Las Vegas hotel slammed after guest stuck with outrageous bill for a bottle of water
A Las Vegas hotel is being lambasted mercilessly online after charging nearly $30 for a bottle of water from room minibars. The apparent H20 highway robberies came to light via photos and a fan submission shared by the travel blog A View From the Wing.
The unidentified guest had reportedly been staying at the Aria Resort & Casino — one of over 30 MGM resorts — where room rates start at $280 per night.
According to the post, an employee had been restocking and cleaning out their room's minibar, which the visitor noted had 'food crammed in the fridge from two guests ago.'
The worker informed the visitor that water costs $26, but only told them after the guest had consumed a full bottle, the poster wrote. That constituted more than 10% of the person's total bill of $259, according to a screenshot of their invoice.
To make matters worse, the same water reportedly costs just $7.45 at a Starbucks downstairs.
While hotel minibars are known for their extortionate markups, some Aria guests noted that the other items in the fridge were not nearly as steep.
, shared a photo of a hotel minibar menu showing a Coca-Cola Deluxe that cost $13.75, nearly half as much as the Fiji Water, which set guests back a whopping $24.75.
'Do you think it's fair to pay for the convenience, or this is price gouging?' the traveler spluttered in the caption.
Commenters were similarly perplexed over the price tags, with one writing, 'Was just there. I was floored.'
'Vegas is dying so they have to charge a buttload to survive,' declared another, referencing declining tourist numbers at the gambling mecca.
'They depend on the drunk visitors that don't care about their prices at 2 a.m. when they get back to their room,' said a third.
A View From the Wing contributor Gary Leff accused Aria of flouting the 'diamonds-water paradox' floated by 'The Wealth of Nations' author Adam Smith, who wrote that water is necessary but cheap, while diamonds are useless for survival but expensive due to their scarcity.
'Aria in Las Vegas proves there really was no paradox after all,' Leff quipped. 'Water in the desert is crucial to survival and incredibly expensive for guests staying there!'
He declared that Sin City had 'clearly given up on any idea of hospitality.'
'I would think, though, that a $36.28 per night resort fee (inclusive of tax) might be high enough to offer a single bottle of water as one of its inclusions. I guess not!' Leff griped.
'This is the perfect example of the kind of out of sample cost that makes people feel cheated on a Las Vegas trip, leaving customers with a bad taste in their mouth. And that is dangerous heading into a Las Vegas downturn.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Walmart stock falls after earnings miss forecasts as US sales, 2025 outlook rise
Walmart (WMT) stock fell more than 2% early Thursday after the company reported second quarter earnings shy of expectations while US sales growth topped forecasts with the big box retailer's low-price strategy drawing consumers as tariff-related uncertainty pushed them to more carefully scrutinize their household budgets. In the second quarter, total US same-store sales grew 4.6%. That's more than the 4.2% Wall Street predicted, per Bloomberg consensus estimates. Its wholesale subscription business, Sam's Club, saw the same metric grow 5.9%, the Street had forecast a 5.3% increase. The company now expects net sales in its fiscal 2026 to increase between 3.75%-4.75%, up from a prior range of 3%-4% growth that the company reiterated in the prior quarter. Walmart stock came under pressure after the results showed the company reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.68, below the $0.74 the Street had forecast. Revenue came in at $177.40 billion, better than the $176.05 billion Wall Street expected. Adjusted earnings per share are expected to come in between $0.58-$0.60 in the current quarter. "The top-line momentum we have in our business comes from how we're innovating and executing. Connecting with our customers and members through digital experiences is helping to drive our business, and the way we're deploying AI will make these experiences even better," CEO Doug McMillon said in the release. Walmart called out strength in its grocery and health & wellness categories driving its US sales growth. The company it saw share gains "across income brackets led by upper-income households" in its US stores. By category, the company saw grocery sales rise by mid-single digits in the US stores while health & wellness categories saw sales rise by a mid-teens percentage. Investors will look for further insights around tariffs on the call after the company said it would have to raise prices earlier this year. In the quarter, Walmart said "like for like" inflation was 1.1% in its US stores. Read more: 5 ways to tariff-proof your finances Walmart CEO Doug McMillon told analysts in May, "We aren't able to absorb all the pressure given the reality of narrow retail margins." He added that tariffs had already led to price increases in April and May. At the time, McMillon said the "reset of costs" would continue throughout the year, adding that for an imported item, "You pay the tariff at the time it comes through customs ... even if the tariff rate comes down later, the cost has been elevated." Robert Ohmes of Bank of America estimated Walmart imports roughly 15% of its US sales from China. Around 60% of the US sales are groceries, which are largely tariff-exempt if they're produced domestically or in Mexico and Canada. Brooke DiPalma is a senior reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on X at @BrookeDiPalma or email her at bdipalma@ Click here for all of the latest retail stock news and events to better inform your investing strategy
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
India's Wipro to buy Harman Connected Services for $375 million
(Reuters) -Indian software-services exporter Wipro said it will buy U.S.- based firm Harman's digital transformation solutions (DTS) arm for $375 million to sharpen its AI-led engineering services. The unit, Harman Connected Services, is part of Samsung's Harman International. As part of the agreement, over 5,600 DTS employees, across the Americas, Europe and Asia will transition to Wipro upon the closing of the transaction by the end of the year, subject to regulatory approvals. Harman, best known for its audio brands JBL, Harman Kardon and Infinity, runs R&D centres in India through its Harman Connected Services arm. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
4 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Millennial moms dropped $1,500 to see the Backstreet Boys. For a night of nostalgia, it was worth every cent.
For one night in Vegas, grown-up kids pressed pause on responsibilities, cranked up the memories and let the soundtrack of their youth take center stage. If you see a gaggle of girls in Las Vegas dressed in all white right now, it's because they're ready to turn back the clock. Descending in packs of three, four, sometimes 10, they spill into casino lobbies across the famed Strip, accessorizing their '90s-inspired looks with butterfly clips, body glitter and the unmistakable hum of a chorus so inescapable that you know it the moment you hear it. They're in town to see the Backstreet Boys take the stage at the Sphere, and for two hours, millennial women — moms, professionals, lifelong friends — are ready to reclaim and re-create their youth. 'I want to relive my childhood memories,' Lauren, 33, from Grand Rapids, Mich., tells Yahoo, just hours before the boy band took the stage on Aug. 8. 'This was the music I grew up on.' Lauren traveled to Nevada with her two best friends: Betsy, 33, from Columbus, Ind., and Megan, 32, also from Grand Rapids. I sat next to them at Casa Playa, a Mexican restaurant at the Wynn Las Vegas, one of at least a dozen tables where girlfriends from all walks of life were catching up before making the trek to the venue. There, the Backstreet Boys would be playing the 13th show of a residency that has likely made its way into the social media feeds of anyone who came of age while the band was in maximum rotation on MTV. For Lauren and her friends, an evening of joy was priceless. But that doesn't mean revisiting the '90s for a weekend came cheap. For each of the women, airfare to Las Vegas was around $700, the Wynn stay was roughly $500 a night and their concert ticket cost totaled $1,337. A budget for merch? Unlimited, they said. The splurge was worth it. "It took a little convincing," Betsy said of her husband, who stayed home to watch their almost-2-year-old. 'He said Vegas was unsafe, and I said, 'It's not unsafe when you go [without me].'' Laughter rippled across the table, one of many echoes in the room of women buzzing for a long-awaited girls' night out. This trip, like so many others that evening, was about millennials carving out a moment for themselves while embracing fun, friendship and pure nostalgia. Moms deserve a '90s kid summer, too A big talking point among parents is the '90s kid summer trend, which is about encouraging children to have carefree days reminiscent of mom and dad's own experiences growing up: less screen time, more real-world fun. In Las Vegas, this applied to the caregivers. For the hundreds of millennial moms who flocked to the Sphere, experiencing the summers of their youth again meant slipping into their best white outfits — a nod to the 25th anniversary of the Backstreet Boys' Millennium album — moving the group chat to IRL, and singing and dancing the night away… while leaving their offspring at home. I grew up more of an NSync fan, but even I couldn't resist the allure of a girls' trip with five of my closest friends who I've known for nearly 20 years, including my college roommate. Among the four of us, we left eight kids in the care of their dads. Using a getaway card on the Backstreet Boys was a no-regrets move. Not one person in my group, or the 20 people I spoke with after the show, left disappointed. The boy band, which released its first single, 'We've Got It Goin' On' in 1995, delivered a high-energy performance and catered exactly to the audience they knew was there to see them. Our experience wasn't unique — it was universal. Courtney and Meg, best friends since age 8, had been planning this trip since February, when the Backstreet Boys announced their summer residency. Now 36, they hadn't seen each other in nearly two years, with life keeping them busy in Texas and Wisconsin, respectively. Between them, their children range in age from 4 to 12, but for one night, their mom responsibilities were happily checked at the door. Leaving their families wasn't cheap or simple, but the pair said the trip, which averaged around $1,500 per person, was worth every penny. 'It was the best time of our lives," they tell me in unison. As the crowd funneled into the Sphere, it was clear this wasn't just a concert — it was a reunion of both friends and memories. The crowd, a sea of white, stretched across the venue. Heels clacked against polished floors, glitter and sequins caught the lights. Groups chatted animatedly, reminiscing about study abroad adventures, trading parenting war stories or soaking up a rare night of freedom. "Oh God, I just checked the Nanit," I heard one woman murmur to her friends, glancing at her app that logs into a baby camera in her daughter's room. "She literally didn't sleep once today." "Put that phone away! This is our night," her friend replied. "Your daughter is with your parents; she's in good hands. Now let's go get a drink." Making my way across the room, I spoke with Brittany, 34; Jen, 42 and Felicia, 35, who became close friends after meeting at their kids' competitive cheerleading practices. When the trio, who traveled together from Denver, learned that the Backstreet Boys would be doing a summer residency, they jumped at the chance to go. Their tickets — $254 apiece, the cheapest I heard all night — were a steal. They spent around $700 for their hotel room. When I asked what they were all-in, cost-wise, Jen shrugged it off: 'Who f***ing cares? We came to have fun.' 'Fun' money While some moms savored a night off from parenting duties, others in the crowd were there to indulge in the freedom and discretionary spending that comes with having different responsibilities. For millennials without kids, the Backstreet Boys residency was an excuse to treat themselves. Haley, 38, from Houston, summed it up best when I asked her why she wanted to travel to Las Vegas for the show: 'Money and availability.' "We have disposable income and no children," said Haley, who made the trip with two of her closest girlfriends. "We have no commitments. We have the flexibility to go on a whim and we get to spend our money and have fun for ourselves." Haley didn't have to run her finances past anyone but herself. "It's unlimited," she said. "All of our budget, at this point, is unlimited. It's all fun money." For Haley's group, she said flights, hotel and ticket prices clocked in around $500 per person, and anyone who's traveled to Vegas knows that's just the starting line. A single cocktail at the Wynn runs about $17 before tip, and even without alcohol, a meal rarely comes in under $50. For the millennials at the show, the expense wasn't a deterrent; it was part of the experience. A millennium of memories Once the boy band took the stage, all bets were off. The 25-track set kicked off with 'Larger Than Life,' which marked the concert's celebratory tone. Perhaps the biggest difference in watching the Backstreet Boys in 2025 compared to 30 years ago was the sea of iPhones capturing every moment. The group poked fun at that during their performance of "Don't Want You Back" as Nokia phones flashed on the giant screens in a reference to the technology of the era. When the fivesome asked who still had their Backstreet Boys CDs, the Sphere erupted. But the loudest cheers came when they asked the crowd who was there enjoying a ladies' night; there were so many 'Woooooos!' you literally felt the Sphere vibrate with excitement. 'Is this the best night ever? I think this is the best night ever,' two girls in front of us said to each other, before snapping a selfie during 'Everybody." It wasn't just the music, but how Nick Carter, Howie Dorough, AJ McLean, Brian Littrell and Kevin Richardson worked the crowd together. At one point, the men threw their hats into the crowd, a sight I hadn't seen since 2005. They even led roughly 20,000 fans in a friendly competition over which side of the audience could scream the loudest. With hits like "As Long as You Love Me" and "I Want It That Way," the group delivered every note, dance move and throwback thrill that fans had been craving. It wasn't lost on the singers that millennials are deliberate in how they spend their hard-earned money, and they were spending it on them. "It's because of each and every one of you showing up that we have a job," Littrell, 50, told the sold-out crowd. Even in the worst section at the Sphere (110, to be exact), it was all worth it for the sing-along I had with some of my closest girlfriends. 'My only complaint? Why did we only do 24 hours in Vegas?' my friend Katie said. (We all agreed.) 'We should have done two nights. I would have gone back again.' Solve the daily Crossword
