Nickel and diming

I still find it hilarious that hotels include "local and long distance calls" as a 'perk' for the resort fees as if 95% of people don't have cell phones where it's free.

 

They ran on the ring tab from a beer can, too. Back when the tab came off.

 

Never knew that. Although my father was known to have a few slugs (fake quarters) in his pocket.

 

I think credit card fees are long factored into the price, but this may be for the part where they swipe the card or in the event of a cash payment, make change.

Something I've noticed with fees is that they are starting to break them down everywhere. Example, at veterinary clinics. You used to have a price quoted for a procedure. Now it's the procedure plus cage fee and half a dozen other things that all used to be part of the original cost. If they charge you $50 to neuter a cat, they will tack on $20 cage fee to put him in a cage until you pick him. Seriously. The constant addition of fees in Vegas reminds me of this. Take every little service that used included and make it a separate cost. I'm not sure if they think people are just too stupid to see this or whether it's a marketing strategy like $9.99 being a much better of a price than $10.

 

I actually used this on my last trip! I was having issues with my phone where the person on the other end could not hear me and kept hanging up so I ended up using the room phone while I restarted my phone.

Of course, my situation was an extremely rare one.

 

We went to a McDonald's in Santa Monica by the pier that makes you buy something before they'd unlock the bathroom. I just bought a Diet Coke for $1.

 

They keep the resort fee separate so they can advertise a lower rate, and not share third party bookers. The third party bookers only get a commission on the room, not the separate resort fee.

 

I think the line item pricing is to keep the original prices looking the same. It’s great marketing, but many consumers are getting sick and tired of it.

 

I bring my own TP, I hate the crappy TP they have in mot hotel rooms

 

I don't bring my own, but I agree, it usually is some cheap stuff. Same with the box of tissues, like blowing your nose in a piece of binder paper.

 

I am currently at the Vdara. I had asked if they could also set up the sofa bed but they are now charging a one time $45 fee to have someone come up and set it up. I have stayed here many times over the last 5 years and was never charged this fee.

When I asked what the deal was, I was told this is a new charge they added when things opened up after the pandemic.

This fee is not due to extra people in the room or anything, merely to physically send someone to undo the bed and place some sheets.

I said no thanks and did it myself. They sent me the sheets and blanket for it. That was free, thankfully.

The nickel and diming is getting a bit ridiculous.

 

I've been charged for setting up the sofa bed at non-Vegas hotels before, pre-Covid. Well, really it's a charge for having a third person in the room, but it amounts to the same thing as the only way they knew was by me requesting the sofa bed set up. This was waived under starwood once I had gold or platinum status, but the point is this is not an unusual charge for a hotel, nor a Vegas specific charge. I'm actually surprised this hasn't been charged to you in the past.

 

Large health system in the Midwest just stopped charging 11.99 a day fee for tv.. I’m all for charging a fee you don’t go the hospital for cable tv.. Cable isn’t free for the hospital and just add the already sky high medical bills..

 

Southwest points don’t cover certain taxes that why your seeing the dollar amount

 

This charge is regardless the number of people staying.

Two people in a room could still request the sofa bed and they would still charge the $45.

I'm Gold status with MLife and they wouldn't waive this fee.

 

What they're really saying is they're short staffed and want to train their customers to do this for themselves

 

I understand that, it's generally used as a proxy for three people to a room, otherwise why would you be requesting another bed rather than just booking 2 beds to begin with (not saying that's 100% accurate or what you were doing, just saying that's how it was viewed from the hotel's perspective). And I would not expect them to waive the fee at Gold, or really even Platinum. Starwood platinum (for a non-casino hotel) was much different and basically got everything waived.

My point was that this is not an unusual charge for hotels in general, if not in Vegas. Same as having a rollaway bed brought in (although $45 is definitely on the high side for that kind of charge)

 

I chose "pool", but only if they were to change 'resort fees' to al-la-cart...which I would support!
Breaking down a $40 resort fee might look like this:
Pool use: $10
Wi-Fi: $12
Gym/Spa: $15
Fax/local phone calls/notary: $1
In-room coffee: $2
My resort fee would only be $14

 

I don’t know numbers but my phone has a directory. I may call everyone I know for free.
From the room
Just to check in
Hell, it’s free! !!
just never thought of it.

 

I agree - $45 for something that takes minutes to do? Ridiculous charge - it appears "Customer Service" has disappeared from places that need customers.
I hope there was a survey at the end of your stay, probably not because they know what the rating would be.