DYKWIA

There’s a hotel that I’ve been to a few times for special occasions not too far from me. It’s an independent, so may not qualify for “luxury” in this forum, but it has a 2 star restaurant and prices can be north of £1000 for the suites.

The last time we went there was a warning in the booking confirmation and in the room that alcohol was not to be consumed unless bought from the restaurants / bars / room service in the hotel. It was similar to the no smoking signs you see - in that they’d charge a corkage fee if there was any evidence found.

Of course, we ignored that. We were spending a fortune (for us) on the room and the meal. We went back to the room and sat on the patio and enjoyed another bottle of wine we’d brought from home. Left no evidence…

I’d not seen this before anywhere I’d been (luxury or otherwise!). Is this something that’s happening elsewhere?

xooz

You say you have been there for "special occasions". Is that the usual clientele for this location? If so, perhaps they have had trouble with people attending weddings etc. overserving themselves. I can't say I have seen this anywhere in my travels.

KatW

Not to quibble (okay, quibbling), north of $1K for a suite is not an indicator of a luxury venue since, at such places, entry-level ROOMS can be in or near that price range. To the point, I have never encountered such a stricture regarding bringing in alcohol. On land venues, very common on cruises.

Travel4Love

A few years ago staying at the Fairmont in Monaco for a week, we brought in some bottles of champagne and water from outside to drink in our room. At checkout we noticed an unfamiliar charge on our bill. Upon enquiry we were told it was a corkage fee for the bottles we had brought in. We refused to pay it.

Aventine

Some Korean properties ban outside delivery food consumption in the rooms. Yet, it's still consumed and people probably throw the trash away outside or in the parking lot.

Others charge regular guests for glassware to consume wine, etc. Grand Hyatt Seoul is notorious for doing this.

RichardInSF

Since this is apparently not about luxury hotels, I am going to move it to the UK forum where it may get a better response.

RichardInSF, moderator, luxury hotels and travel

DYKWIA

Jeez - I vowed never to post on Luxury Hotels forum again due to the snobbery, but I wanted to see if others had seen this before.... Amazing people can determine that it was not a luxury hotel despite me not mentioning the name or even the location!

tom tulpe

Their gaff, their rules - and your money to be spent elsewhere.

USA_flyer

Its a bit of a liberty charging people to bring their own booze into a room they've paid a mortgages worth of money to rent.

Premier Inn doesn't do it. What makes these places think they're special. I bet they charge for WiFi and overcharge for breakfast.

Scots_Al

ah, but the view as herds of wildebeest sweep majestically over the savannah towards the hanging gardens of Babylon make up for it.

Showing my age perhaps, but reckon that's still
younger than most here - and the description of this hotel brought Basil to mind!

USA_flyer

Basil wouldn't have charged £9.50 for a pint of Stella.

offerendum

I would be interested how they control it, if you don't throw the empty bottle in the trash. Nevertheless strange.

offerendum

Isn't 60 £ per person the fair value

USA_flyer

Not when all I want is a big bowl of cocoa pops.

tom tulpe

No corkage for cereals, I suppose. Milk would have to be smuggled in in a screw-top container to avoid an unholy mess in the waste bag.