Originally Posted by
IAN-UK
There are two simple ways to assess mini-bar costs. One would be using the hotel's retail mini-bar tariff, the other using the wholesale cost of replacing the artiicles consumed. The first way produces a dramatic figure - we know how easy it is to reach the current $50 limit: the second method would give a much lower total.
My point is that it is not sensible for a hotel to assess the cost of the minibar perk in terms of the retail tariff of the minibar. The replacement cost of, say, spirit miniatures is generally low compared to the price the hotel charges for them. Splits of champagne will be more expensive, but where champagne is offered, its usually as a single item.
The full retail tariff would only be a reasonable approach to costing the perk if the hotel were confident the guest would consume the goodies, regardless of the RA benefit. And I think that might be misplaced confidence. I can only affirm that I'd stock up with cokes from a 7-11 rather than pay $5 for one
Perhaps drinks for stocking mini-bars in the Maldives are particularly expensive: I just don't know. But with achingly expensive room prices it might be difficult to drink yourself into the hotel making a loss on your visit
It is expensive to stock minibars in the Maldives (and some other locations) due to very high local tax rates upon alcohol. The hotels will actually pay these taxes so the cost of the contents will be well above the marginal cost price in the UK.
I do rather suspect that beyond the few locations where local costs are high that hotels are considering their own inflated costs versus cost of provision as a "loss". Take for instance the £60 for one half bottle of Perrier Jouet at the IC PL. I could potentially have 8 other items instead for the allowed £35 so the cost of stocking is actually higher for the 8 items than the one half bottle of fizz (where the marginal cost is probably circa £12). That is I think rather stupid and given that the wine in the IC PL minibar is crap the whole minibar compares very badly to that at the IC O2 (recently back on my potential stay list as the problems I experienced in the past seem to have been ironed out albiet that to get a good room now I have to pay extra).
I do however see the point in the higher taxation locales. In those achingly expensive locations all of the room support and other asks are also achingly expensive so it wouldn't take too much to tip the balance into marginal loss per room, I also think there is something about levelling IC versus Kimpton versus other brands potentially afoot.
In most practical cases I don't really suffer too much loss from the new minibar policy, the IC PL is probably the worst example I have found thus far that has really impacted me. I have never had a stand up row about any minibar consumption to date and mostly where there is a small marginal delta from the daily allowance it has been waived.