Q – Like most of the folks on this site, we’re extremely well -traveled and we tend to stay in one of the three best hotels in every city we visit. I love the treatment we receive and the benefits we get from our agent’s consortium group. But one thing just drives me crazy and it just happened again. We like to take an afternoon nap and we keep getting awakened by calls and knocks on the door (the last time they ignored the “Do Not Disturb Light”) by some knucklehead who wants to “check the mini-bar.”
When I am spending over $1,000 a night for room, taxes, and incidentals, I hate being ripped off by a refrigerator stocked with overpriced stuff I would never buy on principle. My partner and I both work very long hours and we like to just relax at a really nice hotel. The last two stays, we had to argue with the front desk about the damn mini-bar charges. We never, ever use the mini-bar but we were told “the sensor said you opened the door and took something” For $1,000 + a night shouldn’t we get some privacy and trust that we are not stealing their precious little bottles of booze?
A – Yes. And it doesn’t really surprise us that five-star hotels are treating you this way. They seem to have a blind-eye when it comes to mini-bar annoyances and we receive numerous complaints about this topic.
The first thing to do is insist that your travel agent require that the mini-bar be emptied at every hotel in the future. This will give you the use of a refrigerator which in many situations, comes in extremely handy. You are entitled to the choice: Their rip-off “we have you captive” pricing for sundries or a nice cold, clean refrigerator to keep whatever you like in your room. Savvy travelers in growing numbers are now demanding that the mini-bar be emptied before arrival. Your agent can handle this for you.
If you are ever interrupted when you have a “Do Not Disturb” sign or light on, immediately ask to speak to the manager on duty. This is a serious breach of hotel manners and etiquette and some adjustment should be made to your bill.
Finally, if the mini-bar doesn’t bother you but the expensive booze it contains does, have your profile updated to say you are recovering from alcohol-related issues and no liquor or beer can be present in your room.
Thanks very much for helping us bring this to everyone’s attention. No one should accept a stocked mini-bar unless they really want one.
