Mini-Bar vs Fridge

[Renato1]

After staying in five other hotels during this trip to the USA (3 Star to 5 star), last night we checked into the Mirage in Las Vegas. Much to my dismay, unlike in the other five hotels, it had a mini-bar that I couldn't use - except to press buttons in order to open it and take out the drink I'd programmed.

We've previously struck the unuseable minibar trick in London (Melia White House) and Paris (Concord Lafayette)

The ad for the Mirage in Booking.com says that they offer a mini-bar.

I now rate this hotel the lowest of the lot, as I am reduced to using the ice bucket to keep my Pepsi Max and chocolate milk cool if I get thirsty or a bit of heartburn over night. I could order a rental fridge, but the hotel charges US$35 rent a night.

What do you think -
a. Reasonable, as mini-bar is there, versus
b. Misleading, as it can't be used for personal use?
Regards,
Renato

 

[BAM1748]

Vegas is all about the up sell. (hotels in the US are normally happy to provide a fridge for free, but wouldn't expect that in Vegas)

When in do as.......the ice bucket isn't that bad surely.

Matt

 

[Renato1]

Vegas is all about the up sell. (hotels in the US are normally happy to provide a fridge for free, but wouldn't expect that in Vegas)

When in do as.......the ice bucket isn't that bad surely.

Matt

Thanks for your thoughts. It's not so bad, but not so good either.

The thing is, if I knew some other hotel here gave me a fridge or minibar I could use, or a free fridge, I'd have picked them ahead of the Mirage.
Regards,
Renato

 

[Dr Ralph]

I'd be unhappy that I missed out the use of the advertised fridge.


I assume that they still offered the obligatory ice machines on every floor like most other US hotels?

 

[Renato1]

I'd be unhappy that I missed out the use of the advertised fridge.


I assume that they still offered the obligatory ice machines on every floor like most other US hotels?

Yes, the ice machine was there on my floor. The ice bucket also works for cooling down my Hershey chocolate bar and M&Ms - so long as the packet isn't open.

This morning I got ultra annoyed with this money extraction hotel yet again.
I was running low on money and tried to get some out of the Casino ATM - where the cost came up at US$6.99 per withdrawal. So I cancelled and walked down the road to a Walgreens store where it was US$3 - which is still higher than the $1.50 to $2 I had been paying in other hotels, but much better than the Casino rate.

There just aren't that many easily available Citibank branches for the fee-free withdrawals on my Citibank card where I've been staying (except for Washington).
Regards,
Renato

 

[Buzzard]

After staying in five other hotels during this trip to the USA (3 Star to 5 star), last night we checked into the Mirage in Las Vegas. Much to my dismay, unlike in the other five hotels, it had a mini-bar that I couldn't use - except to press buttons in order to open it and take out the drink I'd programmed.

We've previously struck the unuseable minibar trick in London (Melia White House) and Paris (Concord Lafayette)

The ad for the Mirage in Booking.com says that they offer a mini-bar.

I now rate this hotel the lowest of the lot, as I am reduced to using the ice bucket to keep my Pepsi Max and chocolate milk cool if I get thirsty or a bit of heartburn over night. I could order a rental fridge, but the hotel charges US$35 rent a night.

What do you think -
a. Reasonable, as mini-bar is there, versus
b. Misleading, as it can't be used for personal use?
Regards,
Renato

Poor? - Yes
Misleading? - No, based on the part of your post highlighted they did have a mini bar.

To me the word hotel means price gouge somewhere be it have a drink, make a phone call, pay your bill with any credit card etc.
It's just what hotels do, I just get on with it.

 

[basso]

There just aren't that many easily available Citibank branches for the fee-free withdrawals on my Citibank card where I've been staying (except for Washington).

Citibank ATMs can often be found in 7-11s. Citi also has a fee free agreement with MoneyPass, but I've never tried to see if that extends to the Australian issued cards.

 

[Nug300]

Trick i learnt when staying in Vegas (but will apply equally anywhere that has ice machines) to keep alcohol cold.

Fill up the sink with ice from the ice machine, and use it like an esky, plenty of space to keep stuff cold.

Use the shower/bath taps to wash hands etc if/when required.

 

[Renato1]

Citibank ATMs can often be found in 7-11s. Citi also has a fee free agreement with MoneyPass, but I've never tried to see if that extends to the Australian issued cards.

Thanks. I didn't notice in the 7-11s I used, but I'll keep an eye out.
Regards,
Renato

Poor? - Yes
Misleading? - No, based on the part of your post highlighted they did have a mini bar.

To me the word hotel means price gouge somewhere be it have a drink, make a phone call, pay your bill with any credit card etc.
It's just what hotels do, I just get on with it.

I think I'll write to Booking.com and ask that they make hotels disclose fully what their minibar allows.
Probably get nowhere, but who knows?
Cheers,
Renato

Trick i learnt when staying in Vegas (but will apply equally anywhere that has ice machines) to keep alcohol cold.

Fill up the sink with ice from the ice machine, and use it like an esky, plenty of space to keep stuff cold.

Use the shower/bath taps to wash hands etc if/when required.

I had actually thought of that idea - but my wife was unhappy.
Cheers,
Renato

 

[Foreigner]

Elsewhere i recently read that the guest wanted to keep medicine in fridge,,, do you think hotel may provide one at no cost to you in this instance?

 

[Orange Freeway Exit 2]

I wouldn't have any problems with this type of mini bar, but charging $US35 a night to rent a fridge is a total ripoff. Last time I stayed in Vegas I paid less than that for my room ($US29 per night).

 

[Renato1]

I wouldn't have any problems with this type of mini bar, but charging $US35 a night to rent a fridge is a total ripoff. Last time I stayed in Vegas I paid less than that for my room ($US29 per night).

Agree, a total rip-off.

I forgot to mention, we also had no coffee making equipment in the room. So every morning it was down to Starbucks where one paid $4 for a cup that one only pays $1.69 at the Starbucks at Macy's in NY.

We are now in San Francisco where we have the fridge we can use, we have coffee making equipment, we can get unlimited free coffees across the road at a bakery by showing our hotel key, and there is no $33 a day Resort fee plus tax that I had to pay this morning when I checked out at Las Vegas. We're never going back there again.

Cheers,
Renato

P.S. Last night we saw the dumbest show we've ever seen, Cirque de Soliel KA at the MGM Grand. It may have cost $160 million to produce, but we couldn't follow any of it.

 

[Renato1]

Elsewhere i recently read that the guest wanted to keep medicine in fridge,,, do you think hotel may provide one at no cost to you in this instance?

She did ask if I wanted a medicine fridge or a personal use one. I said personal and didn't enquire about the medical one.
Renato