I remember when I stayed at Holiday Inn Express SOHO Hong Kong, the housekeeper knocked at my door and gave me 2 cans (can't remember exact number) of soft drinks and few items of snacks (like Oreo, etc). Quite quite to think about it.

Novotel Koshinen Osaka, they put the items in the plastic bags and past it to me upon check in.

a voucher for a drink at the Novotel Birmingham

when upgraded to an Executive Room, there's complimentary water in the fridge.

Recent experiences
 

My recent experiences (and whilst it is far from the most valuable benefit of status, lowly silver in my case, I'm not inclined to turn it down!)

Ibis Coventry central: not offered at checkin but apologetic and free drink offered when asked (pint of beer)
Ibis Birmingham New St station: voucher offered at check in, able to use for beer
Ibis Heathrow: voucher offered at check in, able to use for beer
Ibis Dusseldorf City (the one behind the Hbf not in it): voucher offered at check in, was able to use in early hours of the following day for a delicious weissbier
Ibis Hamburg Airport: voucher offered at check in, able to use for another delicious weissbier at a more sensible hour
Novotel Suites Hannover: voucher offered at check in, but refused service of a beer at 9am (!). Odd but strangely appealing hotel.
Mercure Bolton Georgian House: no voucher offered (and the one time I didn't have time to use it anyway, if I did I would probably have asked)

If I can think of anywhere else I've stayed recently I will update!

Recent visit at Novotel Athens, received a drinks voucher at check in for use at the bar, two bottles of water were in the room, along with a small box of Greek sweets (similar to Turkish delight), with a welcome note from the manager.

Here comes my Sofitel experiences:

BELGIUM
- Sofitel Brussels Europe: Voucher offered at check-in, valid for 15 euros

FRANCE
- Hotel Scribe Paris managed by Sofitel: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for anything
- Sofitel Paris le Faubourg: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for anything
- Sofitel Strasbourg Grande Ile: Voucher not offered (and forgot to ask for it)

GERMANY
- Sofitel Munich Bayerpost: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for anything

HUNGARY
- Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for local beer or wine

NETHERLANDS
- Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for anything

PHILIPPINES
- Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for beer, juice or soft drink

THAILAND
- Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for certain cocktails
- Sofitel So Bangkok: Voucher not offered, instead a non-alcoholic welcome drink offered at check-in

USA
- Sofitel Miami: Voucher offered at check-in, able to use it for anything

Beside the voucher, a separate welcome drink (a glass of champagne, sparkling wine or non-alcoholic cocktail) was offered during check-in at Sofitel Paris le Faubourg (Superior room), Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge (Club Millésime room), Sofitel Legend the Grand Amsterdam (Superior room), Sofitel Philippine Plaza Manila (Club Millésime room and Junior suite), Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit (Club Millésime room and Junior suite), and Sofitel So Bangkok (Club Millésime room).

Just to contribute, based on recent stays - I've had mixed experiences of this:

FRANCE:

- Pullman Paris Montparnasse - Offered. Any drink from bar appeared to be allowed

SPAIN:

- Ibis Madrid Centro - Voucher not offered - forgot to ask
- Ibis Madrid Airport - Offered. Could use it for beer, wine (not Cava), or a soft drink
- Mercure San Sebastián - Voucher not offered - forgot to ask

MOROCCO:

- Pullman Marrakech - Offered. Any drink from bar appeared to be allowed

PORTUGAL:

- Sofitel Lisboa - Offered. Any drink from the bar appeared to be allowed

The "welcome drink" appears to be the only feature consistently offered, which is a sham, as to me it is the least important or valuable one (I tend to go out on evenings anyway, as I get no points for F&B and many Accor hotel restaurants and bars are just there to tick the box and are better avoided).

I always get one at MGallery Nemzeti in Budapest, where I basically live now, and I can ask for it to be put out for 2 persons even if it is only me who stays (they sometimes ask "will the other person sleep with you?" to which I can always come back with "we shall see after we have the drinks"). This is obviously only one per stay, but I get the soft drinks from the minibar for free as Platinum (not sure if this is consistent in other hotels, was first told about it in Budapest).

I got a drink voucher across the board ever since I became Gold, even at the ibis Berlin Kurfuerstendamm (without asking - "and this is OF COURSE your drink voucher"), and at all the Mercures. At Pullman London St. Pancras I even got a GBP 15 voucher for all F&B that was not mentioned in my rate, so it was their discretion (proved good for a generous lunch bag I asked for 15 mins before departure when I remembered about it).

I don't drink alcohol so I am not sure you can get a fancy whiskey or Moet, but I always get a fancy coffee or an alcohol-free cocktail if I ask for one (and it is on offer). I sometimes also ask for simply a bottle of water to go on departure if they aren't restocked in my room - never a problem.

To be honest, it is one of the benefits of status I do actually quite like. I think it's a fairly inexpensive gesture (for the hotel) which I tend to appreciate, especially considering hotel bars are, on the whole, a complete rip-off.

Also, because sadly I am travelling solo 90% or so of the time, it's sometimes a good excuse to go down to the bar when I might otherwise just retreat to my room, which probably isn't a bad thing.

That said, if I had to choose between a more consistent upgrading of rooms, or a free drink, I'd definitely choose the rooms!

My experience is different - I rarely find them more expensive than comparable establishments in the city I stay at. And I know many hotel bars who are actually worth going to even if not staying there - I like to dine and go for a drink at the Sofitel in my own town, for example.

If anything, Accor, as a French chain, should start working with their managers and franchisees to develop hotel restaurants and bars that would be attractive establishments on their own. Starwood seems to put much effort in promoting their F&B facilities as establishments on their own, even if quality-wise they are usually below-par.

you get down to the bar alone, you go upstairs accompanied :D

that's the magic of Accor bars :D

I must admit I rarely go to hotels for drinks, or to eat, unless staying there. I'd usually go somewhere more reasonable, thus to me hotel bar prices do tend to be expensive. I guess it depends on city, but when in Eastern Europe, or Asia, I tend to find going out and exploring is substantially cheaper, I also usually enjoy the experience more.

If only...! I do think though it probably does me good sometimes to be in a busy environment, opposed to ruminating in silence.

My experience is totally the opposite - I work in BUD now and to get a decent lunch at a midmarket price I go to the Marriott. There are many more decent midmarket choices (not only ultra-high-end and low-rent) in more developed markets.

this is my first reply in flyertalk :D

Hong Kong:
ibis North Point (no welcome drink, no voucher)
ibis Sheung Wan (no welcome drink, no voucher)
Novotel Nathan Road (no welcome drink, no voucher)

Macau:
Sofitel Macau (no welcome drink, no voucher - i was staying at executive floor!)

Taiwan:
Novotel Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport (no welcome drink, no voucher)

China:
Sofitel Guangzhou (no welcome drink, no voucher)
Novotel Beijing Sanyuan (no welcome drink, no voucher)

Malaysia:
Pullman Putrajaya Lakeside (welcome drink with alcoholic option)

Vietnam:
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi (welcome drink + voucher for selected items)
Mercure Hanoi La Gare (no welcome drink, no voucher)

Singapore:
ibis Singapore Novena (no welcome drink, no voucher)

Indonesia:
ibis Styles Bali Kuta Circle (no welcome drink, no voucher)
Sofitel Bali Nusa Dua Beach Resort (welcome drink upon request)

Thailand:
ibis Phuket Patong (no welcome drink, no voucher)
ibis Bangkok Siam (no welcome drink, no voucher)
ibis Styles Chiang Mai (no welcome drink, no voucher)
ibis Bangkok Riverside (no welcome drink, no voucher)
ibis Bangkok Sathorn (no welcome drink, no voucher)
ibis Pattaya (no welcome drink, no voucher)
Veranda Chiang Mai (welcome drink)
Mercure Bangkok Siam (welcome drink voucher)
VIE Hotel Bangkok (welcome drink voucher)
Hotel Muse Bangkok (welcome drink)
Sofitel So Bangkok (welcome drink + voucher)
Pullman Bangkok Kingpower (welcome drink)

Welcome kcl0203!
Hope you can contribute more to the accor thread!

I think Budapest is a funny one, in the fact it can be an incredibly cheap city when it comes to eating and drinking out, but it can also be incredibly expensive also. It's definitely one you have to research if you want a good deal, I find.