A new website is using bottled water to measure value in the luxury hotel industry. Seb Grima, a finance data expert and self-described “traveler who got tired of being fleeced at luxury hotels,” created isthewaterfree.com after repeatedly feeling overcharged for water at high-end properties. The idea crystallized one summer when he had to sign for bottled water by the pool at a hotel charging over $1,000 a night.
The site tracks which luxury hotels offered free bottled water and which properties charged for it or ration it, categorizing properties based on their nightly rates and water policies. These range from “pay a fortune, pay for water” to “pay less, get more,” using complimentary water as a proxy for overall quality and guest experience.
How the Bottle Board Works
The Bottle Board aggregates data from guest reviews on platforms like Google, Tripadvisor, and Reddit, as well as hotel websites, booking listings, and minibar menus. It also accounts for alternatives like carafes with filtered water and refill stations, offering a full view of water accessibility.
As of late October, the site tracked 4,723 hotels. Of these, 1,343 offered free water, while 2,115 provided free water alongside additional perks like complimentary minibars. However, 1,265 hotels still charge for water, ration it, or bundle it into resort fees, highlighting disparities in guest treatment.
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Notable Findings
A Seattle hotel is home to the priciest water, though the guest review pointed out that the $40 charge was for bottled water and WiFi combined as part of an “Urban Experience” fee. In Paris, a hotel charging over €1,000 per night rations water and charges €18 for each extra bottle, placing it at the top of the “pay a fortune, pay for water” ranking.
Las Vegas has the highest share of properties that charge for or ration in-room water. This issue gained national attention in June 2025 when a guest at MGM Resorts’ Aria was charged $26 for a single bottle of water. The incident went viral, prompting MGM CEO Bill Hornbuckle to address it during a Q3 earnings call. “When we think about pricing and things that got everyone’s attention, whether it’s the infamous bottle of water or Starbucks coffee at Excalibur that cost $12, shame on us,” he said, adding that the company had since “price corrected.” Las Vegas may still have some more correcting to do.
Currently, many of the chart’s entries are based on a single review, and the type or size of water bottle a guest was charged for isn’t always made clear. Grima reported that early traveler response has been “very positive.” He hasn’t received feedback from any hotels but said properties can request a correction on the site at any time.