My gripe: WI-FI fees at LV resorts !

My gripe: WI-FI fees at LV resorts !

I mean, come on ! If McDonalds has it, why does
TI and WYNN charge a ridiculously high fee for it.
Besides the fact that "they can".

Don't anyone suggest to Steve Wynn that he should
charge for the air you breathe there, because I
think he might try it !

I would imagine a lot of his to do with the convention business in Las Vegas. With companies footing the bill for a lot of the internet usage vs. normal consumers it makes the higher price worth it. I know if I am ever traveling and need internet I never am given a problem turning it in as an expense. On the flip side the cost to provide internet over an entire hotel is much more than to provide internet to a McDonalds.

Quote: scottndindy

I would imagine a lot of his to do with the convention business in Las Vegas. With companies footing the bill for a lot of the internet usage vs. normal consumers it makes the higher price worth it. I know if I am ever traveling and need internet I never am given a problem turning it in as an expense. On the flip side the cost to provide internet over an entire hotel is much more than to provide internet to a McDonalds.

It just another in the long line of ripoffs that Vegas is now known for. Just like the "resort fees" that they add on automatically to everyone's bill. You know its a rip off when its cheaper to get wifi on a plane than it is in a LV hotel room.

Quote: ruascott

It just another in the long line of ripoffs that Vegas is now known for. Just like the "resort fees" that they add on automatically to everyone's bill.

Not everyone. Harrah's, the evil empire itself, makes a big deal about not charging resort fees. I can attest I wasn't charged any at the Rio this year (I think none at IP last year, but I'm not sure).

Actually, I think it is a serious problem. Perhaps the Wizard may want to put a table where users can add locations where you can get free Wi-Fi on the strip. Here are a list of eight places.

McDonald's
1) across the street from Mandalay Bay 3999 S LAS VEGAS BLVD LAS VEGAS, NV 89119 (702)739-3423
2) near Harrah's casino on 3475 LAS VEGAS BLVD SOUTH LAS VEGAS NV 89109-8922 (702)734-3058
3) between Planet Hollywood and MGM Grand 3755 LAS VEGAS BLVD S LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 (702)795-0886
4) behind of Wynn and Venetian (walk down Sands Ave) 3700 S PARADISE RD LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 (702)731-5756
5) freestanding in front of Circus Circus 2896 SOUTH LAS VEGAS BOULEVARD LAS VEGAS, NV 89109 (702)732-3200
6) behind the Sahara Casino, but north of Sahara Avenue 2248 PARADISE RD LAS VEGAS, NV 89104(702)796-0664

7) Starbucks in front of Fashion Show Mall 3200 Las Vegas Blvd 1230 Las Vegas, NV 89109 (702) 369-8715

Downtown (no free Wi-Fi at the two McDonald's locations downtown)
1) Krispy Kreme @ Fitzgeralds
2) Lobby of Boyd's Main Street Casino (24 hours)
3) Coffee Shop in El Cortez administrative building (Emergency Arts Building) on Fremont Street (closes 7 PM)
4) Starbucks three blocks south of Fremont 4th & Lewis, Las Vegas
300 South Fourth Street 7 Las Vegas, NV 89101 702-759-3426 (closes 6:00 PM weekdays, not open on weekends)

I don't know about WiFi, WiMax or WhyBother but I think there are lists of places that provide free wireless internet access. Tuscany charges for it in your room but the common areas generally have it. The M Resort used to have wifi in their lobby but too many people camped out there so they turned it off rather than just log people off after ten minutes. A good many casinos have places where you can get a signal but don't pay connection charges or have anyone come speak to you if you are not boorishly hogging a seat somewhere.

I'm told in the area for function rooms that are rented out to some meeting you can usually pick up a signal without actually entering any of the rooms.

RIO doesn't have a resort fee, but they do charge some riduculous price for WI-FI in the room. We drove a couple of miles to the McD on Flamingo to get a nice breakfast and use their free internet.

Quote: Nareed

Harrah's, the evil empire itself...

Interestingly, there was a way to get free Wi-Fi at Harrah's, if you're in the right area. We were in room 602 of the Mardi Gras tower, and from the Wi-Fi adapter, instead of the internet access agreement asking for your room number and $12.95 for 24 hours, it said something about a room in the 400s and no charge for 24 hours. (If we plugged in through ethernet, it gave us room 602 and $12.95.) We kept going like this for a few days, and never paid for internet. This didn't work a couple months later from the upper floors of Carnaval, and they might have fixed it anyway, but if you're in the same area, it's worth a shot.

I don't think any rooms are close enough to McDonald's to mooch off their Wi-Fi (you'd need Mardi Gras, low floor, high room number, probably with a "Strip view" to make it possible).

Smartphone users can download PdaNet and turn your Droid or Blackberry into a cellular modem. Just don't go downloading any torrents and you'll be OK, for web surfing and email. I've been using it for several months, and never gone near Verizon's 5gb limit.

Quote: pacomartin

Actually, I think it is a serious problem. Perhaps the Wizard may want to put a table where users can add locations where you can get free Wi-Fi on the strip....

I'd be happy to put up such a list. Is the list you posted your own? If not, whom do I have to beg to use it?

pdanet works for a jailbroken iphones I have it!

Perhaps the following would be of interest. No idea if its complete or currently maintained.
I think there is also something called OverDrive.

http://www.lvrealty.net/community-information/las-vegas/free-wifi

http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/las-vegas-free-wifi.php

It does seem that this is an issue with people and that walking from the strip to Tuscany to check email is something some people seem to be doing. This is not for the Tuscany's 11.00 a day charge for internet access but for the free wifi that is available in most of the common areas. Seeking out other strip hotspots seems important to consumers. The Stratosphere offers, I'm told, free wifi at the coffee lounge's exterior comfortable chairs, no hassles for relatively long term use. Some people actually patronize the Plaza because it offers Turner Classic Movies on the TV, a strange decision-making feature for a vacation but if people value such things then so be it. I'm sure free wifi will become a decision making issue for some.

One casino in Biloxi offered this lobby area kiosk that was solely for email, but it was so slow and was often broken.

I don't know what is available at the various Business Centers in casinos if you just want a few minutes of solely email checking rather than more substantial internet use.

Resort Fees often involve in room internet access. Resort fees are usually NOT included in Kayak's Rank By Price command so its hard to sort by actual price, only by nominal price. When a hotel wholesales its rooms to Priceline or something similar, the hotel often retains the internet access income.

I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with me if I can easily stay off the net for a whole week at a time ;)

Quote: Nareed

I'm beginning to think there's something wrong with me if I can easily stay off the net for a whole week at a time ;)

There most certainly is. Internet withdrawal symptoms usually set in after 18 hours and after five days death takes place!

The list I posted is my own and can be copied. I just went to the McDonalds website and the Starbucks website and listed the locations with free wi-fi (not all McDonalds or Starbucks have wi-fi).

Starbucks only made wi-fi completely unrestricted in July 2010 (in response to competition from McDonalds and others).

Emergency Arts in downtown Las Vegas has a facebook page, but not a website per se:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=208530024617 . They are using the free wi-fi. It's a good place for coffee and fresh yogurt. Sometimes the councilman from that district stops by to chat.

The lobby areas of some casinos (like Main Street Casino and Tuscany) deserves some special mention. For those people who find it vital, it would determine the choice of some hotels. If you factor in $18 a day for access, then it makes these rooms seem much less inexpensive.

All Apple stores are supposed to have open wi-fi:

Fashion Show - 3200 Las Vegas Boulevard South
The Forum Shops - 3500 Las Vegas Blvd South, Caesars Palace
Town Square - 6671 Las Vegas Boulevard South
The only other Apple store in Nevada is in Reno - Summit Sierra


Other types of retail stores have open, or at least free, wi-fi.

I recently went to a Staples to check the address where I was heading. I had to 'agree to the terms', etc.

I was using one of their own laptops that was on display!

I stay Downtown and like to sit outside at Krispy Kreme and use their WiFi. Who wants to be on the computer a lot in Vegas anyway. Staying at a lower room at 4 Queens, I've picked up free WiFi, but not all the time.

Do all four Krispy Kreme's have Wi-Fi? I can verify the one downtown at Fitzgeralds.

Fitzgeralds Casino & Hotel
301 Fremont Street
Las Vegas, NV 89101
Phone: 702-366-0150

Stratosphere Hotel
2000 Las Vegas Boulevard South
Las Vegas, NV 89104
Phone: 702-479-4900

Circus Circus Las Vegas
2880 Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 702-733-9944

Excalibur Hotel & Casino
3850 Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
Phone: 702-736-5235