Should I Switch to Encore?

I booked Treasure Island a while back for our annual March Break trip next month. The offer was $100 per night at TI for March 15th to 19th.

I have promotions from Wynn/Encore, but the best offer was for Encore and the nights of the 16th and 17th were abnormally high -- $239 each night. St. Patrick's Day probably boosted prices for those two nights.

Wynn was higher for all nights. I guess Wynn must have something going on to support the even higher prices.

The Encore part of the offer changed today to $119 per night for the entire trip.

My wife is reluctant to switch even though the difference is down to $19 per night. We stayed at Encore once before and the rooms and overall hotel are just as nice as the Wynn. The problem is that the Encore is 5 additional minutes walking distance to most places on the strip. My wife says save the $19 a night and just keep the TI booking.

Overall I'd say the TI rooms are fine. The Wynn/Encore rooms are better.

So the poll question is should I keep the TI booking or go with Encore?

SOOPOO I'd be interested to hear your take.

--helpmespock

Encore rooms are way more than $19 better than TI rooms. Easy choice.

Quote: helpmespock

The problem is that the Encore is 5 additional minutes walking distance to most places on the strip. My wife says save the $19 a night and just keep the TI booking.

Encore is top rated and most would suggest going for the Encore, but I'm hesitant to make any suggestions once I see those magic words "my wife says".

Is the $19 difference after resort fees and parking?

Encore is nice, but the casino has higher minimums, is much more for seniors, and prices for things are generally more. That $19 could be $190 by the end of the trip.

The rooms are very well appointed at WynnCore. Their beds are Mrs. Carumba’s favorite. If your wife hasn’t been to Wynn or Encore before, I vote switch, but understand that you will pay more than $19 for the upgrade.

Stayed at encore which is amazing, never stayed at TI but I guarantee it’s $19 better. Like previously said how much more is the resort fee at Wynn than TI and parking the same?

Quote: sodawater

Encore rooms are way more than $19 better than TI rooms. Easy choice.

Agreed. $119 for an Encore room sounds like a bargain.

No question. Encore by a mile.

The $19 is before the resort fees. I believe TI and Encore's resort fees are both $39 + tax. TI does offer the waiving of the resort fee, but we want the Wi-Fi with multiple devices at the higher speed which would end up costing just over $18 so we wouldn't really save as much.

I agree too that, because of higher minimums, I'll be paying more at Encore. Mind you I can choose not to gamble at Wynn/Encore, but I always try to give the place I'm staying some action so that I keep getting offers.

We have stayed at both TI and Encore before and been happy. Encore is better by $19, but added together -- being further, higher minimums -- my wife feels OK staying at TI.

If we could get the Wynn at just $19 more we'd take that for sure.

Oh one other data point is that I'm Canadian so the differences would be multiplied by 1.32. 8-)

I'll continue the conversation with my wife, and see what happens.

--helpmespock

$19 is chump change in Vegas especially if you have a hard time sleeping due to mediocre mattresses. I’m sure you’ll be much more comfortable at Encore, but you do have to walk a lot to get to the main part of the strip and to affordable eateries. I say it’s a draw.

Quote: helpmespock

The $19 is before the resort fees. I believe TI and Encore's resort fees are both $39 + tax. TI does offer the waiving of the resort fee, but we want the Wi-Fi with multiple devices at the higher speed which would end up costing just over $18 so we wouldn't really save as much.

I agree too that, because of higher minimums, I'll be paying more at Encore. Mind you I can choose not to gamble at Wynn/Encore, but I always try to give the place I'm staying some action so that I keep getting offers.

We have stayed at both TI and Encore before and been happy. Encore is better by $19, but added together -- being further, higher minimums -- my wife feels OK staying at TI.

If we could get the Wynn at just $19 more we'd take that for sure.

Oh one other data point is that I'm Canadian so the differences would be multiplied by 1.32. 8-)

I'll continue the conversation with my wife, and see what happens.

--helpmespock

I dont think you should worry about playing where you are staying because of comps because you aren't getting much. I have never been to encore and I have the same rates as you are getting

Quote: helpmespock

I booked Treasure Island a while back for our annual March Break trip next month. The offer was $100 per night at TI for March 15th to 19th.

I have promotions from Wynn/Encore, but the best offer was for Encore and the nights of the 16th and 17th were abnormally high -- $239 each night. St. Patrick's Day probably boosted prices for those two nights.

Wynn was higher for all nights. I guess Wynn must have something going on to support the even higher prices.

The Encore part of the offer changed today to $119 per night for the entire trip.

My wife is reluctant to switch even though the difference is down to $19 per night. We stayed at Encore once before and the rooms and overall hotel are just as nice as the Wynn. The problem is that the Encore is 5 additional minutes walking distance to most places on the strip. My wife says save the $19 a night and just keep the TI booking.

Overall I'd say the TI rooms are fine. The Wynn/Encore rooms are better.

So the poll question is should I keep the TI booking or go with Encore?

SOOPOO I'd be interested to hear your take.

--helpmespock

Don't take it the wrong way, but if you're sweating $19/day you should go downtown where your money goes farther. I don't go to stay in my room. As long as it's not a fleabag with bedbugs (think Luxor) I'm fine. The GN or other nicer downtown properties might be better. If you still want to stay on the Strip then maybe you should think about the Linq, Harrahs, Bally's, or a few others down the notch from the Wynn.

You'll probably be a slightly bigger fish in a smaller pond if you take your gambling out of the Wynn.

I agree with GWAE and now I feel dirty, jk buddy. Spock you don’t need to play at Wynn at all, I get the exact same offers as you and I haven’t gambled at Wynn/Encore in at least 3 years.

Is $100 a night for TI on the high side for that property? Maybe you're overpaying there.

Aye sadly cheap options don’t exist on the strip anymore, even the dumps are $100 so TI for $100 seems reasonable.

SOOPOO weighing in. As I'm now paying probably $600 a night here in San Juan because wife thought this was the nicest hotel (it is!) but acceptable very nice hotels are around $300, if the difference is really just $19 a night then there is no decision. Encore is a really nice property. The pool at Wynncore is super with a hot tub that even if chilly is great to use. For low rollers you won't be doing much betting at the Wynn. It's nice retiring to your room at the Encore after a long Vegas day.

SOOPOO casts one resounding vote for Encore.

Thanks folks for all your good points.

I gamble where I'm staying because it's easy and sometimes I'm feeling lazy. I won't sweat playing where I'm staying given all the comments.

The $19 per night won't break the bank for us. It's just one of the differences between the two properties.

Our very first trip to Las Vegas in 2004 had us staying at the Golden Nugget downtown. While I liked the Golden Nugget and would stay downtown again my wife got a really bad case of food poisoning on that trip so has very negative associations to downtown.

I know we could probably get comp'd better if we hooked up with a CET property. We've stayed at Caesar's Palace and Harrah's mid-strip, and the vibe of the CET properties just doesn't seem to fit for us.

Actually the only time I've ever been comp'd is at TI. They took off a couple night worth of resort fees. If we stay at TI we could have a few meals at the property and see if they will cover them.

We both like to play Jacks or better VP, but finding it at the $0.25 level is a chore. The Cromwell has a few machines and TI would be closer than Wynn/Encore.

SOOPOO thanks for reminding me about the pool. We didn't try the TI pool when we stayed there two years ago partly because the weather was terrible. We're there the 3rd week of March this year so there might be an opportunity for some pool time after my round of golf.

I'll continue the conversation with my wife, but I'm surprised that the poll isn't unanimous in favour of Encore.

--helpmespock

Yesterday I get an e-mail from the Wynn about their new promotion for March Madness. I think that's a little odd given we're just a couple weeks away from the tournament. I check the prices on rooms for March15-19 and lo and behold it's $129/night.

I then switch to my promotions and sure enough my offer on a Wynn Panoramic View Room is $119/night.

My wife says sure go ahead and switch from TI to Wynn. So we're back to the Wynn.

Now today I'm wondering how much COVID-19 has factored into they Wynn's decision to lower their room rates.

--helpmespock

Quote: helpmespock

Yesterday I get an e-mail from the Wynn about their new promotion for March Madness. I think that's a little odd given we're just a couple weeks away from the tournament. I check the prices on rooms for March15-19 and lo and behold it's $129/night.

I then switch to my promotions and sure enough my offer on a Wynn Panoramic View Room is $119/night.

My wife says sure go ahead and switch from TI to Wynn. So we're back to the Wynn.

Now today I'm wondering how much COVID-19 has factored into they Wynn's decision to lower their room rates.

--helpmespock

I think a ton. Forgetting what anyone personally thinks, there are a few realities. First is that so much of Vegas is dependent on the Asian trade now. SE Asia is ground zero and people are not in a mood to spend 20 hours in a small, aluminum tube to go to a crowded place. And you have whatever part of the USA population staying home. Vegas will be harder hit by this group because well it is one of the places in the USA where you will mix with more people from more places than any other.

Then add in that Wynn Macau is probably losing 80%+ of their revenue. No matter what the rooms in the USA have to get filled to get cash flow.

All that being said, while I don't have the coin for the fancy places for the most part, if I were going I'd do Wynn at $119 a night as it might be a once in a lifetime offer. Once in a lifetime offers only happen 2-3 times in your lifetime.

This will probably be the biggest dead times in Vegas since 9/2001.

Quote: helpmespock

Yesterday I get an e-mail from the Wynn about their new promotion for March Madness. I think that's a little odd given we're just a couple weeks away from the tournament. I check the prices on rooms for March15-19 and lo and behold it's $129/night.

I then switch to my promotions and sure enough my offer on a Wynn Panoramic View Room is $119/night.

My wife says sure go ahead and switch from TI to Wynn. So we're back to the Wynn.

Now today I'm wondering how much COVID-19 has factored into they Wynn's decision to lower their room rates.

--helpmespock

I think COVID-19 probably has a hell of a lot to do with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't have foreseen these rates four months ago when booked my first week March Madness stay at the Bellagio. Oh well, on the positive side I'll probably have no problems finding a seat at the pai gow tiles tables.

Quote: AZDuffman

Then add in that Wynn Macau is probably losing 80%+ of their revenue. No matter what the rooms in the USA have to get filled to get cash flow.

All that being said, while I don't have the coin for the fancy places for the most part, if I were going I'd do Wynn at $119 a night as it might be a once in a lifetime offer. Once in a lifetime offers only happen 2-3 times in your lifetime.

This will probably be the biggest dead times in Vegas since 9/2001.

Good points. I forgot about Wynn Macau and the total picture. Macau accounts for 75% of the revenue for Wynn Resorts so they are probably in really tough shape.

I also wonder if Las Vegas is going to be very slow for this visit. I actually don't mind that as we're never keen fighting the crowds walking the strip. Hard on the businesses though.

I wonder if this is going to affect minimums too. My wife and I did play a $5 blackjack table (3:2 with decent rules) at TI last year and they also had $5 craps a couple times too. That was early in the morning, but still. Perhaps I'll even see a $15 blackjack table at the Wynn.

--helpmespock

Quote: UP84

I think COVID-19 probably has a hell of a lot to do with it. Unfortunately, I couldn't have foreseen these rates four months ago when booked my first week March Madness stay at the Bellagio. Oh well, on the positive side I'll probably have no problems finding a seat at the pai gow tiles tables.

We're there March 15-19th which is just before the tournament. Prices are still high for Thursday-Saturday that week -- $269 Thursday and $219 Friday/Saturday -- but they were even higher before -- $369 for Thursday and $269 for Friday/Saturday.

--helpmespock

No question COVID-19 is lowering rates everywhere. Vegas is getting so many cancellations right now that I would expect room prices to come way down everywhere.

My bookkeeper’s sister liked the wynn. She would stay in her room and get drunk.

Id goto vegas too if i had the time.