Brit tourist furious at charge for two ice cubes at Spanish bar
A British holidaymaker said she was left fuming after she was charged extra for two ice cubes in her iced coffee bought at the Havana Beach Bar in Estepona, Spain
A British tourist was left baffled and dismayed after being asked to pay extra for ice cubes while on holiday in Spain.
Viv Proops took to social media to vent her frustration over an incident at the Havana Beach Bar in Estepona. "On Playa del Cristo beach today. Ordered an iced coffee at Havana Beach Bar and was charged for a coffee and charged extra for two ice cubes. Is that normal?", she penned. "Is ice always an extra billable item? Seems a bit petty minded in my opinion!!"
Viv found herself paying an additional 50 cents for her ice cubes, on top of the €4.50 (£3.85) she had already shelled out for a coffee. Her post sparked outrage among other social media users who rallied behind her, labelling the bar as a 'rip off' and agreeing that the charge was certainly unusual, reports the Express.
Have you been shocked by the price of something while on holiday in Spain? Let us know in the comments below or by emailing webtravel@reachplc.com
"People need to stop going to these places. Everyone is getting ripped off", one user commented. Another chimed in: "That's ridiculous. I would not go back there." "That is just pathetic, and then they wonder why people go and never go back a second time", a third user echoed.
However, the bar stood its ground, justifying the extra charge by citing the costs associated with running their ice machine.
"We use a professional industrial ice machine that cost us over 9,800 euros, and it consumes a significant amount of electricity daily", a spokesperson for the bar explained to English speaking newspaper Spanish Eye.
"We understand it might seem minor, but in our setting where everything is brought close to the sea with comfort in mind, small extras help cover the high operational costs."
This follows another recent holiday pricing scandal, where a British tourist in Benidorm was left disgruntled after being charged what they considered an outrageous sum for two sachets of HP sauce.
The tourist and her family had stopped at The 4 Kings bar on Avenida Mediterraneo en route to the popular vacation destination, but were taken aback when they saw the bill. The establishment had added an extra €0.50 (£0.43) for each sachet of sauce, prompting the holidaymaker to take to social media to caution others about her experience. "Be careful going for breakfast in this place, €1 (£0.86) for two HP sachets, rip off."
Her order included two 'jumbo' breakfasts, a jug of orange juice, one coffee and two sachets of brown sauce, which cost the family a total of €15.90 (£13.60). However, many other users came to the bar's defence, pointing out how affordable the two breakfasts were. One user quipped: "I think if anything this bar is now going to get more customers thanks to you."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
ITV News
34 minutes ago
- ITV News
Starmer confirms UK moving jets to Middle East but urges Israel and Iran to 'de-escalate'
The UK is moving 'jets' and other military hardware to the Middle East, to provide 'contingency support', the prime minister has briefed reporters as he flies to the G7 summit of the leaders of the world's richest democracies. Sir Keir Starmer also said that the focus of his diplomacy at the summit, which will take place in Canada, would be to put pressure on Israel and Iran to 'de-escalate', to scale back their attacks on each said: 'We do have long standing concerns about the nuclear programme that Iran has. We do recognise Israel's right to self-defence. But I'm absolutely clear that this needs to de-escalate.'For British people, he warned that 'you can see the impact already on the economy and oil prices.' The wholesale price of oil has surged since Israel launched its air strikes on Iran, and then Tehran's refused to define the circumstances in which British fighter jets would be scrambled and deployed, citing security concerns. Iran has threatened attacks on British bases if the UK were to become involved. Unlike the US, the UK has not as yet helped Israel shoot down Iranian drones or missiles. Preparations to increase UK military resources in the Middle East began on Friday morning. Refuelling aircraft have already been deployed and 'fast jets' are on their way, ITV News understands. The UK already has RAF jets in the region as part of its Operation Shader said that he has had telephone conversations with France's President Macron, Chancellor Merz of Germany, the Saudi leader Mohammed Bin Salman, America's President Trump and the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin British prime minister said that the 'levels of concern' among world leaders - especially those in the Middle East - about the conflict 'are very high.' He singled out his conversation with the Saudi leader in that context, and he said that his call with President Trump was all about lowering the tension between Israel and Iran. The G7 summit starts in Alberta on Monday. Before that, today and tomorrow, Starmer will have meetings in Ottawa with the new prime minister of Canada, Mark Carney, will be chairing the whether the G7 leaders could be expected to agree a meaningful statement or communique to persuade Israel and Iran to cease hostilities, he said it was too early to such statement that was simultaneously critical of the Israeli army's killing of civilians and children in Gaza, and its controversial and chaotic new food distribution system, would not be signed by Trump, British diplomat's reiterated to reporters that he is wedded personally to the creation of a Palestinian state, the so-called two-state solution, as the only viable route to long term stability in the region.
Wales Online
2 hours ago
- Wales Online
Drivers without three documents in their glovebox this summer face £640 fine
Drivers without three documents in their glovebox this summer face £640 fine A new holiday warning has been issued to motorists over the massive fines you could get while driving abroad A holiday warning has been issued to road users and motorists over massive fines you could get while driving abroad this summer (Image: Getty ) Motorists are being cautioned that they could face fines of up to £640 this summer if their vehicles lack three essential documents. A holiday warning has been issued to drivers over the hefty fines they could incur while driving abroad. British drivers venturing overseas need to ensure they are fully equipped with the necessary items when motoring in Europe. Essentials such as a warning triangle, a high-visibility jacket, and a first aid kit should not be overlooked. Also included on the checklist is a magnetic UK sticker. Brits must clearly display a UK sticker on their vehicle if the number plate features a GB identifier with the Union Flag, a Euro symbol, a national flag of England, Scotland or Wales, or simply numbers and letters – without any flag or identifier. In Europe, Brits who fail to display the correct sticker could face a fine of €140 or £120 whilst on the continent. It's crucial for every driver to thoroughly check their paperwork before setting off overseas. A valid driving licence, car insurance details, and vehicle registration documents must be carried at all times. Failing to have any of these could significantly disrupt your travel plans and result in fines up to €750, which equates to around £640. Motorists are being urged to ensure they're fully prepared to avoid any setbacks, with vehicle experts BigWantsYourCar stating: "As of April 1, 2024, the DVLA requires that anyone seeking an International Driving Permit must visit a participating PayPoint location, equipped with their full valid photo-card licence, a standard passport photograph, and possibly a valid passport if they have an older paper version licence. Article continues below "This new procedure is a departure from the past and underscores the need for drivers to be thoroughly prepared before heading to their PayPoint location. "Not every country requires an International Driving Permit, but for over 140 countries that do, including key destinations like Turkey, Mexico, Canada, and Australia, being prepared with the correct type of IDP is crucial for lawful and hassle-free driving." Moreover, when using sat-navs abroad, drivers should be aware of local restrictions. For instance, in France and Cyprus, the use of sat-navs that alert drivers to speed cameras is illegal and can result in fines up to €1,500, reports Birmingham Live. Drivers are advised to check if they can disable the speed camera detection feature on their devices. It's also essential to note that speed limits vary widely across European nations and are rigorously enforced. Article continues below Being knowledgeable about and compliant with these speed limits is critical, as penalties for speeding can be quite severe. It's important for drivers to do their homework and adhere to the traffic laws of each country they drive in.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Woman who lives in Spain says there's 'weird' difference she'll 'never' get
Marta Budzyska moved to Madrid in 2022 after having lived and studied in Italy for years - but there's one thing she just can't get her head around when it comes to Spanish culture Spain remains a top holiday hotspot for UK sun-seekers, with a staggering 17.8 million visits from Brits in 2023. That year, Spain emerged as the favourite escape for British holidaymakers, commanding an impressive 21% of all overseas jaunts by those from the UK, according to stats from the Office for National Statistics. It's also believed that thousands of Brits each year also make the sunny Spanish shores their home. But having soaked up Spanish sun and culture beforehand doesn't necessarily mean that people looking to make the country their home won't come across a few surprises when moving to their new country. This was exactly what happened to Marta Budzyska, a Polish woman who moved to Madrid in 2022 after years of living and studying in Italy. Marta thought she was fully clued-up on Spanish and Mediterranean ways of living before moving to the Spanish capital. However she quickly encountered one aspect of daily life in Spain that continues to baffle her – and it has nothing to do with the sunshine. Marta turned to her TikTok account to share her major cultural shock since moving to Spain. "One thing that will never stop surprising me about Spain is that they go to eat so freaking late," Marta said in her video. She continued to explain that she'd gone out for dinner with friends the previous evening, but that their booking hadn't been until 10pm. Even then, people arrived more than half an hour late, which she said is a common occurrence in Spanish culture. "And you know you have to think about the order, gets some starters, the main meal. And literally it took so much time," she said, explaining that they were eating until midnight. "And I'm not complaining, it was so much fun, I love it," she said. "I love to live fully with another culture where I'm living or where I'm at, like at holidays. Spain is my home now, but like, that is just so funny and I think it'll never stop surprising me." Marta went on to advise tourists: "So if you go to Spain, just don't be necessarily on time. Stick [...] with easy and chill, it'll be better for you." People quickly took to the comments to share their own experiences, with many Spanish people relating to what Marta had to say. "As a Spanish this is so true haha," one viewer wrote. A second person said: "It's shocking haha. How do you even work the next day." A third person also confirmed that similar eating habits also existed in Italy, but that the times could differ between 8pm and 10pm depending on what area of the country you were visiting. Have you experienced eating dinner at a later time when you're on holiday? Let us know in the comments.
