MAn charged extra €20 for drinking his own wine in his own hotel room...

Captain Havoc

The hotels I worked in had a more primative automatic minibar system. Once the items were removed the guest was charged. Completely useless in my opinion, a) you just new when you saw everything that's in the minibar appear on the screen that the customer didn't have them: "so sir that'll be €78 for 2 cans of coke, mars bars, lilt, diet coke and pringles" guest "I didn't have anything from the minibar" me "I'm sorry my computer is showing that you took these items from the minibar" guest "I only took them out to keep my sambos fresh" me "OK no problem, that happens (with almost every fúcking guest) a lot because we've an automatic system". Where as beating your receptionists until they learn to say "did you have anything from the minibar" seems to be the cheaper option.

The other one I used to love was the "special films". For these you generally need to put in your room number with the remote to access them, to make sure there's no mistake. Me "that'll be €10 for the pay movie" (normal movies were cheaper but I never let on that I knew he was having a Tommy Tank), guest "oh, that was an error, I only turned it on by accident" Me "I'm sorry but you do need to follow a set of instructions to turn it on" guest usually slams money or credit card on counter. There was this one pilot who used to get one every time he was in the hotel. I almost got caught rotten when I changed hotel with the same group, I was staying in the hotel with another member of staff. We were working the night shift and had training during the day so they gave us a room. He was gone out so I decided to take a look at the new Pay TV system that was being installed but was not yet charging to the main system. I turned on "Hells anals" or some similarly titled movie. Anyway, went to sleep. Later we were doing the Pay TV training and going through what it does, one of the functions that we were showed was you can see which room, watched what movie and when. The face on me as I saw Room 311 "Hells Anals" 8:15. Thankfully nobody noticed or was too polite to say it was me. Well, I had my fun and that's all that matters

_Kooli_

Kipperhell wrote: »

It really depends on the type of hotel and generally quality. Modern hotels of a medium standard do tend to have them (Holiday Inn types). Fancy ones don't as they see it as unnecessary for the amount of hassle, older and cheaper hotels tend to use pen and paper.

It really is quite an efficient way to do things some hotels have a disclaimer about removing products from the fridge which I think negates the idea that you can question the charge. Most hotels are reasonable about this one way or the other. It is often best to have a policy of not arguing with the customer but there is always staff which are a bit over zealous.

There used to be a plastic tab on fridges that once broken meant you were charged for at least the least expensive item. I would say some places might still use that system.

You cant disclaim something that is illegal to do in the first place.

As a previous poster said - Imagine Tesco having a disclaimer saying that anything you lift to look at you must pay for and thats that. I dont see that going far tbh.

Folks, if you get screwed by this, just call Visa or the cops right there and then at reception.

Yakuza

Slightly OT: I was in Disneyland (Paris) (Hotel New York) earlier on this year with the wife and kids. We put some of the youngest's bottles in there (he was 1¾ at the time). They were able to detect how many times the fridge was *opened*. I knew about minibars having sensors detecting when stuff was removed, but monitoring how often the fridge was opened was a new one on me!

WindSock

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Or the people that open the drinks IN the minibar, and proceed to lie on the floor, and use a straw to drink them, so the sensor doesn't work!

Hahaha! I think I will link this post to the stingy thread :pac:

Kipperhell

_Kooli_ wrote: »

You cant disclaim something that is illegal to do in the first place.

As a previous poster said - Imagine Tesco having a disclaimer saying that anything you lift to look at you must pay for and thats that. I dont see that going far tbh.

Folks, if you get screwed by this, just call Visa or the cops right there and then at reception.

It isn't illegal if it is clearly stated that removal from the hotel provided fridge is considered a purchase. The cops will not get involved in a civil dispute of this nature. You sign the disclaimer on accepting the key for the room and there are warnings on the fridges in such places.

A completely different situation to Tesco or a shop.

Sofiztikated

_Kooli_ wrote: »

Folks, if you get screwed by this, just call Visa or the cops right there and then at reception.

I'd say you're a pleasant customer alright. What most people think is illegal and not fair is usually wrong.

_Kooli_

Sofiztikated wrote: »

I'd say you're a pleasant customer alright. What most people think is illegal and not fair is usually wrong.

If someone tries to steal money from me, using stupid disclaimers that on taking a room key i am devoid of rights, and using gadgets that are designed to add money to my bill buy saying i have bought something that i actually havent bought, then no, im not going to be a pleasant customer.

If you you claim i owe you money because i moved a bottle, then call the cops on me because i did not buy that bottle.

This smacks of those signs in cloak rooms that you pay to leave your coat in. "The management are not responsible ..... ". Actually, they are if they took your money for a service.

Sofiztikated

I agree, I don't agree to charging people for something they didn't use.

But like it or not, the registration cards used on check in are a legal contract with the hotel, and by signing them, you have accepted the terms and conditions within that contract.

Oh, and as regards those signs, let me dig out my college stuff. Its upstairs somewhere. Hospitality law, and I'll let you know the legal status on them.

Edit: I vaguely remember something about it not completely passing off liability, but limiting the amount liable to €127, in law. Not completely sure about that.

RMD

_Kooli_ wrote: »

Thats Illegal.
He is perfectly entitle to drink whatever he wants inside his hotel room.
He should make a complaint to the cops and his CC company too.

Actually as a privately owned business they can create rules stating it's illegal to consume food or drinks within the hotel bought off premises, same way a cinema can confiscate food purchased off premises.

segaBOY

Well they may have skanked €20 of this customer, but I was planning on getting a room for a relative of mine visiting Dublin there and they have just lost my business.

rubadub

rubadub wrote: »

I wonder if it was on the reg card. And did it clearly say corkage is €10 per 750ml bottle of wine.

Sofiztikated wrote: »

I doubt the €10 was on the reg card, christ, if every little thing was on the reg card, it would end up being 15 pages long, and some div would still find out something that wasn't there.

I don't agree with the €10 charge for the corkage in the room, but I was just explaining how hotels can charge you for items after you have left.

But if it is to be legally binding I expect they do have to list it, otherwise it was not in the contract -that is all I am explaining. If it is legally binding then it could have been €20,000 corkage/fine. This is why I doubt it is legally binding. They usually will have soiling fees in the list, if somebody nicked a TV then it is a proper criminal matter, I do not expect the price of a TV to be listed.

I am not sure what corkage could fall under, "theft of service"?

RMD wrote: »

Actually as a privately owned business they can create rules stating it's illegal to consume food or drinks within the hotel bought off premises, same way a cinema can confiscate food purchased off premises.

I don't think a cinema can confiscate food, (i.e. take it off you for good) they simply refuse entry if you insist on bringing it in. I think this came up in consumer affairs before. They can create a rule, they cannot state it is "illegal" as though its their own country with their own laws.

orourkeda wrote: »

Can you get charged for **** in the shower of your hotel room?

You probably can, since the concierge could have arranged a whore to do it for you, €2,000 please.

"I see madam did not avail of the ass-wiping maid, €500 please"

_Kooli_

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Oh, and as regards those signs, let me dig out my college stuff. Its upstairs somewhere. Hospitality law, and I'll let you know the legal status on them.

Edit: I vaguely remember something about it not completely passing off liability, but limiting the amount liable to €127, in law. Not completely sure about that.

I'll save you the trouble. I used to work in a hotel (One of McGettigans, funnily enough). Most people were fobbed off by those signs. Some took cases against the hotel and won, regardless of those signs.

cournioni

pebbles21 wrote: »

Few years ago i booked a suite in the Westbury to suprise the wife on our first anniversary

So trying to be smart i brought in my own drink ,took all the drink out of the mini bar and replaced it with mine to keep it cold

I didnt know the fcuking mini bar had sensors in it ! cost me a fortune :mad:

That is one of the funniest things I've read in ages!

pebbles21

rubadub wrote: »

So you paid for it??!? even though you didn't drink any

It came up on the bill on the TV so assumed i would have to pay, i took them home anyhows !

grundie

The sensor thing is real. I once reviewed an programming API for a retro fit system that involved replacing the shelves inside the fridge with special sensor plates. There were two versions, one that operated by weight, the other worked by attaching RFID tags to the products. The second type made it almost impossible to replace products as you would have to peel off a tamper resistant sticker containing the RFID chip and place it on the replacement item.

The best minibar system I have ever seen was in a fairly upmarket hotel in Glasgow. They called them 'Honesty Fridges', it was up to guests to report back on what they had used via a pencil and pen. A sign on the fridge read "We donate 50% of minibar sales profits to charity. If you steal from the honesty fridge you are stealing from hungry children."

newmills

JohnCleary wrote: »

For shame, I was listening to Joe Duffy earlier today (Wasn't my fault, was on in the place I was eating)

Fella on the radio, had stayed in the Regency Hotel in Dublin (Is that the one in Drumcondra?) with his wife and 2 young kids. They couldn't go to the bar because that would be illegal, so he brought 2 of his own bottles and drank them in the room (He left the empties behind him)

Few days later (he paid leaving with his credit card) he was charged an extra 20euro (seperate bill). He emailed, got a reply 13 days later saying that it was because he consumed his own alcohol in the room.

What a fcuking disgrace (imho) - What they've made in that 20euro I reckon they'll lose in future business. Let this be a lesson, take your empties with you! I often bring a cheeky bottle of vodka when staying in a hotel for a drink before/after I go out... bit shocked tbh

The questions:
Has this ever happened anyone here?
Anyone ever hear of it happening before?

Go on...well you emailed me!!