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A Great Offer vs. Your Preferred Property

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by thecarve, May 19, 2015.

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  1. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    I thought I had figured out where I was going to stay for my summer trip. Then, this afternoon, a pretty damn sweet offer showed up in my inbox and now I'm not so sure. So, while I ponder whether all the extra freebies from Casino B are enough to get me to switch from Casino A, let me put the question to you, VMB:

    How much better does the offer from your second or third choice have to be to get you to pick it over your first choice?*

    Are you completely agnostic and will jump on whatever offer is the best? Are you so enamored of a particular casino (or casinos) that it would take a completely unrealistic offer to get you to consider staying elsewhere?

    I assume most of us (other than the high rollers who will get everything they want and more from any casino and the very budget minded who must get a great offer in order to justify the trip) fall somewhere in between. Where do you fall on the "Great Property vs. Great Comp" spectrum? What's your "price"?



    * I'm not talking about some dive 30 minutes from the strip vs. Wynn/Bellagio et al...I mean the "perfect" property vs. the "good" property.
     
  2. Waltz69

    Waltz69 Tourist

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    Not a simple question to answer. Lots of variables but for me it would come down to relationships, will my regular resort take care of me if I have a really unlucky trip. For almost everyone the answer will be no, they won't care if you lose so take the offer.
     
  3. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

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    Oooh the intrigue builds!

    I am pretty sure I know which place you're referring to and all I can say is that go with what you're feeling. Kinda like gambling sometimes you have to go with your initial thought. That's not to say stick it out at the initial booking you've made but rather when you pose the question to yourself what is your inner voice's initial reacting saying?

    The better offer certainly comes into the equation but its not like the better offer is pulling you away from your preferred property - but rather reeling you back to it. So you'll get to camp out in the place that you enjoy the most with more perks?

    For example you know I love the Palazzo (decided to stay the whole trip there in July) so if I'd booked my entire trip at Aria and then a Palazzo offer showed up that beat the Aria offer I'd likely take the Palazzo one because that's my spot.

    The good thing is you have two months to play the mental game of "where do I stay?" ping pong!
     
  4. TIMSPEED

    TIMSPEED Money’s on the way, with CashNetUSA

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    wherever I'll get the most "bang for the buck"...mostly, who will comp me the most and have decent payback machines (99%+ video poker)
    Although "piddly differences" (ie: $10 free slot play vs $15 food credits) will probably not make a difference...but if we're talking $100 slot play vs $200 resort credit...I'll take the $200 resort credit every day of the week.
    FWIW: I stay at Sam's Town, so don't mind me.
     
  5. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    I'm with you on that. I'll often choose the weaker offer from a place with better gambling conditions - even if the EV of the better gambling is far less than the freebies the other joint is offering. :rolleyes2:
     
  6. JosieCat

    JosieCat VIP Whale

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    I am a complete offer slut. With that said, the casino that I choose must have a good selection of slots and I must like to play in the casino. I typically give 80% of my play to the casino I'm staying at when on a comp offer.

    My fall trip I had planned on staying at MGM Grand which is my second favorite casino besides Bellagio, but the Aria just sent me an offer that is too sweet to pass up - so I'll probably stay there.
     
  7. bardolator

    bardolator Lifelong Low Roller

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    Thecarve +1.

    I place a fair game above just about all else. Assuming its offer is at least decent, and my wife is willing to stay there, the place with the best gambling conditions gets my business.
     
  8. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    I don't gamble as much as most of you guys, so my decisions are totally different. What prop has the best pool scene in the summer? What resort is closest to the activities or events I want to do during the winter? I always ask those kind of questions. Usually Bally's and Flamingo are my two faves. I want to give Linq a try sometime soon as well!

    Whatever you choose, a change is scenery is only a lonnngg walk away!
     
  9. JerryD

    JerryD Low-Roller

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    For me (and the wife), it's location. We just booked Flamingo for 4 nights. But the 'Summer Wonder' offer has me thinking I will be double booked for the trip. We loved MB last October, and we love center strip.
     
  10. DoctorPong

    DoctorPong Tourist

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    Myself if my mind is set on a specific property I'm there. No matter the cost. Vacations are for going big and I leave the budget at home when I'm Vegas bound. I do get comps though. CET properties hand out the most free rooms to me, but I wanted the wynn this time and so I'm there. While I'm still new to Vegas (only two trips.. one to Flamingo and another short one at Wynn) the way I look at is: You get what you pay for and nothing costs nothing. Do I want the best room at the lower end hotel or a standard room at the best hotel?

    Just the ramblings of a lunatic here...
     
  11. Jonnyvegas

    Jonnyvegas Low-Roller

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    I had this exact dilemna for our upcoming trip. We have a select group of properties we choose to stay at now. I check all the website and emails to see all of their offers. Caesars gave us all 5 nights comped. We happily booked it. Then Bellagio emailed me with 2 comped nights and discounted rates for additional nights. Bellagio is our favorite. We booked the 2 comped and a discounted night at B with the plan on moving afte two comped nights at Caesars. After much discussion, we decided screw it, we love Bellagio the most. Staying all 5 nights at B while paying discount rate for 3 of them. Canceled the 5 comped at Caesars. Part of the decision is we dislike the whole changing hotel hassle and losing a 1/2 day of valuable Vegas time.
     
  12. Harry Lyme

    Harry Lyme VIP Whale

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    If I mush Captain and Carve and the other's insight together, that's my alley. Meaning, give me good play/payback and a casino I like, though not necessarily love, playing at and I'm completely fine with changing up the scenery if the offer is compelling enough. Nobody's loyal to us. They just want more of our play to go to them instead of others, and how much so is spelled out in the offers and comps we're given.
     
  13. Nittany1

    Nittany1 VIP Whale

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    I have to admit I have passed up many great offers to stay at a preferred property.

    As primarily a craps player the gaming conditions are pretty much the same everywhere.
    I have relationships at a few properties that I value probably more than I should but I know where I am comfortable and that is where I stay.
     
    Last edited: May 20, 2015
  14. sindustry

    sindustry VIP Whale

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    This is an easy decision for me...double book.
     
  15. Fafa2e

    Fafa2e High-Roller

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    I will admit that I have been lured to a specific property based on a great offer and have even booked a separate trip based on a great offer (including this upcoming trip). I will usually try to stay at the hotel that is offering me the best deal, but I will sometimes pay a little more for a higher end hotel or better amenities if the price difference is not too significant. Also, different types of trips may affect the decision, such good pool areas in the summer, group trips at the consensus group hotel, MGM or CET for maintaining tiers, etc.
     
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  16. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    I think it all depends on you and whether you will enjoy staying at your preferred property or if the one you got an offer for would suffice. Some people feel most comfortable at their preferred property and so will gamble and hang out there. But then to get a great offer is hard to refuse. Do you go to vegas often? Then it shouldn't be a problem to stay at the great offer property one time, you will always go back to your preferred property the next time.

    Hmmm, maybe I'm trying to convince myself on this also. I just got an offer for a free 3 night stay at Sam's Town (with some freeplay). I usually like to stay downtown and feel more comfortable downtown. So convenient, can go anywhere, eat anywhere just by walking the downtown area. Not as much with Sam's, if you don't like their restaurant selections or not lucky at the tables you have to get in your car to go elsewhere. Kind of a pain because it will take you around a half an hour to get to downtown and many other places from Sam's town. I will save about $140 (for the rooms) but not sure if it is worth the effort to stay there. I'm not a big gambler so this is the first time I got comped rooms in many years, and I doubt once they track my play I will get many offers after this. I usually rent a car so other than time the distance isn't much of a problem.

    But like I said, since I go to vegas a couple times a year I can probably try Sam's town this time.
     
  17. gradytripp

    gradytripp High-Roller

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    I've been deliberating over this very dilemma for the upcoming trip.

    The timer below has switched from Aria ($200 per night for a corner suite, offset a bit by a $200 resort credit), to Planet Hollywood (about $55 per night) to its current Bellagio. (This is an offer I just got: $89 per night, the lowest price this low-roller's ever been offered at the B.) This, despite the fact that I have about $300 in TR reward credits that would have essentially made the PH stay a free one (and despite the fact that we got a very unpleasant surprise when we did our taxes).

    So, I'm going to trade a free PH stay for about a $500 Bellagio stay. Our preferred property (for trips with my wife) is Bellagio. It's the first place I ever stayed in Las Vegas. The pool is much, much nicer--and that's a big deal in the summer.

    But the biggest factor is the recent shredding of the paytables at all CET properties. Bellagio still has decent paytables for 25c VP at the sportsbook bar, and two (count 'em, two!) full-pay 25c bonus poker machines on the floor. (Keep it a secret!) Plus Bellagio usually has a $10 blackjack game going (admittedly CSM), unlike PH.

    So I guess--at least for now--I'm falling into the "preferred property" camp! I haven't cancelled the PH reservation yet, though...
     
  18. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    I would respond based on the following - in this order:
    1. Who charges a resort fee on comped rooms & who doesn't?
    2. Who has the better gaming conditions for my level of play? (eg - blackjack rules, # of decks).
    3. Who has the most convenient location to other places I may wish to visit?
    4. Who seems to appreciate my business more?
    5. Who is offering the nicer room?
    6. Who has the better on-site food in terms of quality & price?
     
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  19. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    Exactly! I'm triple booked for our trip next week. I'll give all of them some play and my wife will use the pool at Downtown Grand, but we'll still be staying at MSS.

    Granted, we are downtown and it is much easier to go from casino to casino, than on the Strip, but I enjoy the multiple booking game. Last trip I quadruple booked. MSS, 4Q, Plaza & DTG.
     
  20. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    haha---definitely would double book

    would never stay at a property I preferred even a TITCH less due to a better offer....I would pay rack before I would do that, and when I say I would pay rack, I mean the normal room rate, not the price for a well-endowed hooker providing milk on tap. :evillaugh
     
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