Six minibar items worth the splurge (and some that don’t require one!)

Considering the crazy high prices that many hotels slap onto their minibars, it's no surprise that most guests tend to avoid them. In response, three big chains -- Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt -- have cleaned out the mini-fridges and called it quits; their rooms in hotels around the world no longer have them. But let’s not throw out the Baby Ruth with the Fiji water! Plenty of hotels still provide in-room snacks, drinks and treats, and we promise -- some are worth the splurge. Here are six minibar features we've seen that we can totally get behind.

Local goods

Seeing the same can of Coke and the same Hershey’s bar time and time again can be a snooze. That’s why we salute the minibars that bring in local foods. The Wythe Hotel firmly declares its Brooklyn pride with a bin of Mast Brothers chocolates and North Fork chips. This proves a hotel can earn coolness points with just its snack drawer.

Treats for all, even pets

The first rule in snacking: All snacks taste better when shared with a friend -- especially your best friend, aka your dog. At The Benjamin, pets aren't just welcome, they're treated like any other guest and are given their own provisions. The hotel's goodDog program includes pet treats in the minibars of all guests with pooches, a detail that's sure to leave a lot of tails wagging.

Saucy additions

Why let the minibar sundries end with edibles when there are so many other types of treats hotels can offer? A few bold hotels, like the Delano Hotel in Miami and Gild Hall in New York City, have caught on and offer minibar amenities for seduction: condoms, lubricant and towelettes. In our opinion, it makes perfect sense to park these next to the Champagne.

Minibars stocked with free goodies

Say goodbye to overpriced snacks -- some hotels actually offer minibars stocked with gratis goodies! While this is particularly common at all-inclusive resorts, like Jamaica's Secrets Wild Orchid, some boutique properties have the same friendly approach; one of our faves is Hotel Topazz in Vienna.