Hotel charges $135 for three bottles of water
We’ve all heard stories of ludicrous prices abroad, but $135 for three bottles of water at a London hotel? Is it served by the Queen herself?
Businessman Edward Heaton was astounded to be slapped with a £75 ($135) bill for three 500ml bottles of San Pellegrino (also known as water) after meeting a client at the swish Crystal Bar at the five-star Wellesley Hotel in central London.
The charge for the water was actually only £16.50, but the hotel bar added on a minimum spend of £25 a head after 4pm which Heaton says was never explained to him.
“For £75, we probably could have had a nice glass of wine each or maybe even a bottle of champagne,” Mr Heaton told UK publication The Independent, vowing to never set foot in the hotel again.
Not wanting to make a scene in front of a client, Heaton paid the bill but later complained in an email to hotel management. He says staff members failed to mention the minimum charge policy.
The property advisor posted a photo of his receipt to Twitter saying: “Avoid @wellesleylondon - £75 for 3 San Pellegrino in their garden. Not told of minimum spend of £25/head. #ripoff.”
He received a response but no apology from the hotel’s official Twitter handle.
“Thanks for letting us know. We will make sure our policy at the Crystal Bar is dazzlingly clear to all in future. All the best.”
The reply seems to have further incensed astonished viewers.
Heaton says he doesn’t disagree with the minimum charge itself.
“It is the lack of transparency that I have a problem with.”
