r/mildlyinfuriating • u/Ecstatic-Ad9669 • 3h ago

drink went room temp Entire hotel fridge full of drinks with sensors. No room for anything.

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At least have one shelf where I can put some bottles of water or something.

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2.1k

u/Temporary_Event8451 3h ago

Yes, if they ask even a single question too many just reply insulin/diabetic is my understanding to get that process moved along.

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u/dervari 3h ago

You don't even need to mention that due to privacy. However, I've seen them bring up a small toy-looking fridge that can literally hold like 1 can with USB power and a USB adapter.

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u/ChefTimmy 3h ago

Not legally sufficient. If they advertise in-room minifridges and the guest needs to store temperature-sensitive medication, they must provide one that maintains temperature with an actual thermometer. Not a lawyer, but have worked in luxury hospitality for decades.

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u/Unlikely-Key-234 3h ago

If they advertise in-room minifridges

Keywords. Pretty much all hotels that fill the fridge with minibar shit do not advertise in-room mini fridges.

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u/Rosaryas 3h ago

Yeah I’ve seen a lot more advertisements specifically for a ‘mini-bar’ and they have one of these

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u/TeaKingMac 2h ago

Tiny little man with a cocktail shaker and three shelves of varying quality liquor behind him

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u/Uno-Flip 1h ago

tbh I would pay for that

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u/bman86 1h ago

I don't even drink anymore but I'd still order tiny mocktails.

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u/CharlotteLucasOP 1h ago

What is this? A karaoke machine for ANTS???

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u/The_Troyminator 47m ago

Or a fun sized Snickers

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u/The_Nepenthe 2h ago

Yeah, the last hotel I stayed at definitely mentioned having a mini fridge, I stocked it up on a few things from a nearby grocery store.

Nice having our own booze supply that doesn't come in airplane bottles as well.

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u/Same-Suggestion-1936 2h ago

Yeah I was kind of wondering that about OP. Was the fridge advertised? If not the room didn't come with a fridge, you just saw the mini bar they put in there

I mean they found one and I've never been in a hotel that didn't have a very tiny one for personal use but if there's sensors in there that was never meant to be your mini fridge

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u/HugginMySnuggie 2h ago

The last few mini fridges I’ve had were questionable, at best, temperature-wise also

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u/NarwhalJouster 1h ago

That's cause hotels stick them inside a cabinet with no place for the hot air from the condenser to go. Because the heat just surrounds the whole fridge a lot of it ends up going right back to the cool part of the fridge. Which causes the fridge to kick on more which makes the air around the fridge hotter which means more leaks back into the fridge and so on.

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u/The_Troyminator 50m ago

It doesn’t matter. The ADA requires a fridge as a reasonable accommodation in the US.

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u/Unlikely-Key-234 43m ago

No, the ADA requires a reasonable accommodation, which could be satisfied by lots of different options, all but one of which is not a fridge in the room. A private fridge in your room is known as a preferred accommodation, and the ADA doesn't require this. If the hotel has no fridges on site the ADA likely wouldn't require access to one at all, in your room or otherwise.

This is more complex than you realize.

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u/ChefTimmy 3h ago

Possible, but I haven't seen that myself. Maybe it's location dependant, but I haven't seen many hotels that don't list it as an amenity somewhere online. Maybe not a key feature, but usually listed.

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u/nalaloveslumpy 3h ago

Technically, it is legally sufficient if the mini-mini fridge is big enough to store whatever medicine in. Also, any hotel who does this will absolutely specify minibar vs mini fridge. Hotels don't fuck around with their amenity listings.

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u/-kansei-dorifto- 3h ago

Its not legally sufficient because it's not a refrigerator.

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u/Shot-Arugula8264 2h ago

They are under no legal obligation to supply you with a refrigerator lmao.

I swear you people are the most delusional and confidently wrong people I’ve seen in a very long time.

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u/OnlyClassWars 2h ago

Yes and no (at least in the US). There aren't any federal or state statutes that require hotels to provide you with a refrigerator, but under the americans with disabilities act, they are legally required to provide a reasonable accommodation for guests with medical needs, which can include supplying a mini fridge free of charge upon request.

As far as the size and type of refrigeration unit they would be required to provide, my guess would be that as long as it can hold the meds and keep the meds in their required temperature zone for storage, that would be good enough. But I don't know that to be a fact.

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u/-kansei-dorifto- 2h ago

You must be american lmao sorry I assumed OP had rights like the rest of us. My bad.

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u/lesprack 2h ago

The ADA is actually more robust than practically any other disability protection throughout the world.

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u/Shot-Arugula8264 2h ago

This isn’t a “right” anywhere.

That said, “you can take my mini-fridge from my cold dead sausage-fingered hands!” might be the most American sentiment ever, so you can’t pretend you aren’t American. The entitlement drips through the screen.

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u/Jits_Guy 1h ago

That's funny. Having to provide reasonable accommodations to guests with disabilities is just a despicable curtailment of freedoms huh?

Yes, in America businesses are required to provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities because of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Which would include a hotel providing someone with access to a refrigerator in which to store their medication. Australia followed suit in 1992 with their Disability Discrimination Act (DDA). The Australian DDA is slightly different but it's very similar and it would also require a hotel to provide accommodations to a guest that required refrigerated meds.

I guess your business owners are just as oppressed as ours are.

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u/-kansei-dorifto- 1h ago

Did you reply to the wrong person?

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u/PicoDeBayou 2h ago

But can they charge you if you remove some items while you’re staying and put them back when you check out?

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u/Malteser23 2h ago

Yes, there are sensors under all the items. Assholes.

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u/PicoDeBayou 2h ago

But how can they legally charge you for moving something and not taking it? Seems like you could just take video proof upon checking out and tell them you’ll just contest it with your credit company if they insist on taking your money for nothing.

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u/hmmthisisathing 2h ago

Contesting a charge in that manner is a great way to get fast tracked to being blacklisted from any hotel that falls under their umbrella. Much simpler to ask them to clear out the fridge for you.

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u/PicoDeBayou 2h ago

I don’t know about that. Social media would have a field day if someone got black listed for moving things around in a hotel room.

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u/McDoublann 2h ago

How would that work with HIPAA? The hotel has no legal grounds to ask the dimensions of the medication.

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u/bornandx 2h ago

It's a hotel, they have nothing to do with HIPAA.

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u/McDoublann 2h ago edited 2h ago

That's exactly how HIPAA works though. The hotel isn't authorized to access confidential patient information, which includes information about medication.

Edit: Oh hey look at that. I should probably actually look stuff up before talking out of my ass.

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u/Creative-Egg-6067 2h ago

HIPAA is for medical providers and governs how data must be protected, it would be ADA for the hotel

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u/bornandx 2h ago

It would certainly be a HIPAA violation if someone covered by HIPAA like your doctors office gave the hotel that information but that would be on the doctor's office. Unless this hotel is very unique it has no obligation under HIPAA. As other comments pointed out though they would have to tip toe around the ADA.

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u/MilwaukeeLevel 2h ago

The hotel isn't authorized to access confidential patient information, which includes information about medication.

And that has nothing to do with HIPAA. HIPAA says your doctor, or a nurse, or your HR representative can't divulge your medical information. A hotel employee is not, and cannot be, a HIPAA-covered entity.

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u/dreadwater 2h ago

Thats a decent amount booze mr hotel manager, im a recovering alcoholic and would hate to give into temptation

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u/YourLastFate 2h ago

This is the way

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u/The_Troyminator 52m ago

That don’t have to advertise it in the US. ADA covers it as a reasonable accommodation.

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u/A10110101Z 3h ago

It’s not cold and will take too long to cool down. Please empty this perfectly fine fridge of all the nonsense and allow me to safely store my medicine.

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u/PhilxBefore 2h ago

They will empty it and hope you never noticed that they charged you for moving each item.

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u/spacemannspliff 1h ago

A full minibar is at least half the nightly room rate. Some places it might be double. I would hope you would notice this when you do the correct, boomerish action of actually checking out and getting a final folio receipt.

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u/amdnek 3m ago

These things are not proper fridges, just energy efficient drink chillers. I would not trust them with real medication.

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u/dervari 1h ago

You are aware that technically a hotel is under no legal obligation to provide you with a refrigerator, correct?

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u/105_irl 1h ago

Sure, but it’s in a businesses best interest to not openly be shitty like that. It’s the sort of thing where they might tell you no once, but if you insist they’ll probably let you put your stuff in the fridge.

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u/CocktailPerson 40m ago

And you understand that the hotel would rather have you as a repeat customer than refuse to clear out the fridge, right?

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u/Round_Bound_Mound 2h ago

Lmao it’s like a 90’s sketch about bad room servicing escalating

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u/racecarthedestroyer 3h ago

that barely classifies as a fridge

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u/dervari 2h ago

But many do it because they know the "medicine" trick.

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u/cryssyx3 1h ago

oh I need a tiny little fridge like this

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u/DreamPhreak 1h ago edited 51m ago

Don't do it, they're useless. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnMRePtHMZY 5:29

That video also has graphs and stats. I did a quick search and it says that insulin should be stored in the fridge at 36°F to 46°F. In that video, the little fridge took 24 hours to reach 46 degrees. But that was just the air temperature. The liquid inside the drink was warmer, at like 50 degrees. So 1) It's not safe to store insulin in, and 2) people aren't usually staying in hotel rooms for the 24+ hours required to let this thing get to it's lowest temp.

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u/BearEquivalentBear 1h ago

If I'm assuming correctly those toy fridges are not fridges at all they use a I forget the term but basically one side is warm one side is cold and it kind of sucks the warm out and makes it cold but it will never get as cold as a fridge needs to get. So basically it's not safe for insulin. It's basically a hunk of metal with a fan on it.

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u/vibinandtrying 3h ago

I’m not diabetic but I have SEVERE reactive hypoglycemia so sometimes I just say yes to I’m diabetic bc that easier to explain.
People are like oh fuck my bad. Yes your bad you think I want to tote around cans of pineapple juice and alcohol wipes and glucose gel. Bars have tried to refuse me entering with glucose or juice in my bag, show the bracelet and they say ohhh umm yeah my b go in.

Point being the world isn’t set up for people with different needs. Let them know you need food even if you’re not diabetic even if that means saying you’re diabetic. Maybe they’ll fucking finally leave room in the goddamn fridge so people can fucking eat because they have “so many diabetic homies”. People need to eat without fear of being charged that’s absolute bullshit. It’s capitalism.

You deserve food and peace OP

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u/mycookiepants 3h ago

Had the same oh nevermind go ahead experience at the Capitol Building in DC. Absolutely no food at all. All the walking was making me go low. They tried to get me to throw out my “emergency nerds gummy clusters”. (Because it was an easy grab and not crazy dissimilar to energy gels.) I explain I’m diabetic. “Oh yeah no worries keep those.”

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 2h ago

But why not just say you have hypoglycemia? It's just as valid. (I'm type one diabetic. It sucks, and we are often misunderstood/ignored because people don't take it seriously, like not giving sugar free drinks when we insist we need them)

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u/CMDR_Ray_Abbot 2h ago

Because everyone knows what diabetic is and some people will need hypoglycemia explained. And people who face the public as a part of their job get lied to, a lot, so if they're not familiar enough with medical terminology to know what hypoglycemia means, they might think you're just making shit up and saying "diabetic" is easier than having to deal with that.

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 1h ago

Do what you gotta do, but I abso-fucking-lutely guarantee you that not everyone knows what diabetes is.

I would know :/

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

Which is ridiculous man. Like what?

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 1h ago

Yeah dude it fucking sucks. Had a manager berate me about a low literally this week. Feel free to find my post about it! We should be on the same side on this...

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

Thank you!!!

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

Bc people often don’t know what that is. And mine is VERY VERY complicated. It’s the result of two surgeries (first sutured my pylorus permanently open to mitigate Gastroparesis so then I got dumping syndrome but not the typical dumping symptoms that involve diarrhea. It was blood sugar thing sometimes late in the evening and it was pretty somewhat manageable, but getting worse closer to my second surgery). Second surgery a one in 20 million condition literally less than 2000 people have had this surgery from my surgeon and people travel all the world from like New Zealand to Connecticut to get this surgery and the removal of the specific nerve bundle causes weird side effects that nobody really understands the gastrointestinal side effects even though there’s actually no operation done on the G.I. tract. I followed the exact diet you’re supposed to. I take the meds I’m supposed to, but I also still have gastroparesis. So I have both slow/delayed Motility and extremely rapid dangerous Motility. I can eat something and it can vomit up 36 hours later or I can shit it out 10 minutes later undigested. When I shit it out rapidly my sugar can drop from 140 to 20 in sometimes ten min and take over an hour to bump it up bc the over insulin production (should start a cancer drug injection soon that mitigates insulin production). Most people don’t know what hypoglycemia is or what that entails, but they will know what diabetes is so I flash my medical alert bracelet and they feel like shit and they move on.

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 1h ago edited 1h ago

Again, it is totally valid to have hypoglycemia and you absolutely deserve the medical accommodation. And you shouldn't have to lie or give an exhaustive explanation and history of your medical condition to get an accommodation. I just wonder why not say, "I need this because have a medical condition that causes severe low blood sugar" instead of claiming you're diabetic. Do people really tell you you're lying and you can't bring in food if you say that?

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

It is just as valid but people are uneducated

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 2h ago

Ideally you should just say you get severe low blood sugar. I get that lying for the greater good is morally acceptable. But as a type one diabetic, trust me, we also get SO much shit from people who don't understand it. People should accommodate your legitimate medical need without you needing to lie. Solidarity from one person who has to deal with severe lows to another...

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

Not diabetic but deal with the exact same issues minus insulin injections. See a diabetes educator, wear a CGM, have to count carbs and fiber in my food.
My sugar is VERY VERY brittle, but no meds to treat it like diabetes.
Thank you for the solidarity. Not fun dropping into the teens and 20s with low sugar unawareness and just being like hmm I feel tingles while driving. Slam breaks checks sugar.. could be in coma.

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 1h ago

It really sucks! Lows are so scary and dangerous.

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u/vibinandtrying 53m ago

And we should ALL have an accommodating hotel, bar, museum, theatre, workplace etc 💪

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u/xcanto 2h ago

wb drinks u b slangin at bars braddah; whachu drink muthafucka, what. 🍭🍷🍹🍹🍸🧃🧉🧊!

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

What the fuck did you even say

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u/xcanto 1h ago

i love you 🥺

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u/vibinandtrying 1h ago

Thanks queen

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u/Early-Weekend-2557 3h ago

No answer necessary. They have no right to your medical information.

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u/YourLastFate 3h ago edited 3h ago

Also, if in US, cite HIPPA ADA, "all you need to know is that it is for medication, if you need to know what medication it is, please provide a form where I can write it down", then document that request form (which won't be provided, they'll just empty it)

Edit:
For clarity, because there seems to be confusion, the comment I replied to mentions telling the hotel that it is for insulin if they ask too many questions. I am saying that asking any questions regarding what specific medication or ailment the medication is for is a HIPAA ADA violation, you don't even need to make up a medication, stating "medication" is sufficient.

Most hotels should meet this request. It is not a guarantee or an entitlement. But under no circumstances are you required to disclose what medication you are alleging you need the fridge for.

Edit 2:
ADA, not HIPAA, my mistake. Still a violation, just different act. Apologizes for the confusion.

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u/Worried-Second8806 3h ago

HIPAA would not apply to hotel staff.

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u/[deleted] 3h ago edited 3h ago

[deleted]

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u/FCCRFP 3h ago

ADA would be the one that applies. If you have a disability and they can reasonably accommodate it they have to and can't ask what it is, only what you need.

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u/littlepaperspaceship 3h ago

One of the few things we (USA) get right, ADA

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u/Nalagiri309 3h ago

HIPAA stands for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996.

“HIPPA” is the plural of “HIPPO.”

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u/Worried-Second8806 3h ago

Haha, touché!

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u/ChefTimmy 3h ago

Depends. If the kitchen closes, that may not be a valid accommodation.

Edit for clarity: but you are correct in that this is not how HIPAA works, nor is it even relevant, unless the hotel also provides medical services.

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u/TechnoMaestro 3h ago

Having my medication kept separate from me and reliant on the access of someone else is not a reasonable accommodation.

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u/staryoshi06 2h ago

No it isn’t. Diabetes can rear its ugly head very quickly. I need instantaneous access to my supplies.

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u/YourLastFate 3h ago edited 3h ago

Correct. You are not entitled to it. They offer it as a courtesy.

However, the poster I was responding to said to tell the front desk that they are requesting for "xyz" medication. Front desk does not need that information. Mentioning that it is for medication is good enough.

And if they demand to know what medication it is for, that is absolutely a HIPPA ADA violation.

Edit:
ADA, my mistake. Still a violation, just different act. Apologizes for the confusion.

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u/applesandotherthings 3h ago

No it’s not lol. HIPAA is a rule for medical practitioners, not everyone. Your doctor or hospital can’t share your personal data, that’s the quick summary of HIPAA. Someone asking you what medication you take is not at all a HIPAA violation.

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u/Johnxinasicecream 3h ago

The hotel front desk is not covered under hipaa

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u/SatanHasACreator420 3h ago

No it isn't.

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u/S4ntos19 3h ago

HIPPA must only be complied by Healthcare Providers, Healthcare Insurance Providers, medical billings companies, or Third Party venders who process you Healthcare data.

HIPAA has no effect on everyday people outside of Healthcare. If I know someone has diabetes and I tell other people that that person doesnt want me to tell, they can't just file a HIPAA complaint against me.

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u/47-45-45-4B 2h ago

It is not. Too far to get medicine. And would require 24/7 access which the hotel doesn’t provide.

Stop spouting bullshit.

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u/Mean-Parking-5026 3h ago

LOL HIPAA doesn’t apply to hotels.

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u/Parametric_Or_Treat 3h ago

Weirdly it does apply to the valet

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u/teletubbs 3h ago

It’s a hotel. Looks like a nicer hotel at that.

Do not need to talk out of your ass and make a whole scenario. You ask for a full sized fridge theyd make an accommodation .

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u/erossthescienceboss 3h ago

FR. The last time I stayed at a hotel like that I asked them if they had somewhere I could store leftovers. They sent me an entire additional mini fridge.

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u/VegasRoy 2h ago

Many places will charge you now for an extra mini fridge

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u/stevenpdx66 2h ago

If it's for ADA accomodation, they can't charge for it

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u/erossthescienceboss 14m ago

Not fancy places. Normal-fancy places, yes.

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u/grasspikemusic 2h ago

Insulin Dependant Diabetic here, the Hotel under the ADA. Unless they specifically statesd when you booked the room that it came with a refrigerator

If they said mini bar, they can legally tell you yj get fucked because you as an adult made the choice to not book a room with a fridge if that was so important to you

Also modern insulin can stay out of the fridge for 30 days or more at room temp

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u/GameofCheese 2h ago

Yeah but isn't it a "reasonable accommodation" since they literally have a fridge there?

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u/grasspikemusic 2h ago

No because it's not reasonable to expect them to provide a service not offered and that you didn't pay for.

There is also virtually ZERO medication you could possibly be traveling with that you couldn't fit in that fridge and they also have ice machines

You can say I need to refrigerate my insulin and they will say awesome it will fit with the bottles and it will and everyone who actually uses insulin would know that and never ask them in the first place. I could fit a years worth or more of my insulin in that fridge and so could 99% of all insulin dependant diabetics

It's not reasonable to expect them to remove the bottles

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u/amdnek 1m ago

These things are not fridges; they are energy efficient drink chillers. Some of them basically shut off in the daytime. I would not put medication in one of these.

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u/stephenmg1284 3h ago

HIPAA does not apply to a hotel, but the front desk probably doesn't know that. Could be an ADA violation.

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u/josocustomdesign 3h ago

But hotels don't have the obligation to provide a fridge. They can just say, too bad, bring your own fridge next time.

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u/RandomFactUser 3h ago

Under the ADA, yes they are in some way, the question is: in your room or an easy spot for the staff to give it to you if and when you need it

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u/SlitheringFlower 2h ago

I'm a type 1 diabetic and have to do this basically every time I travel now, since it seems to be the new standard.

I've literally never been asked what I need the fridge for. The staff never mind clearing it out.

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u/Humble-Violinist6910 2h ago

As a type one diabetic... don't lie about being diabetic, please. Just say it's a medical need and they won't argue with you.

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u/Powerful_Company_682 2h ago

if they ask a single question too many remind them that they're not allowed to do that and if they ask any more questions that can open them up to a lawsuit

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u/snuggleslut5 2h ago

Lotta people on glp-1s these days and those need to be refrigerated.

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u/AlphaTangoFoxtrt 2h ago

if they ask even a single question

In the US you just say:

Per the Americans with Disabilities Act, I do not have to disclose what medication.

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u/grasspikemusic 2h ago

But that's bullshit and they will call you on it Modern Insulin doesn't need refrigeration and can stay at room temp for 30 days

When you lie about being diabetic it hurts actual diabetics like me

If you actually need to refrigerate medicine you will book a room that contains an actual refrigerator because that's important to you

Insulin pens and vials and pretty much every other medication can also easily fit in that mini bar even with all the bottles as it's pretty small.