I agree this is stupid, and if it is common practise it should be posted somewhere in the hotel or restaurant. A 5 star hotel normally doesnt adopt this practise, but being in a country where the only place you can drink is hotel I guess I can understand it.

Perhaps they should put those "This table is for patrons only for a max 20 minutes" (Cant remember the exact wording) that we get back home lol. Maybe they can post these rules on the back of the waitstaffs shirts.

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"Diplomacy is the art of saying 'Nice doggie' until you can find a rock - Will Rogers"