Friend charged drinks and desserts to my hotel room.

[annaherrings]

I was NY where we have an office (the company I work for that is). I was staying in a hotel (paid for by company). I had two friends from London who were in NY at the same time visiting for Easter break. They wanted to meet up and I invited them to my hotel for lunch/drinks. I do not expense my hotel charges as I never have work meetings at the hotel and our offices are where all meetings are held. We also eat out a lot and work pays for that. So I settle any incidentals bill myself - whereas the room is paid for.

We had lunch and everything was fine. I had to head back to my office so I settled up. The waiter asked what my room # was when I asked to charge it to the room as I had to go. So I told him/said it out loud. I signed the check/bill and left. Before leaving, the two girls said: 'We might stay for one more in the adjoining bar'. That was obviously fine. They are free to do what they want/go where they want.

Upon checking out; I see extra charges of 4 drinks and two desserts. Totalling $140 and I'm pretty sure two of the drinks were champagne. (It was a 5* hotel in Manhattan).

It stood out because I was only aware of the lunch total since it was the only thing I charged to my room throughout the entire stay. So it wasn't exactly hard to spot.

I asked the hotel for the actual receipt (the one which you sign your name/room # on). Sure enough, it wasn't my signature. They had even added on the 20% tip.

When I queried them (the girls) on it, they said the hotel staff (same waiter) immediately charged it to my room and didn't give them a chance to pay. They 'wanted' to tip (tipping is a big deal in the US) so they said they asked for a check/bill - and tipped via the room - meaning my card. Hence the receipt in front of me. They also wrote down my room # since they heard me say it out loud prior.

I do not believe they didn't have a chance to pay. If they really wanted to, they could have. They then said they assumed my work was paying (I work for a famous/large bank) so we aren't exactly short of company money - hence their 'assumption'.

They then said they did 'ask me' if it was ok to 'stay for one more at the adjoining bar' and that I was more than ok with it.

To clarify, they didn't 'ask' and moreover; no two grown women need to ask my permission as to where they can go. It is entirely up to them where they go and what they do.

I need up paying their bill as I didn't want any awkwardness. I haven't responded to their texts and TBH, I'd rather just never talk to them again. AIBU to think there was no misunderstanding here? I could never ever walk out of a place - 5* or not - and not pay. The audacity of charging anything to a friend's room - and not even telling them about it after the fact - is unbelievable to me. My DH says to drop it and leave it be and called it 'cheeky' but not worth losing friendships over. I suspect he just doesn't want to engage.

Hopefully this thread has at least been helpful to @Werehalfwaythere who clearly would not have thought twice about scamming her own friends in this way up to now - and would possibly have been very confused by the resulting social ostracism had she ever found herself in such a circumstance!

Thinking about it, the hotel behaved badly as well. They should never have been allowed to charge your room when you weren't there and your signature isn't on the bill.

They’re shocked at their own behaviour as if it’s…your fault?! Idiots.
They're shocked that a dessert and a drink costs over £60 each.
Tough. They need to cough up.

Did you make it clear though? You said "the room was covered". Maybe they took that to mean everything charged to your room was paid for by work.

You and your DH are very keen to avoid actually telling them they owe you money, maybe skirting around things is what caused this confusion.

I would assume guests would not be covered by expenses and have no experience of business trips. Why would they be? Even if that had been the case, surely you still check it's OK to add on more? However, OP has stated they were well aware. She also had settled the bill - you don't add things after that. Instead of being grateful they were grabby. Now they are making excuses when they should be offering a massive apology and repaying immediately

I disagree with your husband. This is worth losing friends over. Potential misunderstanding notwithstanding, they’re still cheeky freeloaders.
I expect your husband just doesn’t want the hassle of any awkwardness.

Ask them clearly to pay you back. Point out it's their expenditure and you paid with your own money. Say you need them to pay you back by the end of the week.

And even if the company was paying, the company was paying for YOU. They have no excuse! And signing in your name for expenses is a criminal offence.

I would definitely email the hotel manager. They have accepted a different signature for someone using your room number. That you did not authorise. I would point out that you paid the bill as you were so shocked, but on reflection, you shouldn’t have done so and the hotel should have been more careful.

I would also point out to your friends that you had already treated them, and they were being incredibly cheeky to charge their drinks and extra food to your room. And that as you have had to pay it, you want it back immediately. You have sent your bank details so they can transfer the money as soon as they get the message. I would also add that you feel rather sad that after treating them to a lovely lunch, they felt the need to behave like that.

This!

Your friends knew what they were doing and instead of messaging you immediately to say their bill got charged to your room and offering to pay it/asking for your bank details to transfer the monies, they kept quiet and then had the temerity to act shocked at the bill being $140.

They're not your friends, and not a friendship I would continue, even if they decide to apologise and pay.

Haha! Seems like it!

Exactly. A lot of hotels stop service after lunch for a few hours - and then reopen for dinner service.

In that time, bars/lounges open. The bars and lounges are the last to close.

So it certainly wasn't any kind of 'continuation'. The restaurant was naturally more of a dining area. The bar was an area with couches/lower lighting etc... completely different area/vibe/venue.

I agree with the PP who all say that people think expenses are just 'company is paying, charge it to the company!'.

As for the dessert, I can only imagine they were still peckish. Or tipsy. The restaurant wasn't the typical US oversized portions, despite being in Manhattan. Hotel restaurants don't pile the plates high! But it certainly wasn't one of those places where you get a slice of lamb and one mushy pea either.

Here's a scenario - they had drinks, lunch, maybe impressed about the surroundings. While you may have mentioned the logistics of what your company was paying, maybe they didn't entirely hear it.

It seems to me that they genuinely believed that the company would pick up the tab, so why not live it up sort of mentality.

Also, the fact that you paid for lunch and they had dessert may have given them the impression that you would have paid?

Having recently been to NYC, I do believe that it can be difficult for a non guest to pay as it's much easier for the staff to bill the room.

But if their immediate reaction wasn't immediately asking how they can pay you back, it sounds as if they are taking the piss.

In your comment you say you mentioned only room being covered. So was that the only comment and then conversation was moved on or did you say that company paid for hotel and you are paying everything yourself so the point was driven home. Obviously you can cut these people out for whatever reason you want. And name and shame if that's what you're into. But assuming they are good friends since you're happy to pay for lunch. Potentially been friends for years or decades and is this the first time something questionable has happened? If yes, that's the reason why I'm thinking there was a misunderstanding. And their next reaction to you asking to pay is telling. Obviously if you think there is no chance of that then demand the money and block them 🤷🏼‍♀️

Even if they thought your company was paying, which I don’t believe for a second, how can they think you can claim expenses on luxuries like champagne. The companies I’ve worked for have rules for expense claims that limit alcohol expenses to meals being alongside. Even if they thought you were claiming it, did they not consider that you might have gotten in trouble for amount or type of expenses being claimed. Many big companies also don’t want to be seen to be flashing the cash in the midst of a cost of living crisis, so splashing out on champagne wouldn’t look good.
Personally I couldn’t continue this friendship, they’ve taken the piss and wouldn’t be surprised if there’s some jealousy involved at how well you’ve done for yourself.

I think they think you owe them because you have a well paid job.
Unless they pay you back pretty sharpish, I'd be very reluctant to spend time with them in the future, particularly as goodness knows how much it would cost you.

If they don't just pay up and apologise for their fuck up then they are twats.

*But it wouldn't be taking the piss if they thought OP was getting reimbursed.

That's why it's important to know how clear OP was about who was ultimately paying.*

It still taking the piss. You don't order things expecting someone else's company to keep paying. Especially without asking. It's rude.

@MinnieGirl

I would definitely email the hotel manager. They have accepted a different signature for someone using your room number.

The time to have challenged that was at check-out.

This.. they are cheeky fuckers of the highest level.

They arranged to meet up with you.
You very generously stumped up for lunch - a £87.51 per head lunch.
More than generous.
They need to pay you the £60 each back - given how much you have already paid out, they are robby dogs who have used and abused your hospitality.

So sorry, what a horrible experience for you, they were definitely just CF's. On honeymoon in the late 80's we were invited to join a couple for a drink. They left early, saying with great bluster that they'd paid the bill. We stayed behind to finish our drink and the manager approached us with the bill - the couple had signed as 'Mickey Mouse', we had to pay for their earlier four drinks as well as our own two. We were very skint at the time, I've never forgotten it.

I think I would have thought everything was in the company. That's what I'd assume if someone settled a $300+ meal without asking me to contribute. I mean, I'm in my 30s and don't know anyone who could afford to pay a $300+ lunch bill themselves. You must be extremely well paid.

I agree. I don't know why op chose a super expensive hotel.
Ops mates are still cheeky though adding more to her bill regardless of cost.

This is what I don't get either. WHY would guests (that aren't related to the business in any way/not clients etc..) be covered? For what reason? By that logic, anyone who is on a business trip could invite anyone off the street over for lunch - and endlessly charge whatever to their company. But that, of course, doesn't happen.

They need to pay you back pronto
that is awful .
stand up for yourself and demand they give the money back