It seems like the CL is not as exclusive as it used to be. Could just be my perception, but it feels like they are a lot more crowded and not as nice as years past. One theory I have is that, with all the ways to get "cheap" elite status, we have a lot of non-frequent travelers getting upgrades and access to the lounge, who want to suck every drop of the experience they possibly can.

To them, going to a lounge with key-card access is like being a red carpet VIP, and by golly they're going to go there because they're entitled to it! From that perspective, the hotel in question is actually smart to do the pricing the way they are--it's simple supply and demand. If the lounge is so crowded that people are being turned away at the door, what possible incentive do they have to LOWER drink prices? And to the OP and those other plats who went to the lobby bar to buy drinks for a few bucks less, the hotel is happy to have kept their business, too. From an accountant's perspective, these are brilliant business decisions.

Of course to those of us who travel enough to come to a message board like this, we want the CL to be a place to relax and unwind, generally surrounded by fellow travelers who understand that. Hence all the threads about screaming kids, boorish sports team parties, etc. If one really wants that experience, though, then it seems we have to stay (and pay) at the RC, which maintains high service levels and an upscale atmosphere specifically through not allowing access to just anyone.

I don't know if I really have a point, except to say that the hotel in question is unlikely to change their pricing or policies as long as they seem to be raking in the dough with their current setup.