1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

When you saved but were not happy with the product/service/experience

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Snowbelle3, Apr 11, 2013.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Messages:
    2,711
    Location:
    East
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Let's discuss those times when you chose to save some money but ended up paying for it...by a poor experience.

    *This is not to criticize certain places or things but to describe a poor experience you may have had there or with it.
     
  2. VegasBJ

    VegasBJ VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2009
    Messages:
    6,671
    Location:
    usually Shadow Creek
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    463
    my wife's favorite expression...."You get what you pay for"..................
     
  3. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Messages:
    2,711
    Location:
    East
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    True in some cases for sure.
     
  4. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 13, 2007
    Messages:
    8,403
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    18
    Nice thread.

    First couple trips to Vegas, I flew in in the early mornings (arriving 8am from the East coast), and took red eyes home so I could get the most vacation for the least hotel nights.

    This was brutal as Im a bad sleeper especially when excited, and also can't sleep in a plane. 2 Hour drive to the airport, and need to be there 2 hours before flight. An 8am arrival meant getting up at 2am, which usually meant not going to bed instead.

    Then somewhere along the line I realized (even before I started getting comps) that with some research the hotel night was probably the cheapest part of the trip anyway. So no more self torture just to get maximum Vegas in on 2-3 nights hotel.

    Likewise, I've done the connecting flight thing once, and not found the extra time/discomfort worth it.

    And finally, cheap sandals in Vegas summer heat was a mistake I can still feel.
     
  5. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jun 7, 2011
    Messages:
    3,817
    Location:
    San Diego
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    12
    The only thing for me about vegas that came remotely close to this was standing in line for the tix tonite booth.

    30 mintues is the blazing heat and it did not move at all.

    i think the ladies in the front were buying a condo and doing their taxes at the same time as they were buying show tickets. Left pissed off because they line did not move 1 place in that time.

    Worked out great though becuase later that day got tickets cheaper someplace else for the same show i wanted to see.

    Then there was my experience with the bus.

    i rode it from downtown to Mandalay Bay or that was the plan. Started out bad and went downhill from there. First 3/4 of the people have never ridden a bus and dont know how to get on it so the naturally assume they will be the only ones getting on and just stand in the doorway ignoring the 100 people in line behind them. They also will have a confused look on their faces.

    So we finally get our seats which were up top. Good seats but now we are trapped and cant get down.

    So the bus creeps along and I swear it never gets out of first gear because it stops not only at every light but the bus stops are about 2 bus lengths apart.

    So its taken about 40 minutes to get as far as slots a fun (this was when the duece went the whole route) and people really start getting on and off slowly. Takes about 10 minutes for the process. then we creep along another few stops, same routine until we get to mirage. Then there are about 100 more people who intend to crowd on and the thing is packed already. i am really getting pissed at this point because its only going to get worse.

    Then i see it. The line of scooters lining up to get on. So now a bunch of people have to get off to allow for the access for the scooters so we need to rearrange the entire lower deck of people, about 100 or so it seems. Then of course its going to take forever to get everyone strapped down and what not.

    That was it for me, i blew up. i stream of sailorly foul language burst forth and i started for the exit, leaving my travel partners there. They could ride the damn thing to hell for all i cared at that point.

    So another 10 minutes or so later it seemsd I made it to the exit to freedom.

    I ripped my ticket up and threw it into the nearest trash can and went straight to the venetian and bought the first cocktail I laid my eyes on and drank it down.

    never again.
     
  6. gerry53

    gerry53 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    May 6, 2008
    Messages:
    1,257
    Location:
    canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    27
    I must agree,from fremont the deuce isn`t too bad but from slots a fun south it is absolute horror.
     
  7. LolaDoggie

    LolaDoggie VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2009
    Messages:
    4,299
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    6
    We go into it thinking it's worth a try and prepared for things to go either way. Most of the time we've been pleasantly surprised. There have been a few times where we felt it wasn't worth the savings or it wasn't a good value. My view on the topic, and this applies to everything, there's times it doesn't pay to go cheap, times I don't want to go cheap, and times I'm perfectly happy to go cheap.

    Oh sorry, forgot to mention. The time I was sorry for going cheap in Vegas was the bus passes I bought for the Deuce. The stops are at odd spots for casino hopping and the bus was very full and very slow. It just wasn't worth it to go slow. I bought 4 passes of 3 days each so $80 in total. I was hoping it would reduce how much walking we did but it didn't. We used 2 passes, didn't activate the other 2 and I ended up selling them to somebody on this board for half their value. I was happy to get something back and happy somebody would use them. We could have casino hopped on the strip using a cab probably 4 or 5 times (maybe more) with tip for that same $80. Not doing that again.
     
    Last edited: Apr 13, 2013
  8. tatterdema

    tatterdema VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Nov 10, 2001
    Messages:
    1,642
    Location:
    Seattle WA
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    60
    I have to agree with Lola. There are times and places I am willing to go cheap, but I keep my expectations in line with what I am paying, so I am rarely disappointed. To the contrary, I am normally pleasantly surprised and happy with my choices.

    One place I will not cut corners anymore is transportation. I went cheap on a flight once (free), and booked a stopover to save a few bucks. Never again. It is only non stop for me now, as free just wasn't worth the $150 or so I saved.
     
  9. shifter

    shifter Degenerate Gambler

    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2010
    Messages:
    10,096
    Location:
    At the tables
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    happens almost every time I go cheap on something important. most recently I wanted a nice new slim LED TV for the bedroom so it didn't stick out from the wall very far. found some off-brand nice and cheap on sale at Best Buy. it sure is nice and thin, but we've had nothing but problems with it. the Sharp we had there before had worked flawlessly for years. i'd say maybe 1/10 of the time I get surprised by something cheap that actually comes through. 90% of the time i wish i had spent more to get something of quality.
     
  10. topcard

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

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2012
    Messages:
    7,883
    Location:
    Fort Worth
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    Made the mistake once of flying on a SWA "space-available" employee pass. Never, ever again. Took me 10 hours just to get from Birmingham to Phoenix... and by then, the last SWA flight into Vegas had left. Really pissed-off & tired, I walked over to the America West counter and bought a one-way ticket to Vegas (which, of course, cost a small fortune - more than negating the money I had saved by buying that 'space available' ticket for $50.)
     
    Annual Spring Trip!
  11. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Messages:
    2,711
    Location:
    East
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Perhaps I just have bad experiences with more expensive things, because more often than not I do things as cheaply as possible. If I can get something usually more expensive for a cheap price, better. Because the difference in quality is often not nearly large enough to warrant the higher cost...at least in my eyes. Or perhaps I value things differently. This may be so especially because with products, no matter how much they cost, they are literally built to break these days...more expensive clothing/electronics made from cheap materials, etc. Another important thing is to read about planned obsolescence. As I get older and make more money, I hope to fight to stay this cheap (but not at the expense of an experience) because it's more in my pocket and a far greater abundance of experiences, products, etc.

    I am not completely saying expensive things are not good because some of them blow me away but only a few. What we as a culture "value" today may be super cheap tomorrow. In many ways, it has not lost it's quality, we have only valued it less due to recent "advances". So saying something is worth the extra cost today but not worth the extra cost tomorrow is essentially saying the prices are based on what the culture currently values. Thus, we are paying for the "best" today which could be crap tomorrow because most are just following trends, not necessarily quality. Although I am sure that's not the case here lol. And we are constantly switching for newer and "better" products (never getting to enjoy this quote-unquote "long-lasting" quality we are shooting for), wasting all this money (and time) in the end in my opinion.

    On the flip side, several cheap things do not blow me away. But most of the time I like what I buy that's cheap because I get the ones that have value (to me) that goes far beyond the cost. Imperial Palace for example may be called names but the value went way beyond the cost. It was a centrally located, clean (then...at least for me) motel-like room with several restaurants, a casino, stores, train terminal, bars, lounges, showroom, etc all in one place. I used to really love the rooms at IP more than most in Vegas. If I can pay $20 a night for that many amenities, that's purely phenomenal and mind-blowing. In fact, in my eyes, almost every hotel in and near Vegas is cheap compared to other towns. You pay the higher prices everywhere else for far less offered.

    But I digress...

    I had a poor experience when I decided to stay at Fremont hotel on 3 nights comped instead of staying on the strip. Fremont is perfectly doable but certain hotels, no matter the cost, have the tendency to make me feel moody...and Fremont was one of them. In fact, while I would stay DT if I had to, it's usually a place I just visit and then stay on the strip for the same reason. So, now I am struggling with the fact that only DT gives me comps but I would not really want to stay there.

    But I also received comps from Stratosphere and LVH. They are perfectly fine properties but I think those places make me moody too, among others. So even though I am trying to save money, I did not use my Fremont, Stratosphere, or LVH comps even though using them would have made my entire trip almost completely free (and I am staying there for several days). It's never good to play when you are not up in spirits!
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 13, 2013
  12. LolaDoggie

    LolaDoggie VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 6, 2009
    Messages:
    4,299
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    6
    Sco, you make some good points. I would say I've had more experiences where I've regretted spending more to get better quality and not getting that better quality. I've had more of those experiences than going cheap on something and feeling like I shouldn't have cheaped out.

    My best example is the time I got burned on a large home appliance a few years after we became home owners. When you look at how and where things are manufactured now and who owns the well known brands...that doesn't tell me I'm getting quality for money.

    I've shared this view with people and been told I'm totally wrong. But, it's my money after all. You do what you want with yours and I'll do what I want with mine.
     
  13. egelston2

    egelston2 Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Aug 24, 2007
    Messages:
    194
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    5
    Having been dirt poor in my 20s, I use to be very careful about stretching the dollar. However, as I have grown older and I am well established in my profession, I no longer do things on the cheap. I am not careless with my money but if I want to buy something, I typically buy what is considered the higher end for the product. I believe in the old adage you get what you pay for. It has come true more often than not.

    I typically take 2 to 3 vacations a year. In Vegas, since I can afford to not cut corners, I do not do so. That means I want to stay in a nice hotel that has good upscale restaurants and a nice spa. I do not want to fiddle around with coupon books or adjust my schedule to get some great bargain. If we get comped or discounted rooms that is great, but it is not necessity. In August, we are staying at Mandalay Bay. While it wasn't on our radar as a place to stay for a long time, we love the restaurants. It gives us the opportunity to try or revisit Fleur, R &M Seafood, Strip Steak etc. We are also going to try L'Atelier Joel Rubochon.

    I understand that I am fortunate in that both my wife and I have made an extremely good living. I know that people who make much less work just as hard we do. I applaud them for stretching their dollars and making sure that they get as much bang for the buck. I rather sit with them at the blackjack table than some young ****** banker for wall street who thinks he is bad ass because he got a 30k bonus.
     
  14. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Messages:
    2,711
    Location:
    East
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Thanks everyone for your comments! :D

    I used to fly red-eye...and I still do. I actually prefer it (apart from just price) because it's more empty and it gets me into Vegas early. Having stops is a hassle for sure but not so much for me. I love my non-stop flights but for long cross-country flights a break can be beneficial too. It's quite possible that this may change in the long-run. But I am weird when it comes to airports...it's like my natural habitat.

    I was really surprised by the comment about the bus! It never even crossed my mind the time that I might "waste" on the bus...every time I ride at the top it's like seeing Vegas for the first time again. It's a form of sight-seeing to me. There are other hassles to the bus for me though such as the wait to get on especially in cold weather. I usually start my bus rides off-strip so I pay $5 instead of $8 but then I guess this is going out of my way to save a buck. I would rather take a bus, walk or rent a car. I would probably use taxis all of the time if I were there for a shorter period of time. On a longer trip, it just doesn't feel as "worth" it.

    Yes, I have heard some suffering in these experiences but so glad it's over and we all learned lol.
     
  15. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 29, 2011
    Messages:
    2,711
    Location:
    East
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    11
    Thank you Lola. :) I agree with you.

    It's true that I can handle the disappointment of buying something cheap that was below-par but it would hurt worse if I put some money into it. A pair of ralph lauren jeans faded in 4 months (after one or two washes) and a $1000 laptop broke in 1 month, a $300 laptop destroyed in 6 months, $100 pants at Macys that tore at the bottom on first wear. Heart-broken. So I got a $100 refurbished laptop from amazon that has been around for 4 years...and I have another as a backup. A fav purse of mine looks like hundreds of dollars (as several people have guessed) but I bought it for like $11. 6 years and counting. Essentially expensive things are a crapshoot too so many times I buy what I like. And I won't be as heart-broken by a cheap thing actually being cheap.
     
  16. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jan 9, 2010
    Messages:
    6,477
    Location:
    Chicago South Suburbs
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    25
    Usually, I won't take a deal just because it seems good. I will take the time to make sure I know what I am getting into. When I get burned it is when I am going along with someone else being cheap and not following my instincts. The worst of this was on a trip with my sister. She refused Ellis Island as a meal option the whole trip. Most of the alternatives we went to, especially Pampas Steakhouse for a breakfast special, had awful food and bad service compared to EI (and that's saying something!). Bad meals and service ruin vacations for me so next time I will leave her on her own!
     
  17. MikeOPensacola

    MikeOPensacola El Jefe

    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2012
    Messages:
    10,689
    Location:
    USA
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    180
    The way I look at it my LV trips should be fun. I never play for comps and I don't mind paying a few extra hands of BJ for a better resort experience. :peace:
     
    Annual CCA (Casino Collectibles Association) Show at South Point
    Long Overdue Stay At The Golden Nugget
  18. schwaiguy

    schwaiguy High-Roller

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2011
    Messages:
    500
    Location:
    shithole, NM
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    Believe it or not, a Travelzoo was my only bad experience.

    It was d.vino Italian Food & Wine Bar in the Monte Carlo. Everything around us looked good, except the travelzoo special. Other than d.vino and the ones I didn't claim before expiration, Travelzoo has always been good to superior--ie, one of the best meals in my life was on a travelzoo voucher.

    Schwaiguy
     
  19. TheCanoe

    TheCanoe Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Apr 2, 2013
    Messages:
    256
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    5
    Mine is taking the airport shuttle to the Rio instead of a cab on my first trip. The shuttle is perfectly fine, but it took forever and there were 4 in our group (cab fare would have been the same price)
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.