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

[Footgoose]

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 .

Stayed in a hotel yesterday with free champagne, posh cider, and naice cheese and biscuits! Bet it's free OP, posh hotels it's often 'with compliments'

I always wonder who drinks out of mini bars....are they to catch drunk people who get back to the room and are all out of booze?! I always go to a hotel well stocked with my own supermarket bought wine/fizz of choice

Just ask! I did once and was gutted to find out they were free ,
just minutes after housekeeping had been in to replenish and found none had been touched!

I think you probably have to pay for them, and I WOULD ring reception.

People keep saying they have never seen a free mini bar in hotels. Other people have said otherwise, I stayed in a number of hotels that have had a free mini bar. Enough of the never seen a free mini bar in a hotel as they do exist.

I’m guessing it was free and the op is now too sozzled to reply.

@MostNamesAreTaken

Placemarking for the reveal...

Same!

Also. You don't have to 'smuggle in' wine. You are allowed to drink what you like in the room 🤣

The room was advertised as having a complimentary mini bar but I assumed it was a lie and called reception who confirmed it was free.

Call me a cynic, but I too would assume they meant it was a free facility provided for you, but that the drinks themselves would be charged.

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

What an odd post - sounds very bitter. Generally minibar costs are factored into holiday/food/restaurant costs, surely?

I didn’t understand it that the poster was being bitter or judgey in any way – just suggesting what the purveyors of many hotel minibars (at buttock-clenchingly high prices) must be counting on.

To be honest, as a non-drinker, I would resent staying somewhere expensive where they offered a load of ‘complimentary’ (i.e. factored into the price you pay for the room) drinks, as I’d just feel they were hugely overcharging me in the first place and/or cutting corners on things that are important to me.

Page 6 and I can't believe no-one has said this yet. Check your booking/ the website you booked it through/ the hotel website in some cases. If there's a free mini bar then that's a feature they'd normally be trumpeting about.

If still in doubt, then ask reception for the price list

Free mini bars/ carafes of sherry or gin absolutely are a thing in some hotels. Just check what is what in your particular hotel. Have a lovely time. 😊

Check on tripadvisor reviews. Most likely it isn't free but if it is someone will have mentioned it!

We stayed in a very nice hotel and the mini bar was free. There wasn't alcohol but some bottles of water, soft drinks, milk for the tea/coffee and some lovely chocolate from local place. I knew it was free as I had read it in reviews on tripadvisor 👍

I actually trawled through this to see if the mini bar was free, then thought about debating if the technology is as much to stop you eating the overpriced stuff then refilling it with cheaper from local shop, and now, I’ve persuaded myself I don’t care…

Or do I#overinvested

@Bellie710

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.

If you don’t mind me asking which hotel in Glasgow was this?

I asked, it’s a complimentary mini bar For my Birthday . To be fair , there was a little card wishing me a Happy Birthday from guest services but no where near the fridge Bless ‘em .

Thanks OP. I can sleep now. Enjoy!

Party time

Enjoy

Yay!! I was hugely invested in the outcome of this thread!

Most likely because I’ve not stayed at a hotel in almost 3 years...

Happy Birthday!

Enjoy the and have some too!

Ah that’s lovely of them! Happy birthday!

That’s lovely. Happy birthday 🥳

This is hilarious!! Drink all of it!! It'll get topped up, not a problem! You can start all over again! Can't wait to see your faces though, when you get the bill!!! Hugely entertaining. Of course it's not "free". Silly Billy.

Cheers Mumsnet . Thank you for the lovely Birthday wishes .

@BobISMyUncle
I think you should have read the thread!

Happy birthday OP, enjoy the freebies!

@TonTonMacoute

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

I always take my own wine.

This.

@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.

Creature of chaos I'm stealing that one!

A very happy birthday OP, enjoy!