<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Counsellor:
It seems to vary by location, but I'm not sure that it's because of local liquor laws (although it could be sometimes).
Example, I just finished staying at the Budapest Marriott. (Beautiful hotel, by the way; all rooms with a view of the Danube with the lighted palace and chain bridge, and a great concierge/executive lounge). All "adult" beverages, even beer and wine, were honor bar.
However, on a prior occasion in Budapest I had stayed at the Hyatt, and the beer and wine in their "executive lounge" were complimentary. Also, one of our group (this last week) stayed at the Intercontinental right up the street from the Marriott, and reported that all adult beverages were complimentary at the "happy hour" there. So - three top-line hotels, all in the same city (all within a few blocks of each other), three different rules on free drinks.
Other places: Marriott at Stuttgart (Sindelfingen) beer and wine are complimentary; Marriott (Hotel) at Crystal City was an "honor bar".</font>
The offical policy for full service Marriott & Renaissance hotels is an "Honor Bar" in the concierge/club lounge - but it will vary by country given the expectations in the market place.
At Ritz-Carlton the bar is included in the price of the Club Level Room