Atlantic City Casino Hotels $20 Trick

Discussion in '$20 Trick Section' started by Sonya, Apr 15, 2019.

  1. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Per a user request, we are adding this sticky post for discussion about the use of the $20 Trick in the Atlantic City casino hotels.

    If this thread gets large and you want to search for a specific property, here is how you can search in a specific thread.

    Click on the Search box in the upper right corner of the board. It will open this larger window.

    [​IMG]

    Enter your search term and be sure to click the box next to "Search this thread only".
     
    Last edited: Apr 18, 2019
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  2. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Thanks for adding this thread @Sonya . As a frequent visitor to AC, I really appreciate it.

    For Caesars Atlantic City:

    So I tried to $20 trick thrice at Caesars AC. The first time as when I had a comp stay at forum tower and I tried to check in at 5:30 am. Yes, you read that correctly ... a.m. I actually ended up arriving a night earlier than my reservation due to a friend pleading with me to do it. Arrived at 11 pm and planned to gamble all night till check in. By 5:30 am, i was drunk and exhausted and checked to see if I could get a room. The $20 trick worked like a charm. The front desk employee checked me in and she upgraded me to a centurion room. I had the same front desk employee when i was checking out and I gave her an additional $20. She was super nice.

    The second time I tried the $20 trick, I got upgraded from a Centurion Premium room (comp stay) to a Senator Suite. In fact, after the desk person upgraded me, i tipped him an additional $20 right there, since it was such a sweet upgrade. Interestingly, he told me he can upgrade me to a Senator suite (smoking) for free but a no smoking room wold be an extra $70 a day. I took the smoking room and i couldn't smell smoke in the room at all (and I am a non smoker who is pretty sensitive).

    So my third attempt at this was weird experience. It was 5 months after the second stay above. I had a centurion premium room with ocean view reserved (comp stay). I asked for a suite upgrade with a $50 bill (I was feeling generous and I really wanted the suite again). The person at the desk said they couldn't do that (even though they had suites available when I checked the CET site). This was fine, maybe they were hoping to sell the suites. I was still very friendly. I put the $50 bill away and she gave me a room.

    I pulled out a $20 bill and was about to give it to her when I noticed that she actually gave me a forum room (i.e. a downgrade from centurion). I told her I had a centurion reserved and she said that since it is a comp stay, rooms are not guaranteed and that was all she could give me. While this is technically correct, I have never once had my room downgraded on a comp stay. Maybe the front desk person was pissed when i put the $50 bill back in my pocket. I thanked her, and didn't give her the $20. It was late at night so I just went to sleep. The next morning, I walked into Diamond check in and asked if I could get the centurion. He (the diamond check in person) not only gave me the centurion but also gave me a corner centurion room with a great view and I tipped him $20. However, he also explained that they could not give me a suite on this trip because they only have 1 or 2 suites left and they were holding them for someone.

    Has anyone here ever had this happen ... a front desk employee downgrading you when you put away your tip after not giving you an upgrade?
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2019
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  3. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    I have some good luck at CET properties using the $10/$20 dollar trick to go from a standard room to an upgraded room. Most commonly, at Harrah's, I get upgraded from a Marina Tower room to a Bayview without a challenge. The staff there is hit or miss on who's grateful, but they're all pretty nice folks. I think they are not used to people tipping so the chances of upgrading are higher. A word of caution on higher floor upgrades - the AC did not work well July 4th weekend last year in the Centurion Tower (top floor). I had to call maintenance twice and the thing ran all night. Caesar's could really use a face-lift in terms of the rooms.
     
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  4. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    For Harrah's Atlantic city, I get an upgrade whether I tip or not. These days, I usually get the waterfront or Bayview or waterfront rooms comped thought CET website booking, and I am always upgraded to Atrium suites if I want it for free. I usually do the $20 trick and get it.

    One particular time, my wallet was empty when I was checking in so I couldn't do the $20 trick. I asked if I could get an upgrade and they me the upgrade no problems. I always tip the front desk when I can, but on that particular occasion, it was interesting that I got it anyway.

    Also, my friend who is a platinum tried the $20 trick and asked for atrium (from a marina comp reservation) and they didn't give it to him. It was the same visit as when they upgraded me without me even giving a tip. They told him they could only give him Bayview or waterfront. So I suspect it might be a diamond thing (to upgrade to atrium), or maybe they only upgrade you one level up (i.e. Marina to Bayview / waterfront ... or waterfront to Atrium)
     
    Last edited: Apr 17, 2019
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  5. alexm

    alexm VIP Whale

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    I was downgraded once due to a late arrival and a last minute reservation change. We originally had 2 nights booked centurion and added 1 night the day before we were planning to head down. When we got there they put us in the forum tower low room with no windows. It was a Saturday night and they were clearly very booked so I understood. My host did not and when he found out the next day actually gave the desk manager an earful. He also told me use Diamond Check-In and if someone tries to change the reservation to email him immediately and call him as well. He explained that on a host reservation the room being requested is the lowest that should be given and that only upgrades should happen from there.
     
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  6. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Yeah, that was my understanding as well, that they don't downgrade your room even on a comp. Additionally the front desk lady told me that they didn't have centurion rooms available on any of the nights I was there (even though the website still listed it for purchase) and the diamond check in gave me one with no trouble. So she was probably pissed that I didn't give her the $50 tip after she couldn't upgrade me to a suite.
     
  7. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    By the way, does anyone have any information on Ocean Atlantic city. I tier matched with their Ocean Platinum card so I get 2 free nights that I am using this weekend. I have only played there once, on the same day that I tier matched, but I did put in some decent craps play.

    I have a regular room booked but I would love to get a mini suite. What are my chances with the $20 trick, given that it is a weekend. Has anyone tries the $20 trick at Ocean?
     
  8. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    I tier matched to their Black Card and got the upgrade even without a tip. I'm sure you'll be fine. Especially as all their rooms are much nicer than the equivalent CET room. I do hope you provide a TR
     
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  9. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Thanks a lot for the info @spdandpwr . By the way, do you know if all the rooms at Ocean have mini fridges that we can use? Since I have never stayed there, is there any particular tower / side or view I should ask for?
     
  10. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    I had to double check, but their website does say there's a fridge even in the king rooms. All the rooms are good, but I would ask for an ocean view. While I was in a suite, my room was facing the city and it wasn't much to write home about (in terms of view). I think you'll really enjoy your stay there. Plus, they separate the casino from the resort so you could go to the pool, eat dinner, grab drinks at the excellent lobby bar, and hit up the spa without stepping foot in a casino.
     
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  11. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Awesome Info. Also, did you go to the lounge while you were there? They charged me 10 comp dollars for access as a platinum. Is it worth 10 bucks?
     
  12. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    Which lounge? The Players Club Lounge (for Diamond and Black card holders) or the High Limit Lounge? I went to the high limit lounge because it was empty in comparison. It's dark in there but they serve pretty tasty snacks/hot food. And, it was free for Black Card holders. I'll be honest with you, I don't usually go to the lounges. I did at Hard Rock and it was pretty good. But, I'd rather just pay for the food I want. I'm not a buffet guy. AND, the food is so good at Ocean's, you'd be doing yourself a disservice by eating at the lounge. Either way, I'd defer to the Atlantic City thread for more info. Someone talked about it not so long ago.
     
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  13. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Thanks, I was referring to the players Club lounge. I actually didn't know there was food in the high limit lounge. Yeah, I stayed at Hard Rock and the Player's Club lounge food wasn't bad. So I was curious to try the one at Ocean. But since they are so many good restaurants, like you said, I might just skip it.
     
  14. spdandpwr

    spdandpwr VIP Whale

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    I tried Dolce and Amada...literally blew Hard Rock's options out of the boardwalk. Cafe 500 was okay. I didn't try Harpers.
     
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  15. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I just added the instructions on how to search in this thread to the first post in this thread. Once the thread gets bigger, it should help you find information on a specific casino.
     
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  16. oghuman

    oghuman VIP Whale

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    I'm wondering about people who check-in with VIP Check in at Caesars. Does a $20 trick help? I'm a 7* with about a 300,000 annual level. I'm assuming there are loads of bigger players and the $20 trick won't help at VIP checkin. Last time I had a suite, I think my host arranged it because it showed on the reservation based on body language of the check-in person as she showed a senior guy at the desk.
     
  17. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    I have tried it quite a few times at Caesars and it works about 50% of the time or more. In my most recent trip, the $20 trick did not work at Ocean. At Caesars, they gave me a soft upgrade to a corner centurion room on a high floor. I call it a soft upgrade since I was already reserved in a centurion premium room with an ocean view, but the corner room does have a slightly better view.
     
  18. oghuman

    oghuman VIP Whale

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    Thanks for the info I usually get a corner if I'm in Centurion Tower. Truthfully, it rarely matters to me except when I'm with my SO. She rarely comes to AC with me. Last trip I did get a King Suite in the Ocean Tower, it was nice room. It's been a while since I had one. My next trip during the Seven Stars Event I won't have a chance for an upgrade with a large Seven Stars crowd.
     
  19. fischer

    fischer High-Roller

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    I am curious if the rules change when in AC and the $20 trick doesn't commonly work.
     
  20. fischer

    fischer High-Roller

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    Wondering if the folks on the east coast know that a $20 tip should/could give a nice room upgrade? Anyone have luck with this?