Cabanas and "required" bottle service

I know that some places (e.g. Sands) require spending a minimum of anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000 for beverages if you get a cabana. Is that true for all the strip casinos?

 

Sorry, I think it was the Palms, not the Sands.

 

that seems high. that's true for day clubs, but for normal pool cabanas, the minimum is usually lower like $400-600. but i prefer F&B minimums rather than a fixed cost. i'm going to spend the money on F&B anyway, so that effectively makes the cabana free.

 

Bottle service is the biggest rip off since high interest loans.

I always just bring in my own in a plastic water bottle tucked under my belt.

Cabana? They're OK if you think you're going to meet up with some drunken hottie and get lucky but me, I'm buried (I mean married) same diff but I still can't see paying all that dough when you can have a massage in your room for less.
It's cool if you and a few buds have some cash to burn and want some Vegas memories. Ah, to be young again!

Don't forget your body bag Leslie!

 

Ditto. This is exactly how Monte Carlo handles it. Weekday cabanas are $400 F&B minimum. They say it fits 8 people, but we are planning it for 4 of us. So we are each in for $100 of F&B and we get the cabana for free. It should be a good time. We did day beds last year ($75 each) and it was fun.

Aria does just a flat rate (about $400), but that includes $0 F&B. Just the use of the tent.

Suffice it to say, we chose MC's cabana.

 

No. Most casinos/resorts on The Strip do not require bottle service.

Bill

 

I stayed at Bally's about a month ago. I generally always get a cabana when I go. CET switched things around this year. WIth the cabana rental charge of, gosh, I want to say $250 during the week, the amenities include a bottle of Vodka, Rum or Tequila and all the mixxes you want. They try and call it bottle service, lol.

Now, having rented cabana's at Bally's the last six years or so, I thought it was great, the same general price I have always paid, but now with cocktails all day. They used to stock and refill as many pops, water and juices you wanted. I would much rather have bloody Mary's in the morning and Vodka cranberries all afternoon, lol.

I know that when I stayed at RIO last October and checked into cabana rentals, they were also doing something with bottle service instead of a flat fee cabana rate. I don't know about other CET properties.

 

It really isn't. You're paying for the convenience of having a cabana / nightclub table and drinks always on hand. If there is a group of you it can often work out cheaper than going to the bar round for round.

Yes it is still expensive, but people have different perspectives on value.

 

I stay at the Palms

What cabana are you talking about?

The cabanas at Rain? The cabanas at the Palms Pool?

The three pool rooms at the Palms? The only thing that costs $5000 is one of the pool rooms at the Palms. When you stay there you have to be escorted to your room when there is a private event going on.

The MOST I have ever been charged for a cabana is $800 at the Palms Pool and $800 for the cabana at RAIN. Each of those charges included two big bottles of liquor and all the mixers we wanted. I have also paid $500 for the cabanas on slow days. When I say paid, it comes out of my COMP account.

I also know the lower cabanas can be had for $300 as I listened to people negotiate for those on a slow day.

The pool cabana, with a TV, mini-fridge, cushion seating, two lounge chairs, included food. I always rent one of the cabanas at the eastern end of the pool, on the second level.

In RAIN you have three levels of tables to rent.

Lower seating $500, that is the leather sofa area, the second level is the cabana level, $800, and the top level, when open, are called the skyboxes, $1000. Prices probably have gone up since I last went to Rain.

 

It's a big range I think, I think you can get a cabana for as little as $100 at some places, it's been 2 years but I think the Signature had them for $100.

 

MGM Grand has switched to minimum F&B, and I couldn't be happier. It's going to be $400 for us on a Tuesday and with 6 people in the group, we'll have no problem meeting that and then some.

Considering we did a cabana at Bellagio last year for $300 mid week, plus an additional $500 for F&B, we're easily saving hundreds with the new system.

I haven't heard of required bottle service outside of the day clubs.

 

Any requirments for Aria cabanas? Not the Liquid portion, the regular pool.

 

I was at Aria last wekend and rented the XLarge cabana.
I think they only have two there.
Regular cabanas were $400 weekend and the BIG one was $700.
No food and beverage minimum.Expensive but we had 14 people there and it was not crowded at all.

 

Yea, but it basically sucks other wise, a club with nowhere to put your stuff, get smashed in the often tiny dance floor, waiting inline at the bar, no where to sit for 5 hours.. same goes for the pool, wait for drinks, no where really to lay out, and you probably get to sit in the 105º sun if you don't buy a cabana haha.

So, i do agree it sucks to have to pay THAT much for something so silly, as a seat, or a bench or shade... But it's in demand I guess! I can think of a hundred things to do for $400 that are better than getting wasted in the heat at the pool.

 

I LOL'D at this several times....and agreed several times more.

 

I can somewhat agree on nightclub bottle service. You aren't really paying for the bottles. Its a bit of a shame that in providing that area that it actually makes the place worse for people not buying it (although I suppose that helps keep demand high). But at the end of the day, there are tons of bars and places to party and if its not your scene you can have a great night out someplace without bottle service.

But pools tend to be one area per hotel. You overrun those with cabana rentals and the like, and take up all their prime real estate, and you are taking away from all the people who just want to relax by the pool and once had that included in their hotel cost. So yeah, I'm not a fan.

 

My wife just got cabana at Bally's like 2 weeks ago. $300 from 10am to 6pm. That inc the 18% tip for what she said ws very good service. Mixes for the Vodka, a fruit basket thing and that was it as far as eat and drink that was inc.

 

F&B minimums seem like they would work well for the customer. So why are the hotels doing it?
Any idea on the cost of one at the Flamingo on Labor Day weekend?

 

Not sure about LDW as they might inflate the price, but I just booked one for August 24 and it was $400 plus 18% gratuity and $500 if we wanted a bottle of vodka. Looks like it changed from the minimum purchase to a flat fee and then you pay for what you order. Which pissed me off a little. I might look elsewhere to see if we can find another place.