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Well, Here's The Ultimate Resort Fee Question

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by VegasGroove, Dec 2, 2014.

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  1. runningonthehub

    runningonthehub VIP Whale

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    So, in order to get a room comped and not pay a resort fee, the hotel is telling me that I have to gamble. If I do not give them a chance to get my money, they are going to penalize me for not gambling and get my money anyway.
    A person going to Vegas should not be penalized for not gambling. Believe it or not, Las Vegas is more than about gambling. If you are going to take $25/night from me, at least give me something in exchange. If not, just put a gun in my back and take my fucking money. Either way, I am still being robbed.
    I do not like being fucked over and I sure as hell do not like having my money fucked over. I worked too hard for it.
    Like I said before, I have no problem with resort fees, as long as I get something I can use. Just don't fuck me out of my money. If I am going to get fucked, at least let me enjoy it, that's all I ask.
     
  2. waverunner

    waverunner ------VEGA$------

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    You don't have to gamble in a Casino to get comped resort fees.
     
  3. DReynolds86

    DReynolds86 Let's Go Pens!

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    I think if you pop for a cabana at the pool or get a decent package at the spa, then resort fees should be waived. It makes people happy thinking that they got one over on the hotel while at the same time driving revenue to other parts of the hotel.
     
  4. Jane42

    Jane42 Low-Roller

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    If I check a bag, and pay for checked luggage, I am getting what I paid for. If I want a certain seat, and pay for it, and then get that seat, I got what I paid for. etc.

    If I pay $20 to $25 a night for use of the gym facilities, news paper, local phone calls - I paid for what I DID NOT USE.
     
  5. Jane42

    Jane42 Low-Roller

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    I think low roller may mean one thing to you and another to me...lol I usually bring $1,000 - $1500 to play for four days, but do not play it all at the hotel casino I am playing at - although, a large portion is played there. I have asked at the end of my stay if the resort fee could be removed - no deal. I think the best I have gotten for my play (all slots) is a $15 voucher for a restaurant and then possibly two comped rooms for my next stay (with resort fees, so not free)

    I saw one posting from someone that had never had to pay a resort fee and was a firm believer that those that complained were whiners. He then posted a few months later that he was finally charged a resort fee and could not get out of it. He now understands how others have felt and stated that those that don't pay them really don't understand. If you play enough to get comped rooms, that's awesome - but $1,000-$1,500 is a lot to me but obviously not enough to drop fees for something I have never used in Vegas.

    If they just had added to the room charge, and not tagged it to things that some people would not use, I think it would have been a smoother transition. Nobody wants to pay for something they don't want.
     
  6. EastCoastVegasFan!

    EastCoastVegasFan! VIP Whale

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    I am "grandfathered" in with the Total Rewards Credit Card. When you got the card (no annual fee, and no cost) they would bump you to Platinum Status, which means no resort fee and no taxes on a comped room.
    I got 3 free nights at the Flamingo in July 2015 and only $150 for 4 nights at PH in September. When I say "free" and "150" I mean that's the total cost.

    TR picked up on this, and have lifted the Platinum Status no resort fee. Now I think you have to be a Diamond Member.

    To answer to OP, would $25 or $22.50 resort fee keep me from going to Vegas? Well, bbwwwhahahahahahahahahahah! Not a chance!!!
     
    July 19th - July 24th
  7. REELmoneySlotFan

    REELmoneySlotFan High-Roller

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    Yes we do use players cards and yes we do gamble. We were platinum at Mlife and still they didn't comp the resort fee every time. Hit or miss so to say. But that was not the point of my post. The whole resort fee thing is plane stupid in international marketing. Many people from out of the country can visit premier resorts at tropical destinations for less money than Vegas without being bothered by resort fees. When you factor in your gambling budget most of the times you're better off to just pay the resort fee and not gamble at all. An 8 day trip to Vegas costs us about $7000. For that budget we get our rooms comped and our resort fees comped (mostly). Well, ladieda, for that money I can go Thailand to 5 star all-inclusive resorts 2 times (14 nights). Now the economy is picking up it appears Vegas wants it all. It wants you to spend your money on shopping AND fine dining AND gambling AND tours AND shows AND limos AND tips AND ect. Vegas seems to want it all. That most certainly makes people (who have been to Vegas before) decide to not go there anytime soon. Not us though, we're degenerates :)
     
  8. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    As I said I play $5 and $10 tables but mostly $5 tables. I don't play only at one casino, I usually move around so my play isn't with one casino or company. Even then I'm not on the tables playing for hours, usually less than 30 to 45 mins if anything unless I am winning. I probably average (more or less depending on my success) about 4 hours of play a day, but not at the same time (spread over a 24 hr period). I have asked the pit bosses and the player's club, I might qualify for a comp meal once and a while but that's about it.

    I usually stay downtown or at the lower end hotels on the strip (IP/Quad before the name change to Linq), flamingo but even then I don't gamble enough to qualify for comps, esp when I play at different casinos. I usually move around, moving when a table is cold and hopefully finding a more hot table which happens every so often. I also stay at the Boyd hotels downtown where there is no resort fee.

    I usually play craps and occasionally bj (when I'm on a losing streak) but even then, $300 a day isn't much to warrant much, esp when I don't have at least $25 on the table at all times. Yes, I could play $15 or less per roll for hours on end and maybe I might get a free meal but hardly ever get a free night.

    It might also be that you are staying at a M life resort, for what you are paying they may be more willing to waive the fees, or maybe you go often enough for them to give you comps. Most of the downtown places I stay and gamble at I don't get many freebies.

    Btw, when I play craps I usually play pass and single odds and maybe a come bet and odds. If the table is decent I will make place bets but not all the time. That means that I may not have at least $25 on the table at any time. Because I play the minimums I'm not rated very well so don't qualify for much, esp if I'm only at the table for 30 or 45 mins. In your case you probably play $10 pass and at least single odds and place the 6 and 8 so you already have $44 out on the table much of the time, if you put in a few hours you should already qualify for comps.
     
  9. wanker751

    wanker751 Dutch Rudder Enthusiast

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    I saw that the Mirage gives you ten B+W copies with the resort fee, I suggest you make copies with your middle finger exposed. If faxes are allowed write resort fees on it and fax it to the hotel! Then at least you will use some of the services provided!
     
    Last edited: Dec 4, 2014
  10. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    In a nutshell, add-on fees distort pricing searches.

    1. In principle, I don't like resort fees. However:

    2. This has been a part of the Vegas hotel scene for quite a while, and it is growing.

    3. Resort fees have been part of the larger travel scene for a long time.

    4. A comparable hotel that charges 100 + 0 serves up the same deal as one charging 75 + 25. Hidden, nefarious? In this day and age, with all the chatter about this? Stinky but not a secret.

    5. It could be argued that a savvy marketeer would buck the trend in a market thick with fee-chargers and profit from the exercise; Harrah's/Caesars has decided that is not the case. And elsewhere, Hyatt, Four Seasons, Fairmont, Ritz, Westin and so on, does one buck the trend be it Miami or Palm Springs or the Kohala Coast?

    6. If everyone hates resorts fees yet they are growing not diminishing, what does that say about consumer resolve and power?

    7. Hotels that don't charge separately for things like gyms and pools are not giving these things away and everyone pays for them whether they are used or not.

    8. Resort fees "waived" by virtue of mlife or whatever are neither waived nor free. It's just another way to diminish comps.

    Resort fees are a nuisance.
     
  11. gilly from philly

    gilly from philly Low-Roller

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    That is the problem right there. You think that you are being "penalized" for not gambling. Your not being penalized, your just not being rewarded, nor should you be. Look at it this way. Everyone who stays at a resort that charges a resort fee pays that resort fee. However, the resort REWARDS those that spend a lot of money there, either in traditional gambling, or other forms like bottle service with free stuff. That free stuff can be resort fees taken off the bill, or other things like food and/or rooms.
     
  12. Erich17

    Erich17 It is a real Obsession

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    So what if they just said this room that is $50 a night is now $75 a night? Would that be robbing you? Yes that is what they are saying.....you give them a chance to get their money back and they comp you a resort fee. What can also happen is you actually win something....and they still comp your resort fee! I know it is a crazy idea but people do win sometimes.
     
  13. Erich17

    Erich17 It is a real Obsession

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    You are right. Just use your players card when you eat, shop or do anything in any Mlife or other resort you are staying and that adds up. It is amazing to me that people who frequent Vegas do not know this
     
  14. Erich17

    Erich17 It is a real Obsession

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    But my problem is where else in the world do they just give rooms to people? If you do gamble you get comped rooms. If they go to a resort in Mexico all the fees are just included. They give these rooms for cheap and just ad the resort fee. It is the exact same thing as taking a $50 room and making it a $75 room.

    I am not stopping either I LOVE IT to much. I just do not understand the difference in paying a resort fee and them raising prices of hotels? Are people just made because it is sneaky? Or are they made about the money?
     
  15. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    That's not a black/white truth. Many/most/all of the name resort brands charge the same resort fees in Mexico as they do elsewhere.
     
  16. Erich17

    Erich17 It is a real Obsession

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    Ohh I apologize. I have been to Mexico over 10 times and we have never paid a resort fee anywhere. Cabo, Cancun or Playa. Guess I got lucky. We always do all inclusive and pay upfront.
     
  17. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    No worries. Really don't have a dog in this fight, but just want to make sure it's apples/apples.

    That's all-inclusive. Stay at a Fairmont, etc., and it's game as usual. Although a few weeks back an all-inclusive tried to hit me with an add-on fee that turned out to be optional when I asked about it.
     
  18. REELmoneySlotFan

    REELmoneySlotFan High-Roller

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    In most places around the world the hotel companies don't give you comped room. But to be honest I'm looking at the total trip costs. When I go to a non-gambling destination and stay at the most beautiful resorts for less than half the money I have to spend in Vegas to get a comped room and a resort fee waved, what's my incentive to come back for the 4th, 5th or xth time? Sometimes you have to wonder why you're not making the most sensible choice. I do not want to feel obligated to gamble a certain amount per day to get a comped room and a resort fee waved. Especially when a resort fee feels like shady business and you have to pay for it through express comps (which you also earned by gambling). The conclusion is: your smartest move (almost) always is to not gamble at all and pay for your hotel room and pay your resort fee. That's a lot cheaper than "earning" them losing money gambling. And I don't believe that's what Vegas casino companies want. If that were the case, they would remove all the machines and tables and do something else with the vacant square footage. The problem is Vegas wants you to lose money gambling, pay for resort fees, pay for shows, fancy dinners, limousines, clubs, bottel service and be happy about it. That's why, to some people, Vegas is losing its charm. Ad the fact that you can pratically gamble anywhere nowadays. So people might think: I'll gamble at my local casino, take two trips a year to some tropical destination and still spend less money than going to Vegas once a year. And I can totally understand people who make that choice because it simply makes sense. Only the hardcore Vegas nuts like we all are choose to keep coming back to Vegas because we just don't want to ditch Vegas. But I can say I know a lot of people who have been to Vegas a couple of times who don't go anymore because it just doesn't make sense to them anymore financially.
     
  19. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    In a word, bravo.
     
  20. waverunner

    waverunner ------VEGA$------

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    I was specifically speaking about getting rewards through Social Rewards. I was comped in Vegas 2 weeks ago, i used my rewards credits i gathered from the comfort of my home before i went to Vegas. Upon checkout at PHO, the young lady asked me if i want to keep the resort fee total on my Credit Card or pay cash...........i said heck no, i'll use my TR rewards credits card thank you.
    I've been back home for less than 2 weeks, i already have $30 in my piggy bank.
    For me personally, CET is rewarding me at home, while i reward them in Vegas.
    Gawd i love Vegas.
     
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