Outrage as Las Vegas hotel charges guest eye-watering price for a single bottle of water
The unidentified guest was staying at the upscale Aria Resort & Casino when they took the one liter bottle of Fiji from the room's minibar, not realizing the steep cost until after finishing it.
Making matters worse, they later spotted the same brand of water being sold at the on-site Starbucks for just $7.45. At nearby stores, it was under $3.
The guest's bill — including room rate, resort fees, taxes, and the infamous water — totaled $258.51 for a single night on June 8, according to a photo published by travel site View from the Wing.
The Aria, one of over 30 MGM Resorts, includes rates currently starting at $280 a night.
A social media user who goes by Lasvegasblogger posted a photo in April of Aria's minibar menu, showing seven drink options — with the Fiji water clocking in at $24.75. A regular can of Coke was $13.75.
'It's a regular can of Coca-Cola in case you wonder what is deluxe,' the blogger wrote.
'Those prices make me think I'm at a Dodgers or Yankees World Series game,' one commenter joked. '7-Eleven here I come.'
A traveler known as Lasvegasblogger posted a photo of a minibar menu in April that featured a $24.75 Fiji water bottle
Another added: 'Never, ever touch the minibar. Cheaper to go in the casino and get a free drink — just tip the server.'
Besides pricy drinks, the Aria offers a food, including $16 juice, a $20 seasonal berry plate, $34.50 mixed nuts, and a $82.50 lobster tail entrée.
Neil Saunders of GlobalData revealed these prices were not a shocker as Las Vegas hotel minibars have also been 'astronomical.'
'Minibars are expensive for hotels to operate, but in the huge Vegas hotels a lot of effort is involved to keep them stocked,' Saunders told DailyMail.com.
'Vegas hotels also have lots of shops and restaurants and the owners would prefer guests used those than sit in their rooms eating things from the minibars.'
He revealed that he refuses to pay minibar prices whenever he travels, and prefers to shop for beverages elsewhere.
'I simply go to the Target store on the Las Vegas Strip on my first day and stock up on things I might need. It saves a fortune.'
Like Saunders, several Facebook users admitted to stopping stores like Walgreens or CVS to by drinks and 'skip the minibar.'
Prices are usually high for hotels depending on factors like popularity, date of stay, and destination.
However, as a result of tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump, prices are drastically rising, while customers are fearing recession and the possibility of stagflation - prices rising and economic growth slowing at the same time.
DailyMail.com has reached out to MGM Resorts International for comment about the beverage prices.
Travel writer Gary Leff, who wrote the story on View from the Wing. invoked the classic diamonds-water paradox to explain the eye-watering price.
'Prices are set 'at the margin,' not by total usefulness,' he wrote. 'Water is essential to life, but because it's usually abundant, the value of one extra bottle isn't very high. Diamonds, on the other hand, are not essential — but they're rare and highly desired, so each additional carat commands a premium.'
The paradox, famously discussed by Adam Smith, highlights why something vital like water can be cheap, while something non-essential like diamonds can be wildly expensive.
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