CET Resort fees now apply in New Orleans

So I just got back from New Orleans, where I was comped at Harrah's. Won $1,200 off of them, earned a bunch of TCs/RCs, and had a genuinely free room. Meaning $0.00.

When I got back home to DC, I logged in to find that I had comps galore going forward in NOLA, so long as I wasn't interested in New Year's Eve, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, etc. No problem. I figure I'll snag one for MLK weekend and another for my birthday in early June. But lo and behold...resort fees applied to these new reservations. $15 a night plus taxes, so about $50.82 for a long weekend. Not enough to make me go apeshit and cancel the trips or anything, but that was a new one on me. I can't tell you exactly when they instituted this policy, but it must have been awfully recently.

On one hand, I can't blame CET. I'm mere Platinum, and the number of free nights I've gotten in NOLA, AC, and Vegas (more than serviceable Bally's Jubilee rooms) has been astonishing. There have been vacations that I couldn't have even gone on if it weren't for SWA points and comped rooms, so who am I to begrudge a bankrupt corporation that's been great to me a few bucks? On the other hand, NOLA used to be an oasis of non-resort fees, and it's a bit of a bummer to lose out on true full comps (no SWA costs except Sept. 11 fees and optional Early Bird, and a truly free room at Harrah's).

Please note that I didn't want to be yet another person who screams at the top of their lungs about resort fees...just pointing them out to people who might be considering New Orleans as a destination and adding a few thoughts.

 

Thanks for the info. I love NOLA and resort fees won't keep me from going.

 

I stayed at the Horseshoe in Bossier City in early March in a comped room and paid no resort fee. I went a month later and was charged resort fee on the comped room. I am also platinum thru play.
Mark

 

This includes Tunica now as well. I might be paying $11 (tax incl.) in BS fees per night for the Roadhouse this weekend if we go. This includes "fitness room access". I'm pretty sure that means I'll have to walk to Horseshoe to use that. How resort like...

 

Hasn't hit Cleveland yet......Have two comped rooms at the Ritz Carlton July 6th and 7th and shows $0 dollars.

 

Maybe you can book at one of the partner hotels in NOLA and not pay any resort fees?

 

I have a comp'd room at Hilton New Orleans Riverside for Saturday with a total cost of $2.00 taxes. I have diamond status though.

 

I tried this, just to see what would happen...and the resort fees added up to the same amount. Good thought on your and my part, to try and find a workaround, but no dice.

 

On one hand, I can't blame CET. I'm mere Platinum, and the number of free nights I've gotten in NOLA, AC, and Vegas (more than serviceable Bally's Jubilee rooms) has been astonishing. There have been vacations that I couldn't have even gone on if it weren't for SWA points and comped rooms, so who am I to begrudge a bankrupt corporation that's been great to me a few bucks?

It really is amazing how many free rooms CET gives to gold and platinum players. I agree with your attitude - you can begrudge them resort fees. Many casino resorts in Vegas have been doing it for a long time.

Thanks for the heads up about NOLA - so it will not be a suprise. I would say that $50 for four nights is still a hell of a deal!

 

If this resort fee thing becomes widespread in many places other than Vegas then maybe somebody in government will notice and do away with it (I doubt it). What may happen though is that the hotels will be forced to be up front with it and include it in the price of their room. It should be anyway since it is not optional in any case. This may in turn affect their sales.

 

I don't agree. Either make the room free or don't. I could accept that I no longer qualified for a free room over seeing a resort fee.

And I just checked Harrah's Joliet - They have a $10 resort fee. I am done with that place and they should be embarrassed to even ask for a cent more considering the so - so maintenance and declining service for the entire complex. I am completely done with that place.

 

check sevenstarinsider.com it list all the hotels that have resort fees and how much

as for new orleans its had resort fees for several months now...they are waived for diamond and 7star

now the other day I booked drunk really late, didnt want to call my host at 1am to get a room next day, sheraton was all they had and for 2 days it said I owed $4 for tax...they never charged me the $4 or put a room charge hold like they usually do...


now for today through sunday Ill be at the hilton riverside and no charges at all


moderate play will get those charges wiped out but remember as of a few months ago, new orleans doesnt comp like they used to, they are on vegas comps now where they want your points first....


I miss the good ole harrahs that eneded last year

 

Card status at CET generally won't increase or decrease free room offers. If you play it up enough, that's all they'll care about as they want more of that play. I get better offers now as Gold than I ever did as Platinum.

As to resort fees, yeah, they're BS. They don't offer anything useful in 2015 except for parking in some places. And at CET once you earn 25 credits, parking is free anyway.

Thanks for the info, though, as we plan on going to NO sometime in the near future.

 

Now that is a joke. It is hard to think of a casino hotel with less in the way of resort amenities than harrahs joliet.

 

Well, it does include the valet, use of the "business center", the coffee, wifi and the "gym". It doesn't seem to matter that outside of the internet, all that stuff has been free since the hotel opened.

 

Count Horseshoe So IN in on the resort fees as of a couple of months ago.....just $10 but Diamond/7Stars are not charged and we still get the free wi-fi / gym / pool. Gold & Platinum do pay tho....