"Free use of the minibar" ?

zagmund

Anyone come across this before in a hotel room description - "Free use of the minibar" ?

I've noticed it recently in one or two German hotels I was looking at - specifically in this case at the InterCity Munich.

Hotels aren't exactly known for giving out free drinks, so is this some clever marketing talk meaning that you can use the minibar, but you can't actually take any drinks from it ?

This text only appears against their 'comfort' rooms and not against their 'standard' rooms. The price difference is all of €9. If the minibar really is free I'm pretty confident I could do more than €9 worth of damage, but at the same time I don't want to pay the extra if it's just some marketing trick. I've honestly never come across a free mini-bar before. Maybe it's just the type of establishment I frequent . . .

z

sold

zagmund wrote: »

Anyone come across this before in a hotel room description - "Free use of the minibar" ?

I've noticed it recently in one or two German hotels I was looking at - specifically in this case at the InterCity Munich.

Hotels aren't exactly known for giving out free drinks, so is this some clever marketing talk meaning that you can use the minibar, but you can't actually take any drinks from it ?

This text only appears against their 'comfort' rooms and not against their 'standard' rooms. The price difference is all of €9. If the minibar really is free I'm pretty confident I could do more than €9 worth of damage, but at the same time I don't want to pay the extra if it's just some marketing trick. I've honestly never come across a free mini-bar before. Maybe it's just the type of establishment I frequent . . .

z

Yes, saw it in Sheraton in Dusseldorf, Nice touch, 4 bottlers of beer and 2 waters free with room. I only paid 80 euros with breakfast so the free minibar was a very nice addition, (I only took 2 beers)

spurious

It would very much depend on what's in the minibar.
'Free use' for two bottles of water and a bag of stale nuts mightn't be any great shakes.

**edit**
Four beers 'free' isn't too shabby.

gandalf

They could be refering to the fact you are free to use the mini bar to cool your beer yet they will still charge you for the tasty beverages!!

I never trust minibars!

KTRIC

Keep in mind that beer in Germany costs about 65c in a drink market. Spirits are pretty cheap too.

Gran Hermano

I've had 'free' minibar service as part of several all inclusive packages - has varied from a couple of bottles of beer and water to even full sized bottles of spirits complete with optics.

zagmund

Some good points. We'll be having two rooms and will be staying right above the railway station (which I know has food/drink places) so maybe I wouldn't be able to get €18 worth of value out of it compared to what can be got nearby.

z

lord lucan

gandalf wrote: »

I never trust minibars!

Same here,i won't even open them to have a look for fear of being charged. Same goes for hotel phones!

Ponster

Pullman hotels offer a free minibar as part of their "comfort" ranges but generally they don't offer spirits, just beer, juice and water.