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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Is this a free mini bar. Answers quick. I’m feeling thirsty

227 replies

Footgoose · 02/02/2022 17:28

Not well travelled but we have paid full price for a suit in a posh hotel in UK . There are single bottles of alcohol and soft drinks in the mini fridge. One of each ie one white wine one red wine one water one coke one beer and a packet of pretzels . No price list anywhere . I know I could ring reception but I’m a bit cringe about that. So Mumsnet…. Are these freebies? If not, can we plead ignorance if they charge us? If I believe what I’ve heard , it’s about a hundred pounds worth of goods and I shouldn’t even nudge them for fear of being debited a small fortune . Grin

OP posts:
HTH1 · 02/02/2022 18:48

I vote not free.

Wine or any other food and drinks you didn’t order on a table in the room (wine maybe in a wine bucket): free.

Stuff in fridge (assuming not AI): £££

ThinWomansBrain · 02/02/2022 18:49

sound like an expensive pay-for mini bar

I did once stay in amazing hotel with a free bar in Ediburgh.
sadly closed a few years ago
amazing place - I always meant to go back, but never did.

Manc2 · 02/02/2022 18:49

I’ve stayed in quite a few hotels where the mini bar is free so it’s worth asking

whatisheupto · 02/02/2022 18:49

I'd say not free but possibly still worth paying for!

PlanetNormal · 02/02/2022 18:50

Minibars are for people who are too lazy to walk to the local Tesco Express to buy a bottle of wine, too rich to care about the cost, or both.

Just ring reception & ask, OP. They must get the same question all the time.

Queensize · 02/02/2022 18:53

Come on, op, let us know the outcome of your phone call to reception!

HikingforScenery · 02/02/2022 18:53

@user1471517900

I'm gonna say yes, drink it all.

Mainly because it's not my money and I want to be a creature of chaos.

I like your style Wink
Hawkins001 · 02/02/2022 18:53

All the best and good luck with the mystery fridge

MsFogi · 02/02/2022 18:54

@glassesblob

Call reception and ask for a price list for the mini bar, as there doesn't seem to be one in your room. They will either provide one or tell you it's included! Avoids you asking outright if it's free.
This is good advice
Threewheeler1 · 02/02/2022 18:57

@user1471517900

I'm gonna say yes, drink it all.

Mainly because it's not my money and I want to be a creature of chaos.

GrinGrin Doooo itttt!
loveattheFair · 02/02/2022 18:57

@glassesblob

Call reception and ask for a price list for the mini bar, as there doesn't seem to be one in your room. They will either provide one or tell you it's included! Avoids you asking outright if it's free.
Good idea
2bazookas · 02/02/2022 18:58

Pick up the phone to reception and say you can't find the minibar price list. If its free they'll tell you.

Usually it's found in the A4 hard-case information folder located in the room desk or top drawer, along with meal times and room service charges

AnneKipankitoo · 02/02/2022 18:59

Ask .

CannelloniMacaroni · 02/02/2022 19:02

It’s been complimentary in all nicer hotels we’ve stayed at, and they restock every day.

Im2022 · 02/02/2022 19:03

According to my sources (end of Home Alone part 2), it’s not free. Don’t be a Kevin.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 02/02/2022 19:04

Yes...dh and I were charged for the entire contents of the chilled mini bar, about £85...because we nudged all of their wine over to cram our own bottles in that we'd brought from home

What a cheek they have! They charge top whack for the drinks but don't even let you have a fair look at the goods to decide if you actually want to buy them or not.

Minibars are for people who are too lazy to walk to the local Tesco Express to buy a bottle of wine, too rich to care about the cost, or both.

This, absolutely.

We stayed at a semi-posh hotel once. We'd booked into their (much cheaper) sister hotel and it turned out they'd double-booked, so they offered us a free upgrade to the dearer one. We had a lovely suite, but it was filled with all manner of stuff with (rather poundsy) price labels on.

It marred the whole experience for us, as not only was it extremely unsubtle that they were out to further cash in from us wherever possible, but it made us scared to pick up or use anything in the room, for fear that it might not be included and we'd end up being charged extra.

CannelloniMacaroni · 02/02/2022 19:04

@TonTonMacoute

AFAIK there's no such thing as a free hotel minibar.

I always take my own wine.

Yeah, there is actually. In many hotels, and they restock every day.
IcyWinterWonderland · 02/02/2022 19:05

Just phone reception

EngTech · 02/02/2022 19:06

You will be charged 👍

ButYouGottaHaveASkillJeff · 02/02/2022 19:07

The last minibar I had in a nice hotel in Mallorca the beer was cheaper than the water. My kind of minibar.

WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll · 02/02/2022 19:09

If you drink or take any of the drinks out of the room, there will be a price for each and every one of them.

However, if you fancy carefully unloading and popping a nice little fridge in the car to take home with you, you'll safely find that it doesn't have any price associated with it at all Grin

Wheelz46 · 02/02/2022 19:09

They are not usually free, just call reception and ask how much it is and if it happens to be free, bargain!!

CannelloniMacaroni · 02/02/2022 19:10

@WeBuiltThisBuffetOnSausageRoll

If you drink or take any of the drinks out of the room, there will be a price for each and every one of them.

However, if you fancy carefully unloading and popping a nice little fridge in the car to take home with you, you'll safely find that it doesn't have any price associated with it at all Grin

😂
Bellie710 · 02/02/2022 19:10

We stay at a hotel in Glasgow quite often and you get decanters of Gin, Vodka and Whisky, 2 mini bottles of red and white wine and a load of mixers and it is all free.

Justme1234567 · 02/02/2022 19:11

Was it free OP?

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