Combining casino rate and internet special for a hotel room?

My wife and I are pretty solidly low-rollers, but we played enough on our last trip to get some offers from MGM-Mirage. We got an offer to stay at the Mirage for about the same as we're used to paying for lesser hotels, so we decided to take it.

But we're wanting to stay for 5 days, and the offer is only good for 3. I went ahead and booked the stay, but the last 2 nights are for the rate listed on their main web page.

I also have an e-mail offer with 30% off the base rate. I would like to apply that to nights 4 and 5. The guy at VIP services said I may be able to do that, but I would have to call the number listed in that e-mail.

So I called that number, and the lady also said I could probably do that, and put me on hold to check. After 2 minutes on hold, I was transferred back to VIP services!

I don't see anything in the fine print stopping me from changing my reservation to 3 nights, and booking the last 2 nights with the e-mail special. But then we would have to pack up, check out, and check back in again. Surely that would just be more hassle for me and their staff.

I have a feeling I could get this figured out, if I got to talk to a more knowledgeable/helpful employee. Should I just try calling back, or is there a better way to go about this?

I think it just has to do with the fact that most casino package deals are based around 3-4 nights. Maybe you could try your 3 nights at the Mirage, and try the other two nights at another MGM property. I would treat it like a 2 trips in one, a 3 night stay and a 2 night stay. It never hurts to check out deals at all the MGM properties either. Hope this helps.

Most casinos have a policy against using offers back-to-back. Sometimes it's just a couple of days, and sometimes (Harrah's properties) it's seven. So that may be what's getting in the way here. Quite possibly, the reservation computer is puking back out the second booking for that reason.

I would just talk directly to a casino host to solidify your entire booking. Chances are you can get casino rate for the fourth and fifth nights, which would probably be better than the 30% off in the e-mail offer anyway.

Warm up a pitch about how you have an offer from Harrah's/Flamingo/someplace for $59 a night for those fourth and fifth nights (in other words, lie), and how you'd really like to stay at the Mirage for the entire time, but...

I would not fuss with negotiating the offer before you arrive. Accept the casino rate for the last two nights for now. Before you leave, show them the 30% offer, and ask that it be applied to the other two days. It will obviously improve your odds if you play.

Quote: mkl654321

Warm up a pitch about how you have an offer from Harrah's/Flamingo/someplace for $59 a night for those fourth and fifth nights (in other words, lie), and how you'd really like to stay at the Mirage for the entire time, but...

Actually, I do have an offer from Flamingo for $50 a night...
It's all so confusing.

And I don't know if I will be able to haggle it afterward. Most of those points were gained on a really long alcohol-fueled video poker run.

We are planning on doing more non-gaming stuff this trip, and probably more craps at the El Cortez (I told you, we're low rollers). We might not be using the MGM card that much.

It is perhaps possible that your definition of low roller is not accurate. It seems most likely that you will be staying the five days and that all you can do for the rates for day 4 and 5 is make your pitch and hope for the best. Some of what they decide will be based on your "action". But play were you feel comfortable playing. If table minimums where you are staying are not to your liking don't play there. Don't give up your happiness for a chance at a room comp. Don't risk more money just for a possible room comp.

If you play AT ALL at the El Cortez, you should be able to negotiate a free room there. And contrary to what you might expect, the Tower rooms are REALLY nice.

If the 30%-off offer is not linked to your players club account, but was received because you are on a regular mailing list, then you should be able to book it online separately from your comp stay. Neither reservation knows about the other one. Look at the email carefully; if your players club number isn't on it somewhere, then it's generic.

You'll have to call to re-book your first reservation to only include the 3 comp nights. Once you have confirmation of that, go ahead and book the other 2 using the online reservations system with the offer code, or use the link in the email. You'll also be able to tell it's a generic public offer if it doesn't ask you to log in when you click on the email link.

And I would do it that way precisely to avoid the hassle you ran into with the humans. They should have been able to do it the first time without any issues.

If the room type is the same for both reservations, you may have to check-out and back in at the desk to close out the first folio and open the second, but there's no reason you should have to change rooms.

Quote: Chuck

If the room type is the same for both reservations, you may have to check-out and back in at the desk to close out the first folio and open the second, but there's no reason you should have to change rooms.

That's kind of our fallback plan. But yeah, that would work out well if we don't have to change rooms.

We love playing at El Cortez, but aren't really interested in staying downtown. I did notice that a Southwest vacation package with the El Cortez was the exact same price as the plane tickets alone. :-)