Beware of Minibar Charges
October 7, 2007 by Karen Weideman
Filed under frugal living, travel
Did you know . . . One in four travelers say they’ve had a dispute over a hotel minibar charge, according to a recent study conducted by TripAdvisor.com.
I was clueless on the fact that many hotels are using automatic motion and weight sensors that register your purchase. Just simply moving the items in the refrigerator around to make room for your snacks or take out food can register that you have purchased something. It seems to me that these special refrigerators would cost more than they’re worth, but that just shows how much hotels are making off of this stuff.
You know those little bottles of water in your room that look like they’re set out for your drinking enjoyment? They may not be free either. I stayed at a hotel and saw some little bottles of water. It seemed a little fishy to me, so I checked to see if there was a fee.
Here are some tips from TripAdvisor on how to avoid minibar mistakes:
Know the rules. As a said before, just because it’s sitting out doesn’t mean it’s free. When in doubt, call the front desk and ask.
Take an inventory of your hotel refrigerator. To make it a bit easier, just take some pictures with your cell phone or camera.
Bring along your own snacks. You know after a long day site seeing or sitting in meetings, those munchies may strike. Have some snacks on hand to avoid paying for the $5 bag of chips.
Steer clear of the minibar entirely. Sometimes people like to just peek inside to see what they have. If your hotel offers you a key, decline it.
Thrifty Mommy tip: Always check your bill before leaving the hotel. Check for phone charges, minibar charges, or anything out of the ordinary. Don’t be afraid to challenge the bill.
Have you had any problems with minibar charges?
Picture from about.com.
Be really careful with this on a cruise ship. They tell you don’t drink the water in the cities, but the bottled water available is to the tune of $4 for 16 oz. Yeowch.
I avoid minibars, I can usually get the same snacks in the vending machine in the hall for 1/3 the price, or at the grocery store down the street for 1/10th the price.
When I go to conferences, I make sure to bring snack bars and bottled water with me in my luggage. And I always make sure to pocket some fruit or bottled water at the conference to take back just in case I get hungry in the middle of the night or get up to early to get breakfast. Having Starbucks gift cards helps, which my mom likes to send me, helps too.
That’s just lame. Motion censors?? If that’s the case I’ll be emptying the entire fridge in a single motion.
Lets have some common sense people. If you do not actually consume and or leave with the item it cannot be charged. The whole concept is flawed. Who is going to just say “Oh well, I didn’t eat those $12 nuts but ok I will pay for them?” Not a soul.
Charles: I’m not saying to pay the $12 with no questions asked. This is a warning to the hotel’s schemes and to remind you to check your bill.
I know.
I agree with Jennifer. I know places where you can get them a lot cheaper. I would never pay $12 for those nuts. Even if they are very nice.
I once ate a bag of nuts from a hotel minibar and although they were delicious my enjoyment was somewhat tempered by the price. It wasn’t $12 dollars though.
I have to say, Charles seems like a careful and clearminded chap. Sometimes we all make mistakes so my thanks go to Karen for reminding us all to be careful.
I try.