Fine Wine-ing

How many glasses of alcoholic drinks can you consume in two hours?

According to the Sunday Times (22 July), three hotels, Pan Pacific, Marina Mandarin and Carlton Hotel, offer liquid buffets for under $60. When faced with these unexpectedly good deals, the cynic in me can’t help wonder, so where’s the catch?

At these prices, going à la carte gets you only one to four drinks. Considering that most of their clients are corporates used to drinking huge amounts, these hotels must be making losses, or really reduced margins on their drinks. However, most people don’t drink on an empty stomach. Both Pan Pacific and Carlton Hotel offer snacks that you have to pay for, albeit at a 30% discount. It’s a perfect win-win situation- the hotels make up for their reduced margins on drinks with the profits made from snacks, while the consumer gets more bang for his buck. Plus, if you go to Pan Pacific hotel between 630-830pm, the snacks are complimentary. I might be wrong, but I would gladly drink to what seems like a perfectly good deal.

Of course, the catch might be that at more than 7 drinks a week, doctors warn that one risks serious liver inflammation and other health problems. Oh well, I knew it was too good to be true. I think I shall stop at six.   

Buffet hours: Any two hours from noon to 9.30pm daily.

$48+++ per person with free flow of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (excludes cocktails)

30% discount on tapas orders. Between 6.30 and 8.30pm, free tapas!

Buffet hours: Any two hours from 8pm to midnight, Sundays to Thursdays.

$58++ per person, with free flow of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages (includeds cocktails)

Buffet hours: Any two hours from noon to 9pm daily; valid till Sept 30

For $48+++ per person, enjoy a free flow of beer, wine and liquor, excluding cocktails.

30% discount on snack items from the bar menu.