The hotel may be within its rights to charge whatever it wants, but, surely, this should have been made clear to the customer when ordering. There's no justification in upsetting a customer unnecessarily, and he was foolish to pay it, if he hadn't been told. A minimum charge may, however, be used as a valid form of discrimination. The hotel may not want the 'wrong types' entering just for a drink and, possibly, disturbing their guests. An easy deterrent is to impose a minimum charge, but it should be made clear.
The second article was about five hotels in Paris, which are, for a limited period, offering accommodation at the price each guest wants to pay. They won't be obliged to pay the normal rate, and can decide how much to hand over when they check out. The hotels give the reason for the offer as 'getting to know the clients and to evaluate their experience', whatever that means, and hope the guests will genuinely pay what it's worth. I think the hoteliers will be disappointed with the amount they receive. Also, once again, the hotels need to be mindful of not attracting the 'wrong types'. Those on a low budget may not respect the standards of an expensive hotel, but see this offer as an opportunity to try them.
I relate to these stories because, in my previous life, I owned a small hotel in Birmingham. I didn't always get it right, but I respected my guests and aimed for repeat business. I lived on the premises and felt that people were coming to stay in my home; many guests became friends. Although I was fully aware of costs, and profit was important, the rooms were a fair price and hot drinks in the lounge were always complimentary. Like the Paris hotels, I experimented with 'pay what you want' for rooms if they were still available late in the day. Nevertheless, I also wanted to protect my guests from being disturbed, so was prepared to refuse people if they seemed undesirable. I never received the full rate in these circumstances and saw it only as additional and unexpected income.
Value for money is an emotive subject. One person will willingly pay £4 for a coffee in a restaurant and another will grimace at the thought of £2. A hotel room could be considered value at £400, or one may shudder at being charged half that. It's all very personal. Sometimes it's a matter of different standards, either offered or expected; or it may relate to what one can afford. Depending on the person, they'll feel that the price is fair, or that they've been overcharged or undercharged, and that will determine whether they'll return.
It's important for a successful business owner to decide who his market is and to adjust his prices accordingly. It's equally important that the owner is open about his pricing and customers are made aware of what they'll need to pay. Whereas some people are content to pay a high price for a service, and will choose to do so, others will seek a cheap alternative. The cost of a service is an indication of the value attributed to it. Good business is about satisfying customer needs, at whichever level they may be, and recognising that there are differences in both service and customers - and they don't always integrate well.