Travel expert shares sneaky hack to avoid expensive mini bar costs - but asks not to be judged
Carmen Roberts, a TV host and travel business owner, posted the trick on her Instagram account, @carmenroberts_travels.
Many tourists reach for a refreshing drink from the hotel room mini fridge – some without realising it may come with a high price tag.
Most people will pay the bill at the end of their stay, but Carmen has revealed a way to avoid being hit with inflated pricing.
She penned: 'Confession: I drank the $12 mini bar soft drink and replaced it before checkout. Don't judge.'
The travel expert simply heads to a local shop and buys the same drink, but at a fraction of the cost.
'Mini Bar Madness - $12 for a soft drink? No thanks,' Carmen added.
'I'll grab the same one at a local supermarket for $1.'
She shared other tricks for saving money while away on holiday, including bringing a refillable bottle to avoid paying top prices when out and about.
'Bottled Water at Tourist Attractions - Always bring a refillable bottle,' Carmen wrote.
'Many airports, stations, and cities have free filtered water. Those €4 impulse bottles add up fast.'
In response to the minibar hack, one baffled Instagram user gushed, 'This is so clever!'
Carmen responded and admitted that she has had issues in the past when she couldn't find the same drink or snack.
She said: 'I should say this has backfired in the past when I couldn't find the exact same bag of nuts or soda etc to replace!!'
It comes as another travel expert, Dimple Chudasama-Adams, revealed a checklist of essential tasks every holidaymaker must do before settling into their hotel room.
The seasoned traveller, from Birmingham, UK, regularly shares 'secret' tips and travel advice with her 5,400 following on Instagram.
In a recent video, posted to her account @escape_the_ordinary_by_dimple, Dimple unveiled her 'travel pro checklist' of five crucial jobs to do in hotel rooms or rented accommodation to ensure safety, comfort and and optimum hygiene.
The first is checking for bed bugs, which is crucial on arrival as it can help prevent an infestation in your own home once your trip has come to an end.
Bed bugs are excellent hitchhikers and can easily attach themselves to luggage, clothing, and other items, so thoroughly inspecting the room before unpacking can help prevent their spread.
Dimple advises holidaymakers to 'pull back sheets and inspect mattress corners' for dark spots that could indicate the presence of bed bugs.
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The Independent
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Times
3 hours ago
- Times
13 of Europe's best hotels with swim-up rooms
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This adults-only resort on the seafront has a private stretch of volcanic sand, but you may never get that far if you choose a swim-up suite with a sea view, separate concierge service and access to a shared pool straight from your terrace. There are also six upmarket restaurants, including a poolside bistro, beachfront seafood restaurant and sushi bar, while the daily activities programme includes aquaerobics, themed parties and yoga classes. Bikes are available to hire and the hotel has a diving centre if you fancy exploring nearby coral reefs. • Read our full guide to Lanzarote £ | SPA | POOL | Best for family-friendly appeal You'll barely see the kids if you book a swim-up family room at this all-inclusive. The large, bright rooms sleep four, with a double bed and double sofa-bed, and have access to a shared river pool from a private terrace, so you can watch your children splash about from your lounger. Some rooms have views of the garden; others of the Mediterranean. Elsewhere, there's a pirate activity pool for children with slides and sprinklers, a kids' and teens' club, an outdoor playground and a separate children's buffet at the main Blue Horizon restaurant. If you can drag them away from all that, the hotel is right on the beach and Paphos harbour is a ten-minute taxi ride away. • Discover our full guide to Cyprus ££ | SPA | POOL | Best for barefoot dining by the pool Eco-design comes to the fore at this smart hotel, one of the most luxurious properties in Zakynthos, offering more than 4,000 sq m of swimmable water — more lake than pool, really. There are several standards of rooms, but all share the same sleek, minimalist aesthetic, with sharp concrete lines, wood, rattan and eco-friendly Coco-Mat mattresses for extra comfort. Many rooms offer direct access to the water — the best are the Superior Water Suites, arranged beside tiered pools that climb up the hillside, artfully framed by olive trees. 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Read our full review of OKU Ibiza • Discover our full guide to Spain £££ | SPA | POOL | Best for safari vibes Parched, rocky Tenerife doesn't have an abundance of water to spare, but that doesn't seem to be a problem at this five-star, adults-only hotel. There is a jungle river snaking through the resort, complete with overhanging palms to swim under, and the River villas stand right beside it. There's also a big lagoon pool surrounded by palm trees and swim-up thatched bungalows with a distinctly African feel — or choose a villa with a private pool if you prefer not to share. • Best hotels with swim-up rooms in Tenerife• Best family hotels in Tenerife• The best of the Canary Islands £ | SPA | POOL | Best for wild swimming This extra-special Portuguese hideaway in Comporta, an hour from Lisbon, has a natural bio-pool, which is filtered naturally by aquatic plants and requires no chemicals to keep it clean and clear. There are nine cabana-style suites beside the bio-pool, with wooden decks where you can slide back glass doors and take the plunge — chilly but exhilarating. More conventional Cabana Villas have small private pools. Nature is everywhere here — the hotel is surrounded by umbrella pines and cork trees, and your visit may be soundtracked by mating frogs (bring earplugs if you're staying by the bio-pool and are a light sleeper). • Best hotels in Lisbon• Best restaurants in Lisbon ££ | SPA | POOL | Best for design lovers The stone houses, or kamares, of Samos inspired these super-chic one and two-storey lodges, which stand picturesquely among sapphire-blue pools — it's like an ancient bathhouse reimagined by Jasper Conran. Earthy colours predominate, with stony greys and woody browns, along with a stripped-back design aesthetic. You can swim up to your room or while away the days on your private waterside terrace. In keeping with the Casa Cook ethos, it's adults-only — serenity is the name of the game here. There's a beach on the doorstep, while the town of Pythagorion — as well as the airport — are nearby. • Best adults-only hotels in Greece• Best hotels in Greece with swim-up rooms £££ | SPA | POOL | Best for old-school grandeur You're on the Costa del Sol here, not that you'd know it. This upscale hotel stands in a sprawling estate of 530 acres and has a private golf course. The architecture is traditional, echoing the whitewashed buildings of classic Andalusian architecture: shady courtyards, monastery-like cloisters and tinkling fountains, and acres of trimmed gardens and terraces to explore. 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You can choose a private pool villa, cut costs a little by sharing a pool with your neighbours or content yourself with splashing around in the main pools (one outdoor seawater pool and an indoor heated one). It's very family-friendly, with facilities galore, a water-sports centre and plenty of organised activities. Elounda is a pleasant area, with attractive beaches and the offshore island of Spinalonga nearby, so brilliant for snorkelling and sandy fun. • Best family hotels in Crete ££ | POOL | Best for a giant pool When a standard pool just isn't enough, this adults-only Kos hotel goes to the next level — a 1,800 sq m lagoon that runs right through the resort. Rooms are arranged around the edge of the rectangular lagoon — if you want to be able to dive straight in, you'll want a swim-up suite. Meals are served in the Ode restaurant, which offers pool views from pretty much every table, and there's a central island covered with sunloungers — water, water everywhere. • Best villas in Kos ££ | SPA | POOL | Best for adults-only escapes This Cretan resort is immersed in water, making you feel as though you've been picked up and dropped on a tropical island. A maze of pools and lagoons winds through the complex, allowing you to swim directly up to the poolside bars, which range from a cocktail cabana to a waterside lounge. Better still, dive in from your room — the best are the overwater bungalows, where you can chill in a hammock. It's in a good part of Crete for exploring, too: not far from Heraklion and close to the north-coast beaches. • Best all-inclusive hotels in Crete• Best all-inclusive hotels in Greece ££ | SPA | POOL | Best for lagoon living This large, well-run and very attractive resort near Cesme, on the far westernmost peninsula of Turkey, offers an enormous, multisectioned lagoon that meanders thorough a garden filled with cacti, succulents and tropical palms. The rooms to choose here are the Laguna Family Suites, where you can dangle your toes into the lagoon from your private jetty or swim off to find a cocktail at Cocos Pool Bar. In fact, there seems to be water everywhere here — not least in the bright blue Mediterranean, of course, with the Biblos Beach Club offering post-swim refreshments. • Best hotels with waterparks in Turkey• Best all-inclusive hotels in Turkey• Read our full guide to Turkey Additional reporting by Imogen Lepere and Siobhan Grogan
Wales Online
5 hours ago
- Wales Online
North Wales comes out top when it comes to 'nerves of steel' ridge walks in UK
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Walkers heading to North Wales can take on a variety of terrain - from gentle countryside and beach strolls to nerve jangling scrambles. In recent years ridge walking has become increasingly popular in the UK, with searches for ridge walks rising 180% in the past year. The hike, which usually involves following the crest or spine of a mountain or hill, offering panoramic views on either side, is a great way to increase fitness and see great sights. The outdoor adventure experts at Blacks have analysed factors such as search popularity and weather to name the top 10 must-visit locations for a ridge walk in the UK(full list below). There is perhaps no surprise to see the top two positions filled by spots in Eryri (Snowdonia). One has become famous on social media with daily videos of people taking on the challenge. This has seen Crib Goch, part of the Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon) range - named the best ridge walk in the UK. It involves some grade 1 scrambling as you head up the Crib Goch summit and has steep, narrow and rocky sections, so it is important to take the correct hiking gear and only take part if you are a confident scrambler. (Image: @heleddowen/Instagram) Another Eryri hike is Tryfan's North Ridge, which takes second place. In the past year, the 5.6km circular trail has been searched for over 32,000 times, and has received a 4.7 star rating on Alltrails. Reviewers praise stunning views, enjoyable scrambles, and a challenging experience. (Image: Eryl Crump) Once again experience, good equipment and a head for heights are all vital. Calum Jones, author and outdoor enthusiast at Blacks, said: 'Ridge walks can be incredibly rewarding, often revealing views that go on as far as the eye can see at the top of peaks, but it is extremely important to make sure you are well prepared before starting any hike. Sign up for the North Wales Live newsletter sent twice daily to your inbox 'Ridge walks come in very different levels of difficulty: From well-paved, relaxed hiking trails that don't require belaying, to high-grade scrambles. This makes route planning extremely important. If you have no experience with harnesses, carabiners or ropes, it is best to choose an easy ridge walk that is well paved. 'Even if your route looks to be simple, it is important to pack correctly to ensure that you are prepared for any situations you may encounter. Durable hiking shoes with strong ankle support and good grip will be essential for any rocky or uneven terrain, while walking poles can provide extra stability and reduce the strain on your joints, which is especially important for any steeper ascents or descents. If you are not sure that you have the correct equipment for the difficulty and conditions of the climb, you should not attempt it. 'You should also prepare for any weather conditions. Ridge walks can be windy, as the path is more exposed to the wind. As you climb higher, wind speeds tend to increase, making it cooler. Wearing base layers allows you to regulate body temperature and manage moisture, keeping you comfortable during your trek. Clear visibility conditions are preferable for ridge walking and an important consideration for beginners. You should also pack a lightweight waterproof jacket in case of any wet weather.' The 10 best ridge walks in the UK
