Current state of Resort Fees in Vegas

Quote: terapined

Hotel booking sites on the internet such as booking.com do a lot of business booking Vegas hotels
These sites hate resort fees. They believe its a way for hotels to shortchange them on the commission
Booking.com is informing hotels they will now include resort fees in calculating their commission.

Some states, resort fees are illegal. That's the way it should be. Its false advertising regarding the cost of a room.
https://thepointsguy.com/news/ota-charging-commission-resort-fee/

I just a test on booking.com. I picked Bally's for Oct 15-16. The first page said $45. The second page said $45 and at the bottom in small print was "resort fee $35". On the third page, after having to give it a fake name and e-mail, the total charge was listed, $45 room rate, 13.35% tax, and $35 resort fee, for a total of $90 and change. Apparently the tax does apply to the resort fee. But why would this be advertised as $45 when it's really $70 plus tax? It makes no sense.

I just got an email promotion from Eldorado Reno: "Take advantage of the beautiful Fall weather at the Eldorado in Reno with up to 30% off rooms and no resort fee, Sunday - Thursday"

As Eldorado recently acquired Caesars, could this be a test of the response to waiving of resort fees? Could this eventually become a promotion in Vegas resorts—or remain a regional offer?

Also, Tony Danza ("one of the world's most beloved and iconic entertainers for over 40 years") performs live October 12.

resort fees are often annoying, though rarely decision makers. it is bad enough to have AAAA locksmiths but AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA locksmiths just gets ridiculous!

We are not interested in being intentionally deceived.

If resort fees are ever made illegal they'll just jack up the price of the room by the exact same amount.

Or invent some other way to automatically charge people $40 a night extra.

Quote: TigerWu

If resort fees are ever made illegal they'll just jack up the price of the room by the exact same amount.

That's all I'm asking them to do. At least consumers will know the real price of the room when shopping around.

The legislation doesn't ban resort fees per se. Hotels are free to charge whatever they want. Instead it simply states that an advertised room rate (online, in print, on a road sign etc.) must reflect all charges and fees. The rate presented to the consumer must be the bottom line.

On a side note, is there a legal definition for the word "resort"? It can't be a place with a swimming pool; many crappy motels have swimming pools. It can't be a golf course; most Strip resorts don't have a golf course. It can't be fun stuff to do; the Hoover Dam Lodge has skeet shooting, helicopter rides and boating trips but few would call it a resort. Circus Circus has an indoor amusement park. Is it a resort? The Silverton has fake waterfalls and mermaids. Sam's Town also has a fake waterfall complete with animatronic forest creatures and a laser light show... but it's not a resort... and yet it charges a resort fee.

I suppose "resort" is just one of those "cow manure" sales words that mean nothing: like "friendliest staff" or "best prices" or "voted #1 buffet".

I was at a hotel recently that was clearly not a 'resort', so they charged a 'facility' fee which included free phone calls, internet, newspaper......... Same BS.....

All the mail offers that I get proudly say that there aren't any resort fees. Hello...they shouldn't be there in the first place so it isn't something to brag about. It's like 6/5 blackjack. One place did it and when everyone else saw that they got away with it they followed suit.

When I was in NYC in February I stayed at the Belevedere. They hit me with a surprise resort fee, or whatever they called it. It was a decent hotel, but I can't think of anything that would qualify it as a resort. Other than a meager continental breakfast, I can't think of one benefit other than the room I received.

Quote: Wizard

When I was in NYC in February I stayed at the Belevedere. They hit me with a surprise resort fee, or whatever they called it. It was a decent hotel, but I can't think of anything that would qualify it as a resort. Other than a meager continental breakfast, I can't think of one benefit other than the room I received.

From https://www.belvederehotelnyc.com/faq/

Quote:

The hotel charges a facilities fee of $34.45 inclusive of tax per room, per night, in addition to the room rate. The fee provides the following services: Wi-Fi connection, 24/7 fitness center access, concierge services, local telephone calls, full business center services, which includes, internet access, printing, and fax services, complimentary package receiving, a nightly wine hour (5PM-6PM), 50% off our Continental breakfast buffet, 15% food credit for Churrascaria Plataforma, and 20% off on all CitySightseeing bus tours and packages.