About every 6 months or so, I wind up with bogus mini-bar charges on a bill. It happened to me again last week at the Ren Harborplace in Baltimore. Charges were not on my final bill, but were added later and were on the email folio that I received.

Funny thing is, not only did I not consume anything from the mini-bar, I didn't even open it, and I didn't even take the key for it.

But, nonetheless, it seems like I have this problem at least twice a year on average. I'd like to think that I'm not intentionally being ripped off by Marriott. I wonder if it could be an unscrupulous housekeeper helping themself and then claiming that the bar needed to be restocked.

Anyway, I've never had a problem getting the charges removed, but it is frustrating - if I didn't pay attention to the email folio and the charges that appear on my credit card, I could easily be overcharged.

Has anyone else run into this problem?

It has happened to me before as well, and it doesn't seem to be just a Marriott problem. If I stay in a room with one, I will normally refuse the key. But even that doesn't always save me as I have been charged sometimes then as well.

I have noticed that some hotels have a "breakable" seal on the mini-bar. And as long as the seal isn't broken, they know I haven't been in there and don't usually charge.

This also happens to me about once or twice a year. Calling to get bogus charges removed is always a big hassle relative to the amount of money at stake, but I still do it.

Bruce

I was recently charged for the water which some hotels temptingly leave in the room. I had purchased the same brand from a convenience store near the hotel and left the empty in the trash can of my room. It's a nuisance.
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13F

I never touch the minibar, if charges appear they are usually there at checkout - and easily removed.

At the Cologne Marriott however all the minibar (including hard spirits, two bottles of wine, over 300g of belgian chocolates...) was complimentary for plats - that is service!!!

Thomas

Heh, happened to me in Baltimore as well (about a year ago), although it was at the Marriott Waterfront. I did take the key, and I did open it once to peek, but I never removed anything. The bogus bill was $35! To their credit, they did take it right off the bill, but that makes me wonder if they know they have a problem with shrinkage. As I recall, I even checked out at the desk that morning, but I can't remember if they reprinted my folio. I never saw it until an extra charge hit on my credit card. I suppose it's possible they had a different problem, just got the room number wrong or something.

The mysterious extra charges on your credit card really bother me. They always ask when you check out if you used the minibar. I always say no, because I never use them -- never, never, never. Then a few days later, they just go ahead and charge my credit card without notifying me or questioning the discrepancy between what I already told them -- that is, no minibar usage -- and what they decided is the truth. I have had these bogus charges appear on a Marriott gift card, which is a debit card without a statement. Only by checking my remaining balance did I happen to discover what had happened.

Bruce

I had the same experience once at the Marriott Marquis in Atlanta. The $4 bottle of water that they place on the bathroom counter. I never drink the water. I bring my own drinks. Days after checkout the extra $4 appears within the Marriott credit card transaction. I always keep the "check-out" folio until the charge hits my account to confirm that they have charged me right.

I had an experience at the Marriott Waterfront with the snack bar 4 years ago. I never asked for the key to the snack bar. But, one day I found a bag of snacks unopened on my counter. I called the front desk and told them about it. They told me to just throw them away. If I remember correctly, at the Marriott Waterfront, someone comes around and checks the stock to see if it has been used. I believe that I was charged for the snacks, but if so, they were removed.

I believe that these various hotels may charge your card just to see if you will respond to the charges.

It's interesting to note that a couple people have commented about the problems at the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront - I've had problems there too.

I would encourage everyone to take advantage of the new service where you get your final folio by email - that's how I spotted this charge, before it even hit my credit card.

In the past, you would see the charge on your credit card, know that it was for the wrong amount, but you'd then have to call the property to find out what the difference was for. At least now, it is possible to know what the discrepancy is prior to calling.

Has anyone ever had a hotel to dispute your mini/snack bar complaint?

IIRC, Blockbuster was fined in U.S. for a concerted effort to add bogus late fees to accounts knowing most people more likely to shrug and pay the few dollars than fight it. A few follars here, a few there and it adds up. And while not wanting to paint all Marriotts with the same brush, I can't help but wonder having gone through similiar things as the previous posters whether the individual hotels have opted for the same tactics. Maybe that's the skeptic in me, but it's just a thought I've harboured for a while...

I am sure these bogus charges and bad customer feedback are one of the reasons most hotels are eliminating minibars and putting in small refrigerators...they don't want the grief...and they claim that with the cost of service, they aren't making money on $3 sodas and candy bars

;tis really true? Do they refill it during ur stay? or is it a one time comp?

The prices are way too high so I avoid all inroom purchases. The prices feel like price-gouging and don't create a very customer friendly atmosphere. If those kind of prices are necessary then minibars deserve to be eliminated. The real question is if they lowered prices and sold more products whether they could make money.

I think bogus mini-bar charges sometimes just "go with the territory" from time to time. I agree its not just a Marriott problem. Fortunately, they don't happen all that often, and my experience with Marriott is they always get resolved quickly and easily.

My favorite story involves a guy I used to work for. He was in an L.A. hotel (not a Marriott) when an earthquake set off his motion-detector operated mini-bar and he incurred $1,100 in charges. The exchange with the obviously inexperienced front desk clerk went something like this....

Guest: The earthquake set off the motion detector in my mini bar. I didn't open the mini bar or use anything from it.

Gir (dead serious): Well maybe you don't remember it.

Guest: Well, miss...even if I did open the mini bar, I couldn't have possibly consumed that much booze.

Girl: Well maybe there was a party going on in your room.

Guest: There wasn't....and even if there was, how could everyone grabbed something at precisely the same moment as indicated on the time stamp? Which also happens to be the precise moment of the earthquake.

Girl: Well maybe you just don't remember.

At this point a manager came along, apologized, and ended the conversation. I've often wondered if the girl involved still makes her living serving customers!