Should we ask for an ice bucket?

[PaulnCarole]

When you make a booking at an expensive hotel, do you think it is acceptable to ask the hotel to put an ice bucket and glasses in your room? (So you can take your own bottle, champagne or el vino collapso or whatever). I have never considered the idea before, but the other day I was reading a hotel review on the internet, and the couple giving the review had asked a hotel to do this for them. I know that hotels will often do this providing they are supplying the bubbly (usually at a very expensive price), but what if you want to take the bottle yourself? Any ABers ever done this?

[Pinotage]

Well - it depends where you are. American hotels supply a (plastic) ice bin in each room and have self serve ice machines in the corridors, so there is no problem.

Some countries hotels have 'terms & conditions' forbidding you to consume anything in your room that you didn't buy from them.

Hotels/restaurants claim their outrageous markup on wines is to cover the cost of glasses/ice etc, so may be unwilling to supply the ice without the wine.

It all depends on them.

In many places, e.g. UK you can buy bags of ice cubes from supermarkets/wine stores, so you could put it in the bath and cool your drinks there

[acw]

The hotels might charge a corkage fee.  Personally I'd just drink the wine out of the bathroom mugs!!! I'm SUCH a classy bird! teehee!

[jno]

A really good hotel will bend over backwards to attend to its guests' every wish, so you shouldn't have any problem. That said, I've stayed in the odd classy hotel which demanded that you not put your food in their fridge... which isn't classy at all, if you ask me. Best thing would be to ask before you book; those too snooty or greedy to allow it can be dropped from your list.

[clairelb]

I agree with jno, a good hotel should provide their guests with the best service and if that includes ice and a couple of glasses, that really shouldn’t be a problem.  There is no need to tell them you’re drinking wine if you’re concerned about corkage etc, unless you’re very specific about the wine glasses.  Ice should be provided for anyone who may want to drink chilled tap water, and many good hotels now provide a complementary bottle of water so why not a bucket of ice?  Hotels may appear to object to you consuming your own beverages in their rooms, but really, there is little they can do.  I regularly take my own food and drink to hotels, sometimes I just arrive so late that the last thing I want to do is then wait (and pay extortionately) for room service.  I have asked and been provided with ice with no questions asked and some hotels already have wine glasses in the room. 

[Bangkok]

Often take a bottle of red to a hotel, if I only have hand carry luggage (security means no corkscrews in hand luggage) I ask for a corkscrew.  Never had a 5 star hotel refuse.  Never tried an ice bucket, but would expect it to be provided.

[PaulnCarole]

Many thanks to all who answered - I feel embarrassed asking them for it, but it helps to know that others have done the same. Cheers.