Bellagio resort fee

Looks like Bellagio is going with the $20 resort fee per day - I noticed on their reservation site they have the following disclaimer: Resort Fee:
Beginning November 22, 2010 a daily resort fee of $22.40 (includes applicable tax) is added to all room reservations upon check-in.

I was surprised that it's happening now effectively, when it was announced for 2011. At least they didn't one-up Wynn and break the $20 barrier for resort fees. That's reserved for Red Rock, at $24.99 a day. ;)

-B

Quote: toastcmu

Looks like Bellagio is going with the $20 resort fee per day - I noticed on their reservation site they have the following disclaimer: Resort Fee:
Beginning November 22, 2010 a daily resort fee of $22.40 (includes applicable tax) is added to all room reservations upon check-in.

I was surprised that it's happening now effectively, when it was announced for 2011. At least they didn't one-up Wynn and break the $20 barrier for resort fees. That's reserved for Red Rock, at $24.99 a day. ;)

-B

What extras do you get for this fee? They must be giving you something, right?

Not much, in the comparative "resort fee" inclusion: In-room high speed and wireless Internet, In-room local and toll-free calls, Fitness Center access, and airline boarding pass printing. At least in the lower tier MGM resorts (MGM, MC, Mirage) you tend to get a free drink or two and/or a newspaper.


-B

Quote: toastcmu

Not much, in the comparative "resort fee" inclusion: In-room high speed and wireless Internet, In-room local and toll-free calls, Fitness Center access, and airline boarding pass printing. At least in the lower tier MGM resorts (MGM, MC, Mirage) you tend to get a free drink or two and/or a newspaper.


-B

The net connection is almost worth the fee.

Nothing is worth these terrible fees. I have always been a fan of MGM/Mirage because of their superior gaming conditions. But now they have fallen in with the Evil Empire (Harrah's) in my opinion. Not only implementing this terrible business practice of hidden fees, but when I saw 6/5 blackjack at the Mirage, I knew my love affair with MGM/Mirage was over. Harrah's has been advertising that they do NOT charge resort fees at any of their properties. I never ever thought that I would be saying that Harrah's was doing something good.

Quote: EvenBob

The net connection is almost worth the fee.

Feh.

Android phone + PDAnet = free wireless tether for the laptop. The local calls... does anyone use the hotel room phone anymore? Fitness Center? Nah, I'll walk. Boarding pass, yeah that's cool but not worth $20/day.

Hey, Bellagio! Just raise the room rates, if you have to!

I'm not trying to defend resort fees but I decided to take a look at Bellagio vs. Caesar's for the upcoming month of December. I didn't spend a lot of time looking at them or doing a scientific study, but it seemed like on average Caesar's was a clean $20 more each night (lowest quality room). I assume that Caesar's would charge for those amenities that you get via the resort fee at the Bellagio... so by comparison it's a better deal for now. We could get into a discussion about the oligopoly that's formed and what that's doing to the gaming business in Vegas, but at the current time it seems like the resort fees aren't that bad of a thing at least for the upper-tier hotels.

Quote: Mosca

Hey, Bellagio! Just raise the room rates, if you have to!

I think the Bellagio is probably aware that no one likes the resort fees. Its a faux fee anyway and its often a hidden fee and that is the worst part of it. People who are not at all annoyed by the money get terribly annoyed at the sneakiness involved.

The problem is that all Travel Aggregator Sites such as Orbitz, Expedia, etc., etc. have an option to "list hotels by price". Its often the default option and if it is not the default option, most people select that option. In order to be competitive on the Travel Booking Sites the hotels who want to raise their room rates are forced to make use of a Resort Fee to do so. The Travel Computers sort by Room Price only and do not include Booking Fees. So although I think it is a foolish situation and a very bad choice to make, that is what major properties have opted for: Resort Fees.

It is sneaky, dishonest and insulting to the customers, but it preserves their "spot" on the various Travel Sites and brings in some extra dollars that are fee income rather than room income and therefore not subject to the local occupancy tax surcharge.

I'll leave it to you as to what you think of ANY business that insults and annoys its customers in favor of a particular display slot on someone else's computer screen and few extra dollars.

People who stay at The Bellagio can afford to use twenty dollar bills as Kleenex tissues. Its not the twenty dollars. Its the principle of Bait and Switch! No one likes being lied to. No one likes surprises in the fine print.

People who've tipped generously, spent generously and been happy for their entire trip, get upset at check-out over a sum of money they normally would not really notice. Yet the MBA types in Vegas keep telling the casinos that this is the thing to do.

Quote: FleaStiff

... The Travel Computers sort by Room Price only and do not include Booking Fees. So although I think it is a foolish situation and a very bad choice to make, that is what major properties have opted for: Resort Fees.

Ahh! Carrying this to the illogical end, an ambitious, high-end casino/hotel should just advertise their rooms as being available for free -- with a $300/night resort fee.

Well, maybe people will start realizing that they DON'T have to stay in a Strip megatoilet, especially not when they charge those unconscionable fees. Aren't the amenities part of what's supposed to be the reason for staying at one of these already overpriced superdumps? So now you have to pay extra for them, and have to pay whether you want them, or will use them, or not!

The choice on the Strip is now between getting ripped off at Harrah's or getting ripped off elsewhere by resort fees. Stay off the Strip for $39/night, and spend the money you save on a rental car or taxis. You really don't want to gamble on the Strip anyway, so why go there at all? The only purpose and function of the Strip is to bend over tourists.

Quote: mkl654321

Well, maybe people will start realizing that they DON'T have to stay in a Strip megatoilet, especially not when they charge those unconscionable fees. Aren't the amenities part of what's supposed to be the reason for staying at one of these already overpriced superdumps? So now you have to pay extra for them, and have to pay whether you want them, or will use them, or not!

The choice on the Strip is now between getting ripped off at Harrah's or getting ripped off elsewhere by resort fees. Stay off the Strip for $39/night, and spend the money you save on a rental car or taxis. You really don't want to gamble on the Strip anyway, so why go there at all? The only purpose and function of the Strip is to bend over tourists.

That whole scenario sounds like hell to me. It reminds me of my friend who was bragging that he took his family to Disney and they stayed at a motel for $29 a night, and got 3 cots, for $5/night each, for the kids. Not for us. I don't care about the $20/night, I care that it's tacked on extra.

I work hard for my money, and dammit, I'm going to blow it in style! Just give me full disclosure on what I'm wasting it on.

Quote: Mosca

That whole scenario sounds like hell to me. It reminds me of my friend who was bragging that he took his family to Disney and they stayed at a motel for $29 a night, and got 3 cots, for $5/night each, for the kids. Not for us. I don't care about the $20/night, I care that it's tacked on extra.

I work hard for my money, and dammit, I'm going to blow it in style! Just give me full disclosure on what I'm wasting it on.

You are wrongly presuming that those off-Strip hotels will be as tacky as your friend's Disney experience. In fact, most of the off-Strip hotel/casino properties' rooms are quite nice, and a much better value than the Strip. I'd rather pay $49 than $199 (plus, of course, resort fees), and blow the difference on riotous living (that would pay for a very nice dinner for two, or a show for two).

Quote: mkl654321

You are wrongly presuming that those off-Strip hotels will be as tacky as your friend's Disney experience. In fact, most of the off-Strip hotel/casino properties' rooms are quite nice, and a much better value than the Strip. I'd rather pay $49 than $199 (plus, of course, resort fees), and blow the difference on riotous living (that would pay for a very nice dinner for two, or a show for two).

I didn't say that you were wrong to feel that way. It's not right for me. That's why both choices are there, so we can both be happy. (There are strip hotels that are $49/night in February, btw. I got an email offer for one, but I don't remember which; all suites. The Rio? Maybe.)

The tourists already had to bend over during the airport screening... and at hotel check-in.

Locals avoid strip traffic and strip prices ... they also avoid strip odds. Its no worse in local casinos and often better to gamble there.

But only "The Strip" is featured when someone says "Vegas, Baby. Vegas!!".

Quote: Mosca

I work hard for my money, and dammit, I'm going to blow it in style! Just give me full disclosure on what I'm wasting it on.

Thats the spirit!! It is your choice, but you don't want to have to pour through fine print to learn about extra charges. You can pay for a Double King Bed or a rickety old narrow cot only a few inches off the floor... but you want to know what the deal is in advance and you want to know what the room really costs. Pity all those MBA types advising the hotels to impose Resort Fees can't understand this concept.