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Posted byKaren(Salt Lake City, Utah, USA)on
Do most hotel rooms have some sort of refrigerator in the room? If it has a mini-bar, is there usually room for at least a little of my own dairy products or are they stuffed to the max?
Posted byDavid from Seattle Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
7019 posts
"Most"....? Depends quite a bit on what kind of hotel. Staying in a large, modern, chain, business-style hotel? Yep, there will be a mini bar...but those tend to be pretty tightly packed (the mini bar is there primarily as a source of income for them, less for your personal storage).
One can (usually) remove some of the for-sale items in a mini bar to make a little room for your own stuff, but beware, some have systems built-in that will charge your room when you remove an item (even if you try to replace it later). Even if it's not set up to automatically charge you, the removed item will often be replaced the next day or next time housekeeping visits your room.
If you're staying in a small, traditional B&B type place, don't expect a mini bar in your room (though occasionally there will be a small fridge, either in your own room, or maybe one in a shared area you can use).
It's very hard to generalize. If this is important to you, you will need to check with management. Some booking services will actually list this as one of the room amenities (eg booking.com).
Posted byacraven Washington DC
28993 posts
I generally stay in budget-level rooms, and I only rarely see a mini-fridge. The hotel's own website will usually mention presence of a mini-fridge, as will booking.com, but it's true that something described as a "mini-bar" may not really have space for your own items.
If this is important to you, you should be able to find rooms so equipped, but you'll need to make a point of at least checking ahead of time. If you have a serious need (such as protection of medication), you should email the hotel to confirm.
Posted byDianne W Rio Rancho, NM USA
85 posts
All the 4-star hotels I stay in have a mini fridge. I always book on the hotel or chain website. The website will provide information on whether the rooms have a fridge. I also look at reviews on TripAdvisor before booking, but I book with the hotel direct.
Posted bytravel4fun Bend, Oregon
2761 posts
Unlike in the US, where most hotels (even very cheap hotels) have a mini fridge, it isn’t nearly as common in Europe. I definitely would not count on it, regardless of the price of the hotel. We’ve stayed in very expensive rooms that didn’t have them. You will want to read room descriptions very carefully (look for “minibar”) and if it’s a “must” for you, contact the hotel directly. Explain your dietary needs and they may offer to store something for you or provide a mini fridge if it is not included in the room (possibly with a fee). Many people travel with medications that need refrigeration, so you probably won’t be the first to ask. We like to have a mini fridge to store drinks, and I know it’s sometimes a challenge to find them. This is one reason why we often rent apartments.
We’ve also encountered the stocked mini-fridge that charges you when you remove something. Quite a surprise.
Posted bybostonphil7 Austin, TX
2597 posts
I also like a refrigerator in the room when I travel. Usually, they are dorm type refrigerators and that is fine with me.
I use booking.com to do research as well as sometimes to book.
You can put in what you need such as kitchen amenities and or a refrigerator, etc. Then if you find something that you like, you can book directly on booking or go to the website of the hotel. The reviews have been helpful for me.
Many persons on this site recommend Premier Inns which are everywhere in London. I have found that their premier rooms offer a fridge but not the standard rooms. However I have found that customer service is almost non-existent before arrival. There are no phones in the rooms so if you have questions, needs or problems while staying at P.I's, you have to go to the desk and there are sometimes long waits.
Still Premier Inn's are very popular and most persons love the places. I do not know if there are Premier Inn's in Spain.
If possible, I try to stay away from rooms with mini bars because it can cause complications as at least one member has posted.
As others have posted, read the information about the hotel rooms carefully and you can usually write the hotel to confirm a refrigerator.
Posted byJC Portsmouth
5677 posts
None of the hotels in Spain I've stayed in have had fridges, some have had minibars however over the last couple of years I've noticed that most of the hotels I've stayed in (not just Spain) no longer have any items in them. Not sure if this is a post Covid measure where hotels have decided to retain the practice because they've realised that it's actually cheaper not to stock them. If your hotel is one such establishment and they've kept the fridge in situ then you'll be able to fill it with what you want.
Posted byKim Paris
10771 posts
There is no way of knowing without reading the specific hotel's information, or asking them if it isn't clear. You definitely can NOT count on it.
Posted byjaimeelsabio Mid-Atlantic area
7670 posts
It’s hit and miss. Most hotels I’ve been to in Spain did not have a refrigerator. As JC stated, ones that used to be mini-bars are now empty to use as one sees fit.
Posted byMary57 Oregon
373 posts
There is no way of knowing without reading the specific hotel's information, or asking them if it isn't clear. You definitely can NOT count on it.
THIS
Would you show up and expect it because people here said they usually have mini fridge? Ask the hotel before you book, do your research on specific hotel you want before you commit.
Posted byPaul Eastern Iowa, USA
8559 posts
Agree with others, don't count on it, I use Booking.com, mainly so that if I want a refrigerator, I can select that as a sort item.
As a result, yeah, most of the places we stayed in Spain had them, but then that is what we were after in most cases.
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