, with only the one in my house being my preference (mmmmmmmm coconut ginger) so using some random soap at a hotel…

I struggle to maintain loyalty to a specific toothpaste variety because of the overwhelming variety of types of Colgates and Crests stocked everywhere in the US. Even when I think I have discovered a variety that tastiest pleasant and seems to be effective, the next time I find myself in front of the shelf I struggle to recall the details: was it cool mint with gum protection? Or fresh mint with whitening? The packag…

My favourite example of this going too far was a toothpaste sold in "day" and "night" formulations, but their Canadian Drug Identification Numbers were the same. Ie: identical products in different packaging.
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