Politely 'parked' by Aria host.

Just thought I would add to recent threads about reduced comps at Aria and the whole 'comp yourself ' thread BeeJay started.

I posted on here a couple of months ago that my host at Aria had sorted me a deal I was happy with for my upcoming trip at the end of April-three weekend nights free and four nights at $99 (given the distances involved I always stay a week). I also had a trip in the planning for September with my wife and some friends but was struggling with my host to organise a decent deal in one of the Aria suites. Advice here was to wait until after the April trip and see what she could do then.

In the meantime,Mlife seemed to sort out its website and my discounted tier offers gave me a price for the Aria suite I was wanting (a panoramic corner suite) at $225 a night that I was very happy with and keen to secure (my wife likes certainty to start looking forward to something!).

I emailed my host saying:

1) I had found a price on Mlife I was happy with but wanted to know if (a) she could beat that or (b) if not,whether it would be better for both of us if I booked that price through her rather than the website (I wanted to make sure she was given credit for my play even if she couldn't beat the price).

2) I asked if it were possible for her to refer me to a Bellagio host as we are splitting the trip between properties.

Her reply,whilst very prompt and polite,was basically ''Mlife rate is less than the rate I can give you so just book both hotels through the website.'


So,in short,I feel I am being told by my host that she really isn't interested in my level of play and should just book through Mlife in future.

I have no real problem with this-in fact it might well suit me as in the past I have tended to concentrate my play at Aria when I might have preferred to casino hop a little more. Not comps chasing per se but trying to focus my play for the best return. Now I feel no obligation to do this or indeed any obligation to play to previous levels. Freedom to comp myself as BeeJay might put it.

It also makes me feel very relaxed about my upcoming trip in that again I feel no obligation to focus my play at Aria for future offers as I already have the next trip booked. I will keep my play at MGM generally as I like their casinos best,but now it matters much less whether I play at Mirage,Bellagio,Mandalay Bay,Aria etc all of which I enjoy playing at.

As I say,I have no problem with this (apart from the natural human reaction to being 'dumped' ! :Þ). I have often thought I am perhaps too small a fish for Aria or indeed my host.But once on her books I thought there would be no obvious detriment in her matching Mlife at least.

I have though enjoyed being comped upfront as I would much rather keep my money for bankroll purposes rather than having to pay for the rooms and being comped back end. It makes the decision to book a transatlantic flight much easier when you know the cost of your room for a week for somewhere like Aria is only $400. But it seems like I might be focusing at the wrong level of casino-need to look down a level perhaps?

For info, I am platinum. Over the course of a week I will put through $25k+ coin in on a mixture of varying denom slots (no VP), and around 20 hours split between blackjack and craps at green chip level. The rest of the time I play poker which of course is hardly rated for comps. I earned 160k tier credits and $270 approx EC on my last week long trip a year ago (before the EC changes).

Anyone else had this type of response?

Should I feel (as I do) that my host here is gentling telling me she isn't interested in my level of play anymore ? Was asking for a Bellagio host referral inappropriate?

Is there any point now with Mlife in focusing play on one casino and if so what level of casino in the MGM chain would my level of play be more suited to for decent up front offers?

All advice appreciated.

Cheers

Harry (still very much looking forward to his trip to Aria in 13 days time even if his host avoids him!!).

 

Firstly, I have mentioned the same thing, in that not dealing with hosts comping you up front and having it in your mind that you need to meet a certain level for them, has granted much more freedom and way less time spent at the casino I am booked at if I did not want to play in there to much that trip for whatever reason. I have actually so far made out better gambling wise, when before I may have stayed playing at my comped casino when I was on a losing streak, instead of walking and going out to other places to change things up. Where now, over the past three trips, if I do not feel it at my main place, I walk and play very little there. This is not a reason per se that I am doing better, but a bit of a relief if I do not want to spend most of my trip in one casino.

I will say on another point, that earning 160k tier credits for a week long trip, may not be enough for them to keep in the hosts good graces, as I was at ARIA in January and over 3 days put over 250K in tier credits and while they took care of my costs backend at the mlife booth after calling a host, I received no followup inquiry as to staying again from a host. So this may be one off the reasons they have let you down a bit. I am certainly not sure what level, if any, of play they are interested in having a host deal with you rather than the corporate website/mlife program directly. And I think they like us not knowing for obvious reasons.

Either way, I think you will enjoy your time and do venture out a bit, as it has opened up many other possibilities in differing casino plays that I would have not experienced by staying tied to one place for most of the trip, and so far I have been lucky in that it has benefited me gambling wise so far.

Good Luck to you and hope you have a safe and profitable trip!!

 

I will just add, generally, that your experience is par for the course with Aria hosts. They are just flat out awful. And I can say that with some experience since I have burned through three different hosts in two years (and have no plan to stay there again until they fix this problem)

 

You have to at least consider the possibility that she was simply telling you the truth when she said the MLife price was better than she could do.

 

As to Aria host taking care of you. I was also adding some paid/discounted nights to a comp deal. The host at Aria told me to just call the VIP line to book it. No enticements to spend time with him, etc.

I will just pay for my room out of Express Comps. If I am up to it, I may try to get a host to comp part of it. Or, I may just play somewhere else.

Maybe they have accounts sitting guard over what the hosts can do these days?

 

Absolutely. Have no problem with that. Just thought if that were the case she would at least be able to match it though so would take the credit for my play that week and anything that earned her (though perhaps she still has that even when I book through MLife?)

 

that's really not unusual to hear. a few times when i asked about getting a bigger suite and it was beyond what my host could comp me, he said just book it through the website at the best rate i can find and he can comp some/all of it at the end based on my play. that's just how it works. I don't think that means anything like you're reading into it.

additionally, it's very bad form to ask for a referral for a host at a competing property unless you know your host very well. it's like going to your optometrist and asking if he knows any good optometrists in the area because you'd like to try somebody new next time. just very bad form. there's nothing wrong with trying somebody else or staying somewhere else, but you don't ask them for a referral in order to do so. so I'm not surprised if she was a bit curt with you after that.

 

Your host will stay take credit for you play as long as you are staying at their hotel. Thats why they push you to book a corporate offer. That way THEY are not on the hook with an up front comp. Its perfect for them.

And I want to add my name to the list of people unhappy with their Aria host. I reached out to mine a couple of months ago with a midweek April trip I planned. She said all I could do was book myself direct and she could review my play after and see if she can comp out the room. I told her I have $150 in Free Play at Bellagio, a great room etc comped that I just got in the mail. She said there was nothing she could do for me and they have higher thresholds for free rooms than the B.

This is all while waiting days for a reply. I only wanted to stay there since its the last MGM casino I havent stayed at, and I have Zarkana tickets. So I log in online and what do you know. I have a room for 3 nights, $75.00 in free play and a meal for 2 somewhere there. So I email her with that, and tell her I'm just going to book myself and I thank her for her time. She never even replied to that. Boo Aria!

 

I really hadn't appreciated this latter point. I have read on this and other boards that in fact it is better to be upfront with the host as to why you were trying somewhere else (we were with first time visitor friends who wanted to experience the B Lakeview rooms) and to ask for the host to recommend someone.

To use your analogy it's like saying ' I need a specific pair of spectacles you don't supply-can you refer me somewhere reputable they are sold as I trust your judgment? But don't worry,I will continue to buy from you in the future.'

 

I understand Shifter's point, but I think here's where there's an issue, or a flaw, in MGM's system.

In the CET system, my Paris host can help with rooms on other properties, even outside of LV. My host can help me set up a stay at any CET property.

It is my understanding this is not true with MGM, as each property is self-standing in regards to MLife and host services. I think the only exception may be show tickets, I think that is centralized, but I do not think an MGM Host can book you into Bellagio or Mandalay Bay, you have to go to those properties (and/or hosts) individually.
So if you have some status and want to try Bellagio, you need a Bellagio host, as your MGM host cannot help you outside of his/her four walls.

 

but it's not like that because they aren't selling a product, they are selling a service. you just don't ask people to refer you to a competitor that offers the same service. you can keep doing it if you want, but it's bad form in the host business and you will continue to feel the cold shoulder.

 

I know I am a minnow and novice in this game of hosts and comps,so of course I am not going to argue points of etiquette with you shifter.

But as someone who is in the professional services industry myself,if a client approaches me for a service I cannot supply (and whatever is said about the services being the same,Aria simply cannot supply a Lakeview Room) I would want to help the client. Putting my client with someone I know who will look after them reflects well on me. At the same time I can maintain some element of control in the client relationship by ensuring that the party to whom I refer the client understands the basis on which the referral is made i.e. no poaching.

I would much prefer that than leave the client to fend for themselves and wind up with someone who does go after their business.

If it is bad form to have asked,then I am clearly at fault and deserve the cold shoulder. But if the roles were reversed, I would want my clients to consult me rather than going elsewhere without my knowledge.

 

This is where you're getting confused. You want to believe host are there only to provide service, when in reality they are there to sell you something at the highest possible price they can get away with. When you start thinking about your host relationship more like the one you have with your car dealership, you will be ahead of the game.

 

I think you're reading too much into her response. She probably has probably 100 of those types of emails to deal with a day, she probably did check and the mlife website gave you the best offer.

Not sure why you'd want her to match it, I feel much more comfortable booking through the website and having the audit trail that provides rather then relying on someone to take the info I provide via email and enter that into their system and then hopefully send me the right confirmation number.

For the play you described, running some quick calcs (25k spins at $1 a spin at 7.47% hold and 20 hours of BJ at 25/hand) you're theoretical is about $350 a day over a week trip. This isn't a whole lot in scheme of things.

 

I like the car dealership analogy a lot. it's better than my optometrist analogy. you wouldn't call your guy at the Honda dealership and ask him if he knows a salesman who will take good care of you over at the Toyota dealership next door. sure you may think that you really want a Prius and Honda doesn't make anything similar, so he can't provide you with what you want.

but the Honda guy is there to convince you that one of his cars is better for you and put you in it. that's exactly how it is with hosts. so Aria doesn't have a lakeview, the hosts at Aria are there to convince you that what you really want is one of their offerings because it's so much better than a lakeview. if you want to try the B for the lakeview that's fine, but don't expect help from your Aria host. unless you have a relationship with your host that extends to more of a friendship, but that's clearly not the case here.

 

I'm leaving Wednesday for 5 nights at the Aria. Just under $300 a hand at BJ for the required 4 hours a day last trip. 3 nights up front, two casino rate. Got better deal with going through M-Life than my host.

Cannot believe this town has come to this with that level of play. Times have sure changed.

I just think their hands are tied. And if us suckers (me) continue to go there and gamble at the level I do with not even rooms comped, that that is our (my) fault, lol.....

2 days until Fantasy Land!

 

that's really an awful deal for that level. you should be in a junior suite at RFB for at least 3-4 nights. you should be able to get 5 comped upfront if you took a regular room. any decent host would do that. I would definitely have shopped elsewhere, but I guess if you still went to Aria then they played it perfectly. as you said, if the suckers are willing to keep coming, they have no reason to change anything.

 

I should mention that i'm not saying it's not good business to help out your customers in any way you can. if your customer wants something different, it's always smart to help him out for goodwill. but to expect that from a low paid, low level host in a dog eat dog town is just asking way too much.

 

I'm not really surprised. I play larger than that these days and my last host at Aria acted like she would have to mvoe heaven and earth just to give me their smallest suite. Have consistently received better treatment at the B