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Resort fees catch guests by surprise
Saturday, May 8, 2010 | 2:01 a.m.
Cost of business
Hotels are adding and raising room surcharges to boost profit. It’s a risky strategy, as room rates are the No. 1 or No. 2 determining factor for leisure travelers who book rooms. Most Strip hotels now charge resort fees. Some started charging them a few months ago; others have had them for a few years.Sun archives
Chicago resident Tim Murtaugh keeps close tabs on his trip expenses, so when the Excalibur tacked a $4.50 “resort fee” on top of his $39 room rate for each night of his stay, the retired librarian sent a complaint letter to the resort’s management.
“I just didn’t think it was right,” Murtaugh says.
Neither do many others who have been surprised by resort fees charged for their stays in Las Vegas. The tide of complaints about the fees is rising in online forums, travel blogs and just about everywhere else that frequent travelers swap stories and post reviews.
Murtaugh had previously stayed at Las Vegas hotels that didn’t charge resort fees, so the added charge caught him off-guard. Resorts say the fees cover amenities such as high-speed Internet, gym and pool access and newspaper delivery.
They are relatively new in Las Vegas, but the fees are part of a growing trend in the hotel industry that’s expected to spread as tourism rebounds.
A 10 percent increase in hotel add-on fees this year is the prediction of New York University’s Preston Robert Tisch Center for Hospitality, Tourism and Sports Management.
Hotels are adding and raising room surcharges to boost profit, says the study’s author Bjorn Hanson, an associate professor of hospitality and tourism management at NYU.
It’s a risky strategy, as room rates are the No. 1 or No. 2 determining factor for leisure travelers who book rooms, rivaling the hotel’s brand name and what that represents, Hanson says.
“This is a period of grand experimentation to see what fees and surcharges guests will tolerate,” Hanson says.
The fees can vary by hotel, even hotels owned by the same company in the same city. That’s especially true in Las Vegas, where resort fees vary by property, though many are owned by a handful of companies. Most Strip hotels now charge resort fees. Some started charging them a few months ago; others have had them for a few years.
What’s more, Las Vegas hotels that formerly charged taxes only on the room cost are increasingly taxing the added fees as well, which can inflate the total bill.
Many consumers have complained that the fees are sometimes buried in fine print, so hotels and travel booking sites have improved disclosure in recent years.
Hotels in Las Vegas and elsewhere have trained employees to discuss such fees with customers if they are booking rooms by phone or as they are checking in.
They also have trained employees how to handle customer complaints from angry guests who don’t notice the fees until they check out and see their final bills, Hanson says.
These hotels graciously refuse to refund such charges, saying they were adequately disclosed beforehand.
Customers such as Cindy Weldon of San Francisco say they are fighting back by boycotting hotels that charge mandatory fees not included in the advertised rate. Weldon says some resort fees in Las Vegas can double the cost of a room. Weldon said some hotels still charge the fees even if they “comp” gamblers the room.
“It’s a sneaky, mandatory charge,” she says. “We used to only have to worry about taxes. Now we have to hunt to find out what these resort fees are.”
Station Casinos, which began charging resort fees ranging from about $15 to $25 per night in 2004, calls such customers a “vocal minority” because the fees are disclosed upfront, before customers book their rooms online or over the phone. On the company’s website, the amount of the “hotel amenity fee” is included as the fifth line item in a terms and conditions section that appears after customers select a date and room type at a particular hotel.
A small number of complaints about the fees crop up in guest surveys, but the vast majority accept the fees as a fair deal, says Michael Grisar, vice president of hotel operations for Station Casinos.
Previous to bundled fees, he says, customers were paying several times those amounts for services and amenities such spa access and shuttles to and from the Strip.
“Every time we added a new item it started costing more for the guest ... you might be talking about an extra $60 to $70. We offer one low clean price for a package of amenities that guests have always wanted. We didn’t want to see them nickel and dimed for various things.”
Gordon Absher, a spokesman for MGM Mirage, which began introducing bundled resort fees two years ago, says the fees have spread at MGM hotels because “our guests see it as a convenience to have a single charge added to their overall bill” rather than a series of charges for things customers might not have expected needing, such as Internet access.
Likewise, guests like the convenience of sipping in-room bottled water and would end up paying more for water had they purchased it separately, he added.
Hospitality industry consultant James Sinclair of OnSite Consulting in Los Angeles advises his clients against charging mandatory fees in favor of a la carte fees or optional, bundled charges. Hotels that insist on charging mandatory fees shouldn’t make customers pay extra for basics like housekeeping, but rather, should include more tangible offerings such as access to the spa, he says.
“It’s not worth risking the angry customer who wasn’t looking for these fees or the customer who begins looking for resorts that don’t charge them.”
Sinclair calls mandatory fees “a deceitful way of making money,” given that hotels are reluctant to include them in advertised online rates so as not to get knocked out of a search for the lowest-priced hotels.
And yet, hotels feel pressured to implement them given that some competitors are tacking them on the back end of discounted rates, Sinclair adds. Many hotels — knowing that most people won’t dispute charges even if they don’t like them — are no longer removing charges for disgruntled customers now that business is picking up, he says.
Harrah’s Entertainment in Las Vegas is among a few companies resisting the resort fee trend. At a meeting this year, Harrah’s executives decided to charge for things the old fashioned way so as not to risk turning off customers.
At Harrah’s-owned properties in Las Vegas, customers can go down to the lobby to buy a bottle of water or a newspaper. They also pay for long distance calls and amenities such as the spa.
“If you want these extra things, we’re happy to sell them. But customers don’t necessarily want all these things,” says Marilyn Winn, regional president of three Harrah’s Strip resorts — Bally’s, Paris and Planet Hollywood.
The spread of resort fees is inevitable, much like the higher prices Las Vegas tourists now pay for improved amenities, says Mehmet Erdem, an assistant professor in hotel management at UNLV. People will grow accustomed to paying the fees, especially if they get a good deal on a room, he says.
“There’s a learning curve. When I first came to Las Vegas, there was no $20 buffet. Now that’s the norm. And you don’t see people getting sticker shock over it.”
Resistance to hotel fees isn’t so different from cruise ship customers who dispute mandatory tips and other previously disclosed add-ons when they receive their final bills, Erdem adds.
“On the day of debarkation, you will see this huge line of people at the front desk.”
And yet, such fees have become standard for the cruise industry, which attracts many repeat customers.
And resorts in Hawaii have long charged bundled resort fees, which have become a necessary and largely accepted cost of a Hawaii vacation, he said.
In fact, Murtaugh will be back at the Excalibur next month.
Based on his gambling activity, he’s getting three of his four nights for free, paying a resort fee for one night. Including taxes, the fee will cost him about $16.
“That was hard to turn down,” he says.
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typical stealth tax on people
So if Frankie does it, Johnny also has to do it? One hotel started this way of raising profits, and the other hotels followed that trend? Is that it? Now the hotels seem to "sell" stuff to the tourists that the hotels have to offer but the tourists actually don't want. Still, the tourists have to pay for it. Is that fair? Who needs in-room internet if there are so many hotspots available with free internet these days for example? Who wants the daily newspaper if he's escaping from his real world and needs some distraction in Las Vegas????
Anyway, for the first time I saw an official report about it and I am glad to see that Harrah's said they're not charging any resort fee. Of course, the fees are in the total rate already, but at least are not something that will be charged later on.
The "trick" these companies do, in my eyes, and totally unfair: They advertise rooms at sometimes extremely low rates, sometimes these rates are shown on display in front of the casino. So the walk-ins are being mislead completely. Only if you know that there's probably a surcharge for amenities you don't need anyway, all you must do and check for the grand total-per night and find out if that rate is suitable for you.
Station Casinos for example is offering sometimes extremely competitive rates, but then , adding these resort fees of 12.95 and sometimes more, per night, on top of that, this rate all over sudden is not sooooo competitive any longer. Just make sure to know that there will be added many fees and then check for the estimated total before booking ;)
From Switzerland
Why not different fees for silver or brass door knobs? This 'deceptive' marketing reminds me of the televised marketing of "All you pay is seperate shipping and handling". The 'Transient Tax' is another one.
Be careful Vegas! You're going through rough times and you're walking on egg shells now. The Politicians are calling the Voters bluff and so is this marketing ploy to the tourist. I believe the tolerance level of the consumer is much less today than it was this time last year.
these whiz kids need to go back to school, elemantry school. visitors like my family come to vegas to gamble, take away fair paying slots, rip us off at blackjack, and we've taken our business elsewhere. vegas was built on good gambling NOT spas, fancy overpriced food, niteclubs. it was built on great gambling and entertainment that CHANGED. i can take only 1 circue show in a lifetime. but i would guess the next step for these geniuses will be 4 zero's on roulette and 10 sided dice. good luck vegas
It's disheartening to see people buy into these fees. When customers protested enough, M Resort dropped their fee. There needs to be a law that makes search engines include all fees and taxes in their results. There won't be an incentive to do this crap if people saw that resort A would really be cheaper than resort B because B charges stupid resort fees.
i don't like resort fees either but complaining when you get a room for $39 seems really cheap, what are you going to get for $39 in manhattan or chicago or san francisco or anywhere. you can't get a motel for that in phoenix
Typical, typical. What next? "air conditioning fees"....
How about "shampoo surcharge"?
This excuse of "but everybody does it" doesn't make it right or proper.
This is like the airlines charging a fair amount for the flight but then, whamo, now you have to also pay for the luggage and seat (if you want to sit together). They are hiding the true price in the hopes that you will think you're getting a good deal.
I still think Vegas will rebound faster with lower room rates and more players club comps. We don't mind spending the money on a Vegas vacation, we just want to have some fun doing it at the tables or the machines. And yes, who can complain about $39 for a room?
this is what happens when the accounting department runs a business instead of marketing. they get into this penny wise - pound foolish nonsense. when something is tacked on, it creates ill will that ends up costing you more than what it brings in.
"We Cheat Tourists and Drunks" ...
As long as visitors remember this unofficial Vegas byline, they should not be shocked by any 'hidden' charges.
But I agree, just as people start thinking about coming back to Vegas is the perfect time to welcome them back with good screwing.
Just to let them know how much we missed them.
Oligopoly.
You guys are cheap and hypocritical !....We all would be doing it if we were hotel managers. The same guys complaining are the same guys who try and skimp on their taxes and leave crappy tips to service workers.
Resort fees are deceptive because of the manner in which they pop up late in the booking process (or at checkout time).
We were just about to book a room at New York, New York through Expedia when, at the final stage of the process, a resort fee and some additional taxes suddenly were disclosed. This made us decide not to book the room for two reasons. Firstly, we felt cheated by the sneaky and late way the fees were disclosed. Secondly, we became suspicious that the hotel would nail us with more unexpected costs at checkout time.
Resort fees, like fees for an airline carry-on bag, do enormous damage to the tourism industry by making it seem like the tourist is in for a royal fleecing. Upfront and clear pricing is the best policy, despite what the idiot CEO's believe will help their bottom lines and bonuses.
so rather than nickle and dime those specific guests that want a newspaper or bottled water...
you are going to nickle and dime them all...
got it...
in my humble opinion...
this leaves a very sour taste in your mouth...
and that can't be good for business...
very very short sighted...
As long as my rooms are comped I don't really care. $15+tax/nite at most properties on the Strip is still a pretty good deal!
Aprilgirl12 brought it to the point: They're hiding the extras to make it look as if the customer is getting a fair deal. As a curiousity I went on the Station Casinos website and started a fictious reservation. On the first page here's the first trick: +internet saving rate or the standard rate? It's a huge difference if you decide to book early, about 40 per cent off the prevailing rate (without the resort fee, of course!).
Once you pick your option, you are being diverted to the next page where you must insert your name and billing adress. The term "resort amenity fee" is marked in red but not 100 per cent visibile. You can only get the details about how much the added amount for the fee by clicking on that resort amenity fee symbol and then another window pops up. Wow, 14.99 usd for free internet and the newspaper etc, are they kidding me?
So, as a matter of fact, a room rate at Santa Fe Station isn't really 32.99 but rather....wait a second.....32.99 plus tax , that's .....37.50 circa, and then they add 14.99 , plus tax on top of the resort fee, making it about 18 dollars for the internet bla bla, so the total room rate comes to pretty much 53 usd per night. Advertised 32.99 usd therefore means 53 usd in Las Vegas. That's a nice 80 per cent raise.
It's true that you pay much more in other cities of the world. In Switzerland, you pay about 120 dollars per night for a regular room , 7 days a week. All nights have the same rate, more or less, but you shouldn't forget this one: People who come to Vegas want to come gambling. The point systems of these players clubs are only interesting if somebody's really ready to wager more than 10,000 usd per day (coin-in). For all the regular players it isn't interesting enough to play for casino rate. However, even a quarter slot player or a b-j player with 10 or 20 dollars average bet stands to lose 200 or 300 per day, easy. And then he finds himself back in his hotel room and thinks about the resort amenity fee although he doesn't even have his laptop computer with him. Sounds nice. Warm Vegas welcome!
Look, these companies will not listen to comments like mine. Instead, the big CEO's will keep collecting big bonusses, regardless, and the bottom feeder people must work hard for little money. The corporations will make less money if the tourists will that they're being treated like idiots. And it shows. It could be one of the reason why you find more tourists walking up and down the Strip with beer cans in their hand and laughing, taking pictures , or sitting at the pool instead of playing the tight slots. Not of my business, I also follow my policy, and I save up on money I would have spent gambling otherwise. I do not support aggressive profit thinking of such corporations.
From Switzerland
M Resort dropped its fee, but did you notice that the room rates went up dramatically? It doesn't make much difference. The Resort Fee at the M is simply included in the gross rate, it's that simple. I would like to stay a few nights at this great resort, but it's a bit too much on the high end side. To me, Southpoint casino is the No 1 place to be :)
From Switzerland
These add-on fees are a great way for the hotel companies to cheat the Nevada taxpayers. The taxes are figured on the room rates, so the add-on fees are not taxed making them pure profit for the hotels.
We stayed at Excalibur last september & had to pay a resort fee for the 9 nights. I think you should be asked if you want to use the gym & the other things that the resort fee is for, if your not going use these you shouldn't have pay. They could make it that you have to swip your room key card to go into the gym & the pool. I had my 5 year old and used the pool every day, so didn't mind paying the resort fee, but if my daughter hadn't been with me I wouldn't have used the pool at all. I'm from Australia & we get tea & coffee making facility,a bar refrigerator even in the cheapest of hotels & motels, so that was a bit of a shock. But we had a great view of New York New York & MGM & the strip. But next time I will be staying down town & not have to pay a resort fee.
Just tried a reservation at the M Resort. Midweek, off season, for October 2010. 2 nights. I remember that last year they had rates starting at 59.95 and up. Plus a 25 dollar resort fee etc.....
Now, the rate shown for a Resort Mountain View Queen Beds non smoking is 105, respecively...125 dollars, per night. Plus tax. They proudly show "0 resort fee". But please correct me if I am wrong: Last year, the rates started at 59.95, and then they would add 25 dollars plus tax for resort fee, making the grand total about 96 dollars or so, per night. And now the rate is starting at 105 dollars, per night. Midweek rate, of course.
Hey, the trick is to display "zero resort fee" but then again, it's already included in the main rate.
Another "trick" is to sell the higher floors of the casino at higher rates. of course it's nice to have a beautiful view. And as it turns out, having a big hotel means having multiple floors. Unless you are building it like the Terrible's Casino on Tropicana where you walk endless floorrs till you find your room.
So, 5 dollars more for a higher floor? I don't like that, either. And next thing will be that they will create noisy airconditionings and rooms that have centralized airconditioning. Then they can proudly sell the "quiet rooms" with "silence-surcharge" or the standard-non-view-noisy room at a discounted rate. But if this really happens, I will kiss Vegas good-bye and go gambling elsewhere.
From Switzerland
FRM , but we tourists are also being taxed on these resort amenity fees. Thus, a 14.99 usd resort fee actually means about 18 dollars more for me, per night. These 2 or 3 dollars tax on top of the resort amenity fee, isn't this tax the state will collect?
theres a sucker born every minute--- pt barnum
Hey Boris-
Why don't you just move to Vegas? Fly from Switzerland and stay at Southpoint---HMMMM???
I'm buying my own resort for $400K- 1/2 acre, 3500 sq ft, pool, and casita!
No resort fees either. BTW a Station casino executive used to own the house and paid $1 mill for it- guess I'm getting my resort fees back!
snowelk
would love to move out to Vegas. But the job market is bad, economy's down. I am a regular worker, not a multi-millionaire who can afford playing golf all day and sitting in the sun the rest of the time. In addition to that, the US government has restrictions on immigrations. Except people from Mexico, they seem to be tolerated and overflow the Strip with these silly entertainer girls fliers....
Resort fees are a dumb way to do business. Charge a certain room rate & be done with it. Hotels will lose customers for good because of this type of nickel & diming nonsense.
I enjoyed these 2-for-1 offers , and back in the old days they were really valuable. Station Casinos found a way to play out the bargain seekers even here: They are now offering 2 different kinds of rates online: The internet rate and the prevailig rate. The sooner you book, the bigger your discount. But, here's the problem: I can only use a 2-for-1 coupon by making reservation with the standard rate (prevailing). This standard rate is usually about 60 per cent higher than the cheap internet rate, so the 2-for-1 discount coupon turned from a 50 per cent discount to a ridiculous 10 to 14 dollars reduction. Another way for the hotels to save up on the stupid tourists.
I was seriously about to book at Station Casinos, using one or 2 of these two-for-1 discount coupons. But the begging on the phone, whether or not they're willing to accept the coupon makes me sick. Even if, I will only get a 14 dollars discount at best, compared to the advanced-booking-early bird reservation online. Therefore, what's the point in dropping my money at the Station Casinos slots????
Great article - I know which hotels to avoid now!
Same thing with all the stupid fees and taxes on rental cars. Tire and battery disposal fund?????? Yes,i dont remember what state,but i remember seeing it.
journey, and in the final step, they should also add every service into the price you pay. what I mean is the following: why do you "have to" tip the girl selling you your morning coffee at the Starbucks? Why is it mandatory to tip 15 per cent on top of the restaurant bill? Why not putting it all together, so the customer knows what to pay?
answer: if it would be like that, the corporations would have to pay more taxes, as the gross revenues would be higher. It's easier to not mention that so the barmen, waiters, etc, get a super low wage and the customer is in charge of the rest....
These are things that need adjustments, as otherwise people in the service industry will make less and less money, the tougher this economy will turn into....
Sadly another reason not to come back to Mecca yet. Keep it up the tribe in FL. is awash in what was Vegas money.
Monte Carlo is charging $39 every night and a $11 resort fee per night.
Debbie_Lynn, thanks for that. I will check into it. Perhaps they have the same rate in October. I might stay a few nights there. What do I get for the "resort fee"? Does it include linen and electric power in my room?
Excalibur is a "RESORT?"
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
Boomer111. yes, it's a resort...... Resort Plastic Knights and Castle :D
Comment removed by moderator. Added nothing to the discussion.
Coming next -
Your bags and its contents will be charged a resort fee.
Example
each pair of shoes: $1.25
golf clubs: $5.00
bikini: $0.75
hair dryer: $6.99 (uses electricity)
There was a reason the people of Nevada and the Nevada state government made it law that a casino operator could not control more than 5 casinos and do business in this state, not the least of which was to prevent one individual or corporation from bleeding the customers to death and slowly crippling or destroying this states only present or future major industry. In addition this report further adds evidence to the growing evidence that our casino industry is failing under the weight of its debt. Can anyone remember when casinos would not hire any Nevadans with a financial blemish on thier records. They hurt Nevadans then and they are doing it again with thier underhanded tactics driving business away. Wasn't one of the reasons our state government defended lower gaming taxes was to help these casino operators with thier bottom lines while they used comps and such to generate business. Perhaps its time the citizens of this state push our current state elected officials to revisit the tax issue since it seems these hotel casino operators seem to be able to create new sources of income out of thin air at will.
We dont make money the old fashion way,
We steal it!!!
Resort fees are a guaranteed way to make your customers feel like you cheated them.
Resort fees are put on everyones bill at check-out because the hotels are not making the kind of real money that they need to push themselfs over that "Cost Savings" that most are useing as a profit margin. Those people that the hotels are having trouble with are "cheap tourist" who are coming to las vegas with a budget of between $250.00 up to $750.00 per person for an average stay of 2-4 nights the hotels are not making no money off those people at all. They eat cheap' drink cheap' Buy grocery and then take it up to there room they would rather walk then take a cab they will not "Tip" and then 9 out of 10 of them do not gamble in the casino hardly at all' They act just like they do when there back home. Now in all fairness' I will say this the hotels are 50% responsible for this happening they build hotels that have to many rooms to fill and the people that they are looking for "CASINO PLAYERS" do not come here in those huge numbers anymore.
is he any relation to danny murtaugh
"Those disputing, contradicting, and confuting people are generally unfortunate in their affairs. They get victory, sometimes, but they never get good will, which would be of more use to them." B. Franklin (1708-90) Autobiography
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If your coming to Vegas to just gamble stay downtown, you can actually win. But, you have to put up with the stale urine smell in most of the places but hey...you WON! If you want the "strip" experience then cough up the fees, it's still worth it. I wish I didn't live here. I think it would be great to experience the tourists view of Vegas.
The resort fee idea has also been invented in many other casinos. Florida, Carribean, and other places. It's a shame.
There are a few casinos in Vegas that do not charge this resort fee. Additionaly, there are plenty of motels with decent rates that offer just the room but no casino , and therefore no resort fee. Which is also ok if the rate is ok. I will pick my options. That's for sure. The Strip casinos that charge highway robbery resort fees will feel the lack of tourists who will stay elsewhere. Playing and dining elsewhere but on the Strip is better anyways. Going to Bellagio for poker is ok. There are always some loose players around.
That certain smell in the lounge areas of the casinos has an exotic smell.
If you are smelling urine you are not in Las Vegas but in a City Union Mission and if you are in a City Union Mission for a few nights the fact is that staying in such accommodations do not cost the cost of deception.
The Indian casinos have no sales tax or fees in a number of locations. They don't serve free booze but if I wanted to drink I just bring a few mini bottles and dump it in the free coffee or soda.
I would think some of the Indian casinos would market the fact that they have lower taxes and fees..
The Hotel/Casinos are using the same tactics as government. Hidden taxes on us and hidden charges by them. They claim they disclose those charges. An attortney would have trouble with some of the writing in the aggreement with the Hotels. All of the hotels are using the same tactics everywhere you go. The person checking you in tells you the room is one thing and when you check out all the additional charges appear including taxes. Will that change, I doubt it.
I shop for the lowest room price when I go to Vegas. As a result, I have stayed in some of Vegas' worst hotels/motels. But over time, I've learned which ones to avoid, and which one's provide a good value.
I got burned on the "Resort Fee", "Energy Surcharge", "Amenity Surcharge", etc. a couple of times but no more.
Harrah's made a good move earlier this year when they dropped the surcharges at ALL their properties. I'm not a fan of Harrah's Corporation, but this was a sound move toward gaining customer satisfaction.
I still can't picture paying a resort fee for a pool on the Strip that you can't access without parading in your swimsuit through the casino floor as I have experienced at Excalibur and witnessed at other casinos like the Luxor. Then you have to subsequently go back through the casino wet back to your tower and up to your room. I have stayed at Gold Coast and Terrible's off the strip and at least there is a door from the hotel tower to the pool area. Resort fees, for what? Most other tourist cities you can still get an in-room coffee maker and oftentimes a free continental breakfast for all guests not just ones using a promotion code, something that is a rarity in Vegas on the Strip.
I used to only stay at MGM / Mirage properties. This trip is at Paris / Harrah's property. No resort fees. Also was comped 4 of 5 nights. Last night was 40 dollars. With tax 45. Bye Bye MGM. Choke on citycenter.
The reason they have scaled everything back, and looked to nickel and dime us to death with
-resort fees
-20 dollar and higher buffet
-10 to 20 dollar mixed drinks at bar
-Super tight slots
-6/5 Blackjack
-extremely few cheap food options in resort
Is because of the never ending trend to build extremely high end properties. Think about it. On the strip....after the Bellagio was built...how many average resorts have been built. The last few years its even more extreme. Aria, Wynn, Encore, Pallazo, Venetian, Red rock, THEHotel, major expansion of Caesars. Doesn't it feel like yesterday when a place like Mandalay Bay was considered a top end resort. Now MB is at the bottom of nicer properties. All these companies need to pay off the enormous debt / financing of their Palace's of Versailles. Think Station is in bankruptcy because of Texas, Sunset, or Palace station.....hell no...Red Rock. How bout MGM....is it because of NY NY or Luxor, or TI? Hell no...City center.
skerlahdee, is there a chance to get some of the info from you regarding the best (cheapest but good) places to stay from you? Would be highly appreciated ;) We could share our experience and perhaps this or that could be something you or I could use.... Thank you. Best wishes from Switzerland
It was written in the ancient bible: Babylon...till the tower falls apart....
A small number of complaints about the fees crop up in guest surveys, but the vast majority accept the fees as a fair deal, says Michael Grisar, vice president of hotel operations for Station Casinos.
I don't trust anything that comes out of Stations Casinos. They have proved to me they will lie, cheat and do whatever it takes to fill the pockets of the Fertittas.
Are you kidding me? The article is about a $4.50 resort fee on top of a $39/night room rate!
The resort fee is not the problem... the problem is the "cheapos" as evidenced by most of the comments here!
mred says "The Indian casinos have no sales tax or fees in a number of locations. They don't serve free booze but if I wanted to drink I just bring a few mini bottles and dump it in the free coffee or soda."
WOW...big time spender you are... no wonder we're in a recession! I'm all for hunting bargains folks, but c'mon we're talking Las Vegas! It's one of the world's premier destinations and we're talking about a $4.50 a day fee... do you folks even gamble, or just sit in the lobby and complain!
Station Casinos offers rooms at the rate between 35 and 45 dollars, weekdays. The resort fee they put on top of it is not 4.50 usd, but 11.99 or 14.99, plus tax on top of this resort fee. percentagewise, this is not nothing at all. What it usually means is that the rate Station Casinos is advertising reflects only about 60 per cent of the final rate. And that's not peanuts. In fact, it's what I call semi-cheating if people do not read the fine print.
Pretty so they will be chargeing for each person.
Vegas better start changing thier business practice or it will become a ghost town.
Remember Vegas cater to the customer not the stock holder.
I hate resort fees but for me a lot depends on what it covers. When I stay at GVR they tack on a $19.95 resort fee but all that covers is the ability to use the pool, local calls and the gym. Except for the local calls (who uses the phone these days?) and the gym to me the pool should already be included so the resort fee is way beyond sleazy. Of course when you tell them you don't wan to use any of those they won't drop the fee.
Two months ago we were comped at the Palazzo but of course we had to pay the $12.95 resort fee, however I was pleasantly surprised that the in room internet access had become free so since I always use that I figured the resort fee was a reasonable swap. Interestingly last week when we were comped at the Venetian they didn't charge the resort fee but I had to pay for the internet access.
The article implies that at the MGM properties the resort fee means you don't get dinged the ridiculous charge for the bottled water they provide. Maybe if the resort fee covered the snacks (not water) from the mini-bar I wouldn't care but I can't believe they'd ever go that far.
It's ridiculous to mention the "swimming pool" as a part that's included in this resort fee. The pool is something that's attracting the people to a resort/casino. The kids of wife goes to the pool while daddy goes playing black jack. It's that simple.
I hope that the pool guards make sure that no locals frequent this pool as they don't pay any resort fee at all. I noticed that Sunset Station is doing good controls but that's not at all other casinos. The pools that are gated it's impossible to get to the pool and spoil the water with beer and sun lotion. There are so many hotels in Vegas that have a pool with totally poor water quality. And if I imagine that a part of my "resort amenity fee" will be used to clean the water, then it makes me laugh if I imagine that half of the pool visitors are from the local neighborhood. The Southpoint gets too many neighbors as they don't check at all. And other places, such as the Hard Rock Hotel or Mandalay Bay, I am sure these pool guards know when to wave a friend through and ask no question. Do these "friends" also pay resort fee?????
Southpoint Number 1 ! They know what people want. The only thing I think that was not sooooooo perfect, the long wait at the elevators to the Park Decks. 4 elevators is a bit on the low side on a Saturday night. But the rest of the casinos and hotel gets both my thumbs up :)
I wish the property owners would get it in their heads that this economy is really bad and tourists don't have the money to spend they once did ten years ago. If they would lower the room rates, 86 the 'resort fees', and give more comps, the business will come back. However, these greedy property owners are hell bent on being 'Penta-Millionaires' and they don't care who they have to cheat, or step on, to get their mega-riches.
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Unhappy Guests
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Whatever works, right? Well, to the guest who did not know about the resort fee it is pure and simple - bad business for hotels to add this - they are not making most guests happy.
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They should be clear cut and up front and avoid nonsense such as this ... guests are not stupid and will book at the hotels that act like adults.
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Now, can I have that room service - that steak grilled rare, baked with everything, caesar salad and creamed spinich and a huge order of home fries - and a double order of cheesecake with a triple shot of premium Calif. brandy ... I can't spend the day in a casino if I don't get my 659 grams of pure fat to add to that sneakie resort 'cheater' fee.
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Thanks For Reading This
$39 room rate? Those must be in the Excalibur dungeon... ;^)
-- saw a cool site; Balkingpoints ; incredible satellite view of earth
Las Vegas grew and thrived on service and a good value. All people need is the perception that they are getting a good value. Why do the penny slots do so good? Hmm?
It is now ran by MBA's who don't know a thing about human beings. Just good at math, that's it. Unfortunately, until these corporation get out of there own way, it will remain the same.
Why do they need hidden fees when they have those penny slots where the minimum bet is 40 credits.
Southpoint is paid off. Possibly a little debt for expansion but that may have been paid cash too.
In the end there will be dust....and lots of empty homes. And a dried out Lake Mead.
Boris,
As it will be with the planet, including your beloved Switzerland. Except your Alps will melt & Lake Geneva will dry up.
these casino will continue to shoot themself in there foot. people should try the hotel on dean martin and off the strip.
"theres a sucker born every minute--- pt barnum"
You're the sucker because he never said that.
Las Vegas hotels are ridiculously affordable.
However, people do not like to be mislead.
If the room is advertised at $100, and when you check out you pay 148.50, you ask yourself, "what just happened there?"
It's a great deal with the fees added in to the price, up front. Can't these gigantic corps find
someone with an ounce of sense to explain this to them in "corporate-speak"?
And wouldn't it make more sense to just raise your rates a few bucks instead of insulting people with this stupid penny-pinching "resort fee"?
Bore-Us----You just can't leave well enough alone. Here you are, up all night in Switzerland sending multiple posts loaded with criticism of a place that you are obsessed with. Verrrry odd.
RE Earlier comment:i don't like resort fees either but complaining when you get a room for $39 seems really cheap, what are you going to get for $39 in manhattan or chicago or san francisco or anywhere. you can't get a motel for that in phoenix
You can't even get a parking spot at the Hilton Hotel in San Francisco for under $60, and that's if you spend $399 on a room per night.
Net access included within resort fees? Not. I had to pay $15.00 at MGM for net access, and I still had a resort fee tacked on to my bill.
Powerplay, I fit most of your description of "cheap". stay maybe 3 nights, spend maybe 800-1000 total (mostly shopping), buy a few goodies at Vons, don't drink. gamble a little, and never use cabs or valet. But I do tip better than most. I also prefer eating at a local restaurant away from the strip (Memphis BBQ, Lindo Michgoen, Siena, Ruth Chris, etc.) than the high end look alike trendy places at the hotels, and the buffets are no longer that attractive to me.
In the line of work (building industry) I am in, I enjoy having the high paying clients who give me most of my work, but the several $100-300 jobs are just as important to me for income as the one $3000 a month client is.
When we decided to try Luxor last year, we went to their web site, rooms were about $50 a night, there was a smaller notation regarding the $18.95 resort fee. I went to vegas.com to checj the rates, same room rate shown with a "deal" added of a $40 food credit. Sounded good to me. No mention of resort fee. I looked. I finally called their 800 number and asked, they told me that the property would assess the resort vee at check in. If I hadn't asked (or known to ask) this would have been an additional $60 or so hit on the bill when I got there. I took the deal to get the food credit, but at least knew that the room was closer to 70, not the 50 advertised.
As a rule, other that wanting to try Luxor once, I avoid resort fees. We used to stay at Station casinos 10-12 nights a year, no more. It's all Harrah's resorts now.
I don't care for all the spa garbage they supposedly have, never use the pool and buy my newspaper off site. If one was to pay $2.00 for a bottle of water at the gift shop, they could buy 3 or 4 a day and a newspaper and still pay a lot less than the fee. Harrahs has it right (I just play blackjack elsewhere). If enough people refuse, the fees will go away.
I agree with Logic - Boris-You MUST live here in vegas. Why would a person from Switzerland be so enamored with writing comments on the VegasSun.com website? Im betting you live here in Vegas. But really...who cares. BORING!!!
Silverstate and others - If you dont have the money to come to flippin Las Vegas, you should be coming here and Vegas doesnt need you. This is a town for those with money. Plain and simple. If you are looking for a cheap place to go, go to Disneyland..Oh wait, Diney costs ten times as much as Vegas.
Smartone618 made the only smart comment. People on here are all too cheap that are commenting. If you cant pay $4.95 then once again, you have no business coming to Las Vegas. Plain and simple. Vegas is looking for those with $100's and $20's, not $1's in their pockets.
Key is disclosure. If disclosed, then you know what you are getting and if you dont like it, go somewhere else. No one said this was forced on you. If you accept it, you pay it.
Viva Las Vegas!!
Only in Vegas can patronage be thanked with a fee.
LOL
: {
@welcometobeautifullasvegas:
FYI, I live here and I think it is deplorable that some of the hotels here charge a hidden fee. That's a nice way to drive away tourism and business in general.
Don't insult people because they are paying attention to how they spend their hard-earned money. I wonder, is there a chance that MAYBE some of those greedy, money-hungry property owners are your personal friends, or are you one of them?
When Las Vegas becomes a virtual ghost town because those 'rich' tourists took their business to China, where Steve Wynn is planning to take his wealth in the very near future, we'll see what you have to say then.
Always ask what the resort fee covers...then when you check in ask for additional complimentary items so you get what you pay for in the resort fees
We were comped on a room at the MGM on a recent trip and it was fabulous. The room was decent, better than I expected for a free room. The slots were tight and you pay twice as much (like everywhere in Vegas) for food and drinks, but it was really a great place to stay. We did not have to pay a resort fee.
We booked MGM Signature for our next trip and a resort fee is added but it is clear before you click confirm reservation that you are going to be charged. MGM had the best pool, nice and warm and clean, with a decent snack bar and bar. We have heard nothing but good things about the Signature Suites at MGM so we are very excited about our next trip.
I have to agree, the MGM was a pretty good place to stay. When I was still active duty, I used to stay in the Hollywood Suites or Celebrity Suites and those were AWESOME! However, that was like nine years ago, before the big crash. I'm glad to hear somebody had a good time here recently without breaking the bank.
I have to laugh when people try to compare the rates here and the rates in other cities, hate to burst your bubble but we are talking about Las Vegas not other cities! Then we have others riding their high horse telling people that they are cheap, anyone saying this is a true moron. They still spend money and that helps retain jobs! I could care less about the resorts that are run by idiots and are over priced.
no friends in the business Silver State and not trying to tell you or anyone how to spend their money. But people who think Hotels in Vegas are the only ones charging fees really have racing horse "blinkers" on. Rental cars charge fees, airlines charge fees, the governement charges taxes that are the highest of anything out there for gas,cigarettes and alcohol and there are many others out there. Yet we pay those without making a stink.
I know i am going to NYC later this month and i know i am going to pay AT LEAST $60+ for parking and that will be do have my car about six blocks away and i will have to wait 20 minutes for it to come around..But i know about it, i budget for it and i have to pay it. So why is Vegas being thrown under the bus here?
So to all...if you dont like something. Dont get it. Thankfully its a free country.
Viva Las Vegas
Bottom Feeders! Complaining about a $4.50 "resort fee" added to a $39 room rate. What kind of room can you get in NYC, Disneyland or San Francisco for $43.50 a night?
is there still a match play coupon attached on the paper wrapped around the daily newspaper at Station Casinos? This coupon used to be there when I stayed at Boulder and I simply played 4 or 5 coupons as there were so many newspapers that nobody wanted in the morning so nobody cared. By playing all these coupons I came ahead with my resort amenity investment. without these match play coupons I think I will lose money for sure.
Logic_should_rule: You-bore-me, but I don't care. I still keep posting. Most readers agree with my comments. Perhaps you're lacking the intellectual level to see the big picture. Anyway, never mind.
From what I saw, a few casinos do not charge this ridiculous hidden resort fee for stuff people don't need. East Side Cannery, South Point and most Downtown Casinos don't charge you extra. The M resort made a smart move by raising the room rates accordingly and then announcing that the have removed the resort fee. That's probably the way other casinos will follow.
And to all the readers that say that Vegas has the best hotel rates worldwide and is extremely cheap. Listen to this: Weekdays, this may be true, but it's only logical. The casinos are never sold out during the week. So, instead of leaving the rooms vacant anyways, they advertise very good and low rates. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, plus on all major holidays, these hotels charge sometimes ridiculous amunts for the same room that's usually "affordable" during the week. The weekend rates aren't much lower than most hotels worldwide. Plus, they charge the resort fee, anyways. The resort fee should be higher on the weekend, too. Ever thought about that????
As a consequence, many people will stay up all night on Saturday and only check in early on Sunday afternoon. As a next step, Vegas hotels might jack up the Sunday rate a bit as they know that people are so tired by then, thus, willing to pay a little extra just to get their nap.
From Switzerland
Just bring back Mr. Sy's coupon books !!!!!
Best way to do business is to eliminate the hidden fees that are not included in advertised or posted room rates, everyone in America is getting tired of the [----].
As for all the customers/guests that get "comped"...
If they offer you to stay at a room for free....you still paid too much ! -LOL
are you for real,complaining over such a little amount when the price of a room is so cheap. im heading to las vegas and will be staying at excalibur and let me tell you all that the deal they have given me is great. you all should try living in australia like i do.i can come to america for 16 days and visit las vegas cheaper than i can stay in my own country. our resorts and hotel price's are more than double what you pay in las vegas and with nothing like the experience ill get in las vegas. and lets face it vegas is for gambling and if you cant afford to spend a little stay at home or go camping..
so come for a visit to australia as then you will see how good you have it. las vegas baby ill take it any day, give me a job and a room and i'd live there tomorrow.
cheer's
So let me get this straight". A resort fee is to cover amenities such as high-speed Internet, gym and pool access and newspaper delivery. Hotels in Vegas charge anywhere 5.00 to 25.00 per day for this correct? So why are these hotels burying these charges into the fine print and having guests discover them upon check out.
So here I am at check out. I stayed at your hotel for a week and now I have an added cost of $60-$70 for items I had no idea were offered to me? You mean to tell me, I could have brought my lap top and used the internet. I could have read the newspaper every morning while sitting by the pool? Yes that would make me angry too. It's the sting of paying for something you didn't get.
In my option, the hotels charging these fees are marketing them the wrong way. They need to promote what the guest is getting for this price. If the hotels promoted this, less people would be angry about it.
I remember several years ago Stardust charged me a daily fee for staying there. If I remember correctly it was 10.00 charge per day for the convince of having a phone in my room. This way before cell phone popularity.
Another time was while I was staying at Tropicana. I was charged 12.00 per day. I was told it was for maid service and pool usage. I can't remember if they even had a name for it.
I think the charges have been around for sometime. I think there are several factors as to why the guests are noticing these charges more. One is the economy. More people are looking more closely to what they are being charged. Another is the name of the fees. Using the word resort, is telling us guests that we had more to our stay, but we didn't know about it to use it.
A HET property claims they do not have resort fees. However, they charge 15.00 per day for wifi. They charge men 15.00 use the Go Pool and 20.00 to access the gym. I will say this; at least HET properties give us the option to purchase these items, so at least we are aware of what we are getting for our money.
So if you stayed at hotel chain that offered a free continental breakfast, free wifi, coffee pot in each room, 2 bottles of water in each room and free pool /gym access. This hotel chain permotes these items in their commercials, ads etc. Then upon check out you discover that you have been charged a resort fee per day, would you be angry or would you find it justified???
The bottom line is NOTHING is for free. It is especially true in VEGAS.
When I checked in at the Sunset Station front desk a couple of years ago, the front person (actually very friendly) responded to my question , whether I can go online in the room..., she said...."yes, internet is free". What? nothing is free, excuse me, please. It's free to use after you paid for it. The correct answer would have been...."Yes sir, internet is already included in the resort fee you are being charged, and it is free to use". Internet is free, that's not correct, but sounds much better.
Usually, when reading everything you sign or put your initials upon check-in, you should see the term "resort amenity fee", thats' where you must put your initial in most cases. This way they are legally covered and nobody can say...."hey, sorry, I didn't know about it, what is that? I never said I want to get these resort amenities...". The hotels are covered, the customer must pay. Station casinos made a smart move by offering extremely competitive rates at the moment, online. So, together with this rate plus the resort fee on top of it, the rates, weekdays, are to me "OK-rates" ;) Instead, staying on the Strip weekdays for 59.99 plus 15 dollars for internet amenity bla bla and the newspaper is simply too much. There are better deals available. If you are a heavy gambler, you get comped anyway. The bill is being paid by the low rollers who lose and still pay for the room and these fees.
From Switzerland
To Bush Depression - your comped rooms cost you a lot more than the room rate for your strip hotel. You have to maintain your gambling level OR you won't get comped. So don't act so smug - you're paying a helluva lot more than the resort tax each time you have a comped stay!
I don't fly airlines that make me buy a ticket for my suitcase each way and I don't stay at hotels that charge me for a bottle of nasty water that I do not drink.
I'm not sayin' , I'm just sayin'.
Las Vegas is slowly loosing it's patrons. Could look like Reno in the next decade if we keep the same people running this town! Look at Steve Wynn moving out of Vegas.
gdperson
I wouldn't go that far, but it's definetely the case that Vegas' loyal visitors realized that the prices went up, the casinos started saving and spending less, tightened up on the machines and table games. In summary: The fun value of Vegas is getting smaller and smaller. These huge debt loads the corporations carry around are the problem. If there aren't enough visitors coming to Vegas and Vegas' locals don't gamble enough (are there some Vegas locals gambling at all?), then the casinos have not much space to manoeuvre but to save costs. And that's what exactly happening. We all know that. But, rising profits by artificially declaring stuff as "resort amenities" is just the wrong way.
As a consequence, many people will check into motels instead of hotels and save money that way, which is money they can spend elsewhere. There are many good motels around in the valley, and if you rent a car you can get basically anywhere in town within a relatively short period of time. I keep up all my options. Staying on the Strip and gambling/dining on the Strip is no option. And that's probably what other tourists have figured out, as well.
From Switzerland
reno:
the lamest little city in the world. is cal-neva still selling putrid .99cent
breakfast's?
Laughlin isn't much better than Reno. Mesquite is falling apart. In Laughlin, there hasn't been any construction or changes (besides ownerships) going on in years. It's getting boring down there. I think they have realized that the peak of gaming in the desert is through.
I have no problem with paying extra fees if I know up front how much and for what, before I book a room, weather it be online or in person. Finding out when checking out would make me feel very cheated.
It's very likely that the Marnell's removed the resort fee because South Point was not charging it.
Resort Fees = just another reason why Las Vegas is in the toilet.
Like I have said before, people will only tolerate so much abuse from LV hotels before they take their business elsewhere.
People are already getting screwed by 6/5 blackjack, tight machines, ridiculous F&B prices, etc. Now add in a "resort" fee? What's next -- an end to free valet parking?
Most of these places are in bankruptcy or close to it. Many like MGM like to gamble like they did on City Center but when they lose become dead beats and stiff the contractors that built the place. The others are dead beats as they hide behind bankrutcy. You want to charge the fee it is your right. Add the fee to the room rates you list and stop ripping off people that only find out after the fact.
Yet another reason I've cut my Vegas vacations from three trips per year to one and don't stay nearly as long. Keep bilking us, Vegas, and we'll keep watching your bankruptcies multiply. I'm waiting for these hotels to start charging for toilet paper by the square and require us to clean our own rooms.
Boomer,CAl-Neva closed AFAIK,
Heck...they're charging to place your carry on bag in the overhead...so if you want to scream at something scream at that.
For the most part, at certain times of the month, I still find quality Vegas resort rooms to be an excellent value. I have accepted the fact that these resorts are in business to make money and consider the resort fee to just be part of the total room rate.
I stayed at the Monte Carlo 4-27 through 4-30 and reserved my room through their web site about a week in advance at a room rate of $48 per night with a resort fee of $12.95 per night. No problem! With tax I figured my total daily room rate to be about $68. I was charged a deposit immediately.
Upon check out, I discovered that my daily resort fee had been incresed to $14.50 (the current quoted resort rate on their web site) instead of the $12.95 that I had agreed to about a week prior. OK, that's not much, but I just found it to be a little rude, like so what that we quoted this amount, we can just change it to whatever we want whenever we want.
Not cool!!
maybe 12.95 plus tax is 14.50? is that it, still-love-vegas?
If you cant be up front and just disclose it by adding it to the room price upfront then they are no better than the airlines that are now charging for carryon. Sickening and such a turnoff to using ANY of those companies. So take notice hotel AND airlines, you WILL LOSE CUSTOMERS.
to BorisR: well I think you might be right, although on the website it did quote the resort fee @ $12.95 plus tax and now it reports it @ $14.50 which is $12.95 x 1.12. I just assumed during my quick TV check-out that they decided to increase it as they pleased. Good point! Thanks!
The difference between Las Vegas and any other city in the world is that it has the most unoccupied hotel rooms by far (thousands)! Can they really think they can fill all these rooms by pissing off their customer base? Especially in this economy...people will always remember who gave them a deal and who was greedy. I applaud all those businesses who give their customers good value when the customers need it most and they will reap their profits from customer loyalty when times are good.
@WhosLaughingNow:
"Hey, Station Casinos, how did that "Resort Fee" work out for you?
Bankruptcy.
Idiots."
I approve of this message.
The "Vegas" "Resort" "Operators" are pretty much all idiots. Phil Ruffin seems to have some horsesense. Wynn used to have it. But there needs to be a new breed coming to town or else the Paiutes will be in control again. Maybe that's not a bad thing.
In fact, the only relevant figure, that's the grand total. If the base rate is low enough then the resort fee on top of it cannot do much harm. Like I previously mentioned, the online early-bird-booking rate by Station Casinos is quite competitive, so even with 14.95 usd resort fee on top of it the price is still affordable. The prevailing rate plus resort fee, however, is a joke. Can't give my "OK" on that. If you have a 2-for-1 coupon, then you are being charged the prevailing rate, plus the resort fee on both nights, so then you come out a little lower as if you would book the online early bird rate, but not much. It's still better using the coupon and pay the prevailing rate.
I think it's worth checking different hotels and rates before making reservations. Also, it would be nice to know what kind of "other discounts and gaming coupons" are included in the resort fee. Some casinos offer a 25 dollar match play coupon, and that's a 12.20 usd profit, which actually pays for the resort fee. It's therefore important to know where you can get such match play coupons if you have to pay the resort fee, anyways.
From Switzerland
Well, i stopped flying rwo years ago (since then, I have made at leats 50 trips to San Francisco, Phoenix or Reno, all by car), and now I am ready to stay only at Motel 6. There is no way these guys are going to underhandedly (if that's a word) get my money.
the reason not to fly is not only the nasty surcharge hassle but also the super tight seating. Sometimes I feel like I gained weight. But then again, I notice it's the tighter seat alignment in these new aircrafts. This sux.
they must pay their debt, keep buying properties, leverage debt. Lets not forget basic greed.
I knew about the resort fee for my recent stay at the Mirage but I did not get my items daily as advertised (water, newspaper, etc.) I understand our schedule prevented housekeeping from tending to our room but then I feel as though the charged should be dropped or at least reduced for those types of items. I didn't use Internet or the work-out area either but I knew that going in. Either way, it's a crock and if that continues we'll find other places to stay.
Listen people. Vegas is a a business that employees hundreds of thousands of people. In order for the business to continue, visitors must pay for things. I know we are in tough times, and everyone is looking for a free handout, but lets be realistic. If the casinos comped everyone what ( the customer ) they thought they deserved, Las Vegas would not exist. I dont see anyone looking to get everything free from Disney.
Las Vegas offers people the "chance" to take a vacation and have one of three outcomes. 1. You spend... hopefully an allotted budget on some gaming, a show or two and some of the best meals in the world. 2. With some luck at the tables or machines you may get to go home with the same amount of money you came with, thus a free vacation. 3. With even more luck you actually leave Vegas with more than you came with ( not likely, but there is a chance) thus "getting paid" to go on vacation.
All I am saying is that it costs money to run vegas. The casinos cant afford to give everything away and stay in business employing thousands of people.
The amount of money that each person gambles now is no more than it was 30 years ago. But it sure costs the casinos a lot more to pay the help, and serve you all the alcohol, and give away the free food and discounted rooms.
Just stop crying and look at it from a business standpoint.
Mykeal J
I think we know that Vegas is in the business of making money. The whole thing is, they need to be fair about it and up front about the total cost of the room. Don't treat the tourist like idiots and it wouldn't hurt to loosen the slots. We're not asking to win every time, but it does help to win in order to want to continue to gamble. There is no reason they have to gouge for every single thing the tourist needs. Coffee or a hamburg costs two to three times as much as other cities. The entire country is in a recession, so Vegas needs to be realistic. If they expect to earn a little less, and be kinder to the tourist, it will increase tourism, now and tomorrow.
Mykeal J:
You miss the big picture. Most people who come to Vegas and gamble know it's a losing proposition. People willingly accept that proposition for the chance they might win plus they get to have free drinks and have a good time. If they play enough then they get some comps also. This formula has worked for many years. Casinos made $$$, customers were happy.
Now the casinos attitude is that if people are stupid enough to play our ripoff blackjack and tight machines, then they are stupid enough to pay resort fees, high prices for F&B, along with anything else that can be charged for.
Ultimately the public is not as stupid as the casinos think. People are not going to tolerate the rip off prices and lousy games. They will and are going to other vacation destinations. There is only so much abuse people are going to take, plain and simple.
I totally agree with Mrs Aprilgirl 12 and Jimmyhoofa.
I have to add this to the attention of Mykeal J:
When the casinos built their hotel towers with all the amenities, they knew about it from the beginning. A swimming pool doesn't cost that much of mainenance and the lights that make the city great are also not that expensive, if you consider the high number of visitors.
To straighten this out: People do not want stuff they don't pay for or that they don't need. I speak as a regular tourist. I don't need the daily newspaper in the morning hanging on my door, just to find out how much 2 lbs of ground beef costs at Albertsons or how the stockmarket is doing. Tourists come to Vegas to find distraction and get entertainment. They don't need highspeed internet in their room necessarily. It's nice to get the option, but to the ones that want it, let them pay this 12 dollar fee per day. But not make everybody pay for it, even if he/she doesn't want/need it.
Optionally, how about this: Every car that enters a casino parking garage is charged 1 dollar "security and parking fee". How would you like that, Mykeal J? I see that there are security guards patrolling in these garages and around the casino. Wouldn't it be fair that the customers pay this "security fee"? I think you wouldn't like that much, but it would be exactly the same than charging in-room bottled water or highspeed internet access.
If every local casino visitor would have to pay this fee, each casino would make thousands of extra dollars..... on every given day !
Summary: Stop thinking that all tourists are automatically stupid idiots just because they fly into Vegas for gambling. Vegas is probably the greatest city in the world, still. But it's damaging its reputation with stuff like this. I would like to come back to Vegas in the future and still like it when I am there. However, if the situation gets worse, I will have to look up for alternate gambling mekkas. I think there are other places available already. In Slovenia, they offer free rooms and free food for regular players, and they have 3:2 b-j and low rake live action poker. Right now, Vegas is still ahead in many regards.... but for how long?
From Switzerland
Boris --
I love your commentaries! For living in Europe, you have this place down cold!
Check out my blog about living in Las Vegas. I think you will enjoy it.
http://jimmyhoofa-lv.blogspot.com/
Hi Jimmyhoofa
I was on your website. Cool comments and reports, I must admit. The only thing I can't agree with, that's the food hassle from the pitboss. I don't want a comp if I don't qualify for it. I rather play 5 match plays within 3 days although the house only allows 1 per person, and then I buy myself a sandwich from the money I won, but putting my money at risk at the B-J tables. My game is live poker and videopoker. That's my world. And I think I am good enough to earn myself a deli sandwich or even a buffet from it.
I have been to Vegas so many times that I can call it my 2nd home. It's definetely the best place visiting for me and it's a shame what it turned into. The good places are harder to find, but there are still enough good casinos and great opportunities. However, the Strip is no longer the place to be. Perhaps Circus Circus and the Riviera. They've got good match plays easy to play. But the center Strip is no option for me.
Greetings from Switzerland
When a casino is being ran like a big business it has to make profits for the shareholders, therefore it does (as does any big business) start nickle and dime-ing the same people that made it what it is. They are not satisfied with a profit they need every penny for the shareholders.
Mega-Resorts are mostly big business, get this through your heads people. We (myself included) would be better served by the smaller privately owned casinos/hotels who do not have to worry about shareholders/stockholders and are happy to see us and not insult us with "RESORT FEES"
As long as big business is involved with casinos we can expect to see more ways for them to screw us out of every penny they can. Support the casinos with the old time mentality and stay away from the big boys.
Leo, that's exactly what I am doing. I stay away from the big resorts on the Strip and focus instead on the locals casino. Much more fun there, better odds, cheaper food, rooms are also cheaper. And the swimming pools are ok, too :)
From Switzerland