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First time working with Bellagio host - would like input

Discussion in 'Comps' started by NeoDough, Dec 11, 2014.

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  1. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    Hi guys,

    First of all thanks for all the very helpful posts. This board is awesome.

    Would like some opinions on this situation.

    Historically I have stayed at ARIA because my company has done very substantial amounts of event business with them, but have grown sick of the absolute incompetence and zero follow-through of ARIA hosts/staff.

    I really like the Bellagio casino and play there a lot. I recently met a Bellagio host so decided to give him a try on this trip.

    He booked me into a 1BR "Premier" Penthouse with fountain view. We stayed four nights. The Mlife site quote for the room for four nights was total of about $2500. ($1400 for one night, then $400 per night for the other 3.) We charged a couple nice dinners back to the room, one night we picked up our own dinner (went off-strip to a place we wanted to check out), and then charged her spa visit, a lunch or two, a few gift shop things, etc. back to the room.

    Our play is slots + craps. We do a lot of slots - quite a bit of them high limit - and spend many hours at the craps table. The average amount of $ I've got on the craps table on any given roll varies from from $500 to $2000 depending. Average is probably $1000 or so... I've had up to $5k down on a roll if things are getting hot.

    I earned about 1.1M Tier Credits during the four days.

    Checking out of Bellagio I noticed they comped the room, the two nice dinners, and our in-room dining. But they did not comp the laundry, a couple smaller food tickets (we're talking $20-25 here), her spa visit, and a few other gift shop tickets (probably leaving a total of $800 uncomped.)

    ARIA has consistently comped everything - SkySuite penthouse, very nice dinners, even small amounts of gift shop/spa stuff (we have never gone overboard on the retail - a few hundred max). All I've paid there was tips. This even when, in those past visits, at least half my play was at B.

    It's not a big deal as it's not a lot of money, but it is a little weird to be checking out after that kind of play and have the front desk lady ask me if I want to use my express comps for things like a $20 Starbucks ticket.

    I know I'm not a whale but I'm not a guppy either, so I'm just trying to figure out if this all sounds right to you - the experts. :)

    Thanks in advance.
     
  2. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    P.S. I do not have a credit line - I prefer to wire in front money. Usually $50k or so.
     
  3. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    It is rare that gift shop is comped.

    Spa should have been.

    How many EC did you earn for that trip? And, did you use them to pay off the spa and meals that were left?
     
  4. 2VegasNuts

    2VegasNuts High-Roller

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    Were you in contact with your host throughout the stay? You say "they", seems as though it should be "he" the host comping you at trip end.
     
  5. DaiLun

    DaiLun R.C., L.C., and A.A.N.G.

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    An inquiry to the host to have him/her explain wy some charges and not others is in order.

    I recently got a new host at MGM Grand and she offered to go over the charges with me.

    It could be a simple oversight.

    Just my .02
     
  6. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    I think I earned $1500 in Express Comps or so, and no, I just had them charge my card. I figured if I used the ECs the host wouldn't be able to fix it later. And I believe the front desk person said I couldn't use the Express Comps for "retail" or spa.. so I don't think it really applied to most of it anyway.
     
  7. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    Throughout the stay, no. Once I arrived I never heard from him until the end of the trip, when he checked in to see if I needed anything for check out, and arranged limo. He said I'd only see tips and retail on the bill, which turned out not to be true.
     
  8. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    Laundry is retail as are movies in room, Starbucks, etc. That stuff is rarely comped without a big loss.

    Spa is a separate folio. Many hosts will not comp it normally but may if you ask about it.

    Based on your play, it definitely should have been taken care of. You were north of 25k theo. You should have charged a lot more or picked up some bottles of wine on the way out.
     
  9. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    See though, that's the thing. I don't want to have to "go over charges" with my host. I go to Vegas to have fun, not haggle over a few hundred bucks. Just comp the stuff or don't, and I'll take it all - the experience, the staff, the treatment, the comps - under advisement for my future business. Make me ask or go through BS or try to nickel and dime me after I sunk $50k (or more) into your casino - and I'm just going to be annoyed - it's not worth the time out of my trip. It's why I'm asking you here - you guys are awesome and I need a good barometer for the future (like, was I just being unknowingly spoiled at ARIA?) so that in the future I don't have to waste time thinking about it.
     
  10. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    Thanks for the insight, shifter.

    Funny you say that because the two bottles of booze we bought (charged at gift shop) were not comped.
     
  11. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    Never buy booze at the gift shop.

    That's pretty much guaranteed to stick.

    Buy bottles through room service.
     
  12. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    Duly noted! :) :drunk:
     
  13. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

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    One trip several years ago when I was a green horn, my wife had bad allergies. I made frequent stops at the gift shop to pick up Kleenex. I bought tons of those little to go packages because they were convenient and "the casino was paying for it anyway". Got a nice little surprise at check out.
     
  14. Packer

    Packer VIP Whale

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    You are right. You should have had all of the spa, every bit of food, even whatever you eat and drink from the mini bar, room and any drinks you had should be taken off at checkout. I I could by your TCs generated you played. Typically they wont pick up store stuff which is fine. Sounds like more than a $1000 avg at craps and probably more like $1500 for many hours. Not to mention 10s of 1000s thru slots. I would call my host and simply ask. Im sure you will be reimbursed without using your express comps. If not, that's pretty petty of them. I would never go there again. Its all about customer service and they should bend over backwards for a real player. If you wanted something for nothing then I would understand. Not the case here. Good luck and go back to Aria! Or Wynn!
     
  15. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Yeah, this doesn't make sense. Then again, it is (fuck you) Bellagio. They should have taken care of the spa without question. all the other info is dead on. It's very difficult to get retail comped. I'm not a Starbucks drinker, though, so I don't know if they treat that as standard food and beverage or retail. I've written on this Board about my bad experiences at Bellagio since this past summer. I think service at Bellagio is just going downhill at a ridiculous rate. I would encourage you to take your business elsewhere. But if you really love the property, try and work things out with your host in advance to avoid this kind of disappointment
     
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  16. pressitagain

    pressitagain VIP Whale

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    Starbucks should have been comped, as well. My wife charges it to our room and it has always been taken care of.

    I'm interested in charging the booze back to the room. How does that work? Will it work for any bottle? We always have $2-300 left in resort credits.
     
  17. Gamesman

    Gamesman VIP Whale

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    I've always had Starbucks comped at CET properties, I would imagine it's the same elsewhere.
     
  18. newmans

    newmans VIP Whale

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    I'm not sure you can compare Mlife and CET. I think there are different policies.
    Example

    I charge everything to my room. I pay cash for tips, all other charges are taken care of.
    My charges include retail(gift shop, spa, restaurants, limo, Starbucks (in Vegas).
     
  19. NeoDough

    NeoDough Low-Roller

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    Update: I contacted host, told him I was surprised to see those things on the bill. Said he'd check it out. Didn't hear anything for a day or so, bugged him again. He then adjusted it to remove spa, remaining food, and the Starbucks ticket(s). So all I ended up paying was the 'retail' (gift shop misc/booze) and (of course) tips. In the end, seems fair to me. My only gripe is the extra steps I had to go through.
     
  20. Gamesman

    Gamesman VIP Whale

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    Yep. For your play I would expect better service. Might want to check out Hunter and switch to CET properties.

    For reference, Hunter finds me the night before I leave and tells me that he's taken care of my charges. He checks it again the next day to make sure my bill is clear. My play is well below yours.
     
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