by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
London business man, Edward Heaton, was charged this stately sum for three – repeat three – bottles of mineral water at the five star Wellesley Hotel in Knightsbridge.
Because it was hot he and his two business contacts opted to sit on the terrace and ordered three small bottles of San Pellegrino sparkling water.
While Heaton expected to pay a little more for the hotel's service he never expected what the charge would be.
After the meeting concluded and Mr Heaton requested the bill and was dumbfounded when he saw it.
He was charged not only the exorbitant sum of £5.50 per bottle. Nay the hotel also added a minimum charge of £50.17 plus a service change of £8.33, bringing the total to £75 (or $125).
Rip off, I think, is not the word. Extortion more like. Mind you, the cost for bottled water is extortion and exorbitant anyway and is a rip off to start with, regardless of what name may be on the bottle.
Not that, I am sure, you could even ask for a carafe of tap water in that kind of establishment without also being charged some silly fee for it.
© 2014
