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Nickle and diming

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by Miller12pack, Nov 30, 2016.

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  1. Miller12pack

    Miller12pack High-Roller

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    I don't understand why people always complain about having to pay for parking, the new drink system, resort fee, and other stuff. But we go to Vegas with thousands of dollars that we would never spend at home, but we complain because we can't get our drinks unless we get a green light. Play on the floor and you will get your drinks free. I agree, resort fees suck, but stay at places that don't charge. Vegas is still the best bang for your buck.
     
  2. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    I (still) say it's all because the market is tilted very strongly toward the seller on the Las Vegas Strip (for now) and they know it and are taking advantage of it while the visitors (that's us, gang!) are willing to pay! Nuisance fees will continue to proliferate as long as the business continues to be as strong as it has been recently.
     
  3. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    Treating customers decently is not a perk, it's pretty clear that the big casino's pushing this nonsense think they're doing their customers a favor by just being open. I agree that complaining is a waste of time, voting with your feet is the only true option.
     
  4. TrewBrew

    TrewBrew I may be right, I may be Crazy.

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    I guess the complaint is because they make a ton of money off the gaming. I am sure most people lose what they "budget" for gaming and while you are paying hundreds of dollars a night for "free" drinks you get hit with paying for parking, resort fees and the rest. I am not complaining that i my cost for the vacation but I do understatnd the reasoning behind the cpmplaints.
     
  5. deansrobinson

    deansrobinson VIP Whale

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    Is there a correlation between the frequency of visits and the sensitivities to fees? We're there once per year, so that $X spent is $X spent...we don't take umbrage at paying a fee for a service (resort amenities) we don't use, as we see it as simply the cost of doing business.
     
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  6. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    I think the main issue is we aren't getting anything more for the fees. The parking experience will not improve. The resort fees have increased many times with no new amenities. The casino experience is worse, shows are more expensive and food costs more and more. My travel budget is what it is. Added fees take away from what I would spend on other areas and I don't get anything I consider a value for them.

    Will I come back? Yes. Will I spend time on the strip. Probably not and if this extends to other parts of the Vegas, I will quickly rid myself of my obsession. I know hotels rooms cost more in other places and they may have fees to but outside of Orlando, I feel like I get what I am paying for on other places.
     
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  7. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    I say Vegas can get away with this easier than other locales because of the gambling buzz/thrill/obsession/addiction coupled with the simply masterful job Vegas has done over the years convincing folks that they're somehow different in Vegas. It's really quite brilliant.
     
  8. jamesxnj

    jamesxnj VIP Whale

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    My thoughts are the bitching is justified..At one point and not years and years ago,all these nickel and dime charges were never there.That was Vegas and one of the cool things about the place..It's don't take away from us what you used to give us for free trying out your property and testing the gambling waters there or hotel and restaurants stores..

    All this going on as the airline prices/fees are way up and that cuts into regular people's getaway/entertainment budget..How much more can people absorb and still go??
    And additionally instead of two trips a year be forced to cut it to one or none??
     
  9. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    You know, (sssh, this is a secret), Las Vegas is chock full of Days Inns, Holiday Inns, Travelodges and so and so forth that don't charge a nickel in resort fees and parking is always free.

    Stay in one of those if you think the mega resorts are so bad.

    The first duty of the rich is to get richer and they do on the backs of the consumer, always have, always will.
     
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  10. shokhead

    shokhead No big spender unless eating drinking having fun!

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    Years ago I didn't have grey hair. Show me a big business that doesn't change and I'll so you a failure. If people can't absorb it then they won't go. I don't like it but I don't like being charged 10 cents for a bag when I buy groceries but I still go.
     
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  11. Dutch34

    Dutch34 High-Roller

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    The fees stink, no doubt about it. I have to laugh at suggestions to park at say, HRH, and then either walk or Uber to the strip. Uber is going to cost something. Your time is worth something. If you're paying $13 to park, that's a dead-even race at that point. When you check into hotels in major cities and you have a car, you're automatically paying $35 to $70 per night for your car to rest comfortably in a parking space. Hell, I once got a room at the Westin on Michigan Ave in Chicago. Got a honey of a deal for $89...parking was $65. So for $24 more, I got a bed and a shower and all my car got was a cold parking space. We've been lucky to not pay these fees in Vegas all along.

    If enough people vote with their feet, I'm sure the fees will be revisited. But the hotel fees have not swayed enough folks away, and I'm guessing the parking fees will be the same. It sucks, we can complain about it, but we'll keep coming back.
     
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  12. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    Actually Boyd so far hasn't really strayed from their business model, to serve the Hawaiians that come to vegas. Yes, they renovated the Cal and spiffed it up but they (knock on wood) still don't charge resort fees and I don't notice too much nickel and diming (yet). They seem to still be doing okay but it is bolstered by their charters that consistently bring 200 people to vegas 4x a week so a good amount of their rooms are usually filled. Yes they do charge for parking but (unlike Mlife) they don't charge parking for hotel guests and parking is free if you eat at their restaurants or put in enough play.

    To make up for the lack of resort fees their rates may or may not be a little higher than other downtown hotels and I usually take that into consideration when I book a place to stay.

    I hope that Boyd will continue to stay away from resort fees and continue to provide free parking for hotel guests. Not sure what I will do if they start to do the same things the other hotels are doing now (resort fees and charging for parking for hotel guests). Maybe Siegel Suites? Ha ha. yeah, right.

    Then we have the outside hotel casinos. (sshhhh, don't tell). It will be interesting if the Orleans, Palms, GC, Rio, Sam's Town and other hotels start to charge for parking.



    I already have my plans for parking on the strip. On the south side the Trop still doesn't charge for parking (unless they changed their policy) so I will park there. For the north side the Venetian/Palazzo and the Wynn still don't charge for regular self parking. Does PH charge for parking yet? If not I will park there if I go to the strip. When the rest of the strip starts to charge for parking I will have to decide whether I want to visit the strip. I don't visit the strip that much anyway so not much of a loss for me.

    As for voting with their feet, I think the only way resort fees will be eliminated will be with the politicians. On the national level they changed the rules and the big airlines now have to list the "total" price of your flight so why can't they do the same for hotels? But then hotels in many cities also charge these fees, maybe call it something else but it is still a "resort" fee.

    On a side note the airlines still have other nickel and dime fees, baggage fees, seat fees, etc. but they got rid of all that bs airport and landing fees so you generally know how much you will be paying for flying.
     
    Last edited: Dec 2, 2016
  13. wpete

    wpete High-Roller

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    Living in California, Reno and Tahoe are looking better even more now.
     
  14. woodsie

    woodsie VIP Whale

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    It's not the cost but the psychology. Part of the enjoyment of Vegas is the lack of pain points that otherwise exist in regular life.

    The previous model in Vegas was to make visiting as effortless and comfortable as possible so that people's money practically fell out of their wallets on the casino floor.

    The new model is to overtly shake down the customer as soon as they get off the plane. That approach creates pain points at every step of the visit and takes your customer out of the Fantasy and energy where blowing thousands in the casino makes sense.

    Now I get that gambling is no longer king in Vegas but you can still charge for food and room without creating pain for your customers. If you spend $200 on dinner but the food is great and the decor is interesting then you feel you got something for your money. If you spend $1000 per night on a suite it's expensive but hey look at this awesome room and this great view! If you lose $100 at the table like dust in the wind it sucks but hey they are treating you like a big shot with free drinks and good service.

    If you spend $20 for parking, you feel what?

    If you spend $35 of a resort fee, you feel what?

    If you gamble waiting on a green light for a drink you feel what?

    It's Vegas. Take my money but make feel good about it every step of the way.
     
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  15. joespoolhall

    joespoolhall VIP Whale

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    I understand the complaint about having to pay for what was once free, I get it. Something that is overlooked are the revenue streams today compared to the past. Time was that they made 75-80% of their money from gaming. Today it's probably half that percentage. This means they've gone from low maintenance money to high maintenance money. They're not running to the bank with these extra fees, they're surviving. These palaces they built on the strip cost a whole lot of money. Stations got themselves into similar trouble to Caesars, but Chapter 11 saved them. Boyd almost got caught in the same trap, but cut Echelon before it choked them. As was said earlier, if you don't want the extra fees, stay where they don't have them. Unfortunately, in the near future that may be Motel 6!

    Good Luck!
    Ric at Joes
     
  16. Chief Ski

    Chief Ski Tourist

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    All customers are not created equal. While we talk about how the resorts are taking advantage of customers, I think about how customers are oh so clever in taking advantage of the resorts. I'm often impressed with how the resorts maintain an atmosphere of high end accommodations and professional/courteous staff. Many folks visiting the strip are there to experience all that the strip has to offer without spending a dime. I figure that the resorts keep a pretty good tab on the finances and do what must be done with prices etc...
     
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