£75 for three bottles of water? Only in London.
London’s Wellesley Hotel is in hot water for charging a businessperson £75 for three bottles of sparkling water.
Property adviser Edward Heaton was left baffled after he had to pay more than £50 towards the hotel bar’s “minimum spend” and an £8.33 service charge in addition to £16.50 for the three bottles.
Heaton to took to twitter to vent out his frustration over the charge.
He tweeted: “Avoid @wellesleylondon – £75 for 3 San Pellegrino in their garden. Not told of minimum spend of £25/head. #ripoff”
Avoid @wellesleylondon – £75 for 3 San Pellegrino in their garden. Not told of minimum spend of £25/head. #ripoff pic.twitter.com/0QRHaROsqa
— Edward Heaton (@EdwardHeaton) July 23, 2014
@EdwardHeatonThanks 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 Wellesley (@wellesleylondon) July 23, 2014
Speaking to the Standard, Heaton said: “I have no issue if they have a minimum charge, but they need to make it clear.
“I was meeting a client and it was a very hot day, around 4pm, and we asked for three bottles of water.
“There was no menu, we just gave our order, had the water and then I asked for a bill. It came to £75 — for three small bottles of water. I thought it was extraordinary and I quietly asked if it was correct and they said ‘yes, there is a minimum order of £25 per person after 4pm’.
“I didn’t want to make a scene because of the people I was with, so I paid the bill but got in touch with them later to complain. “
“There were no menus when we sat down and no one explained the minimum spend.”
A statement from the hotel said: “The Wellesley applies a minimum spend of £25 per person as standard after 4pm for guests occupying the hotel’s cigar terraces … Guests are made aware of this policy on arrival and the rates are printed on the menus.
“Mr Heaton did send an email of complaint the following week. In response, The Wellesley’s management team replied on the same day to offer its sincere apologies to Mr Heaton for an experience he deemed less than satisfactory and we would like to take this opportunity to apologise again.”
Now read:
Leave a Comment