[goodkarma]

I had dinner last month in Le Meridiens coffee shop. The food was really very very good.

When we asked for water, they refused to serve us and said we have to buy bottled water.

Finally I caved because I just do not drink wiine without matching one glass with water for each wine......

They gave us a deal at $10.00 per btl.

I did not even want to get into it with the staff as it's not their fault but what do they make hot tea or iced tea or ice with?

[zeroace]

Water cannot be drank directly from the tap in HK. It needs to be boiled first.

As for why they wouldn't serve water, I find that a little odd.

[ispikes]

HK water can be drunk straight from the tap.

If you had food then I think they are obliged to give you free water. If you're not eating, I don't think that they are.

Forcing you to buy bottled water is very common in restaurants/bars everywhere.

[freeier]

actually this is quite a debatable thing also.

from the restaurant's perspective, if they serve you tap water and then you get food poisoning, who is at fault then.
if they can trace it to the water being served, its easy, if not, they run reputational risk.

this is just one extreme end of the argument. but its possible and it wld probably be an argument the hotels/restaurants would use against you.

[goodkarma]

So you are saying they use bottled water to wash fresh fruits and to make ice and iced tea then.

[PDLM]

Originally Posted by ispikes

If you had food then I think they are obliged to give you free water. If you're not eating, I don't think that they are.

Unfortunately, no they aren't. I have had this discussion previously with the Food & Environmental Health Department and with the Consumer Council, but there didn't seem to be much interest in taking up the issue.

Perhaps we should simply start a "name and shame" thread here so that these places might get the message that they are losing significant business as a result:

Two places that I would enjoy otherwise but won't be going to again because they refuse tap water:

Ole (the Spanish place on Ice House Street)
Ruth's Chris

[tinybear]

The Mandarin Oriental.

[freeier]

Originally Posted by goodkarma

So you are saying they use bottled water to wash fresh fruits and to make ice and iced tea then.

nope. but if you pay for it they would take that risk and serve it. 8-P

[Pekkerhead]

supposeedly HK water can be drunk straight from the tap, as they have the same purification process here as elsewhere in the developed wold. The problem is the pipework which is often rusty and can cause pollutants to enter the water system. Hence why it is recommended that you get a filter, or boil it before you drink it.

There was a big hoo har about this in the UK as some places started to charge a 'service fee' for supplying you with water from the tap. Obviously they couldn't charge for the water itself.

Actually, if you ask for hot water (which is how most Chinese drink it anyway) you may just get what you want. I would expect most places would have a coffee machine that can dispense it?

[PDLM]

Originally Posted by Pekkerhead

I would expect most places would have a coffee machine that can dispense it?

Indeed - connected directly to the tap water supply and heating the water up to just a nice temperature to breed bacteria!