The Points Guy wrote about avoiding high priced water bottles in hotels, pointing out that Hilton offers water as an elite benefit at many brands and,

The first way is the most obvious one: just bring your own refillable water bottle with you to the hotel. That, or, buy a water bottle any other nearby shop. Problem solved.

One Mile at a Time pointed out that in fact the best source of free water in hotels is the fitness center. He also noted that in addition to free water elite benefits from Hilton, Hyatt offers this as well.

The gym is always a go-to source for me. And when a hotel does provide free bottled water in the room I’ll usually hide any bottles I haven’t consumed in my luggage in case the hotel brings more. I wouldn’t want them to think I was already stocked.

I’d add that,

• Club lounges often have bottles of water for taking. Some though only offer it in larger bottles to pour from.

• Ask the hotel for water. Some want to charge, but often when I’m getting free water as an elite or free water offered at check-in I just ask for more and the desk agent is happy to give it to me.

• Geography matters. In Asia and indeed much of the world bottled water is free, and not just where it’s questionable to drink from the tap.

When the Hyatt Regency Jersey City Had No Running Water

In much of the world you can drink the tap water though whenever I’m uncertain I avoid it. I’d rather drink filtered water (hopefully they change the filters) and I want to use my own or a hotel-gifted bottle, not the hotel’s glasses in the bathroom which may or may not be clean.