From a traveler’s point of view, mini-bars are, at best, a mixed blessing.
Yes, it’s nice when you’re in your jammies and don’t have to head out or order room service to satisfy the munches. On the other hand, there’s something about paying $3-$5 for a soda or candy bar that can take all the pleasure out of it.
With the high-tech electronic sensors in many hotel mini-bars, where touching or moving something gets you charged, there isn’t even the old option of say, drinking the soda and then replacing it later. (Let alone the option of putting your own food and beverages inside.)
These days, my favorite hotel mini-bars tend to be non-existent, or rather, empty mini-fridges that can be stocked with personal items.
But the Athenaeum hotel in London has a new and welcome twist on the concept – the partly free mini-bar.
“Partly free” means that alcoholic beverages are still extra, and come at typical hotel prices. But sodas, juice, candy, nuts, potato chips (crisps in “English”) and bottled water are included in the room rate.
The mini-bar is restocked each morning too, and possibly more often than that upon request, although we never asked.
Presumably the policy could be abused, but the Athenaeum is not catering to a budget crowd, with rates usually starting in the £200 (about $300 a night) range, so I assume most guests exercise at least some restraint.
Since hotels are not in business to be nonprofits, the cost of providing the snacks and drinks no doubt was included in the rates. Although the Athenaeum’s rates are actually probably on the moderate to lower side for its hotel class.
It’s an interesting concept though. While many hotels still include free coffee and tea in the room, and some include bottled water, free snacks are pretty rare.
In the U.S, Doubletree Hotels have chocolate chip cookies at check-in. Marriott’s Residence Inn always provides a starter pack of microwave popcorn. Plus some hotels have taken to offering fruit bowls at the front desk. But in general, minibars tend to start at pricey and head up from there.
The Athenauem’s experiment, however, might be an interesting one to try, especially for first-class and deluxe hotels who cater to business travelers. With the lack of food options on most domestic flights, frequent fliers often arrive at hotels both late and hungry.
Even if it’s just an appetizer while waiting for room service, a “little something” might be very welcome. Especially if there isn’t the decision of whether to pay those outlandish prices … and then the decision of whether or not to expense it.
Personally, I’d often rather pay a few dollars more than be nickel-and-dimed constantly — minibars are a lot of nickels AND dimes.
Clearly this idea wouldn’t work for all hotels, but what do you think, Consumer Traveler readers? Would it make you more likely to patronize a hotel that not only “left the light on” for you, but had a snack ready as well?
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
