Current state of Resort Fees in Vegas
I found a few old threads, but the last post on each of those is back to 2010. The report at Cheapo Vegas is out of date, as it lists the El Cortez as not having one, but it does now (granted they call it an "amenities fee").
So, anyway, just looking for a list of hotels that are holding strong on no resort fee. Personally I'm most interested in downtown, but I'm sure other people have other interests.
Edit: Station and Cosmo waive the resort fees if ANY portion of the stay is on offer. (Last checked two weeks and three months ago, respectively.) Boyd is hit or miss-- Sam's Town and The Orleans didn't charge resort fees, but Gold Coast did, and said it was standard, when inquired.
Quote: RomesThe "resort fee's" or whatever they want to call them, are straight BS anyways. If I don't want to use your wifi or gym, then I shouldn't have to pay $14.99 per night for them. All I know that's recent is that CET properties are now implementing their resort fee's on their platinum members as well, which in my past (but recent) experiences is about $14.99/night.
I have to give CET some credit-- if you're paying the resort fee, then you have wifi. If you're Diamond+ and have it waived, you have to pay for the wifi yourself, so there is an actual change of available services. (Alternatively, I guess the view is that lower ranked members are forced to pay for it regardless of use.)
Quote: VenthusLast I checked, all Boyd, CET, MGM and Station properties charge resort fees, plus the Cosmo. I want to say that The D does as well (or maybe it was an FSE charge, which amounts to the same thing), but it's been over a year since I was there.
I have some memory of a previous trip report wherein either The Ditz or the Four Queens had not given in to charging a fee yet. Both are independent so it's possible.
Quote: AcesAndEightsI have some memory of a previous trip report wherein either The Ditz or the Four Queens had not given in to charging a fee yet. Both are independent so it's possible.
Four Queens proudly states "NO RESORT FEE" on their reservations page, which is, frankly, terrible.
The D, however, is out. I went through the motions of booking a room and they have the standard Resort Fee disclaimer on their checkout page:
Quote:A Resort Fee of $20 per night, plus taxes, will be applied to all reservations made to arrive on August 19th, 2013 and on. Resort Fee will include free high speed Wi-Fi access, $10 off the D Showroom tickets and free local and toll-free calls.
Quote: Mission146You should call The D ahead of time and ask if you book x nights if you can get one free. If any part of your stay is comped, none of your stay will have resort fees. You'd have to pay for Internet access, though.
On my next Vegas trip (which is currently theoretical) I would really like to support a hotel that doesn't have resort fees. However, I understand this may not be practical. My next choice would be any hotel that waives the Resort Fee for comped rooms, and after that one that has a low resort fee.
Thanks for the info on the Ditz though, that is useful.
California
Cannery
Casino Royale Best Western Plus
Eastside Cannery
Four Queens
Fremont Casino
M Resort
Main Street Station
Here's a good source for resort fees
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2015/1/12/15109/3421/vegas-travel/Las+Vegas+Resort+Fees%3A+The+2015+Guide
Quote: terapinedThe below have no resort fees.
California
Cannery
Casino Royale Best Western Plus
Eastside Cannery
Four Queens
Fremont Casino
M Resort
Main Street Station
None of those are worthy to be called a "resort," except the M.
Quote: Mission146You should call The D ahead of time and ask if you book x nights if you can get one free. If any part of your stay is comped, none of your stay will have resort fees. You'd have to pay for Internet access, though.
Are you just referring to the D? I just called a CET property 2 days ago for a 4 night stay, in which the first 2 nights were comped, the 2nd 2 nights were reduced rate (some convention in town) and the resort fee's were going to apply to every night, even the "comped" nights.
ZCore13
Quote: Zcore13I never pay for rooms at CET properties and have never paid a resort fee.
ZCore13
And how do you accomplish this? Are you diamond?
Quote: AvincowAnd how do you accomplish this? Are you diamond?
No, not diamond. I don't play enough to get that.
I go to Las Vegas about 3 times a year with my girlfriend and we share a card. She plays slots and I play table games.
I'd guess we drop between $1,000 - $2,000 each time we go. I tip good too.
ZCore13
Quote: WizardQuote: terapinedThe below have no resort fees.
California
Cannery
Casino Royale Best Western Plus
Eastside Cannery
Four Queens
Fremont Casino
M Resort
Main Street Station
Here's a good source for resort fees
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2015/1/12/15109/3421/vegas-travel/Las+Vegas+Resort+Fees%3A+The+2015+Guide
None of those are worthy to be called a "resort," except the M.
Yeah, well, a lot of the hotels that DO charge resort fees aren't worthy of the "resort" tag either.
Quote: terapinedThe below have no resort fees.
California
Cannery
Casino Royale Best Western Plus
Eastside Cannery
Four Queens
Fremont Casino
M Resort
Main Street Station
Here's a good source for resort fees
http://www.vegaschatter.com/story/2015/1/12/15109/3421/vegas-travel/Las+Vegas+Resort+Fees%3A+The+2015+Guide
Thanks for that link, terapined. Interesting; Venthus noted above that Boyd properties all charge resort fees, but the California/Fremont/MSS are on this list. I just went through the booking process on the MSS website and it appears there are no resort fees. Interestingly, they have a disclaimer on the booking page: "Room rates listed do not include resort fees or taxes which are subject to change." But no resort fee added to the total, so it looks like they are clean.
I have always wanted to stay at MSS, so maybe next trip I'll target there. Good place for my minimal rated craps action too, as they have 20X odds.
Quote: Zcore13No, not diamond. I don't play enough to get that.
I go to Las Vegas about 3 times a year with my girlfriend and we share a card. She plays slots and I play table games.
I'd guess we drop between $1,000 - $2,000 each time we go. I tip good too.
ZCore13
Were you Platinum in the past? When was your last trip? Is it possible they applied your RCs to the resort fees? At checkout did the resort fees come up at all, or just no mention of them, and no charge?
Sorry for the third degree, but this is in direct contradiction to my most recent experience (spring 2014) and many other members' experiences as well, I think.
Quote: Zcore13No, not diamond. I don't play enough to get that.
I go to Las Vegas about 3 times a year with my girlfriend and we share a card. She plays slots and I play table games.
I'd guess we drop between $1,000 - $2,000 each time we go. I tip good too.
ZCore13
Ah so you can get resort fee comped? When I booked my 'free' room they told me the resort fee couldn't be comped. I should have asked anyway when I was checking out.
Quote: AcesAndEightsThanks for that link, terapined. Interesting; Venthus noted above that Boyd properties all charge resort fees, but the California/Fremont/MSS are on this list.
My mistake; I've only stayed at their off-Fremont locations, and those all had resort fees. It seemed reasonable that if three of their LV properties charged it, that the others would too, but... who knows. Whoops.
Quote: VenthusMy mistake; I've only stayed at their off-Fremont locations, and those all had resort fees. It seemed reasonable that if three of their LV properties charged it, that the others would too, but... who knows. Whoops.
Yeah, easy mistake to make. I'm surprised that they have different policies at different locations. I imagine they're trying to do it as a competitive edge against the other downtown properties.
I take the same approach to resort fees as I do to the BS fees charged by the airlines. I just add up all the costs when doing comparisons. The airlines and the hotels do it for the same reason: to confuse the stupid into thinking they are going to pay less.
Next step: the room is free but you have to pay a "bed fee", "toilet fee", "air conditioning fee", "housekeeping fee", etc.
Quote: AvincowAh so you can get resort fee comped? When I booked my 'free' room they told me the resort fee couldn't be comped. I should have asked anyway when I was checking out.
I've stayed at CET , Ballys, I'm platinum, resort fee waived, not comped.
Which means no resort fee and no free internet in room.
I used the Ballys poker room free internet :-)
Quote: terapinedI've stayed at CET , Ballys, I'm platinum, resort fee waived, not comped.
Which means no resort fee and no free internet in room.
I used the Ballys poker room free internet :-)
When was the last time you stayed at CET? Last year, in September or something, they changed their policy to start charging resort fees to Platinum.
I thought calling at 10PM would be a bad idea so I waited until the next morning to do all my holiday bookings and crossed the policy change threshold. Go figure.
Edit for clarity/future viewers: The policy change was late 2014.
Quote: AcesAndEightsWere you Platinum in the past? When was your last trip? Is it possible they applied your RCs to the resort fees? At checkout did the resort fees come up at all, or just no mention of them, and no charge?
Sorry for the third degree, but this is in direct contradiction to my most recent experience (spring 2014) and many other members' experiences as well, I think.
I've never been platinum (unless I was and they didn't tell me). Last trip was for Raving and I stayed at Paris. I stayed comped at Cosmopolitan for G2E and paid nothing also.
Never a mention of them and never a charge anywhere I stay.
I guess there is a chance I'm ranked as something and just don't know about it. I recently had a host email me wanting to talk. And I also just got invited to a big event at Caesar's with up to 5 nights free and some sort of contest to win all expense paid trips to Ireland and somewhere else.
EDIT: I forgot. For G2E I stayed at Cosmo for the first 2 days and then Harrah's the next night. Had a lot of play during that one night at Harrah's though. My girlfriend probably played 12 straight hours of slots. ADT was big that day.
ZCore13
Quote: VenthusWhen was the last time you stayed at CET? Last year, in September or something, they changed their policy to start charging resort fees to Platinum.
I thought calling at 10PM would be a bad idea so I waited until the next morning to do all my holiday bookings and crossed the policy change threshold. Go figure.
2 years ago. Policy may have changed :-(
Quote: jml24I don't know about the Boyd properties specifically, but just because a resort fee doesn't show up on the total when you reserve, that doesn't mean you won't be asked to pay one during your stay. I normally stay at the Mirage and they do disclose the resort fee but it doesn't show up when you book the room. It gets added to your account each day like any other charge you would make at the hotel. This helps them perpetuate the fiction that the fee is for something that you are optionally using.
That is absolutely true as the totalrewards.com booking site didn't have it included in the total when CET started charging the resort fee. It is now in the total when you make your reservation, but I'm sure some hotels don't disclose it until you check out.
FWIW, I've now confirmed on at least one additional recent site that Fremont, California, and MSS don't charge resort fees. So I'm pretty confident in those 3 Boyd properties.
Quote: Zcore13I've never been platinum (unless I was and they didn't tell me). Last trip was for Raving and I stayed at Paris. I stayed comped at Cosmopolitan for G2E and paid nothing also.
Never a mention of them and never a charge anywhere I stay.
I guess there is a chance I'm ranked as something and just don't know about it. I recently had a host email me wanting to talk. And I also just got invited to a big event at Caesar's with up to 5 nights free and some sort of contest to win all expense paid trips to Ireland and somewhere else.
EDIT: I forgot. For G2E I stayed at Cosmo for the first 2 days and then Harrah's the next night. Had a lot of play during that one night at Harrah's though. My girlfriend probably played 12 straight hours of slots. ADT was big that day.
ZCore13
How did you book your room at Harrah's? Website or phone?
Also, do you check your Rewards Credit balance regularly?
This is just odd and I'm trying to reconcile it. Now come clean with us Z, you were using the secret casino employee handshake, weren't you?!
Quote: AcesAndEightsHow did you book your room at Harrah's? Website or phone?
Also, do you check your Rewards Credit balance regularly?
This is just odd and I'm trying to reconcile it. Now come clean with us Z, you were using the secret casino employee handshake, weren't you?!
LOL I never mention my work. I usually book online using whatever offer code I am mailed/emailed.
I rarely check my rewards credit balance. Have no idea what my Tier score or value is. I think my girlfriend plays off any comps about as fast as they get earned.
The reason I don't check these things or really care is that I would go the same amount of times each year anyway. The offers don't change my plans or get me to go anymore than I normally would. I just save them (the come every month if I don't use any) until I need them.
Cosmo gave me a bounce back of 3 nights free, $150 in slot play and 2 free show tickets to Amy Schumer or a couple of other choices. Had that in my email within 3 days of leaving. I won't be using their offer or taking advantage of the Caesar's 5 nights offer either.
Unfortunately I'll only be returning to Vegas for 1 day for business in March so I won't be using any offers until G2E 2015. The 1 day that I'm there I will not use any comps or play with my card at any CET property or Cosmo because it will kill my ADT since I'll be busy most of the day and my girlfriend won't be there hammering away at the machines while I'm busy.
ZCore13
ZCore13
Quote: Zcore13Damn, they must really want me back. This morning I got an email for 2 free tickets to Rod Stewart and up to 5 nights free at Ceasar's. Maybe things have changed since my last visit. I'll update on the Resort Fees next time I go. If they keep sending me these good offers (I don't care about Rod Stewart), eventually they are going to get me to break!
ZCore13
I stayed at The D 4 nights, Cosmo 3 nights, Harrah's 6 nights during my Jan 2015 trip. I was not asked to, nor did I pay, resort fees at any of them. First time staying at the first 2, though they both comped me the rooms due to previous play last year. Harrah's also comped my rooms and wrote off all charges. I had my own tablet with me and used it tethered so didn't need wifi, but it appeared to be available.
I got that Rod Stewart/5 nights CP also. They also sent 5 nights CP and 2 tickets to NASCAR Sprint Cup in March. Surprised to see both offers; they're a level up from what I'd been seeing lately.
Quote: beachbumbabsHarrah's also comped my rooms and wrote off all charges. I had my own tablet with me and used it tethered so didn't need wifi, but it appeared to be available.
Did they apply some of your Rewards Credits to the resort fees? Also, what's your tier with Total Rewards?
Thanks everyone for putting up with my pushy questions.
The resort fees are starting to get insanely high in my opinion
here is a useful updated list of all hotels charging resort fees + what you get in exchange
If you want to sell a hotel room for say 50 bucks, sell it for 50 bucks.
Its just so dumb to sell it for 35 and tack on the 15 fee,
Bunch of lemmings as executives in Vegas just playing follow the leader.
Do sales actually increase due to a low base rate of 35 instead of listing it at 50.
If sales bump up a bit initially which is to me the only reason to do this, bait and switch is what it is, you are now pissing off the customer with the bait and switch and maybe he or she wont be back. Oh checking out, here is your bill and some sticker shock.
I book corporate international travel. Some of these international tickets I see and sell can literally have up to 14 separate taxes and fees. Pretty common. Some of the taxes are insanely high. I never ever quote a base fare, I always quote total price including all taxes and fees. Its business, its honest, its the info my client needs to make a decision.
Quote: terapined
Do sales actually increase due to a low base rate of 35 instead of listing it at 50.
The reason for this is merely a sign of the times. Years ago when people booked a vacation they either went through the airline or went to a travel agent. Today, people go on these pricewhore sites like priceline or orbitz or travelocity or whatever else you go to for travel. Among the options to organize these places is by price. In order to get more prominent positioning on sites due to pricing they hide some of the fees, much like the airlines do as they don't quote fees to check your bag in the price of the fare. Personally, I would love to go back to the days where it was all one transaction, but unfortunately it is not the world we live in anymore. Furthermore IMO, Vegas is not a market that needs to hide this kind of stuff. Hotel rooms in Vegas are dirt cheap compared to elsewhere. Where I live in Chicago, if I wanted a 5 star hotel, it would run me between $500 and $750 a night, whereas depending on the days, I could stay at the Wynn which is a 5 star resort for under $750 for a 4 night stay.
increase everywhere with now 7 hotels charging $32+tax!!
$32 for some of the MGM properties. Unbelievable.
Quote: DMSCRAt the Wynncore if you booked your room(s) through your Red Card online or by phone you would not get charged the daily fee. It is every time you get one of those seasonal promotions though. After that one shot you are charged a fee again going forward until next season.
$32 for some of the MGM properties. Unbelievable.
A few other ways to skip the resort fees :
- Wynn/Encore: no RF if you stay in the tower suites (but they're obviously not the cheapest room in the resort..)
- CET: no RF if you're diamond or seven stars (not easy to achieve)
- Cosmopolitan: no RF if you're a gold or platinum identity member (gold is not so hard to achieve)
Other than that you should put enough coins in so that a host wave them for you...
I could bet we'll see a $35 fee before the end of the year...
I've never been charged a resort fee when comped. Some regulatory accounting thing, I guess.
MGM Resorts will always charge you a resort fee on a comped room. They suck. Boyd Gaming and Caesars will not charge you a resort fee on a comped room. Cosmopolitan will for lower-tier players. Venetian also will charge you.Quote: Sabretom2The resort fee thing is all about placement in search results. As most folks sort by price, the more unlisted fees the better. This explains why CET felt forced to start charging a fee. I had hoped a better ad campaign would have worked. Let's face it, consumers aren't too bright. If you can get folks to sit down at a 6:5 blackjack table, resort fees are easy.
I've never been charged a resort fee when comped. Some regulatory accounting thing, I guess.
Additionally, if paying $20 for internet annoys you, look into "Karma Go". Pay as you go (no monthly fee) on the Sprint network, $10 per gigabyte, high 3G speeds. Good for crappy streaming or web browsing.
It's actually $100.80 for three nights at NYNY. ($33.60x3).Quote: ahiromuThe difference between comping (waiving) the resort fee and having to use your "comp dollars" to pay for it makes a huge difference for the moderate gambler staying on comps. Over a three day weekend, $75 is a couple of meals (difference between staying at NYNY and any CET property).
Quote: teddysIt's actually $100.80 for three nights at NYNY. ($33.60x3).
Isn't the rest tax? $25 resort fee and $8 tax, the latter you'd be liable for at both?
NYNY went up to $30+tax per night now. CET won't charge a resort fee on a comped room, and not on any room if you are Platinum or higher.Quote: ahiromuIsn't the rest tax? $25 resort fee and $8 tax, the latter you'd be liable for at both?
Quote: teddysNYNY went up to $30+tax per night now. CET won't charge a resort fee on a comped room, and not on any room if you are Platinum or higher.
I thought you still paid tax on fully comped CET rooms, shows you how much attention I pay to my exact bill.
That is not accurate, based on a two-night comped stay at Bally's last month for my birthday. And I'm a steady Platinum.Quote: teddysCET won't charge a resort fee on a comped room, and not on any room if you are Platinum or higher.
