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Attention! You consumed minibar 'ABOVE AVERAGE'!

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Old Mar 17, 2012, 2:26 am
  #16  
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Originally Posted by scienm
I stayed IC Shanghai EXPO last week and I've got an email from Ambassador Services today.

'the hotel has notified us that there was an above average consumption from the mini-bar during your stay, and we would like to bring this to your attention. The mini bar privilege is meant for your personal consumption in your guest room and only during your stay, it is not to be used for entertainment purposes.'

I stayed 2 nights with my friend(me and 1 person) and I consumed 2 champaign, 1 red wine, 2 beer, Whiskys, Some sodas for my entire stay. I consumed within the limit of standard minibar.
It was my personal consumption, in my guest room and only during my stay of course.
IMHO this is ridiculous. How do they define "above average consumption"? An average consumption is probably really low (non-RA), but I am sure that there are more than few of us (RA's) that can be at times "thirsty".

I would quite frankly wrote back and tell that the email that you received was inappropriate.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 7:06 am
  #17  
 
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Thanks for the morning laugh ...

Originally Posted by janetdoe
Roughly speaking, about 50% of all minibar consumption is 'above average'.

Tell them that, as a Royal Ambassador, you are accustomed to being in the top few percent of all IC customers. You are sorry that your minibar consumption was only 'above average'. You will work hard to elevate your performance so that you consistently fall within the top percentile of all IC minibar consumption on future stays.

Last edited by Marevna; Mar 17, 2012 at 7:13 am
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 8:57 am
  #18  
 
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What a joke. Dont give the benefit if they don't want to honour it.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 11:29 am
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by 3544quebec
I foresee the day when complimentary in-room condoms are a Royal Ambassador benefit and the hotels start notifying Ambassador Services when a guest's usage is above average
It's already happened. I once found an opened box of condoms in the toilet drawer in Crowne Plaza KL. Unfortunately since I didn't use it, I'll never know if Amb services would've dropped me an email if I did.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 12:49 pm
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Originally Posted by camsean
What a joke. Dont give the benefit if they don't want to honour it.
+1 Exact sentiments.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 12:50 pm
  #21  
 
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Clearly the hotel owners have written to IC, they hate the free mini-bar perk and would love to see it removed or limited.

This protest would not come from reception but straight from the horse's mouth (forgive the British expression).

Personally I sympathise with the position of the hotel.

Drinks are for in room consumption and if numerous bottles are missing but not in the bin or if the resident has allowed guests to consume large quanitities (I am not suggesting this is the case with the OP) it's an abuse of a valuable privilege.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 3:00 pm
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Originally Posted by midnight
Personally I sympathise with the position of the hotel.

Drinks are for in room consumption and if numerous bottles are missing but not in the bin or if the resident has allowed guests to consume large quanitities (I am not suggesting this is the case with the OP) it's an abuse of a valuable privilege.
No. That's completely the wrong approach required here! In no way can this sort of action be classed as appropriate. I'm not suggesting that clearing out mini-bars is right, and it's something I've never done, but if I felt that a hotel was snooping around in my bin to check my consumption levels then I would IMMEDIATELY check out and check myself into a proper hotel! It's quite shocking that you think that kind of behaviour from a hotel is acceptable.

The RA minibar benefit costs a hotel very little in reality, and if this sort of thing - and the removal of spirits etc - continues, then I will most definitely take my long-time IC loyalty to another chain.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 3:08 pm
  #23  
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I generally only drink softdrinks from minibar.

Still, I think this email from Ambassador service is definitely unappropriate.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 3:17 pm
  #24  
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Originally Posted by nicolas75
I generally only drink softdrinks from minibar.

Still, I think this email from Ambassador service is definitely unappropriate.
+1 on both counts. I generally only drink Diet Coke from the minibar (though, truth be told, my DC consumption is probably above average -- I am an avowed caffeine addict who has DC for breakfast). That said, the email was entirely inappropriate. Ether the minibar is offered as a perk, or it is not. The snide, suspicious innuendo is unnecessary and insulting to one of their better customers. Bad form.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 3:31 pm
  #25  
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you are an above average customer so you are egible to have "free minibar"... send a message back tell them you can be a average customer with 1-10 nights per year and take your business somwhere else...
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 3:39 pm
  #26  
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Originally Posted by scienm
Even if I consumed entire mini-bar, it's RA's privilege. They can't say I have to be cautious to consume mini-bar.
As you said, they don't know what 'free' meaning.
Wrong. They can say anything they want and, if you read the t&c, simply close out OP's account and his status. The email is a polite warning and OP ought to take it that way.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 4:22 pm
  #27  
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Originally Posted by ysolde
The snide, suspicious innuendo is unnecessary and insulting to one of their better customers. Bad form.
Indeed
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 4:28 pm
  #28  
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Originally Posted by ysolde
I generally only drink Diet Coke from the minibar (though, truth be told, my DC consumption is probably above average -- I am an avowed caffeine addict who has DC for breakfast).
Welcome to the club

PS1: My dream would be, as a Royal Ambassador, to have my minibars full of Diet Coke only . In that case, my minibar consumption will be largely above average, and certainly will receive the nasty email from Ambassador Service (I still cannot believe this story is true)

PS2: Of course I do also have a Diet Coke at breakfast.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 4:29 pm
  #29  
 
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As the OP's email was from the Ambassador Center it's fair to assume they agree with the position of the hotel management.
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Old Mar 17, 2012, 4:30 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by janetdoe
Roughly speaking, about 50% of all minibar consumption is 'above average'.
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