Now That's RIDICULOUS - Ellis Island "Resort Fee"

I like playing there, I like the low limit Blackjack at 3:2, and I like the breakfast steak special. BUT SERIOUSLY, a $ 20.40 per night Resort Fee ? ! ? Unbelievable for an off-strip Super 8 that in no way shape or form fits the definition of a Resort. I guess I won't be adding EI to the list of places I have stayed at in Vegas any time soon.

(I would only even consider it if the weekend rates at regular decent hotels got jacked way up, and to be able to say I've stayed at places ranging from EI to Caesars).

https://wizardofvegas.com/hotels/ellis-island-review/

If you're paying more than $10 a night for a Super 8, you are getting ripped off.

The microbrewery & BBQ ribs will get me back there every time. Wouldn't even consider staying there though.

https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/casinos-gaming/ellis-island-starts-work-on-10m-dining-entertainment-venue/

Someone has to pay for this addition.

Resort fees are cruel. They're like stealing your lunch money. Hotels could charge a "For Nothing Fee" and it would be the same. I consider I corrupt because they know it's wrong, but do it just for the money.

Ahh the hypocrisy. Everyone complains about a resort fee, but when it comes to tipping, no one bats an eye. For all the tippers out there, treat this as another tip to your waitress. The resort is your waitress and theyre providing you a great stay and service at your room, so you should tip them. Paying for the room just like paying for a marked up priced steak is irrelevant, make sure you get that tip and fee ready. Forget about the contribution you already made to the business, you now should go ahead and add a little nice tip/fee to it. Have a nice stay!

Quote: ZenKinG

Ahh the hypocrisy. Everyone complains about a resort fee, but when it comes to tipping, no one bats an eye. For all the tippers out there, treat this as another tip to your waitress. The resort is your waitress and theyre providing you a great stay and service at your room, so you should tip them. Paying for the room just like paying for a marked up priced steak is irrelevant, make sure you get that tip and fee ready. Forget about the contribution you already made to the business, you now should go ahead and add a little nice tip/fee to it. Have a nice stay!

Invalid comparison. The resort fee does not go to the employees, and the employees are not paid the $2.13 minimum wage that waitstaff (men wait tables too) get.

Quote: ZenKinG

Ahh the hypocrisy. Everyone complains about a resort fee, but when it comes to tipping, no one bats an eye. For all the tippers out there, treat this as another tip to your waitress. The resort is your waitress and theyre providing you a great stay and service at your room, so you should tip them. Paying for the room just like paying for a marked up priced steak is irrelevant, make sure you get that tip and fee ready. Forget about the contribution you already made to the business, you now should go ahead and add a little nice tip/fee to it. Have a nice stay!

As already stated, it is a big difference in giving an individual cash directly, who works in the trenches along side you, compared to giving your cash to an Evil Empire. However once again, it is a personal choice... If you don't want to tip... Don't F'ing Tip!!

Last night I took someone out for a nice Birthday Dinner. Five of us total in the group. The bill was $995.00 with no tax because over there they do it right and don't charge you for tax when you use your comp. I ordered a 300 dollar bottle of Dom which... ok... it's a 3X mark up but whatever, 40 dollar Jhonny Blue, 75 dollar bottle of White Burgundy which anyone with some wine knowledge should laugh at that Oxymoron, so about $600 in food. I opted out of the 18% they try to force on larger parties. However I still tipped $200 total... 10 to the maitre d' , 10 to the person who sat us, 20 to the sommelier, and 160 to the waitstaff. I would of liked to see ZK go to a dinner like that and explain to all these people who actually know me by name and explain to them why he isn't going to tip any of them once again because he isn't tipping. Would someone like ZK chip in for tips if he didn't have to foot any of the bill? Eat all that fine food and just stiff em?? Evil when I think about it... just pure Evil since the Casino is actually paying for all the food and tips since they offer beatable games and other perks. Some people don't understand Kickback City!!

Also at Ellis Island I can never be upset. They gave good games years ago and I was one of the few that didn't get no mailed or 86'd. Later they decided to do a 40 dollar a day free play kickback on a 400 dollar coin exchange. After months of lugging change over there they had enough and shut down the promotion... I miss that play.

Billryan had the right idea but said it wrong... You should be nice to the people you meet on the way up.... because they are the same people you meet on the way down!!

EDIT: Oh I forgot about my friend who beat them out of 15k one night playing drunken BJ and betting table limits all over the spread. Too bad he is a go off and it didn't take long for him to go broke after that night. The good news is that he runs up the money all the time but the bad news is that he goes broke shortly after :( What's the difference anyways... we all get flat in the end.

Quote: JohnnyQ

I like playing there, I like the low limit Blackjack at 3:2, and I like the breakfast steak special. BUT SERIOUSLY, a $ 20.40 per night Resort Fee ? ! ? Unbelievable for an off-strip Super 8 that in no way shape or form fits the definition of a Resort. I guess I won't be adding EI to the list of places I have stayed at in Vegas any time soon.

(I would only even consider it if the weekend rates at regular decent hotels got jacked way up, and to be able to say I've stayed at places ranging from EI to Caesars).

https://wizardofvegas.com/hotels/ellis-island-review/

They've gone and jumped the shark now, haven't they?

Let's face it, 'Resort Fees,' never had anything to do with whether or not a place can be rightly considered a, 'Resort,' it was always about nothing more than increasing prices. I don't recall anything about any property meaningfully changing after adding a resort fee, to make it more resort-like. Apparently, the Resort Fee has since been reduced to $17.99:

http://www.super8vegas.com/

I love the bullet list for what the Resort Fee includes:

Wireless Internet Access
Discounted Shuttle to the Airport
Ellis Island Breakfast
Heated pool and spa
Free Truck/bus parking
Check in time: 3pm

Answers:

-I'll use my phone as a hotspot.

-I'm driving, taking a cab, not heading to the airport from here...etc

-I'll get breakfast elsewhere.

-I don't want to use them.

-I don't have a truck or bus.

-Um...as opposed to what other time?

But....

The only thing I don't like about Resort Fees is when they are nowhere mentioned in the price at the time of booking, regardless of whatever the booking method may be. As long as they are quoted and included in the final price delivered to the guest, I don't have a problem with them, per se. It's really just charging more for the room is all it is. You could just raise the rate on the room and it would be the same thing, except sometimes Resort Fees are still charged on comp rooms and things like that.

I suppose my major argument with it is what a misnomer that is, as you point out, Super 8 is an economy hotel, not a resort, and those things listed above are by no means even remotely exclusive to resorts. Even if they were, besides the check-in time (the hell does check-in time have to do with, 'Resort,' do non-resort properties not have a time at which you're allowed to check-in?) everything on that list seems optional, so shouldn't the fee be waived if you are not going to avail yourself of anything on that list?

Anyway, it seems kind of grimy, but really it's not. It's just a room cost line item, it would seem less scuzzy just to add it to the base rate, but if the net result is going to be the same...whatever, I guess.

If its a resort fee they keep it. If its a room fee, they get royally taxed on it.
Which would you prefer? politicians or the 'resort'.

If you have to "resort" to stay there, then I guess that would make some tiny sense :)

Quote: Johnzimbo

If you have to "resort" to stay there, then I guess that would make some tiny sense :)

Now THAT's funny !