Forgot item in a hotel in Spain; hotel says I have to send a courier myself because they don't handle international shipments
I recently returned from a trip to Europe. (I live in the United States.) On my way back I had a layover in Madrid and I forgot a coat in the hotel room I stayed at. I contacted the hotel and they said that they have the coat, but that they can't ship it internationally. They told me in an email:
We don't handle international shipments as we can´t full fill [sic] customs paperwork. I suggest that you contact a courier company to pick up the forgotten item and let us know the pick up date in order to have it prepared.
Two ways I can see to resolve my issue:
- I send a courier as they suggested. What companies offer this kind of service, and how do I find it? I looked on UPS and DHL but didn't see anything obvious.
- I fill out a customs form for them and they use that to ship the item. Is this possible?
Are either of those two alternatives possible? Thanks in advance.
Best Answer
I looked on UPS and DHL but didn't see anything obvious.
For DHL, the service you need is called scheduled pickup. You essentially arrange the shipping as usual, but you pay extra for your parcel to be picked up by a courier. Once you pay for your shipment, you'll get a DHL shipping label which you'll have to send to the hotel. They will print the label, attach it to the box containing your coat and give it to the DHL courier on a given date and time.
Understand that the hotel is already doing you a favour if they are not asking you to pay for their trouble. The reason they cannot ship your coat themselves (besides shipping costs) is liability: if your coat is seized at the customs, the last thing they want is to be listed as the origin of the parcel.
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Will a hotel ship a forgotten item?
If you do want that item back, give the front desk a call to see if they have it\u2014the hotel may ship it to you for free, or charge you for the cost of shipping and handling. Just don't wait for the hotel to call you about your lost item\u2014here's why they may be reluctant to reach out.What happens if you leave an item at a hotel?
If the lost item is found during the guest's stay in the hotel, the hotel room service is obliged to give it back to the owner. After leaving the hotel, guests should immediately inform the hotel reception when they realize they have left something.Can I send a package to myself at a hotel?
Shipping a package to a hotel is no different than shipping something anywhere else. Just use the hotel's address as the recipient address, and that's literally all there is to it.How long do hotels keep lost and found items?
Every hotel has their own rules for the lost and found item and when things comes to keep the lost property, then hotel mostly holds the lost property for a time period of 45 days or 6 months. There are many hotels that never share the items until a guest doesn't contact or inform about the lost item.The italian joke - subtitles - www.abitofenglish.com
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