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Advice on Total Rewards comp?

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by The Fifth Doctor, Oct 24, 2015.

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  1. The Fifth Doctor

    The Fifth Doctor Tourist

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    On my last trip to Vegas, I finally signed up with TR and gambled a little at PH, Paris, and Bally's. (On my previous trips, I have always focused on downtown and MGM properties.) Almost immediately, I received a comp offer for 5 nights at Bally's, The Flamingo, Harrah's, or The Rio; 4 nights at LINQ, Paris, or PH; or 3 nights at Caesars. I have never stayed at a Harrah's property, so am looking for a little advice on how best to use the comp. (At most of the properties, this comp is only good for the basic room types, i.e., only Indigo or Indigo Deluxe rooms at Ballys; only Hip rooms at PH.)

    I'm 38, so not really young enough (or outgoing enough) to party, but not old enough to care about getting away from the noise. I will be traveling alone, so don't need a lot of space and will have nobody to try to impress. I'm too self-conscious (and cheap) for fine dining... When I'm on my own, I prefer cheap and casual, i.e. Earl of Sandwich; craft beer joints like Yard House, The Pub, etc.; and an occasional buffet. Location's not much of an issue since (except for Rio) these properties are all so damn close.

    So, my options come down to:

    1) Use this comp on the trip I have already booked for the week of Veteran's Day. I am staying the full week (Sunday through Sunday) and have only booked the first two nights. The available comp options would be all 5 remaining nights in an "Indigo Deluxe" room at Bally's or 4 nights in a "Classic" room at Paris or a "Deluxe" room at The Linq (with an extra night to spend downtown.) Does any one of these three blow the others away? And would, for instance, Paris be enough of an upgrade over Bally's to justify taking one less night?

    2) Try to use it on New Year's Eve. I'm new at this, but it seems very odd to me that any low-level comped rooms would be available for those dates, but the TR website shows all of them except Caesars and PH being available. Does this sound plausible? (Not that I'm even sure I could survive NYE on the strip.)

    3) Save the comp to use later at PH. PH is my favorite of these casinos... but from what I have read in other posts, I take it the rooms are nothing special?
     
  2. Tahoejoe2

    Tahoejoe2 VIP Whale

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    Bally's is my home base. I would take the indigo room and get 5 nights comp. Remember there is a resort fee($20/25) not comp. The indigo rooms(North tower) are some of the biggest standard rooms in LV.
    You might check the CET web site and see if you can get the Jubilee rooms comp or ask at check in for an upgrade. All rooms are clean.
     
  3. mrstealth

    mrstealth VIP Whale

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    If you have a comp available use it. You will get similar offers every quarter of the year going forward.

    Also, when you sign up for the comp room, after you sign up you will be given the option of an "estandby upgrade" which if the upgraded room is available when you check in, you can get that room at a reduced rate, and unless you are traveling at peak times the upgrade will almost always be available.
     
  4. Jejas

    Jejas VIP Whale

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    That's exactly like what I would have written.
    May I ask why you want to change? I assume you still get room offers from MGM and downtown.
     
  5. The Fifth Doctor

    The Fifth Doctor Tourist

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    Well, on my early trips, I was always on short trips and travelling with friends who didn't really gamble, so I had to be more selective with my time. And then when my friends stopped going, I had a hiatus from Vegas for about a year and a half. So all I was getting at that point was an occasional offer from Excalibur/Luxor or from El Cortez or MSS downtown. This last trip was my first time solo, so I spent more time gambling and divided it between a variety of resorts (specifically trolling for comps, actually). Caesars was simply the quickest to send a comp offer and their mid-Strip resorts fit nicely with the trip I had already planned for the week of Veterans Day.

    That said, though, my heart is really more in downtown. But on longer trips, I do like to split my time for some variety.
     
  6. Jejas

    Jejas VIP Whale

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    understand.
    Yes, CET is the quickest (and easiest) to get comped room offers.
    I would go with Paris or PH.
    As for saving the comp to use for future trips, don't need to. You will get more (and hopefully better) offers down the road.
    I always use the best offer for the next trip.
     
  7. The Fifth Doctor

    The Fifth Doctor Tourist

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    Thanks for the advice, 5 nights at Bally's was the way I was leaning, so I think that's what I will do. When booking through the website with this promo code, the Jubilee rooms are excluded, but if I can upgrade at check-in, I will. But at 5 nights for resort fee only, I'm sure I will be fine with the Indigo room.
     
  8. The Fifth Doctor

    The Fifth Doctor Tourist

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    Thanks for the info. I wasn't sure how frequently the comp offers would be sent. And will probably take the upgrade if available.
     
  9. The Fifth Doctor

    The Fifth Doctor Tourist

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    Thanks, good to know. If PH had been available for my dates, it would probably have been my choice. But failing that, I think I'm leaning toward taking the extra night at Bally's over 4 at Paris.
     
  10. waverunner

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

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    I also would do 5 nights at Bally's. I stayed at Bally's in June and i have mostly been in the South Tower/Indigo rooms throughout the years. In June i stayed in the Jubilee rooms. Both the Indigo Deluxe and Jubilee rooms are really nice.
    What i would do upon check in is have the sandwich ready and try and get the Jubilee room, however, if you can't just ask for a high floor in a Deluxe Indigo room.
    Also, speaking of sandwiches, check online for some coupons from Earl of Sandwich, then print out and use them when you go to Vegas.
     
  11. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    #1 rule for CET - as mentioned in most CET comp/room posts.

    Login and check the rate calendar. You do not have to use "offers" or "codes". Login and check the rate calendar.

    As to which property would work for you - most of them are fine. Planet Ho might be good for you.
     
  12. KKB

    KKB VIP Whale

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    Have stayed at all Harrahs properties.
    For one, LINQ is nicest of your choices. But I am a big fan of Ballys, even Indigo Tower, which I find neutral, not dated as some claim. $20 trick can be effective. BUT be sure to ask for a quiet room if you are in the Jubilee Tower--not sure if Chateau will still be pounding outside in November.
    Caesars tends to be generous with upgrades for free or a very low price. You would get a Forum Tower room (since Roman is now being renovated, thank goodness) Forum is a bit smaller than Ballys but with the upgrade possibilities can be worth it. But I am over the size of Caesars & really don't gamble much there, So again, Ballys wins.
    (Ballys rooms beat Paris, PH, Harrahs & Flamingo; Jubilee Tower also beats LINQ; Caesars wins Palace Tower or better)
    You do not need to worry about "saving" comps at CET--what you book now has no bearing on offerings later. Only gambling does.
     
  13. Suekel

    Suekel VIP Whale

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    We have stayed at Bally's many many times and I agree with the advice to go for the room there. The Indigo rooms are spacious and clean, and we've always been comfortable there. Jubilee Tower is more recently updated, but Indigo is still fine. You'll have a good selection of places to eat, and the location is outstanding.
     
  14. dreric

    dreric Low-Roller

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    I also would take the Bally's comp if I were you. I have stayed in both the Indigo and Jubilee towers. Indigo: clean, tub/shower, pretty comfy bed. Jubilee: newer remodeling, clean, even more comfy bed, coffee maker, fridge, shower only. Time before last I was upgraded from Indigo to Jubilee just by asking nicely.
     
  15. cjohnson202

    cjohnson202 VIP Whale

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    I'm surprised by all the love for Bally's. It's nice but not my cup of tea!

    I'm going to suggest the Linq. I've stayed there three straight trips and I love it. Since you're by yourself, the smaller normal rooms won't be an issue for you. Location is perfect, you're within a 2 minute walk from Caesars, Flamingo, Harrahs and the Cromwell, giving you lots of dining/gaming options with all being under the Total Rewards brand. You mentioned you liked the Yard House (great choice!) so you'll be nice and close to that.

    And yes, I know your offer says 5 nights at Bally's OR 4 nights at the Linq, but if you check the calendar, I'm sure you'd get 5 nights at the Linq. I get offers all the time that say 3 nights at Cromwell, 4 nights at Caesars or PH and 5 nights everywhere else, but when I open up the Calendar, I get 5+ nights wherever I want.
     
  16. FuzzyDiceCraps

    FuzzyDiceCraps VIP Whale

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    Just a head's up, you said you're staying Sunday-Sunday. The last weekend you're there is the Rock N' Roll Marathon. I'd book any room fast, that event drives the prices up big time, and a lot of those runners stay at the lower-end properties, cause they're paying. I'm not sure the rising rate due to diminishing capacity will affect your offer (sometimes CET has rate limits on the comps your eligible for - or at least they will with us, we're small-time players with CET), so I would book soon.

    Also, just take that into consideration. If you don't like crowds, bear in mind mid-strip properties will be insane that weekend.

    We're running in the marathon and still staying well off strip (M Resort) until the day after the marathon when we move to the Palazzo for the duration of the week.
     
  17. KKB

    KKB VIP Whale

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    We were there during the Marathon last year & stayed at LINQ Sunday/Monday night--it was not insane at all.
    Of course, for the most part Vegas is always busy...
     
  18. KKB

    KKB VIP Whale

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    We were there during the Marathon last year & stayed at LINQ Sunday/Monday night--it was not insane at all.
    Of course, for the most part Vegas is always busy...
     
  19. The Fifth Doctor

    The Fifth Doctor Tourist

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    Thanks for the advice, all. I did go ahead and book the 5 nights Tue-Sat at Bally's (staying the first two nights at HRH, as it was actually cheaper than anyplace downtown; returning for another full week beginning Black Friday and using offers from Boyd-- GC and MSS-- that trip). I do intend to try PH and LINQ with future comps (although I will have to get past the lingering negative impression in my mind of The LINQ from wandering through its previous incarnation as The Quad.) I do like the location of Bally's, very central to most of the places I visit on the strip and close to Ellis Island, which I am planning to visit for the first time. I don't mind the extra walk to LV Blvd (still much more convenient than my first experiences on the strip, staying at Luxor/Excalibur).

    I'm not great with crowds and wasn't aware of the marathon until after I had committed to those dates, but I generally keep odd hours when I'm on the strip anyway to avoid the most crowded times of day.
     
  20. jgates8

    jgates8 VIP Whale

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    For ease in going north, you can exit out the front of Ballys on main floor & cross via street level (just walk out from valet area to street). Go across, and you can walk up & go in back of Cromwell or if you are headed further north, you can cut by the garage ( just watch for stupid drivers) and go across the Flamingo drive & into back of Flamingo. Takes about half as long as fighting traffic walking out to strip & over the cross-overs.

    I hate resort fees but even with 5 nights with your resort fee you have a total less than one night for my business trip last week in Michigan. ($171 per night or $136 with negotiated company rate).
     
    Easter again..:
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