A BENGALURU YOUTUBER visiting the U.S. sparked debate on social media after sharing his experience of being charged $14.99 for a bottle of water at a five-star Las Vegas hotel after asking for a complimentary glass, comparing it to Indian hospitality. Ishan Sharma called it his biggest “culture shock.”
“American hotels. They just don’t get hospitality. Funny how they ask for tips but won’t even give complimentary water,” wrote Ishan Sharma, a second-year electrical engineering student at BITS Pilani, Goa, on X. “Basic services like helping with luggage and being accommodating were missing. I checked in at 2 a.m., exhausted from the flight, and asked for a glass of water. They said, ‘It’s $14.99 for a 200ml bottle; you can buy it.’ And this is at a $200 (₹16,800) per night hotel! Complete lack of empathy. Unbelievable!”
Sharma, who stayed at Caesars Palace, noted that his experiences at three, four, and five-star hotels in the U.S. had been similar.
“Maybe I’m just spoiled by Taj hotels in India,” he said.
Sharma’s viral post drew both support and criticism.
“Is anyone going to point out the obvious… that you can drink the tap water at American hotels, but you cannot at most hotels in India?” wrote influencer Nick Gray, posting as @nickgraynews. “So in India, the free bottled water is likely mandatory and necessary. Whereas in America, the bottled water at a hotel is usually considered ‘fancy.'”
When another X user pointed out that Sharma had asked for a glass of water and not a bottle—something the hotel staff could have easily provided.
“I think he’s trolling anyway,” Gray said. “There’s no way Caesars was charging the amount he claimed for such a small bottle of water.”
Others, however, pointed out that the hospitality at Indian hotels often surpasses that of hotels in the U.S. and Europe.
“Ishan, America understands hospitality differently! Whether it’s planes, hotels, restaurants, or ships, it has been this way for decades. Their concept is just to provide the basic facilities, unlike in Asia/India where we’re spoiled by airlines, hotels, and similar services with extras,” commented Sanjay Lazar (@sjlazars). “You pay for everything in the US, and their union regulations are so strict that tipping is practically required in most states (and everyone expects it). California, Illinois, Florida and New York are some of the places where you’ll experience this.”
Another X user, Kashif Ansari (@Perfi_X), said, Americans come to Asia for hospitality.
“You’ll get the best loyalty recognition in Southeast Asia and India, and it’s not limited to Taj,” Ansari said. “Marriott, ITC, Accor are also present, and Hyatt is the best in terms of loyalty recognition.”
“Indian hotels are 1,000 times better than European and American hotels. We get extra complimentary services, and it’s true that hotels abroad don’t even provide water bottles daily,” wrote Rohit Ghumare (@ghumare64).
“Agreed, Indian hospitality is a notch above American,” X user Deedy (@deedydas) said. “They have far fewer staff and charge for everything they can.”
In January, Maldives faced a social media backlash after officials criticized India following PM Modi’s Lakshadweep visit.
