A New Generation of Minibars

Don't be surprised if you find socks, condoms or even a rubber duckie inside your hotel minibar. Many hotels are now stocking their minibars with non-food items -- and tracking consumption with high-tech gadgets. But you should still think twice before you open that door.

By Nelia Paculan
Web Editor, Worldroom.com

The hotel minibar has come a long way since the early 1960s, when German manufacturer Siegas introduced a small in-room refrigerator containing various consumable products. Today you might be surprised at what you find when you give in to that midnight craving and open the door to the minibar.

Many hotels have moved beyond the usual stock of beer, bottled water and chocolate bars to include non-food items that guests might need. And the new generation of minibars has been given fancy-sounding names like "refreshment center" or "e-fridge" as hotels incorporate high-tech features to monitor purchases.

To cater to female guests' needs, for instance, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Atlanta, provides practical items such as tights, nail-polish remover and painkillers. "While we have always been sensitive to their (traveling women executives) concerns about security, and even the types of hangers available in the wardrobe, we wanted to take that a step further by providing the kinds of necessities guests often request," General Manager Jim McManemon says.

For men, the hotel has started stocking the minibar with black socks after a number of guests asked hotel staff for directions to the nearest clothes shop. This proved a popular addition for absent-minded businessmen who needed a fresh pair of socks to wear with a dark suit.

Harmonicas and Voodoo Dolls
Some hotels offer even more unusual items: harmonicas in Chicago's House of Blues, rubber duckies in Triton, San Francisco, herbal stress-relief masks in Boston's Fairmont Copley Plaza and voodoo dolls in New Orleans' W. And other new items, such as single-use cameras and pantyhose, minibar manufacturer In-Room Plus, supplier of minibar products, has what it calls "intimacy kits" which include condoms.

To accommodate all these and other new items, such as single-use cameras and pantyhose, minibar manufacturer Bartech Systems Corp., last summer launched in the European market a minibar model with a side "dry" section for non-food products.

Minibar Systems, which has installed more than 700,000 minibars and safes worldwide since the early '70s, has glass-front compact minibars. The reasoning: A better view of the munchies will result in more impulse purchases.

Going High-Tech
Many of today's "smart" minibars have infrared sensors that automatically record your purchase on your room bill. Some systems also unlock your minibar once you check in and lock it up again when you check out. Others tell the central computer system or a roaming chambermaid with a handheld monitor whether the minibar has been opened.

"Minibar operations have become an intricate aspect in hotel operations the past few years," explains Kevin Ryder, marketing manager of Minibar Systems. "As would be expected, these operations have become more sophisticated in both profitability and efficiency."

Bartech's e-fridge places infrared sensors under all the products in the minibar. When a guest picks up an item, the system sends a message to the hotel's central computer system. If the item is put back in a prescribed period of time, it's not recorded as consumed - but the chambermaid is still alerted to check whether the product has been tampered with.

Atlantic Mini-Fridge Co. Ltd. has a model that's equipped with a small radio frequency transmitter installed behind the in-room bar. Without disturbing the guest, a chambermaid can walk up to a room, punch the number into a handheld unit and the display will indicate whether the minibar had been opened. The handheld unit can also report the temperature of the in-room bar and detect whether the power was turned off or the door was left open -- all without entering the room.

Dometic, a subsidiary of Electrolux, has a model called Grapevine that has a door sensor that sends a signal to the hotel's central computer each time the unit's door is opened. The alert system can print out a list of all units that have been opened and which ones need restocking. After restocking, the attendant triggers a restock switch that gives an audible signal and resets the system counter.

Expensive Snacking Option
The ultimate goal of this new generation of high-tech minibars, Ryder says, is to save time and labor costs for the hotel while reducing pilferage and increasing usage by the hotel guest. Keep in mind, they are not designed to save you money as the minibar remains an extremely costly snacking alternative.

On the positive side for the hotel guest, these new high-tech minibars can save you time at checkout since a chambermaid doesn't have to go to your room to see if you made any purchases. The downside? Once you've raided the minibar, you can't replace the goodies the next day with stuff you buy for a fraction of the cost from the supermarket.

In the coming years, minibars may look even more different from their predecessors and their contents may change but they are here to stay -- especially if hotels operate them more as a true service answering their guests' changing needs and less as a profit center.

	Tips on Avoiding the Minibar Pack your own healthy, satisfying snacks, such as low-fat crackers and fruits. If your minibar has a key, do not get it at check-in. You won't be able to gobble up the munchies if you can't get at them. Do something else when you get a craving: read a book; take a relaxing bath; or sleep off the urge to munch. If you can't resist having drinks or snacks, buy your own supply at a grocery store near your hotel. This way you might feel guilty about the calories, but at least not about the prices. The walk will also do you good. When possible, stay on a concierge/executive floor serving snacks. The cost of these snacks and drinks is usually included in the price of the room, which most companies pay for. Check out room service -- it might have better food choices, and slightly better prices. Some companies even allow room services expenses as part of their travel policy.

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