City hotels suffering from rise in bedroom boozers

anncoates

Aidric wrote: »

Do such places exist in Ireland?

They were called Hostels before the boom

krudler

ibarelycare wrote: »

I've stayed in a hotel before where we've had pizza delivered! The hotel were even good enough to recommend a place!

Same, a lot of hotels don't care, you've paid for the room so do what you want in it. Depends how long I'm in a place for tbh, one night out on the town the other chilling in the room if you're there for a full weekend. Had all sorts of weekends/city breaks

xLexie

See maybe I'm just very low maintence, but I don't really see a problem with ordering pizza/chips/Chinese, in a hotel room or going to the off licence and buying wine.

A bottle of wine is a bottle of wine. Does it mean you're more romantic because you buy the same wine in the hotel for three times the price? Or order food that you don't even like, just because that's what you're supposed to do. Bollocks to that.

rossie1977

i stayed in the burlington friday night and as we were going up to bed at 3.30am security were clearing out a room where a party was on-going on our floor

ScumLord

xLexie wrote: »

A bottle of wine is a bottle of wine. Does it mean you're more romantic because you buy the same wine in the hotel for three times the price?

I don't expect hotels to match supermarket prices, there does have to be a service cost for the staff waiting on the guest. Even if the guest never makes full use of the staff, the staff has to be on standby waiting to fulfill guests requests.

I don't see how the charges need to be so high for this service but I guess they must be, They're already paying as little as possible for staff. They've already cheapened the experience by removing freebies and extras from the rooms.

There are other costs that we wouldn't see though, higher hygiene standards, more expensive equipment to meet standards, expensive fire safety equipment. There are a lot of background charges that wouldn't have been there 20 years ago.

Of course the consumer has the ultimate say. If we start moving to cheaper hotels like travel lodges or even onto hostels (which can offer a fairly good private room) then we will see the end of the service laden hotel affordably priced, they will become a reserve for the very rich who don't mind spending lots of money so they don't have to move off their seat. Which is maybe how it's always been, our taste of the high life is over and now it's back to budget hotels.

rubadub

On stag-dos, or the day after a wedding I have often drank in the room, never all night, but a few drinks getting ready or after the night out. You can smoke there, have your own music on, the TV whatever. Bring in a better selection of drinks than the miserable choice in most pubs.

bluewolf wrote: »

I've never brought alcohol into the room, we'd go to the bar for that Unless they leave a bottle of something in the room for us

Thats the weird thing, if its left there it can seem to be "extra special", if you were at a wedding and the couple said "oh we had some lovely champagne in the bedroom, they left a complimentary bottle it for us" and people would think it fine & romantic (complimentary me bollocks, its obviously factored into the price). While if they bring it in themselves its suddenly a pathetic act to some.

MugMugs

Bit of a strong contrast here but there's health implications in riding in a hotel room yet they don't seem to give a fiddlers about that and if it's with the right person, it could well be more disruptive than a party.

In reality, it's hotels pissed that their over inflated drinks prices aren't being bought anymore.

ash23

There's a number of local restaurants here who promote bringing your own wine. They charge 2euro for the glass.

Maybe hotels should consider jumping on the bandwagon. Charge a flat fee for providing glasses/ice in the room or a wine cooling service. Something minimal like a couple of euro each.

I know I'd pay it. I hate drinking lukewarm wine from a bathroom glass.....but I'll do it rather than paying 4 times the price in the bar.

Duckworth_Luas

Stayed in a hotel in Chicago once and brought some cans back to my room. Didn't finish them all so put them in the bin when leaving.

Apparently I brook some hotel rule, outside alcohol is forbidden, and an extra charge was put on my credit cards.

xLexie

ash23 wrote: »

I hate drinking lukewarm wine from a bathroom glass.....but I'll do it rather than paying 4 times the price in the bar.

Tescos wine glasses, 1.25 each. Grand job. You can buy em when you're buying the wine to take to the hotel. :classy:

Ilyana 2.0

xLexie wrote: »

I recently stayed in a hotel for a hen night, bought a bottle of vodka and west coast cooler but needed ice, so rang down to reception to see if they would send some up. The guy that answered asked if I needed a glass of ice or an ice bucket for a bottle, so obviously not all hotels care if you buy it there or not.

I work in a hotel, and we don't mind at all if someone rings down looking for ice and glasses. It happens all the time, and you can't blame people for bringing a bottle of wine or whatever with them. Hotels charge extortionate prices for drinks. You're already paying for the room, and chances are you'll eat at least one meal there.

I wouldn't stay in a hotel room all night drinking, but one or two before you head out for the night is grand.

MugMugs

Thinking back we actually stayed in a well known Cork city hotel for a stag not so long ago.

Went back to the residents bar and asked what time he was closing. This was about 03:30. He said 4am. We asked what would happen if we brought down some bottles of Jack and Captains. He answered with "Then i'll give you some glasses and show you where the drinks machine is"

shruikan2553

If off licences are making so much more money compared to pubs and hotels why dont they have their own and a seating area. They can charge off license prices then, maybe even charge 50c to get a glass to cover the extra costs of cleaning them. Or they could just realise that it is a free market and if someone is undercutting you legally then you dont something yourself instead of telling the government they need to make a minimum price

Ilyana 2.0

shruikan2553 wrote: »

If off licences are making so much more money compared to pubs and hotels why dont they have their own and a seating area. They can charge off license prices then, maybe even charge 50c to get a glass to cover the extra costs of cleaning them. Or they could just realise that it is a free market and if someone is undercutting you legally then you dont something yourself instead of telling the government they need to make a minimum price

I could be wrong, but I'd imagine they'd need a licence to do that. And licences can cost a fortune.

Chucken

shruikan2553 wrote: »

If off licences are making so much more money compared to pubs and hotels why dont they have their own and a seating area. They can charge off license prices then, maybe even charge 50c to get a glass to cover the extra costs of cleaning them. Or they could just realise that it is a free market and if someone is undercutting you legally then you dont something yourself instead of telling the government they need to make a minimum price

I imagine its because then it would be a pub which you need a licence for.

shruikan2553

Ah right then, so you can sell alcohol for cheap but you place a chair in there and the price doubles. Seems to me that the hotels and pubs should be trying to get a change in how this works instead of trying to put off licenses out of business

ibarelycare

shruikan2553 wrote: »

Ah right then, so you can sell alcohol for cheap but you place a chair in there and the price doubles. Seems to me that the hotels and pubs should be trying to get a change in how this works instead of trying to put off licenses out of business

Since when are hotels and pubs trying to put off licenses out of business?

Ormus

ash23 wrote: »

I know I'd pay it. I hate drinking lukewarm wine from a bathroom glass.....but I'll do it rather than paying 4 times the price in the bar.

Red wine tastes better luke warm

smash

ibarelycare wrote: »

Since when are hotels and pubs trying to put off licenses out of business?

Since they lobbied to get them closed early to push traffic towards their establishments and then lobbied against "below cost" selling of alcohol, which was completely false!

ash23

Ormus wrote: »

Red wine tastes better luke warm

Jesus' blood :eek:.....bleugh

Victor Meldrew

DeanAustin wrote: »

My heart bleeds. I have a young baby ....We don't even bring him to the restaurant to make sure that no-one else is disturbed, I'm not bringing him to the bar.

The two places I've been over the last 6 months, I've spent €400-€450 both times without going to the bar and by bringing drink to the room. If that isn't enough for them, too bad.

Snap.

I've done this in 5 star hotels too (and lesser establishments). Not just booze either.

I try to bootleg it in a rucksack, walking through the lobby with a Spar bag is a bit gauche...

It is pretty much inevitable if you have kids and have to stay in the room a lot...

And don't get me started on no Tea or coffee making facilities....:mad:

ScumLord

rubadub wrote: »

You can smoke there, have your own music on, the TV whatever. Bring in a better selection of drinks than the miserable choice in most pubs.

You can't smoke in your hotel room. Not legally, plus setting off the fire alarm could end up costing you.

PrincessPreach

humbert wrote: »

There's something depressing about the thought of people going to a hotel only to spend their time drinking or partying in their rooms.

You and I have very different views on what's depressing!
I love boozing it up in my hotel room. It's even better when accompanied by a hot guy!!

ibarelycare

smash wrote: »

Since they lobbied to get them closed early to push traffic towards their establishments and then lobbied against "below cost" selling of alcohol, which was completely false!

Oh yeah!

Kinzig

shruikan2553 wrote: »

If off licences are making so much more money compared to pubs and hotels why dont they have their own and a seating area. They can charge off license prices then, maybe even charge 50c to get a glass to cover the extra costs of cleaning them. Or they could just realise that it is a free market and if someone is undercutting you legally then you dont something yourself instead of telling the government they need to make a minimum price

an off licence means that its for consumption off the premises;)

rubadub

ScumLord wrote: »

You can't smoke in your hotel room. Not legally, plus setting off the fire alarm could end up costing you.

You can if its a smoking room, which I request, some hotels might not have any, but the smoking ban did not effect this (I am guessing you think it was banned), they could have had no smoking rooms available at all before the ban.

ScumLord

rubadub wrote: »

You can if its a smoking room, which I request, some hotels might not have any, but the smoking ban did not effect this (I am guessing you think it was banned), they could have had no smoking rooms available at all before the ban.

I didn't think they still had smoking rooms in Irish hotels. I've been in one in the UK but they're as rare as hens teeth over there.

Ilyana 2.0

ScumLord wrote: »

I didn't think they still had smoking rooms in Irish hotels. I've been in one in the UK but they're as rare as hens teeth over there.

Pretty sure they're still available here but the majority would be non-smoking.

rubadub

ScumLord wrote: »

I didn't think they still had smoking rooms in Irish hotels.

We have got them the last few stags I was on.

humbert

PrincessPreach wrote: »

You and I have very different views on what's depressing!
I love boozing it up in my hotel room. It's even better when accompanied by a hot guy!!

We certainly do!

the keen edge

The best part from the article is this:

Joe Treacy, Addiction Counsellor in Galway and Secretary of the Irish Psychiatric Nurses Association, slammed the practice of people bringing in alcohol to hotel rooms and believed that it should be outlawed.

Most people stay in an Irish hotel, what, two or three times a year?
How the fcuk is drinking a few cans, bottle of wine or whatever at these rare occasions cause for concern to some addiction counsellor in Galway who happens to also be Secretary of the Irish Psychiatric Nurses Association.

I'm in no way questioning the good work of addiction counselling services and the like; however I find his input to this story is bizarre to say the very least.

stoneill

shruikan2553 wrote: »

If off licences are making so much more money compared to pubs and hotels why dont they have their own and a seating area. They can charge off license prices then, maybe even charge 50c to get a glass to cover the extra costs of cleaning them. Or they could just realise that it is a free market and if someone is undercutting you legally then you dont something yourself instead of telling the government they need to make a minimum price

because it is an OFF licence - the alcohol is to be consumed OFF the premises.

crusher000

Now whats stopping a hotel doing the followin, I once leased a Hotel for several years and ran my own business. We didn't have this problem then but a fully licensed premises can sell drink for off sales. So What's stopping any hotel setting aside an area where they can sell bottles of wine or cans to take up to your room. Now I know it will effect sales in the fully licensed bars but this is happening anyway but drink is coming in from outside. They could sell brands that they don't sell on draught or their wine menu and you have to take it to your bedroom. Still making a few bob for themselves and you don't have to plan ahead and stop at the off license. The off sales on the premises could also be for a limited time in the evening, say closes at 9 pm.

blaze1

Disneyland Paris have taken this to a whole new level, bags scanned on entry to hotel to make sure theres no gargle and backpacks etc scanned on way into the park to make sure your not bringing your own grub.

crusher000

blaze1 wrote: »

Disneyland Paris have taken this to a whole new level, bags scanned on entry to hotel to make sure theres no gargle and backpacks etc scanned on way into the park to make sure your not bringing your own grub.

God that's tight. I used to work there, obviuosly they have had this problem for a while and with the cost it is to famillies to go there people are trying to keep cost down.It is very expensive to eat and drink there. I worked there as a student so the price of drink was way beyond my means.

DeanAustin

crusher000 wrote: »

Now whats stopping a hotel doing the followin, I once leased a Hotel for several years and ran my own business. We didn't have this problem then but a fully licensed premises can sell drink for off sales. So What's stopping any hotel setting aside an area where they can sell bottles of wine or cans to take up to your room. Now I know it will effect sales in the fully licensed bars but this is happening anyway but drink is coming in from outside. They could sell brands that they don't sell on draught or their wine menu and you have to take it to your bedroom. Still making a few bob for themselves and you don't have to plan ahead and stop at the off license. The off sales on the premises could also be for a limited time in the evening, say closes at 9 pm.

I don't know the ins and outs of the law but this sounds like a pretty good idea to me. I don't think that many would have the vision to try it though.

If you want to go to the bar you will anyway. I don't think it would affect the bars that much to be honest. Maybe it would but if hotels are that worried about this 'problem', then the above is worth a try.

Teyla Emmagan

God I would hate to spend good money on a hotel room to have a bunch of kids partying in the room next door. You'd be driven mad with the noise.

Dempsey

This story smacks of a business type unwilling to change with the times/work abit harder for people's money. My heart bleeds...

blaze1

crusher000 wrote: »

God that's tight. I used to work there, obviuosly they have had this problem for a while and with the cost it is to famillies to go there people are trying to keep cost down.It is very expensive to eat and drink there. I worked there as a student so the price of drink was way beyond my means.

Madness, cant have been too much fun for you so. I paid about €19 for a pint and hot whiskey !:eek:

krudler

blaze1 wrote: »

Disneyland Paris have taken this to a whole new level, bags scanned on entry to hotel to make sure theres no gargle and backpacks etc scanned on way into the park to make sure your not bringing your own grub.

That's mental, when I was there about 4 years ago the hotel we were in near the park had a buffet breakfast included and we'd just take a few criossants or donuts or something to munch on until it was time for dinner later in the day, a lot of people did.
the food is crazy expensive in there unless you go to planet hollywood where it wasn't too bad, nowhere near as pricey as the places actually inside the park.

Robbo

the keen edge wrote: »

The best part from the article is this:

Joe Treacy, Addiction Counsellor in Galway and Secretary of the Irish Psychiatric Nurses Association, slammed the practice of people bringing in alcohol to hotel rooms and believed that it should be outlawed.

Most people stay in an Irish hotel, what, two or three times a year?
How the fcuk is drinking a few cans, bottle of wine or whatever at these rare occasions cause for concern to some addiction counsellor in Galway who happens to also be Secretary of the Irish Psychiatric Nurses Association.

I'm in no way questioning the good work of addiction counselling services and the like; however I find his input to this story is bizarre to say the very least.

The Galway papers can always get a good OTT reaction to anything booze related from Joe Treacy.

Clareboy

Its a sad reflection on Irish society that people visiting Galway with its many attractions have nothing else do but to get drunk in their rooms. They should just drink themselves to death and get it all over with!

rubadub

crusher000 wrote: »

So What's stopping any hotel setting aside an area where they can sell bottles of wine or cans to take up to your room.

They don't even need a special area. Most pubs will do takeout drink over the counter. I was on a stag and the best man went & got a box of bottles from the hotel (in galway actually) at a good price and had them in the room before heading out, they knew exactly what we were at.

Clareboy wrote: »

Its a sad reflection on Irish society that people visiting Galway with its many attractions have nothing else do but to get drunk in their rooms.

But is this actually happening? its just gutter press telling you this happens. Like the vitners going on about the rife below cost selling, with no evidence to back it up. Its a sad day if you believe their crap without question. Sounds like its the same as what would happen at home, a stag night in your hometown, you might meet in a mates house and have some drinks, head to the pub, a stag in a distant town, do the same in the hotel. Waiting till everybody arrives & is ready.

shruikan2553 wrote: »

If off licences are making so much more money compared to pubs and hotels

if you believe many publicans then many offies are making a loss or barely breaking even!

http://www.galwaynews.ie/31191-city-hotels-suffering-rise-bedroom-boozers

City hotels suffering from rise in bedroom boozers
April 23, 2013 - 7:30am
Concern as more guests smuggle in their own cheaper alcohol
By Declan Tierney

Hotels in Galway City are counting the cost of guests ‘smuggling’ in their own drink and then isolating themselves away in their rooms for the duration of their stay.

Not only is it a source of concern for hotel owners but it is an issue that has been raised by those involved in trying to control alcohol abuse.

Hoteliers say that more and more people who avail of cheap hotel deals are often bringing their own alcohol to their rooms in an effort to cut down on the cost of the break.

A large number of guests bring in bottles of wine to their rooms, but it has been claimed that younger groups who book city hotels smuggle whole ‘slabs’ of beer into their rooms for drinking parties.

Paul Gill, Chairman of the Galway Branch of the Irish Hotel Federation, told the Connacht Sentinel that a lot of city hotels were complaining of the bedroom drink culture that had emerged in recent years.

He said that there was also a growing problem of residents of hotels bringing off-licence drinks to weddings on the same premises and often these had to be confiscated by staff.

“There is often very little we can do if people decide to bring in drink for consumption in their own hotel room but it is a growing problem in the city,” Mr Gill said.

Joe Treacy, Addiction Counsellor in Galway and Secretary of the Irish Psychiatric Nurses Association, slammed the practice of people bringing in alcohol to hotel rooms and believed that it should be outlawed.

I wonder if he thinks drinking in your own house should be outlawed too, little difference really.

ibarelycare

Clareboy wrote: »

Its a sad reflection on Irish society that people visiting Galway with its many attractions have nothing else do but to get drunk in their rooms. They should just drink themselves to death and get it all over with!

It's funny how you surmised that because empty bottles are found in a hotel room, that all people do there is sit in their rooms and get drunk. Most of those people will be out and about doing stuff during the day, and then will have a few drinks in their hotel room at night. What's wrong with that?

the keen edge

Clareboy wrote: »

Its a sad reflection on Irish society that people visiting Galway with its many attractions have nothing else do but to get drunk in their rooms. They should just drink themselves to death and get it all over with!

You're totally missing the point.

This isn't about Hoteliers and the Irish hospitality industry showing concern about peoples health from the scourge of the drink.
Its them being pissed off that instead of guests buying 7 or 8 pints in the hotel bar; they're only buying 4.

There isn't any other concern from them.

FFS drinking themselves to death in a hotel room. We'll reach a grand old age if that is going to be the death of us.

I never understood how banning people from bringing their own food/drink to hotel rooms/theme parks/cinemas etc was legally enforceable. If I've paid for my hotel room, I'll bloody well eat and drink whatever I like in there. Same at the cinema. I've paid a fortune for a ticket to watch a film, why should I be forced to pay for expensive snacks I don't even want? How do these places get away with this?

Thirdfox

Arian Rich Squad wrote: »

I never understood how banning people from bringing their own food/drink to hotel rooms/theme parks/cinemas etc was legally enforceable. If I've paid for my hotel room, I'll bloody well eat and drink whatever I like in there. Same at the cinema. I've paid a fortune for a ticket to watch a film, why should I be forced to pay for expensive snacks I don't even want? How do these places get away with this?

Very(!) quick legal answer - you're given a licence to remain on the premises (film viewing, hotel etc) backed by a contractual agreement. As part of that agreement they can dictate terms that you would need to agree to.

It gets interesting when contractual terms are not stated prior to completing the contract though i.e. terms and conditions on the back of your receipt or a sign up after you bought your ticket in the cinema/hotel.

Here's the wiki entry on this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporation_of_terms_in_English_law

and especially this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incorporation_of_terms_in_English_law#Contractual_document

ScumLord

Clareboy wrote: »

Its a sad reflection on Irish society that people visiting Galway with its many attractions have nothing else do but to get drunk in their rooms.

Indeed, the done thing is to take those bottles down to Eyre square to listen to some Spanish students playing the bongos while a drunkard regiles the group with fantastic incomprehensible stories.

Hoop66

Drinking yourself to death in a hotel room

I quite fancy that. Sounds pretty rock n roll.

donutheadhomer

smash wrote: »

You're right... they should put their foot down and they should also ban non drinkers! How dare they eat into their forecasted profits from extortionately priced alcohol!

or force people ot pay the for the most expensive item on the menu no matter what they order