Hotel minibars may become extinct
By Hugo Martin, Los Angeles Times
Is it time to say goodbye to the hotel minibar?
A recent survey by the travel website TripAdvisor.com found that the hotel minibar was the least important amenity for U.S. travelers. Only 21 percent of travelers ranked the mini-bar as an important amenity, compared to 89 percent who called free in-room wireless Internet the most important.
There is little financial reason to keep minibars. Hotel consulting firms estimate that minibars generate no more than 0.24 percent of total hotel revenue, with much of that eaten up by the cost to check and restock the bars.
