They left a winning lottery ticket behind at the hotel—What happened next
General
Lost & found
They left a winning lottery ticket behind at the hotel—What happened next
Have you ever checked out of a hotel and realized you’d forgotten something? Maybe a shirt, a phone charger, or something more valuable. But these 10 hotel guests left behind things you’d never expect. One forgot a winning lottery ticket, another left a 5-foot-long boa constrictor, and one group even left their friend tied to the bed. Here are 10 of the strangest things hotel staff have found guests left behind.
A 5-foot boa constrictor: North Carolina
There’s nothing worse than walking into a hotel room and spotting an unwanted little critter crawling around. But if that sounds bad, wait until you hear what one man left behind at a North Carolina hotel.
In October 2017, a man checked into a hotel in Asheville. But he wasn’t traveling alone. He’d brought his pet with him: a 5-foot-long boa constrictor. The strangest part wasn’t that he kept such a huge snake as a pet or even that he brought it to a hotel, but that he left it behind. A staff member discovered the reptile under the sheets while cleaning the room after the forgetful guest had checked out. The hotel called the police, and they took the boa to an animal shelter. Its owner eventually returned to pick it up after police tracked him down and contacted him.
A miniature horse: England
In 2021, a woman stayed at the Travelodge in Cockermouth, England, with an unusual companion: a miniature horse named Red Rum. She even asked the hotel staff to look after him while she was away. Of course, Red Rum didn’t get to enjoy the room’s comforts; he stayed in the hotel parking lot instead.
The problem came when his owner checked out in such a hurry that she drove all the way home before realizing she’d forgotten the little horse. She quickly called the hotel after discovering her mistake and was described by staff as being completely "beside herself."
A groom: England
It’s one thing to leave a valuable item behind in a hotel room. It’s a little more serious to leave a pet. But without a doubt, the worst thing of all is leaving a person behind.
In 2010, a group of Scottish friends stayed at the Travelodge in Kendal, England, to celebrate their friend’s bachelor party the day before his wedding. As usual, there was plenty of drinking, partying, and jokes. One prank involved getting the groom drunk and tying him to his bed so he’d wake up trapped. The prank worked a little too well. The next morning, the friends barely remembered the night before, got ready for the wedding, and headed to the ceremony. There was just one problem: the groom was missing. After a moment of panic, they remembered where he was: still tied to his bed at the hotel. They had to delay the ceremony to go rescue him. Fortunately, the groom eventually made it to his own wedding.
A dog: Orlando
For many people, pets are family, so it’s hard to imagine anyone leaving a dog behind in a hotel room. But this story has an even bigger twist.
In December 2022, a senior dog named Jazzy was found abandoned in a hotel room in Orlando. She had run away from her Texas home back in 2015, and somewhere along the way, a stranger had picked her up before eventually leaving her at the hotel. When animal services arrived to rescue her, they scanned her microchip and tracked down her real owners: a family in Texas who had been searching for their beloved dog for seven long years. When they got the call from Florida, they could hardly believe it. Just in time for Christmas, Jazzy was finally coming home.
A wife: Czech Republic
In 2012, a survey of 500 hotels conducted by the travel website "Last Minute" uncovered some really bizarre things guests had left behind… including family members.
According to the survey, one of the most shocking cases happened in Prague, where a man checked out of his hotel and left behind someone very important: his wife. The man was on a business trip, and the wife had joined him, something they rarely did. The morning after the conference, he attended his meeting, checked out, and drove several miles before realizing his wife was still asleep in the hotel room. The speed at which he raced back to get her may not have been exactly within the speed limit.
Two full-leg plaster casts
If you’ve ever worn a cast, or even seen someone with one, you know how difficult it can be to get around. That’s what makes it so puzzling that a guest arrived at a hotel wearing casts, only to leave without them.
The story was documented in September 2024 in Hotels.com’s annual "Hotel Room Insights" report. Although the exact location wasn’t specified, the account said that in 2023, someone left not one but two full-leg casts, found propped against the bed by staff at a beach resort. How did the guest get them off? If their legs were truly broken, how did they manage to leave without them? Unfortunately, there are plenty of questions and very few answers.
A winning lottery ticket: England
Winning the lottery is a dream for many. But winning it and then leaving the ticket behind in a hotel room? That sounds more like a nightmare.
That’s what happened to a guest staying at a hotel in Newcastle in 2017. His stay was ordinary, but after he checked out, staff found something surprising. Tucked under the mattress was a winning lottery ticket worth £100. Fortunately, the hotel’s policy was to hold valuable items for a certain period while trying to contact their owners. In the end, the lucky winner was reunited with the ticket he had so carefully hidden under the mattress.
A pet lizard and a baby chick
Going back to the forgotten-pet stories, one case from 2023 was particularly memorable.
The Hotels.com survey, conducted among more than 400 hotels worldwide and published in 2024, revealed that the year before, two unusual pets had been left behind in their owner’s hotel rooms. One was an adorable baby chick, found on the bed after the owner had checked out. The tiny creature was lucky to have been spotted, but it wasn’t alone. In the same hotel room, there was also another animal on the floor, perhaps not quite as cute: a pet lizard. Happily, the two uncommon hotel guests were eventually reunited with their owner, who had to return all the way back to the hotel to collect them.
Gallon of Loch Ness water: Scotland
What would you do if you visited the famous Loch Ness in Scotland? Many people would go looking for Nessie, but one visitor had a very different plan.
In 2018, a guest stayed at a hotel in Edinburgh, Scotland, and left something peculiar behind in the room. It wasn’t a valuable item, money, or even a pet. It was a jug filled with water that didn’t look particularly clean. When hotel staff contacted the guest, he asked them not to throw it away because it contained a full gallon of water from Loch Ness. He eventually returned to collect it, but we’ll never know whether he wanted it as a souvenir or had something else in mind.
Two Rolex watches: Florida
Sometimes you don’t actually forget something in the hotel room; you just forget to put it somewhere safe.
That’s what happened to a guest who checked into Florida’s Boca Raton Marriott at Boca Center in September 2015. At around 9:30 a.m., he went out for a walk and left two extremely valuable watches in plain sight in the room. They were a stainless steel Rolex Deep Sea with a dark blue gradient dial ($25,000) and a stainless steel Rolex Explorer with a black dial ($10,000). When he came back six hours later, the watches were gone. An investigation found that someone had used an employee key card to enter the empty room. At first, suspicion fell on hotel staff, but then came the twist: the key card had actually been reported lost months earlier. In December, police identified a 36-year-old suspect who had recently been trying to sell those two Rolex models at a jewelry market.
What does a flower behind the ear mean in Hawaii?
Culture
Cities traditions
What do these 10 American cities really celebrate every year?
What makes a country with the same currency, the same flag, and the same government have so different traditions? In America, each city reveals its own cultural landscape. While Boston tells stories of rebellion, San Antonio asks Fiesta royalty to show their hidden shoes, and Hawaii lets a flower behind the ear reveal someone’s relationship status. Though the cities change over decades, their traditions remain stronger than ever. Here are 10 cities with fascinating customs worth revisiting.
Boston, Massachusetts
Boston has a way of making the history you learned in school feel close. The city is famous as one of the places where the American Revolution began, but its rebellious streak goes back even further, to 1689. That year, Bostonians rose against royal governor Sir Edmund Andros after his government limited town meetings and imposed taxes without an elected colonial assembly. They arrested and imprisoned him, setting a local spirit.
This revolutionary character comes to life during Patriots’ Day, held on the third Monday in April. The holiday commemorates the 1775 Battles of Lexington and Concord, which marked the beginning of the American Revolution. It’s one of the best times to visit Boston, when parades, colonial costumes, Freedom Trail walks, horseback processions, and battle reenactments bring the city’s history back to life.
San Antonio, Texas
Every spring, from April 15 to 25, San Antonio celebrates the Texas Revolution, honoring the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto with Fiesta, an 11-day festival full of parades, food, and local traditions. The celebration began in 1891 with the Battle of Flowers Parade, when residents gathered in front of the Alamo and tossed flowers to remember those who had fought in the two battles.
People collect and wear colorful Fiesta medals, eat chicken on a stick with a jalapeño, and shout, "Show us your shoes!" as the parade goes by. The chant started when members of Fiesta royalty began wearing comfortable shoes under their fancy gowns. Once the crowd noticed, asking to see the hidden shoes became part of the fun. Other cultural heritage activities take place throughout the spring celebrations and are listed on Fiesta San Antonio’s official website.
Honolulu, Hawaii
Beyond those beautiful turquoise waters are generations of Native Hawaiian traditions that make Honolulu’s culture rich, diverse, and fascinating to explore. Some local customs that visitors may see include the Hawaiian greeting, always a kiss on the cheek, and the flower worn behind a woman’s ear. On the left, it means she has a partner; on the right, she is single.
September is probably one of the best times to visit Honolulu. During this month, the Aloha Festival is held. This festival commemorates Hawaiian culture and history through three major events: The Royal Court Investiture and Opening Ceremony, The Annual Waikiki Ho’olaule’a, and the Annual Floral Parade, all embedded with local music, dances, ceremonies, and food.
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit earned the nickname "Motor City" for its strong connection to three major automakers: Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler. It's the perfect city to visit when looking for the country’s classic car history. Here, Ford introduced the moving assembly line, making automobiles faster and more affordable to build. At the Ford Piquette Avenue Plant Museum, visitors can explore the creation of the Model T, while nearby in Dearborn, the Automotive Hall of Fame celebrates the pioneers who shaped the global auto industry.
Detroit’s classic car tradition doesn’t stop at museums. Every third Saturday in August, the Woodward Dream Cruise takes place. It’s the world’s largest one-day celebration of classic car culture, creating a spectacle in the streets with vintage vehicles and crowds full of locals and visitors. The annual Detroit Auto Show, every January, also blends Detroit's tradition with automotive innovation.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Back in 1776, the Second Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House, now known as Independence Hall. There, delegates officially adopted the Declaration of Independence after making several changes to Thomas Jefferson’s draft. Many of these delegates later became known as the nation’s Founding Fathers and helped lead the colonies through their break from British rule.
Today, as Americans commemorate July 4, 1776, the city’s role as the birthplace of the nation is celebrated with lively festivals, concerts, breathtaking fireworks displays, and free admission to museums that explore the country’s history, such as the Museum of the American Revolution and the National Constitution Center. Despite the high temperatures, thousands of people gather at the main points of the city, looking to visit the Liberty Bell, the Independence Mall, and the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
New Orleans, Louisiana
Mardi Gras is celebrated on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and marks the final day of Carnival. Today, Mardi Gras is a favorite celebration for groups of friends and families looking to have fun, but not everyone knows how deep its roots go. The tradition began in medieval Europe, where communities celebrated before the fasting season of Lent. French settlers later carried these customs to Louisiana, and the first recorded Mardi Gras celebration took place in Mobile in 1703.
In 1875, Louisiana made Fat Tuesday a legal holiday, confirming Mardi Gras as a beloved tradition for locals and visitors from across the country. Millions of visitors travel every year to New Orleans to enjoy the massive parades, the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, and the tastes of regional gumbo and jambalaya. Hotel reservations are often full the previous days of the event, so it’s always better to book in advance.
Charleston, South Carolina
In Charleston, visitors will find blue-green porch ceilings shining above the streets, painted according to local folklore to keep away spirits called "haints." Handmade sweetgrass baskets are another of Charleston’s most treasured traditions. The city’s culture can also be tasted in its local dishes. Shrimp and grits, she-crab soup, and sweet benne wafers are all dishes shaped by both African and European influences.
This culture merges perfectly with the coastal vibes, where visitors can walk through the Waterfront Park with the iconic Pineapple Fountain and harbor views, visit the picturesque houses of Rainbow Row, the Fort Summer, where the first shots of the American Civil War were fired, and King Street, for local dining and antique shops. To avoid crowds and high temperatures, fall is the best time to visit this charming southern city.
New York, New York
Thanksgiving parades in New York started as a store promotion and quickly became a favorite holiday for locals, and later, for visitors. It began in 1924, when Macy’s organized a parade to promote its expanded Herald Square store and kick off the Christmas shopping season. Macy’s employees marched in costumes alongside bands and live animals, which were later replaced by giant character balloons.
Since then, every year on Thanksgiving morning, around 9 a.m., New York turns into one big show that extends until noon, when the parade ends at Macy’s Herald Square, where Santa’s arrival signals that the Christmas season has officially begun.
Savannah, Georgia
All becomes green on March 17, when this city in Georgia hosts one of the largest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the country. With the Greening of the Forsyth Park Fountain, a massive four-hour procession in the historic center, surrounded by Celtic music, delicious bars and restaurants, and all-day-long parades for groups of friends and families.
It all started in 1824, when 13 members of Savannah’s Hibernian Society raised money and invited local Irish residents to march through the streets. These celebrations continued to grow, and by 1870, Savannah already had a splendid parade with bands and a grand marshal.
Pueblo, New Mexico
Around New Mexico’s red adobe homes and open village plazas, Pueblo Feast Days bring centuries-old traditions. These celebrations honor both Native culture and each Pueblo’s Catholic patron saint, reflecting generations of Spanish influence. It's also the perfect occasion for religious leaders to guide ceremonies in which elders pass local stories, beliefs, and languages to younger generations.
Dancers of all ages gather in clothing, furs, moccasins, and handmade jewelry, and some dances honor sacred animals such as the buffalo, deer, and eagle, while the Corn Dance includes prayers for rain and a good harvest. Families prepare stews, breads, and pies in outdoor ovens and may invite visitors to share the meal. Photography may not be allowed, but respecting each Pueblo’s customs is part of experiencing these timeless celebrations.
Keep wandering
There’s always
more to explore
Some hotels are destinations all by themselves
7 min.
Read Now
Your camera can read a menu in 200 languages instantly: Traveling hacks
5 min.
Read Now
You order dinner, and the menu has no dollar signs. Why?
6 min.
Read Now
Landmarks
Where in the world is it famously illegal to die?
4 min.
Read Now