Resort Fee to Start @ Golden Nugget
Quote: pacomartinPeople have been predicting the end of Vegas for a long time. The reality is even with the nickel and dime resort fees it is still cheaper to stay in Vegas than almost any alpha city in the country. It makes much more sense to talk about depressing business, pissing people off, etc. etc.
Visitor stats.
39,727,022 for 2012
39,196,761 for 2007 (previous record)
Will almost certainly break 40 million for 2013.
I dont think Vegas will die but it is no longer a "cheap" destination. Average daily room rate is 100-115 in Vegas. I bet that the resort fee isnt included in this number. Add in 15-25 bucks and you are pretty dang close to the average room rate of just about any major city, short of HI or NYC hotels.
Taxes are one thing, but invariably they are applied as a % of the sale. A flat 20 bucks on the cost of my 60 dollar room is obviously a really big fee.
Quote: NokTangI recall the member said the resort fee was effective for arrivals after July 1st. Why would you expect your visit in August be exempted simply because you booked in May? It's a reasonable expectation however from the "resorts" perspective difficult to believe they would look at it that way.
I called and asked them. They stated that I would not be paying that ridiculous fee. Now, if I show up, and I am charged to see faux superheroes, faux showgirls, guys painted silver and gold, silly cartoon characters, all asking for a tip to have their picture taken with me, I shall report back. In that case, also, I will contact the Wizard and perhaps his case could be made. Here is to not having to pay for it (this time.)
Quote: NokTangI recall the member said the resort fee was effective for arrivals after July 1st. Why would you expect your visit in August be exempted simply because you booked in May? It's a reasonable expectation however from the "resorts" perspective difficult to believe they would look at it that way.
There is supposed to be a federal law which states all mandatory fees have to be disclosed when booking.
Vegas is still one of the cheapest vacation destinations in the U.S., with or without the resort fee. Just go to Expedia.com and sort by "price" to see how cheap it still is.Quote: IdiotWheelI dont think Vegas will die but it is no longer a "cheap" destination. Average daily room rate is 100-115 in Vegas. I bet that the resort fee isnt included in this number. Add in 15-25 bucks and you are pretty dang close to the average room rate of just about any major city, short of HI or NYC hotels.
Quote: IdiotWheel
Taxes are one thing, but invariably they are applied as a % of the sale. A flat 20 bucks on the cost of my 60 dollar room is obviously a really big fee.
With all due respect, that's not invariable.
In fact, I managed a hotel in Missouri in which one of the Municipality taxes was a flat $1.50, effectively, the cheaper your room was, the greater percentage you paid in tax.
Quote: IdiotWheelI dont think Vegas will die but it is no longer a "cheap" destination. Average daily room rate is 100-115 in Vegas. I bet that the resort fee isnt included in this number. Add in 15-25 bucks and you are pretty dang close to the average room rate of just about any major city, short of HI or NYC hotels.
Taxes are one thing, but invariably they are applied as a % of the sale. A flat 20 bucks on the cost of my 60 dollar room is obviously a really big fee.
Las Vegas offers TWO things that other hotel destinations do not:
Room Comps and HOPE of room comps.
I know all MGM and Caesar properties now do. So that leaves, by my count, the Wyncore, Venazzo, CR, TI, Trop and Stratosphere.
If we were to include casinos nearby or with free transportation to the Strip, the list goes way up (ie Terrible's, Palms, Rio, Orelans, Gold Coast, Hooters, etc).
The thing is in 5 trips I paid resort fees once (don't ask). The way I see it, they are getting harder and harder to avoid. Of course I'd like to keep avoiding them. Right now the 4 Queens doesn't charge them. I hope they keep to that policy.
Quote: NareedAre there any casinos on the Strip which don't charge a resort fee?
I know all MGM and Caesar properties now do. So that leaves, by my count, the Wyncore, Venazzo, CR, TI, Trop and Stratosphere.
If we were to include casinos nearby or with free transportation to the Strip, the list goes way up (ie Terrible's, Palms, Rio, Orelans, Gold Coast, Hooters, etc).
I thought I read that the Rio was now a Caesar's property? Just curious, thanks. I could go look but I'm in the middle of something else at the moment and it may be of interest to other members as well.
Quote: NokTangI thought I read that the Rio was now a Caesar's property? Just curious, thanks. I could go look but I'm in the middle of something else at the moment and it may be of interest to other members as well.
It's been a Caesars property since Caesars was Harrah's. My bad.
Quote: FleaStiffLas Vegas offers TWO things that other hotel destinations do not:
Room Comps and HOPE of room comps.
As a recovering gambling addict, I can honestly say you are better off just paying for your room. There aren't any pressures, no front money deposits or credit lines, no one knows who you are etc.. If I play for an hour or so at $25.usd average I may ask for a coffee shop comp but at no point do I attempt to earn a room comp. I learned the lesson the hard way at Caesars many years ago during a fight weekend. Play within your limits but more important, stay in control. This message brought to you free of charge! so please excuse the rantings as I can type as I think. BTW, there is such a thing as non-fat sausage and I'm going to get some.
Quote: NareedIt's been a Caesars property since Caesars was Harrah's. My bad.
No worries mate. I took the split second to look because I used to like the Rio. Found this:
http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/caesars-reverses-adds-resort-fee-las-vegas-hotels-1C8505058
I agree with the other posters and part of this story. It's okay to bundle it all in a "resort fee" but it should remain the guests option to buy said package or not. Forcing it on them is an act of terror IMHO and puts the focus away from the customer and to the "resort" and as mentioned elsewhere, to win at craps you need 100 percent of your focus on your gaming, not on the resort and dice setting rules and bad calls and odds and limits and players clubs and free rooms and free food.
I think we all want to avoid them but one thing to bear in mind is the openness and honesty involved. If all the ads show a room price and also declare a resort fee in big bold black letters then at least they have disclosed it in a fair and honorable manner. I'd really avoid any place that tacks it on and also makes you check the fine print first.Quote: NareedThe way I see it, they are getting harder and harder to avoid. Of course I'd like to keep avoiding them.
Waiting until some airline charges for Luggage but advertises No Baggage Fee.
Quote: NareedAre there any casinos on the Strip which don't charge a resort fee? I know all MGM and Caesar properties now do. So that leaves, by my count, the Wyncore, Venazzo, CR, TI, Trop and Stratosphere.
Wynn, Encore, Venetian, Palazzo, Treasure Island: $25 resort fee
Tropicana: $19.99 resort fee
Stratosphere: $14.99 resort fee
Casino Royale's Best Western does not appear to have a resort fee
Quote: JBCasino Royale's Best Western does not appear to have a resort fee
Small comfort...
Quote: RogerKintI just booked a complimentary room offer that I received in the mail. She assured me that "casino guests" are not charged any additional fees, including the $5 downtown fee.
Keep in mind that call was recorded. If they try to charge you at check-in relax and ask them to check the recording it will take time but they will remove the charge.
More expensive places such as casinos tend to have people who have more money to spend and may not even be paying the bill themselves(such as business expenses) and do not care about cost. The people who care about cost, and also spend less money, go to another place. This replacement place gets ambushed with the other casino's less desirable customers and has to react to pass herd them somewhere else. It becomes infectious as the lower cost places also get the lower profit customers.
Yes, eventually they all will attempt to charge too much money, but they will be able to control it when it happens, but the equilibrium point will still be higher than where it all started. Most places will make more money even with less customers and less variable costs.
I think way more important things are sales tactics you can't possibly verify, but are used to bump the cost of the room. If a casino lies and says they're almost fully booked when it's not true, people are going to pay more. I think this is pretty common to have empty rooms, but keeping them out of rent, to maintain power over the market. The other thing is the set amount of rooms for X rate line. Who are they accountable to and could not the amount have been 0 or 1? You betcha.
You would think people would pay the same price no matter how it is phrased or when it is phased, but that's not true. In an honest system, over all people would pay less due to the ease of comparison and not needing to spend 10 hours looking for a better rate, but changing to it now, all would pay more than before the paradigm shift of resort fees. They do it the way they do it, because it works to get more money. People have to be lied to in order to make more money. Blame the internet and definitely blame the opportunist.
Quote: FleaStiffYou just ask Steve Wynn about those freeloaders in Vegas....
He built the Mirage and the Bellagio ... The Mirage opened with a Million Dollar Nut per day! If it didn't make a million dollars it didn't break even. Day one turned out to be a Two Million Dollar day but he took the risk involved. Same thing with the Bellagio, he built all those expensive water canons and then those darned freeloaders would stay at Circus Circus and even gamble at Circus Circus but come to his sidewalks to view the fountains he built.
Freeloaders. Heck, The whole town is full of freeloaders. All the other casinos survived on the people he brought to town.
The Stratosphere is photographed ten times more than that darned sign but nobody never pays nuttin' for it. And even most of the people that visit the Strat don't gamble there at all.
Everybody in this whole town is trying to run a business but ain't got his customers by the balls. Only the Culinary Union got any power in this town. Everybody else deals with finicky types what want free rooms, free food, free gambling, free everything. They go where they please with whims. Some don't drink, some dance all night, some dance all day. Some want pool parties but want to keep their tops on too. Whats worse... you should see some of the women who want to come and take their tops off... and we have to run a business with that sort of stuff going on!
We kept five dollar minimum tables but added Party Pits and Rakes.
We kept low priced rooms but added adjectives like resort fees.
We gave you bathtubs at the Imperial. And you freeloaders use more water than ever.
We gave you bright lights all over this town and we got electrical fires and power outages all the darned time.
We gave you freeloaders everything and all you freeloaders ever want is more and more.
We've tried everything but honesty.... and we ain't never gonna try that!
Its enough to bring back memories of the MiniBacc dealer in Tampa what did his entire shift with nothing going into the toke box and happened to loudly refer to one of the non-tipping players as a "corksucker" when the Floor Person investigated he loudly asked the dealer "Which particular corksucker you talkin' 'bout, the table is full of corksuckers."
You corksucking freeloaders better watch out .... or we will start charging a Cork Suckers Fee! And we will call it that too!!
We are in the middle of the Mojave Desert ... ain't no reason somebody come here but gambling is what we used to say but now there just ain't no reason to go anywhere else. We were the ones what offered dreams and made people rich. Them local casinos you got only offer entertainment not wealth. Them local casinos don't have no Benny Binions in them. Them local casinos don't have to take care of their customers, they just make money and survive without having to be a major draw. This is the new Vegas. Benny is long gone, so is the Rat Pack. So are the days of getting staked or bailed out of trouble. We are all corporate bean counters now. Grinders? Worst grinders in town now are the casinos trying to grind out a living using terms like "resort fee" instead of "cork sucker's fee".
This is the funniest thing I've yet seen on this forum. Thanks, FS!
Quote: ChampagneFireballI stayed at Golden Nugget over the 4th, and they tried to charge me the fee even though I booked back in April. It took ten minutes and manager approval to remove it. And no apology for the billing error. I got the impression that they were charging everyone the fee and waiting for those that knew the rules to complain. Instead of "openness and honesty," I saw a hotel losing a customer over a chance to make an extra five bucks a day.
ChampagneFireball, thanks for the "heads-up." I expect you are probably correct in your assessment that they think some people won't notice/care. I, for one, do notice and do care. As I booked back in May, I should not be subject to the fee and will watch out for it. Glad they took it off for you.
Quote: JBWynn, Encore, Venetian, Palazzo, Treasure Island: $25 resort fee
Tropicana: $19.99 resort fee
Stratosphere: $14.99 resort fee
Casino Royale's Best Western does not appear to have a resort fee
From time to time TI runs a promotion where Resort Fees are optional. I think you have to be on their email guest list to receive it.
When was the cut off?Quote: bushmanChampagneFireball, thanks for the "heads-up." I expect you are probably correct in your assessment that they think some people won't notice/care. I, for one, do notice and do care. As I booked back in May, I should not be subject to the fee and will watch out for it. Glad they took it off for you.
I'm booked there next week. Booked it in June...
Quote: DJTeddyBearWhen was the cut off?
I'm booked there next week. Booked it in June...
I couldn't say for certain. First time I saw it pop up was early/mid June (10 or so.) Hope you booked before then, otherwise, you might be on the hook. I would certainly ask about it if it shows up on your bill.
Quote: DJTeddyBearWhen was the cut off?
I'm booked there next week. Booked it in June...
Fees started July 1, but you were grandfathered in if you booked before June 1.
Quote: bushmanChampagneFireball, thanks for the "heads-up." I expect you are probably correct in your assessment that they think some people won't notice/care. I, for one, do notice and do care. As I booked back in May, I should not be subject to the fee and will watch out for it. Glad they took it off for you.
I'm thinking they will automatically charge you and wait for you to complain. But I'd like to know it goes down.
I checked both receipts carefully before checking out- no $5 FSE fees.
I was pleasantly surprised.
Still think the fee is a joke. Is it a "killer"? Still debating that. Goes against my principles, but I am learning to be more accommodating in my old age. Still, one can voice one's displeasure. Rather just see the room rates go up and be done with it.
As of January 19, 2015, the Golden Nugget has a $20+tax/night resort fee. The resort fee includes: access for two to the Fitness Center daily (does not include the wet areas), basic, in-room daily Internet access for 2 devices daily, two bottled waters daily (waters will be located in the guest rooms), complimentary parking, complimentary airline boarding passes printing via the Front Desk or Box Office 24/7, complimentary newspapers in your respective tower lobby from 6am to 10am daily, plus downtown destination coupons. Reservations made prior to January 19, 2015 will not be charged. However, the guest will have the option of purchasing the package should they choose to do so.
Gold Club or Rush Gold Club rooms will not be charged the resort fee and will receive all of the resort fee perks alongside additional perks received by staying on those specific floors.
