el cortez to charge resort fee

El Cortez is implementing a $8.95 resort fee beginning February 1st. Seriously, of all the places, the el Cortez. In related news, I think I just saw a pig fly by my window. The part that may be a mistake and cause them to lose some patrons to others downtown that are waiving them, is that the fee will apparently not be waived for comped guests.

The word "resort" is grossly misrepresented at places on the strip, what makes downtown so snooty?

When does the El Cortez plan to build this "resort" for which they will be charging a fee?

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Quote: s2dbaker

When does the El Cortez plan to build this "resort" for which they will be charging a fee?

They have security guards outside the cabana suites, a gym, and an elevator (it's really slow). What more amenities do you want for your $8.95 :)

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

People need to start bitching to their lawmakers and have these con jobs called "resort fees" outlawed.

How long before a joint like Vegas World starts offering to pay you $80 to stay at the Stratosphere which would then charge a $100 resort fee?

I think it's reverse psychology. There is no resort, but out-of-towners don't know that unless they do their homework, and most other Vegas properties are charging it, so to not charge it is to admit there's no resort. On my last Vegas trip, I was seated by the window, and honeymooners were in the 2 seats next to me. First trip to Vegas, and they were on a package deal to the El Cortez they found on the internet.

I didn't have the heart to say anything other than to wish them well. Chances are they never noticed the room anyway.

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

People need to start bitching to their lawmakers and have these con jobs called "resort fees" outlawed.

. I know you know better than that. All these criminals, I mean politicians, except for an almost non existent minority do is whatever they're told by the corporations or big money lobbyists that put them in office. In Nevada, that means casinos.

Quote: djatc

They have security guards outside the cabana suites, a gym, and an elevator (it's really slow). What more amenities do you want for your $8.95 :)

. Internet too. Cabana suites can kinda sorta justify it, but if your in a vintage room, a non waivable resort fee for that?

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It is a charge to those who have to resort to stay there.

Quote: onenickelmiracle

It is a charge to those who have to resort to stay there.

Well then change the name to a last resort fee.

I believe the resort fee is waived for anyone who doesn't raise their bet at the BJ tables.

God damn it. So, does anyone have a list handy of which casinos aren't charging resort fees? I lost track. I think either the D or the 4 Queens is still clean. Has Boyd fallen to the dark side as well?

Quote: AcesAndEights

God damn it. So, does anyone have a list handy of which casinos aren't charging resort fees? I lost track. I think either the D or the 4 Queens is still clean. Has Boyd fallen to the dark side as well?

Comped or paid?

Quote: djatc

Quote: AcesAndEights

God damn it. So, does anyone have a list handy of which casinos aren't charging resort fees? I lost track. I think either the D or the 4 Queens is still clean. Has Boyd fallen to the dark side as well?

Comped or paid?

That's a great question. What I really meant to ask with this is which casinos do NOT charge resort fees at all, regardless of comp status. I.e. like the El Kotex before this cheap ass move.

But a second and better question would be which casinos waive the fees with a comp, and/or if there is a tier requirement. For example, CET properties will waive the resort fee for Platinum+ card holders even if you aren't getting the room comped. But I would guess there are some properties out there who will just include the resort fee in the comp if you are getting an otherwise free room?

I have literally only stayed in CET properties other than a few odd stays at Luxor/Excalibur so I haven't had a lot of exposure to the different policies.

Why is everyone obsessed with resort fees?

If they were not charging resort fees, then the room rates would simply be higher, and the effective difference of that would be nothing.

I think the resort fees are a bad idea for the hotels because now it gives them a separate expense to the guests that they have to try to justify with something. For example, The D gives you Wireless Internet and I can't figure out what the resort fee is supposed to be doing for you beyond that if the pool is not open...oh right, free local and toll-free calls.

That's perfectly fine, but I should point out that, at the ECONOMY hotel I manage, we have free local, toll-free and long-distance calls within the continental United States, included Wireless Internet, Continental Breakfast and indoor heated pool and do not charge a resort fee.

Except, we do charge a, "Resort fee," in the form of a room rate higher than the hotels that don't have that stuff. We just don't have to worry about people saying things like, "Well, that wasn't worth the extra $20."

Just a really weird thing to have in the first place, so I can't claim to understand it. The only possible benefit is being able to advertise lower room rates, even though the rate is just the rate +$20 all the same. Oh, yeah, and comped rooms having to pay for stuff, that too.

Four queens and the downtown Boyd properties do not. The other Boyd properties, the d, golden gate waive it on comped stays. For the d that includes if you have a 1 day free, 1 day paid offer you pay no resort fee since one is comped I believe. Wonder how much longer till queens and downtown Boyd hold out?

Mgm's policy varies from casino to casino whether they will waive on a comped room. It's a deceitful practice slipped into fine print for the pricing, that's a lot of the issue mission. Just because most are doing it at this point does not make it acceptable.

What you said about The D, with all due respect, is not true.

I had four comped nights, paid for one night, and paid the resort fee on that one night. Also, and you may not have implied that everything was free, but while you do not pay the resort fee at The D on those nights that are comped, you must pay for Wireless Internet (if you want it) as well as Local Calls, if you make any. I don't know if toll-free calls would be charged something, that'd be hilarious, in a way, if they were.

The D and Golden Gate are also not Boyd properties, or you may have been saying the other Boyd properties (as well as) The D and Golden Gate in that sentence, I'm not sure.

I meant the d and golden gate along with the non downtown Boyd properties. The D must have changed their partial comped stay policy shortly after they started charging resort fees, thank you for the update.

No problem, here is my recent (last month) review of The D, if you would like to read it:

https://wizardofvegas.com/hotels/d/

Quote: Ibeatyouraces

People need to start bitching to their lawmakers and have these con jobs called "resort fees" outlawed.

No need, unless you have a lot of $$$ worth of free speech to go with that.

Bitch to the third party booking aggregators instead. The likes of booking.com etc. The main reason for resort fees ist the placement on the results list of these websites. Sorted by price, resort fee is ignored and then added later. If you charge higher room rates intead of a resort fee, you might end up on page two (god forbid), thus less bookings.

If the booking sites were to sort by effective total daily rate instead of a made up number this problem would go away and we all could live happily without resort fees.

Same ridiculousness quoting prices without taxes btw.

The booking sites have little to no control over that, generally speaking, for a non-franchised hotel, (which most of these casino hotels would be) it is the hotels themselves that have a log-in to the third-party booking site and go in and change the rates themselves.

It is true that the booking site could force them to post, "True effective rate," but if they did that and the hotel continued to do things as they do them on their own websites, now booking directly through the hotel's own website looks MUCH cheaper than using the booking site...and it's always pretty much the same, anyway...so now the booking site does not get its commissions.

In short, doing that would only hurt the booking site and have no impact upon the hotel. The only answer is to not have resort fees, but I'm telling you, room rates go up an equivalent amount if they do that...they're going to charge whatever they want to charge...so getting rid of resort fees will do nothing for you, the consumer.

I think that the hotels should want to get rid of them, though, because now you can have amenities that don't, "Live up to," the resort fee and give people just another reason to complain.

Quote: Mission146

Why is everyone obsessed with resort fees?

Well you answered it mostly yourself....

Quote:

The only possible benefit is being able to advertise lower room rates, even though the rate is just the rate +$20 all the same. Oh, yeah, and comped rooms having to pay for stuff, that too.

There are 2 huge gripes: when they don't advertise the resort fee and it's a surprise, and when you are forced to pay it on an otherwise comped room.

I would much MUCH rather they just raise the advertised rates.

The other huge gripe is that it's mandatory, even if you're not using the services. Weeeee local calls? OMG! If only we didn't all have cell phones. Gym? Yeah, not why I'm in Vegas. Wifi is the only one that a lot of people legitimately use, and even then it's possible to find free wifi. Or just tether your smart phone.

If it were an optional fee, then there would be no complaints. In fact I think everyone was happy with the previous setup, where if you wanted to use the wifi, you paid for the wifi. If you wanted to use the gym, you paid for the gym. If you wanted a frickin' newspaper, you paid for a newspaper. And if you didn't want any of it, you didn't have to pay for any of it! The "new way" with resort fees is a blatant cash grab and a terrible customer experience. I can't believe that so many casinos have fallen in line. The "no resort fees" was a huge marketing advantage for CET properties (at least it was huge in my view).

If you don't have a choice between "regular" amenities and "resort" amenities, the "resort fee" is just a way to artificially lower prices that people see and then nail them with a higher fee. They are being a bit more open about it now, but it is a bait and switch tactic, plain and simple.

Just put your true price out there along with your list of amenities and stop with the crap!!!

Quote: Mission146

The only answer is to not have resort fees, but I'm telling you, room rates go up an equivalent amount if they do that...they're going to charge whatever they want to charge...so getting rid of resort fees will do nothing for you, the consumer.

Give me the real price of the room--don't lie to me. Then I can compare prices that are honest.

There is no right way to do the wrong thing.

I think it's pretty obvious prices would not go up by the same amount if resort fees were eliminated. They get what they get by using this method. I've always felt these benefits should be included with the cost anyways. Most like a taxi charging extra for heat, air, or windows.

quick, call heaven and tell fat irish green.

I think there is a correlation between the economic crash and the rise of resort fees.

1. Late 2008, pretty much nobody (none I know of from then but could be wrong) has resort fees. Gambling revenue is good. caveat; I heard somewhere back when that it started, resort fees were to pay for Fremont Street construction (the roof etc.)

2. Economy crashes. Discretionary/luxury spending crashes harder.

3. Casinos get killed with no gamblers, empty rooms, lowered avg bets.

4. Casinos up their comp offers to lower and lower rollers just trying to get butts in seats.

5. Economy continues crappy for several years, gaming stays below expectation. Overhead costs continue for plants, despite heavy layoffs.

6. Comp values decline due to lower and less rollers, except there's all those empty hotel rooms....what to do?

7. Resort fees get introduced, provide a way to pay basic costs of comped rooms (electric, staffing, maid/laundry) while still being able to offer "free" rooms.

8. Resort fees get established and widespread; cost of providing rooms covered; food/bev/consumables comps dry up to almost nothing. (Where it feels like we are now.)

The next move, as gaming recovers with the economy improving (if gaming does; there's a huge glut of new gaming local to a lot of people who used to travel to Vegas/AC) will be the resort doing well enough/brave enough to wipe out resort fees and profit with the good publicity bringing more players. This successful promotion, tied in with playing x hours per day/room comped in their casino, further builds back the brave resort.

Others, in order to compete, and seeing the brave casino flourish, get rid of resort fees again. Eventually everyone is back to free rooms with no resort fees and the good times roll again.

Or not. Lots of other factors in play, but tying those together makes sense to me. In fact, I think a person should be able to swipe a card active for 6 hours, or x points, in a kiosk and qualify for no resort fees now, swipe 1x/day. Advertise the hell out of it and people will now think they're getting a great deal, and show up. They collect them in advance for the entire stay (at least Harrah's did for me), so that would have to change, I think, in order not to have to process a credit/cancellation on the room, but that shouldn't be that hard to change.

Quote: beachbumbabs

The next move, as gaming recovers with the economy improving (if gaming does; there's a huge glut of new gaming local to a lot of people who used to travel to Vegas/AC) will be the resort doing well enough/brave enough to wipe out resort fees and profit with the good publicity bringing more players. This successful promotion, tied in with playing x hours per day/room comped in their casino, further builds back the brave resort.

Others, in order to compete, and seeing the brave casino flourish, get rid of resort fees again. Eventually everyone is back to free rooms with no resort fees and the good times roll again.

That would be awesome, but I am not optimistic about the chances of it going this way.

The problem with resort fees is that if one establishment charges them the others will follow suit. If you fill a 1 pound can of coffee with 13 ounces the company that puts 1 pound of coffee in a 1 pound can will go out of business. You can sell a 13 ounce can for less than a 16 ounce can. Yes some people will buy the 16 ounce can, but most will buy the same size looking can with 13 ounces in it. Andy Rooney won't win this one.

Quote: Greasyjohn

The problem with resort fees is that if one establishment charges them the others will follow suit. If you fill a 1 pound can of coffee with 13 ounces the company that puts 1 pound of coffee in a 1 pound can will go out of business. You can sell a 13 ounce can for less than a 16 ounce can. Yes some people will buy the 16 ounce can, but most will buy the same size looking can with 13 ounces in it. Andy Rooney won't win this one.

Where ya been, GJ? Nice to see you back. True what you say. I just think the pendulum will swing once a marketing person sees a percentage in it. Whether it will catch back on competitively remains to be seen.

Quote: Canyonero

No need, unless you have a lot of $$$ worth of free speech to go with that.

Bitch to the third party booking aggregators instead. The likes of booking.com etc. The main reason for resort fees ist the placement on the results list of these websites. Sorted by price, resort fee is ignored and then added later. If you charge higher room rates intead of a resort fee, you might end up on page two (god forbid), thus less bookings.

If the booking sites were to sort by effective total daily rate instead of a made up number this problem would go away and we all could live happily without resort fees.

This is 100% correct. I heard an interview with Derek Stevens, owner of the D/Golden Gate, saying that it was simply a matter of SEO. They cut rates by the amount of the fee on Priceline, Expedia, etc.

Quote: beachbumbabs

Where ya been, GJ? Nice to see you back. True what you say. I just think the pendulum will swing once a marketing person sees a percentage in it. Whether it will catch back on competitively remains to be seen.

Hi BBB,

I've been around, just not posting with the flurry upon first finding this site.

I think that resort fees should be considered deceptive advertising. The vast majority of APs and contributors at this site will not be fooled by a published room rate and an extra resort fee, but they recognize false advertising and are incensed by it.