Parking

Parking at the Golden Nugget is either valet or self-park. BEWARE: Self parking is NOT free. If you validate your parking ticket, you will get THREE free hours, and then have to pay (I think it's $2) for each additional hour. I guess they don't want anyone gambling there more then three hours. Odd policy if you ask me. This should have the effect of creating 'clock watching' gamblers, but maybe most are like me and didn't notice the fine print until I was leaving!

Can you get multiple validations?

I can't believe this fee is for any reason other than to charge NON-gamblers.

Here's the reason. I like the GN and go there on most of my trips, during the daylight hours of course, with maybe one stay a year. They have a very large contingent of valet parking spaces and their valet staff is more in-line with what Desert Inn used to have. These are the kind of people who remember you if you give them a few bucks upon arrival as well as departure, and probably more if you drop off a nice car. They're not punks like you'll find at many places in LV, but professional valets if there is such a thing. As such, the GN would rather you pay the tips to their staff than for parking yourself, which is why they make you go through the annoying validation process if you're too cheap to valet.

The coolest thing about valet parking there is that when waiting for your car, if it's got some power then you can hear the valet screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage to get your car out to you as fast as possible. It's all done in a very professional way, and if you're not anal about your automobile then you'll enjoy the experience like I do.

Most people go to the GN to gamble first. Those who want to just park and walk around will go somewhere else in the combat zone down there.

Jerry, perhaps I'm getting forgetful. I know you have spoken strongly (some around here might claim you ranted!) against tipping someone who deals your cards and handles your bets in a casino, but you seem to be enthusiastic about tipping someone who drives your car "screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage". Do you feel these two viewpoints on tipping the service workers are compatible? I just don't remember how you have explained this before.

I, for one, would really prefer that no one else ever drove my car, valet or oil-change tech or even a close friend. Just a bias on my part, I suppose. But I think I would be a bit more upset than enjoying it if someone were driving my car "screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage". I guess that make me "anal".

Parking at the Nugget was a disaster for me. I was checking in, and they wouldn't let me park without my room key. So I had to keep my wife out in the rental car while I checked in. And check in literally took more than 30 minutes.

Never again.

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Can you get multiple validations?

I can't believe this fee is for any reason other than to charge NON-gamblers.

You can definitely get multiple validations at the 4 Queens, so it probably works at other downtown venues as well. And I think they figure that 3 hours is about as long as anyone would reasonably be expected to gamble at *a given* casino. With the other downtown properties so close, the small fee serves to discourage people from using the convenient ramps at the GN and 4Queens and then playing elsewhere.

**edit - I didn't mean to make it sound like I was singling out the GN specifically with the playing time. I just meant that 3 hours was their estimate of the length of a playing session.

Quote: rdw4potus

You can definitely get multiple validations at the 4 Queens, so it probably works at other downtown venues as well. And I think they figure that 3 hours is about as long as anyone would reasonably be expected to gamble at that casino. With the other downtown properties so close, the small fee serves to discourage people from using the convenient ramps at the GN and 4Queens and then playing elsewhere.

Maybe you can go out before your three hours are up, leave, drive around the block, and then park again at the GN :)

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Can you get multiple validations?

I can't believe this fee is for any reason other than to charge NON-gamblers.

I generally use the Binion's garage. It's not a particularly nice place, but it was the first one I tried some years back, and it works. I tried the California garage one time, and it didn't seem any better. I haven't bothered to search further.

Binion's does have a time limit for free (self validated) parking, and I always assumed that was to discourage people who work downtown from parking there all day/night and taking up spaces that might be used by gamblers/customers. I have never tried to get multiple validations, and I think I have almost always been ready to leave the area within that base number of hours. I have never stayed downtown.

We were also charged for Parking at the PLAZA, even though we were seeing the Rat Pack show there.

I asked if they would validate our parking ticket, they wouldn't, and it sounded like they charged on the weekends, but not on weekdays.

Quote: Doc

Jerry, perhaps I'm getting forgetful. I know you have spoken strongly (some around here might claim you ranted!) against tipping someone who deals your cards and handles your bets in a casino, but you seem to be enthusiastic about tipping someone who drives your car "screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage". Do you feel these two viewpoints on tipping the service workers are compatible? I just don't remember how you have explained this before.

I, for one, would really prefer that no one else ever drove my car, valet or oil-change tech or even a close friend. Just a bias on my part, I suppose. But I think I would be a bit more upset than enjoying it if someone were driving my car "screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage". I guess that make me "anal".

Then you didn't read everything I said in the tipping thread. In casinos I tip those who serve food, drinks, and valets....and no one else. Casino cashiers, floor people and dealers never get a penny from me because I don't believe they deserve it. I'm gambling to win money, not to have a good time throwing money around to people who only want me to lose so they have a better opportunity to keep their employment.

I used to be anal about others driving my car, but that passed somehow. A car is just a car. It can be repaired, fixed, and re-customized if that's what might get touched wrong. The efficiency and relaxation that comes with dropping the phobia of others simply driving my stupid cars has been a huge reward to me and my wife.

Quote: JerryLogan

Then you didn't read everything I said in the tipping thread. In casinos I tip those who serve food, drinks, and valets....and no one else. Casino cashiers, floor people and dealers never get a penny from me because I don't believe they deserve it. I'm gambling to win money, not to have a good time ...

I probably did read what you wrote in that thread, but as I said, I just don't remember and perhaps I'm getting forgetful. Thanks for reminding me of your tipping practices.

In contrast to you, I am actually gambling to have a good time. I feel that a modest level of tipping to my dealers (not to cashiers and floor people) tends to lead to a more pleasant environment at the table and adds to my good time. And I do indeed tend to have a very good time. As a plus, for at least the past year I have also been winning more money than I have been losing, which likely contributes to the good time even though the winning is not my base objective. Since winning money is in fact your objective, and since you have previously reported that you have recently tended to lose money in the casinos, it appears that I have been achieving my objective while you have not. Better luck to you in the future. I am not one to believe that it is the "good karma" from tipping that makes a difference; the gambling results are just random, while the good time results may require a little effort.

Quote: DrEntropy

Maybe you can go out before your three hours are up, leave, drive around the block, and then park again at the GN :)

There's no need to drive around the block. Exit the garage, go left to the dead end, make a U turn and re-enter the garage. This shouldn't take more than a minute. I park there when visiting downtown because I like to check out the Tank before making the rounds to the other casinos. I've never done the re-entry myself because 3 hours is more time than I care to spend downtown.

It seems you're not questioning the fee itself , but the fact that you were surprised by it. The signs are there , you just didn't see them which is understandable.

Since it's self validation, no one is there to remind you of the three hour limit.

Quote: JerryLogan

Then you didn't read everything I said in the tipping thread. In casinos I tip those who serve food, drinks, and valets....and no one else. Casino cashiers, floor people and dealers never get a penny from me because I don't believe they deserve it. I'm gambling to win money, not to have a good time throwing money around to people who only want me to lose so they have a better opportunity to keep their employment. ...

Thank you for the insight. It's timely as I am going to the Golden Nugget tomorrow and I will have a car rental for part of the weekend. Now that I know the motivations of the various service worker categories, I am going to follow your tipping policy. I didn't realize that food and drink servers as well as valets have no vested interest in me losing money, but the casino cashiers, floor people and dealers *do* benefit from me losing. I will continue to tip the former and stop tipping the latter. Thanks again and best of luck at the casinos!

Quote: benbakdoff

3 hours is more time than I care to spend downtown.

Yeah, me too most of the time, which is why I never ran into the limit until recently!
Note that I found out from a friend today that you can get the pit (and probably poker room manager) to comp the parking for the full time you are there. Not sure if they have a special stamp or how it works though! If anyone has tried this, I would love to hear about it.

Quote: benbakdoff

It seems you're not questioning the fee itself , but the fact that you were surprised by it.

Yep, you are correct. I had no idea I was running a meter.

Quote: joenunz

Thank you for the insight. It's timely as I am going to the Golden Nugget tomorrow and I will have a car rental for part of the weekend. Now that I know the motivations of the various service worker categories, I am going to follow your tipping policy. I didn't realize that food and drink servers as well as valets have no vested interest in me losing money, but the casino cashiers, floor people and dealers *do* benefit from me losing. I will continue to tip the former and stop tipping the latter. Thanks again and best of luck at the casinos!

Picture yourself as a bartender or a waiter. You're entire world has nothing to do with the casino games and everything to do with serving customers their food & drink. Similarly, the valet couldn't care less what's going on inside the casino as he hustles to get your car parked while it allows you to get inside and gamble.

Now picture yourself as a casino cashier or floor person responding to a slot machine jackpot. The casino cashier is no different from the bank teller you visited earlier to withdraw or deposit money, or to do something much more involved and time-consuming, yet the casino teller has a vested interest in you getting wiped out. Did you tip the bank teller? The floor person gives the expected patronizing lip service and tip-talk as you get paid, yet they sugar-talk you as if you are ahead regardless if you are still way behind. It is as phoney as a three dollar bill, and their job depends mostly on the amount you drop and not on how much you spend in the restaurant or bars.

Quote: JerryLogan

Picture yourself as a bartender or a waiter. You're entire world has nothing to do with the casino games and everything to do with serving customers their food & drink. Similarly, the valet couldn't care less what's going on inside the casino as he hustles to get your car parked while it allows you to get inside and gamble.

Now picture yourself as a casino cashier or floor person responding to a slot machine jackpot. The casino cashier is no different from the bank teller you visited earlier to withdraw or deposit money, or to do something much more involved and time-consuming, yet the casino teller has a vested interest in you getting wiped out. Did you tip the bank teller? The floor person gives the expected patronizing lip service and tip-talk as you get paid, yet they sugar-talk you as if you are ahead regardless if you are still way behind. It is as phoney as a three dollar bill, and their job depends mostly on the amount you drop and not on how much you spend in the restaurant or bars.

Thanks so much for the additional explanation. Darn straight I don't tip a bank teller! And it's a great idea to "put myself into their shoes" - it really helps in understanding how various casino employees think. These insights are a great resource to have access to on this forum. Thanks again and best of luck in the casinos!

Quote: Doc

Jerry, perhaps I'm getting forgetful. I know you have spoken strongly (some around here might claim you ranted!) against tipping someone who deals your cards and handles your bets in a casino, but you seem to be enthusiastic about tipping someone who drives your car "screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage". Do you feel these two viewpoints on tipping the service workers are compatible? I just don't remember how you have explained this before.

I, for one, would really prefer that no one else ever drove my car, valet or oil-change tech or even a close friend. Just a bias on my part, I suppose. But I think I would be a bit more upset than enjoying it if someone were driving my car "screeching around corners as he zooms through the garage". I guess that make me "anal".

You have to keep in mind how people who disagree with Jerry are usually characterized.

That valet guy very likely doesn't have more than, say, thirty minutes' total lifetime experience driving cars identical to the one he is driving right now, zooming around those corners. Cars cost money, are valuable possessions, and even if the casino would compensate you for its valet crashing your car into a wall, it would be massively inconvenient to lose your car in the middle of a Vegas visit. So a valet driving a customer's car like that is being irresponsible, and I for one would NOT tip a valet who handled my car recklessly, even if he did get it down the ramp in one piece THIS time.

Quote: joenunz

Now that I know the motivations of the various service worker categories, I am going to follow your tipping policy.

That is just what we are all here for, enlightenment, right? Or is it entertainment? Or . . .
How much do we tip the wizard again?

The posts about mkl's car have been moved to What kind of car does mkl654321 drive?. I put it in the "free speech zone," so have at it.