Question: Mr. and Mrs. Jones went to a hotel for a conference. When they began to register at the hotel desk, the clerk told them that they could not leave their luggage at the foot of the registration desk while they registered but had to place the bags temporarily in a room next door. They complied, but when they went back to retrieve their luggage, it was gone, presumably stolen. The hotel refused to compensate the couple for the loss, claiming that none of its employees had exercised any control over the luggage, and thus, it was not responsible for the loss.
1. Regardless of any question of whether a bailment existed, was the hotel's decision unethical under the circumstances?
2. What should a hotel's responsibility be for a guest's luggage when a guest checks in?
3. If either Mr. or Mrs. Jones could have watched the luggage while the other registered but failed to do so, why should the hotel be responsible for any loss?