Since the holiday season is now in full swing, we decided to take on all of our questions. And really, we truly do mean all of your questions. Indeed, you all were filled with plenty of questions, large and small. We’re pretty fond of the big problems, because we love helping people, but the small questions also have a place in our hearts.
Today’s question is straightforward and one of our all time favorites: is the mini-bar the best hotel room perk, or a total rip off?
First and foremost, let’s be honest — you’re going to pay for the mini bar either way. Even when some of the higher end hotels offer a free mini-bar, the reality is that you are paying for it through the cost of the room. It’s a nice grabber that gets rooms filled, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s worth getting.
The mini bar in the room is going to be much more expensive than just going to the liquor store and getting your own alcohol. Remember that they are doing it as a convenience, and in the travel game convenience is always expensive. You have to think about what you’re going to do at all turns here, not just go with what’s right in front of you. Do you really have the money to spend on the mini bar? If so, then you definitely can push forward. On the other hand, if you really don’t have time to hunt for a place to buy your own alcohol, then the mini bar is a great deal.
It’s up to you and it’s definitely your money in play here. If you are going to use the mini bar, make sure that you save whatever little tags that comes on the bottles. Some hotels need those in order to ring up exactly what you took from the bar. This is very important, because you don’t want the maid to mark that you drank it all — that could get expensive in a hurry!
The mini bar isn’t just for alcohol either — many hotels are putting juice bottles, milk, water, and more in the fridge, ready for you to eat. Some hotels even place food in there, or they have a small cafe right on the property. Either way, it’s definitely a good time for you to try to figure out this little piece of the travel puzzle.
Not every question we receive is serious — this one certainly isn’t a life or death decision by any stretch of the imagination. However, it’s a question that’s definitely worth asking. Why not check it out the hotel of your choice today? You never know what they’ll put in your mini bar!
