Travelers savvy in the ways of securing cheap fares, whether cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages steer clear of hotel mini-bars because they have found that they could buy the same items for much less at nearby convenience stores.
Between 2009 and 2010 annual mini-bar revenue per available room fell from $392 to $368. Given that this is still meaningful hotel income, and is affordable to manage, many hotels are determined to employ strategies to turn around this trend. In fact the cost to monitor guests consumption at mini-bars has fallen significantly by employing technology that automatically charges guests for the items they take.
To make mini-bars attractive again hotels are moving away from selling standard snack food such as M&Ms and potato chips. Instead they are selling higher end products like aloe vera pulp juice or crystal studded designed water; items not found at nearby convenience shops.
Hotels believe that they can increase mini-bar sales by adjusting their offerings to reflect the tastes of their clientele. Some hotels have started offering fat free or exotic treats such as coconut water, muscle milk and Parmesan chips.
Select hotels have started looking at their mini-bars as extensions of their properties personality and are turning to items that add to the mystique and experience of their guests.
The following are some examples of hotel mini-bars upgrading:
$25 bottles of bling h20 (water) decorated with genuine Swarovski crystals are being offered at the Trump International Hotel & Tower in Chicago.
Honeydrop drinks consisting of locally made juices and teas sweetened with wildflower honey instead of refined sugar can be found at the Delamar Greenwich Harbor and Delamar Southport, both in Connecticut.
Hotels want to stand out from their competition and see unique mini-bar offerings as a great opportunity. www.cheapfares.com