Acting in a lot of ways like an exclusive members only club, Hotel Du Vin's magic was in its ambience, good food, delicious wines, fantastic furnishings, and amazing cocktails from its bars. Service was also paramount, with its staffing delivering impeccable service. For the wealthy the hotel became a regular haunt, for those a little less financially well off it became a treat. People on the lower end of the financial spectrum would save for weeks and even months to enjoy the Hotel Du Vin experience, for one or sometimes if they were lucky more nights guests were made to feel really special. Of course the inevitable happened and what began as a one off became chain, firstly expanding the hotel portfolio then becoming part of a major group.

All Hotel Du Vin's began to have similar desirable qualities like the often stunning Laroche wine tasting rooms, while others had exclusive additions, grand mezzanines, balcony bathing, pool tables, libraries, Health Spa's, Gyms, and cosy snugs with sofas bigger than some beds. It seemed that Hotel Du Vin's future was set in stone, with hotels in some of the UK's most desirable locations Tunbridge Wells, Kingston Upon Thames, Cheltenham, Brighton, and Birmingham to name a few, when they became a sister group to Malmaison the company spread out further still; with a catchment area giving every 50 miles in main bodied England access to a Hotel Du Vin and Malmaison.

But then things began to change, the words "economic slowdown" became a popular conversation topic, the world braces for recession; but in the world of Hotel Du Vin things started changing a little too quickly, and while the company still continues to expand. First to go were Du Vin's fine Egyptian linens, something the company prided itself upon, this was all done on the QT with not so much as a word being mentioned, and a complete omission in the press when publicising the new Hotels, York's opening boasted Egyptian linens yet no such thing ever made it into the hotel, oversight or fraud?

Directors suddenly became directed by senior directors, over night the arrival of a director of vibe; the product of this high profile appointment the rather trashy catchphrase "I Think, therefore I Du Vin" and a series of incredibly tacky gimmicks including the "Dad's Secret" promotion, something so ridiculous that no manager in the business could get their head around it let alone promote it.

Then it started, the meal deals, the happy hour drinks; all these things contributed to the state Hotel Du Vin is in now. And what state is that you ask? Du Vin or rather its parent company MWB devalued the product far too quickly, Hotel Du Vin is no longer the exclusive product it was in 1994, its no further up the foodchain if you'll excuse the term than Cafe Italia, Bella Italia or Cafe Rouge. Now Lord Suchandsuch when he visits Hotel Du Vin to impress his clients to a £400 dinner has to sit next to Doris and Sheila who are laden with Primark bags and on a £10 meal deal each. Does this sound like the sort of exclusivity you would expect from the same company? At the bar buy one glass of wine get another free, a clever gimmick that the business promotion team thought would encourage guests to sample more expensive wines, instead they are encouraging cheap wino's benefitting from low cost drinking in Hotel Du Vin's exclusive furnishings.

But the biggest mistake was yet to come, having built a sizable head office with executive chef's, directors of vibe, a strong human recourses team, and some of the greatest wine specialists in the country; Du Vin's (or rather MWB's) next trick was to reduce the wage bills. Offering these specialised and some less specialised individuals the opportunity to either leave the company, or to except minor roles in hotels. So for example a head Sommelier suddenly is forced into a bar managers position. What does this do? It creates disillusionment of the staff, those once in high profile roles now feel undervalued, while staff on the first rungs of the ladder feel these people have been pulled in to spy on them.

Of all the funny things though, people believe in their mind that Hotel Du Vin offers value for money, they think they are getting a special service. But money does funny things to people; it seems that guests that cross the threshold at Hotel Du Vin leave their brains on the other side, only thinking to reinsert after departure from the hotel. You talk to guests and they tell you everything is just "Wonderful"; but the service is not a shadow of what it used to be, staff bogged down with internal politics, those that are not are too wrapped up in being part of the "Hotel Du Vin Magic" walking round like they own the place, with inflated egos and attitudes so appalling the best place for them is the most rundown of McDonalds. While you might well have the perfect stay or at least seem to, you might be amazed by the horrific amount of complaint letters that follow a happy stay, as I said once they leave they assess things and reinsert their brains.

Now I worked for Hotel Du Vin until very recently, and this is not a disgruntled employee lashing out at a company; because while I was bored I was never disgruntled. I know that Hotel Du Vin management surf the internet looking for listings and reviews on their company to understand their fortunes, so my message to them is to remember their roots, put back that Hotel Du Vin magic that made the company something to envy and feel proud of. And my message to you dear reader, as a casual surfer stumbling upon this article; don't be fooled by the magic of Hotel Du Vin, don't have any expectations; walk into the hotel with a straight head, don't be wowed by the fact that you might be paying the earth for a room, food or drink, look at the hotel as you would any other hotel in the country; then brace yourself for the most horrendous shock.

• Rocco Forte's Browns Hotel, London
• Price Tag: $100

At Rocco Forte's Browns Hotel in London, England, you can enjoy a Truffle Martini for $100. This drink contains Martini, chocolate liqueur and a truffle soaked for 48 hours in premium vodka.

Ritz Sidecar

• Bar Hemingway, Paris Ritz
• Price Tag: $515

The Bar Hemingway in the Paris Ritz offers the Ritz Sidecar. It is mixed using Cointreau, cognac and lemon juice. This has a price tag of $515 because it uses very rare 1830 Ritz Reserve Cognac. In three years, sixty customers have willingly paid $515 to taste this unique cocktail.

Magie Noir

• Umbaba Club, London
• Price Tag: $630

The Umbaba Club in the West End of London, England is set to launch a new cocktail at it's Halloween Party. The Magie Noir is a mix of champagne, cognac and Crème de Mure. It also contains lemon grass, lychees and yohimbi bark which is said to be an aphrodisiac. It is served in a crystal glass with a twenty four carat gold cocktail pin The cost is a mere £333 (about $630).

The Red Ruby at Reserve

• Chicago, IL
• Price Tag: $950

This simple cocktail is made with Grey Goose L'Orange Vodka and Hypnotic Cognac. It also includes some orange juice, Pama - a pomegranate liqueur, and a small splash of Dom Perignon champagne. The crowning touch is a one-carat, A-grade ruby, delicately adorned on the edge of the glass.

High Roller Martini

• The Capital Grille, Las Vegas
• Price Tag: $1,000

Although this cocktail is priced at $1000, you can at least be comforted by the fact that 1/2 of the money goes to the 'Share Our Strength' charity that fights world hunger. This cocktail comes from a luxury chain of 27 high class restaurants - each with its own unique martini name. This High Roller Martini shares its name with the famous Vegas Strip and comes complete with a diamond ring.

Mai Tai

• Merchant Hotel, Dublin
• Price Tag: $1,400

The bar at the Merchant Hotel, in Dublin, Ireland, holds the record for the most expensive cocktail. A Mai Tai costs $1400. Apparently it's the vintage rum used to make this extravagant cocktail that makes it so special. This J. Wray Nephew, 17 year old rum is the same spirit that was used to create the first Mai Tai in 1944. There are said to be only six bottles of this Jamaican Rum in the world and the bottle at the Merchant Hotel is kept in the safe at night.

Platinum Passion

• Duvet, New York
• Price Tag: $1,500

This exotic cocktail is made with L'Esprit de Courvoisier, and includes the syrup of passion fruit, forest berries, wildflower honey, brown sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Ruinart Champagne is the last crucial ingredient, and this cocktail comes complete with an orchid inside the glass.

Sapphire Martini in the Mezz

• Foxwoods Resort Casino, Connecticut
• Price Tag: $3,000

This cocktail is made with Bombay Sapphire gin or premium vodka if preferred, some blue curacao, a little blue sugar around the edge of the glass, and to top it off, a pair of platinum mounted diamond and sapphire earrings.

Diamond Cocktail

• Piano Bar at the Sheraton Park Tower Hotel, London
• Price Tag: $4,350

This cocktail is made from Charles Heidsieck Vintage 2001 champagne and Remy Martin Louis XIII cognac, and includes Angostura bitters and a sugar cube. The final price tag here is determined by the piece of jewelery that you would like to have presented in the drink. $4,350 will buy you a 0.6 carat diamond, but that price could go up to $19,000 if you are interested in something a little "pricier".

Martini on The Rock

• Algonquin Hotel, New York
• Price Tag: $10,000

Maybe you would just prefer something a bit more elegant? This Martini on the Rock is a classy little cocktail and it goes for the special price of $10,000. The only "rock" here is a 1.5 carat diamond from the hotel jeweler at the Algonquin Hotel, New York. This special concoction is said to be a real thirst quencher for the ladies.