Paying With CR Credits For Booking Made Outside The CET System

I like to have back up plans in case something gets screwy. I booked an accessible suite at Harrahs some time ago when my host was out of reach for a while. It is exactly what I want. Now host is back and said to cancel that reservation because you are not guaranteed to get that suite when you get there. I asked that he book me a suite at any one of Caesars properties excluding the Linq and Rio. When I receive confirmation I would cancel my outside reservation (I did not book thru Caesars Rewards and did not use my players card number). I have my confirmation listing the accessible suite and they charged me a deposit of approximately $700 so I am thinking that room should be available when I arrive. Accessible is important.

After several days I get notification of a reservation the host made for a regular room at Ballys (not accessible) although I was quite clear on my wishes and needs. I am glad I did not cancel my reservation at Harrahs. My questions are:

Can you pay for a room made outside the TR system with CR credits at check in?

If so, will they take off the resort fees?

Can host convert the outside reservation to a comped room? If so, can I pay the difference between the cost of the comped room and the cost of the suite I booked?

I realize my 7* level of play may not warrant the small suite I booked at Harrahs so I am willing to pay the difference whatever that might be.

I would like for him to get credit for the booking and play while I am in LV but I want that kind of room or very similar room (suite) for my stay which is about 9 days. I keep my play at CET properties and intend to play 10 to 15K (usually more) during the trip.

 

AFAIK, once you are checked in, you can change your mode of payment to anything that the Casino will accept. In this case, RCs (Reward Credits, not Tier Credits).

UNLESS, you pre-paid through the third party. In that case, changes probably CANNOT be made.

When you book through a third party you give up MUCH of the flexibility that you would if you had booked direct.

 

Not sure, but I doubt it.

No.

No.

 

For resort fees to be waived, I believe you must book through caesars, not a third party website.

I also believe that for your host to get credit for your play, you must book through him/her and/or caesars. The host does not get credit for third party reservations -- and if you have a third party reservation at property X for certain dates, the host will not get credit for your stay at that property during those dates even if you cancel the reservation and rebook through him/her. So your host has NO incentive to change your third party reservation to a comped stay, even if it were possible (and I suspect it is not possible).

 

If you booked through third party it can’t be comped.

 

if you booked direct with Harrahs, no problem. It is not clear if you booked direct with CET without logging in, of if you booked through another agency.

And you will not actually PAY for the room at checkin. they will take a credit card to be on file/deposit. You can then go down to checkout and pay with your RC's before you leave.

ALERT - that room you still have on hold will get charged if not cancelled within the indicated time frame... sometimes same day, sometimes a few days in advance. Be aware.

Not sure why you did not book room direct via Caesars Rewards?

 

I booked directly on Caesars website but was not logged in to my account when I made the reservation. The room was booked and the deposit paid. Because it was not booked thru my account it shows resort fees. I have until October to cancel. I did not book thru Total Rewards because the suite did not show up. It only showed up when I went to Caesars website not logged in. Also the host had booked a room a couple months back (prior to the firm 7 Star event date) so I could not book the suite I wanted with a reservation already in the system for Planet Hollywood at the same time. My host was not available when this suite was booked.

 

No third party involved in the booking.

 

Also I could not cancel the reservation the host booked months ago. I tried online and called to no avail. Host has to do the cancellation that he booked and he was not available at that time.

 

If you booked with the hotel directly, then you can use your points to pay for the room.

 

It seems the top priority here is having an accessible suite guaranteed. While I’m sure you’ve done this already to some extent... why not pose it to your host as “I want a suite, and it must be accessible, what do YOU need from ME to guarantee that, even if it involves paying a supplement to a comped room?”

Since that’s the one truly non-negotiable thing, I’d try to firmly establish that directly with the host/hotel. Whether that’s something they can ensure is done as a matter of pleasing a player, or as a matter of ADA compliance if they are obliged in any way to avail accessible accommodations to you. I wouldn’t press the latter necessarily, but I believe it may be worth alluding to, just to make it clear that there’s a legitimate functional need associated with what you’re looking for, and that it isn’t just a preference for a certain suite.

 

In your situation, you should be able to associate your TR number with the reservation when you check in and if you are Diamond, they should be able to flip a flag on your reservation so you don;t get charged resort fees. You will need to mention this when you check in and you will need to babysit it (ie check your folio on the TV to make sure it doesn't get screwed up).

You should be able to have back-end comps applied assuming you earn them, and have RCs applied to the bill.

I did all this when I booked a suite at Rio last year. I couldn't get it comped, so the system wouldn't show it to me when I was logged in. So I logged out and booked it. I had them link the reservation to my TR account when I checked in, I didn't get charged resort fees, and I had both RCs and back-end comps applied to the bill.

All of this is how it should work for you.

Now here's the tricky part for your situation, depending on your play level.

I had to put up a 1st night deposit when I made the reservation. They apply the deposit to your folio the night you check in. So if you keep the reservation you made and try to go back-end, when the host sits down on the last night and looks at your bill, $700 already came off the top out of your pocket, so keep that in mind.

Even after applying the deposit and getting back-end and appying RCs, I still owed them a few bucks for the bill. The question is, what if you played at a level such that you really should end up getting part or all of your deposit refunded? I think that might be a tough nut to crack.

I'm not sure a host can convert your reservation to a comped one. The system said you can't get it comped. You said your host booked you a comped "regular room" at Bally's. Other than not being accessible, was it the same type of suite you booked yourself?

If yes, then I think he should be able to comp you an accessible version of the same suite (at least for some nights), or an accessible suite somewhere else that has the same value. A host should be capable of doing things the system won't let you do yourself. I would pursue it with the host until he catches on, and hang onto the reservation you made until you're satisfied you have a definitive answer.

A $700 deposit implies a pretty expensive suite. The bankroll you indicated probably falls a little short of being able to get it comped, at least for all 9 nights.

$700-ish room = $450-ish casino rate, so they'd want about $1,500 in theo for each night they comped. it's not impossible to do $1,500/night in theo for 9 nights with a $15k bankroll, but if you play slots, it's probably less than 50% likely. You have a better shot at covering something like 4 - 6 nights.

I realize the deposit amount might be higher than the average rate for the room, if you're arriving on a Friday or Saturday.

 

@Chuck2009x Thanks for info. Sounds like you did what I did booking outside the TR system since room didn't show when logged in. I have done a couple of things to make sure I get what I want. When I check the conf# the host booked it shows a regular room although he says it is a suite (interpretations of suites can vary. A suite to me has a separate bedroom and living room, not a room with a sofa etc).

Just in case I have not canceled my reservation and I have booked suites at three other properties that are not CET properties. This is a special trip for us. I am able to cancel all the bookings as long as it is done by the first part of October. Although I am a 7* player my play does not rise to the level of the 7* players who may be coming in for the event. Therefore there is probably a run on suites at all CET properties and I get that.

 

I think I would continue to pursue the host and see if you can get a flat yes or no whether you can get him to comp any nights up front in the suite you booked yourself. I think your mention of it being a 7* weekend and his comment that you're not guaranteed the suite are negatives.

Of course if you are going because it is 7* weekend, you probably want to stay at a CET property.

If that wasn't the case, and you get comp offers from MLife, an alternative would be to book there - they give deep discounts for suites you can't get comped and they do have accessible suites.

It can be a tough situation when inventory is low. I remember six years or so ago, I had a suite reserved at MGM Grand for a special occasion, it was relatively inexpensive, like $250/night or something, and I got bumped at check-in. I really didn't want to downgrade, but the front desk supervisor wouldn't cut me a price break on the next level up, which was $700/night. I had been assigned a host who I had never spoken to before and I got on the phone with her to plead my case for a price break on the higher suite, special occasion and all that, and she said, "Well, exactly how special is it?" lol. No break. I was pissed.

So I would be mentally prepared to pay full boat for the suite you booked, hope it's available at check-in, and then go for back-end, you should be able to get some. If it ends up working out better than that in the meantime, so much the better. With that much money on the line, it's certainly worth a couple of phone calls along the way.

The deposit you made at CET puts a crimp in one other strategy which would be to hang onto one reservation at some other property past the cancellation deadline.

For example if you were comped at CET, but had to put a deposit (that wasn't too onerous) down at the other:

• You get to CET and they want to downgrade you. You tell them forget it, and you forfeit a no-show fee.
• You get to CET and you get the room you want. You forfeit the deposit at the other property.

I've done that.