minibar
Noun: A small, often locked, refrigerator or cabinet in a hotel room, containing a selection of drinks and sometimes snacks, for which guests are charged upon consumption.
The term "minibar" specifically refers to the amenity provided in hospitality accommodations like hotels, cruise ships, or upscale hospital rooms. It is a convenience item intended for in-room consumption. Charges are typically recorded automatically when an item is removed, or a manual check is performed.
- The hotel room was standard, but it included a minibar stocked with soft drinks and premium spirits.
- Before checking out, please review the list of items you consumed from the minibar.
- To avoid unexpected charges, some travelers request that the minibar be locked or emptied upon arrival.
- "to raid the minibar": To take many items from the minibar, often implying indulgence or a disregard for the high cost.
- After the long flight, he was tempted to raid the minibar.
- The concept can be extended metaphorically to any small, personal, or conveniently located storage for drinks.
- His home office featured a sleek minibar for entertaining clients.
- Honor bar: A similar concept where guests note their consumption on an honor system, often found in vacation rentals or boutique hotels. This is a related but distinct term.
- Refreshment center: A more formal or descriptive term sometimes used in hotel literature.
- Hotel bar (though this typically refers to a public lounge)
- In-room refrigerator (this is a more generic term and may not imply stocked, chargeable items)
The core meaning is tied to the hospitality industry. While the reference context mentions "sideboard with compartments for holding bottles," this describes a piece of furniture (a sideboard or cellaret). The modern, primary definition of "minibar" is the stocked, chargeable appliance found in guest rooms. The older or more general sense of a small cabinet for bottles is now rare and would usually be specified differently (e.g., "liquor cabinet," "drinks cabinet").
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sideboard with compartments for holding bottles
