Weekend stuff: Be afraid. Very afraid.

Compliments of the Software 2008 and InterOp show organizers I stayed at the Mandalay Bay hotel in Vegas. While I do not know what they paid for the room, I imagine it was reasonably steep.

What was scary was just about anything you touched in the room drew bunches of additional charges. A toll free call - $ 3.50 (glad it was not a toll call). Wi-Fi $ 14 a day.

And god forbid you got near the mini-bar in the room. 375 ml bottle of tequila $ 5o. Cashews $ 10.

Of course, they had this intimidating message above the mini-bar (which presumably is filled with sensors.)

"Please do not use the refrigerator for personal items, as you will be charged for any items removed"

They provide a number where you can rent your personal fridge for the stay. I was tempted to call the number and ask for better toilet paper (for the quality of the hotel it was pretty rough) but decided to pass on another likely charge.

Fittingly, the mini-bar also offered a CD with "sounds of the hotel" for $ 20 - produced by the Thievery Corporation!

Comments

[Dennis Howlett]

Orlando is the same. I'm starting to think I need budget...