I know this has been spoken to many times, but here is almost concrete evidence that properties will add random minibar charges to guests' final bills to see if they notice. I recently held a reservation for one night at the Harbor Beach Marriott (yes, coming back to Marriott, though not as a primary chain, slowly but surely after a two year leave of absence) but was unable to honor the reservation even though it was past the cancellation deadline. I just received an email receipt from my "stay" (which did not post to my Marriott Rewards account) and sure enough there was a minibar charge on there. Certainly amazing how I can consume an item from the minibar when I am multiple States away, but alas, automated minibars/housekeeping always knows best right?
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I am frequently a victim of the phantom minibar but cant really complain as I do tend to move the contents around sometimes to fit in a pint of milk - I hate UHT, but can't start the day, or function during it without my mug of tea and regular refills, I am such an addict I bring my own mug... So I suppose I deserve my phantom minibar, luckily its always taken off at the end of the day when I share my happy addiction with the FD...
I can't comment whether this is a frequent problem therefore because I may well be the cause due to my own activities, although these days some hotels leave an unused area of the minibar for personal use, thereby ensuring I don't need to move around the contents. Even so I still usually face the phantom minibar.
You should certainly take this up with management though, it smacks of fraud to me, I cant see how it could possibly be a mistake in an unoccupied room, that they know full well went untouched...
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I dont believe there's a willfull effort behind adding these charges as I too have been hit with these throughout the years (yes even while on MI Company business I had them appear once or twice...yes it does leave a bad taste in your mouth doesn't it)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BrightlyBob
I am frequently a victim of the phantom minibar but cant really complain as I do tend to move the contents around sometimes to fit in a pint of milk - I hate UHT, but can't start the day, or function during it without my mug of tea and regular refills, I am such an addict I bring my own mug... So I suppose I deserve my phantom minibar, luckily its always taken off at the end of the day when I share my happy addiction with the FD...
I can't comment whether this is a frequent problem therefore because I may well be the cause due to my own activities, although these days some hotels leave an unused area of the minibar for personal use, thereby ensuring I don't need to move around the contents. Even so I still usually face the phantom minibar.
You should certainly take this up with management though, it smacks of fraud to me, I cant see how it could possibly be a mistake in an unoccupied room, that they know full well went untouched...
You can send a message to management by requesting a refrigerator in your room every stay. And tell 'em why.... it's because of the phantom minibar charges that come from moving minibar contents around.
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We recently stayed at the JW Washington and the inroom safe was in a drawer underneath the minibar non-perishables that were on the cabinet. Everytime I pulled out the heavy drawer, the cabinet shook a bit and charged something almost each time! They credited them back, but how annoying.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by socrates
I dont believe there's a willfull effort behind adding these charges
I can't say I have the same faith but tend to view hotels with much the same jaundiced eye as Blockbuster which was caught adding late fees to most rentals knowing only a certain percentage of customers would argue to have them removed. A few dollars is only a few dollars but multiplied hundreds or thousands of transactions over a year and it quickly adds up to mega money.
I find Marriott overall no different than other hotel chains and only rarely see these charges appear on my bill but it does still happen and I am not so quick tto dismiss their appearance as some random error.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tcook052
I can't say I have the same faith but tend to view hotels with much the same jaundiced eye as Blockbuster which was caught adding late fees to most rentals knowing only a certain percentage of customers would argue to have them removed. A few dollars is only a few dollars but multiplied hundreds or thousands of transactions over a year and it quickly adds up to mega money.
I find Marriott overall no different than other hotel chains and only rarely see these charges appear on my bill but it does still happen and I am not so quick tto dismiss their appearance as some random error.
but in my case what purpose would it serve...the hotel which did it to me was MI Managed & Developed (it was before I retired)...so the money was going from the left pocket to the right pocket (plus knowing many of the GM's still out there does help with my beliefs)
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Other issues to be aware of.. housekeeping may charge based on what is in your trash can without even checking the fridge. Once I bought a coke from the vending machine outside, and they charged me for it when I never opened the fridge.
The other time I got charged was when I was not a Platinum member but my colleague who was offered me a soft drink he got complimentary from the lounge, and just because I had it in my room (I didn't even open it because I ran out of time), they charged me for it. I let it slide for that situation because I realized that fine, I wasn't entitled to that drink for free anyway, but it just made me surprised that it even happened because it could have been a valid own personal purchase drink from outside.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by giceh
Other issues to be aware of.. housekeeping may charge based on what is in your trash can without even checking the fridge. Once I bought a coke from the vending machine outside, and they charged me for it when I never opened the fridge.
The other time I got charged was when I was not a Platinum member but my colleague who was offered me a soft drink he got complimentary from the lounge, and just because I had it in my room (I didn't even open it because I ran out of time), they charged me for it. I let it slide for that situation because I realized that fine, I wasn't entitled to that drink for free anyway, but it just made me surprised that it even happened because it could have been a valid own personal purchase drink from outside.
Yes, I've had that happen also and so now I either try and purchase a very different size than whatever is in the mini-bar or take the empty with me to throw away off-site so there isn't any mistaking my imported refreshments for mini-bar items.
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