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Eldorado... The Curdled Cream Of The Crap!

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by AllenAndRossi, Jul 13, 2021.

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  1. cjcjcj

    cjcjcj VIP Whale

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    Servicing at Mandalay Bay in April and NoMad in May for my stays was top notch as normal.
     
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  2. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    That does make sense. In all my stays at CP this year I don't remember any bad service from individuals. It is "the amount of it" that is the problem. Lines in places I have never seen lines are irritating, but once you get in front of someone the "quality" is fine. The rooms were spotless when I checked in. Housekeepers in the hall were very friendly, it was getting someone to actually service the rooms during the stay that was the problem. Turndown? Don't make me laugh, I'd be happy to get the regular daily service by turndown time. (I do see they are ADVERTISING twice daily service at Wynn now. Coincidence? I doubt it. Some people, like me and Flowers, really like it.) Not so long ago they basically did housekeeping 24/7 at Caesars Palace. If I called at midnight to have the room done, someone would come and do it. Now, from what I can see, the crew leaves around 4-5pm and that is it. If they haven't gotten to your room they aren't going to.

    Need to contact the hotel operator? Dial 0, put it on speaker, take a shower, go to Starbucks, come back to see if anyone has answered. She will be friendly and efficient when she finally comes on the line. Service at restaurants is great too...if you can get a booking, once you actually get seated, if the restaurant is actually open. The ONE lady working behind the counter at Brioche by Guy Savoy actually smiles and offers to warm your sandwich for you, after you have waited 20 minutes and there is a huge line behind you.

    To be fair, the staffing issue impacts hotels outside of CET. I have stayed at hotels not in Vegas this year and noticed some of the same things. I'll be interested to see how Wynn is handling it later this year when I use my matching offer. If the major construction has started at CP, I'm probably going to cancel my stay at NOBU and book Encore instead.
     
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  3. Gaggles

    Gaggles VIP Whale

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    I asked four days in a row for room service and had it one day at Flamingo last week. The same week at MGM, I was offered room service TWICE in the same day. At the MGM pool I had the best customer service I have ever had in Vegas. At the Flamingo I asked 3 different people a total of five times for an iron and was told they had none on the property. And I was on hold to Housekeeping 10-20 minutes all three times I called. My Host, like many others, urged emails and calls to ELD or nothing will change and in fact things will continue to get worse. There was more but we get the point. The above from last week is not anecdotal and was in fact an actuality.

    We are expressing concerns about elementary levels of customer service. We are not complaining about the limo being 5 minutes late for an airport pick up. If we start to accept terrible service as a norm, it always gets worse.

    In any event, unless something changes significantly, ELD has pushed me to MGM. And on my last trip when I split time, far more of my bankroll was wagered at MGM-NY-Bellagio than other CET props. So I am putting my money where my mouth is rather than simply stomping my feet.

    I will let everyone know how Tahoe goes next month as we have stays booked over two weeks at Harrahs and Harveys. As well we are in Reno for a day and I booked and paid to stay at The Peppermill for about $175 even though I have comped rooms at Silver Legacy.
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2021
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  4. MCann

    MCann I can't complain, but sometimes I still do...

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    Housekeeping came every day last week in the pyramid at Luxor. The base Excalibur king room my host got me to camp out waiting for my redeye flight Friday night had more than 3 towels. At Cosmo on the holiday weekend, I was told at checkin that they were a little short on housekeeping staff, so they offered me $20 off my bill to skip ONE day of housekeeping, voluntarily. In April, I stayed 2 days at Caesars Palace in the Palace tower and requested housekeeping between the first and second nights because we had yet another shower leak and needed fresh towels. We saw them servicing the room next door but they never serviced mine. I moved to Luxor for the next 4 nights where I never wanted rooms serviced and left the DnD sign up the whole stay, but we were in a 2br suite with 2 room numbers. The DnD sign fell off the door we werent using one morning, and when we got back after maybe 90 minutes for breakfast, both rooms had been serviced. Also had daily service last year at Bellagio on both stays, even in July when it was flat out unavailable at Caesars Palace. They've showed no signs of slipping at all in my 7 or 8 MLife stays since reopening last year, with the one exception that they didnt clean and restock the minibar in my suite in Bellagio before allowing me to check in at noon.
     
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  5. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

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    Just a reminder to everyone: let's keep this thread within the parameters of VMB rules. A few of these posts are verging on personal insults toward members. The mods will go back and review and see if anything needs to be cleaned up. But you can disagree with another member's idea without atacking the member. If that continues, this thread will be closed
     
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  6. NCAAHoops

    NCAAHoops VIP Whale

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    Thanks for the very detail write up. This now makes 100% sense -- on our last visit to AC Harrah's had entire string of lights out in the self parking garage....to the point you could not see the cars half way up the ramp. ( this was not just one ramp either JUST NOT SAFE) if you did not have car lights showing on the ramp you were looking at just darkness and could not see much more than 1/2 way up the ramp. When I got inside I mention this to a security guy. He said he would take a look. However, I saw him walking around the casino for the next few hours. So I took it as lip service...Live and learn.

    At that time the valet was closed during the week and open on weekends.
     
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  7. BethGarden

    BethGarden Tourist

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    I agree with almost eveything said about the level of service since Eldorado took over Caesars. Our local CET casino has always been Harrah's Joliet. They have always taken great care of us there and we had an absolutely awesome host. When Eldorado first took over she was so excited that they would have many more casinos as part of the group but things unfortunately must have changed. She has since(with 20 years with Joliet)taken a new job with Hard Rock Northern Indiana. I think she must have seen the writing on the wall. She called me just a week or two ago and offered us comped dinners whenever we make it over to the new casino. We will be going there soon but they do not have a hotel yet so will still probably go to Joliet.

    We recently had a one night stay at Joliet and it was fine. My husband's host took care of our rooms but there was no restaurant open until 11:00 on any morning so we left for home without eating that morning.Also the former Laurel Lounge where we ate most of the time is only open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday with very reduced hours We were there on a Tuesday so we could not go there as we would have in the past.

    We have a stay booked at Bally's at the end of August. They also have taken great care of us in the past. We require very specific types of accommodations as we have two handicapped daughters who travel with us. The person we have always dealt with in the Diamond check in informed me that her position had been eliminated and she is now at the Linq. She tried to take care of us by e-mailing someone at the front desk to block our rooms as had been done in the past. We will see what happens. I don't have much confidence in what will happen.
     
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  8. Sfgiants13

    Sfgiants13 VIP Whale

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    I genuinely feel bad for the employees. They had to deal with shitty people during the worst of covid and now people are coming back and they’re just overwhelmed. It’s not the people I have an issue with. It’s the beancounters making these decisions. I hope this blows up in their faces when the surge of travel demand dies down. Once international travel opens I bet it’ll start to normalize with people having more vacation options.

    But who knows really. It’s been nice venturing out to other properties not in Vegas. I have comp offers at many casinos in various parts of the country and it’s kind of nice. It’s not Vegas but I’m in my 30s and married so the draw of clubs and parties doesn’t really appeal to me any more.
     
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  9. Sfgiants13

    Sfgiants13 VIP Whale

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    Probably not. Back when Paris/ballys had their new drink cuts according to a post here all it took was 2 whales moving their play elsewhere to reverse that. I still can’t get a vodka red Bull there but it’s not restricted to the gun for liquor anymore.
     
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  10. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    Agreed. You can always find ways to disagree without being disagreeable.

    The topic seems to be that some people have hit their limit with CET/Eldorado (please stop with your "cute" nicknames, it is Eldorado.) and some other people still find that their needs are met there. There is nothing wrong with this and people need to find a way to treat each other with respect and basic courtesy.

    I'm found a couple of posts I think stepped across the line and I will be removing or editing to cool the temperature here.
     
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  11. tee6395

    tee6395 Downtown Dreamer

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    I think my argument stands up fairly well during the pre-pandemic timeframe. That is why DT had massive gains and the Strip more modest. People, particularly folks here on this board and others that are similar, rant, share information and change casinos/companies like some do their underwear; Always searching for the best deal, best gamble or reasonable entertainment and food.

    While the Strip certainly caters to customers such as ourselves, they carve out a distinction for the 8th Wonder of the World and people forgive them their overcharging because of it. But I am in 100% agreement that there is a tipping point and for some of us, that tipping point has gone too far. Let the once-a-year visitor or club hopper or whatnot keep paying the price. I don't much care. I have choices and I'm not going to let them just blatantly rip me off. The Strip lost its sizzle and glamor for me long ago. I love to gamble, but that can be done in many, many different places around the world. Vegas will have to reinvent itself in some dramatic way before I pay what they're asking!
     
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  12. westcanguy

    westcanguy High-Roller

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    Actions speak louder than words!
     
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  13. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    Downtown made $1.3 B of total revenue in 2019. The Strip made $18.5 B per the state of Nevada's figures. There's just no comparison, and no real reason to think Strip operators are missing something if they lose a tiny amount of comp hungry business to down there.

    Revenue (not profit, revenue) on the Strip grew 40% from 2010 to 2019. The Strip's revenue growth over 9 years was equal to nearly 4 times the amount of revenue earned by all of Downtown in 2019. They grew plenty fast when you consider the effective future capacity constraints on room and floor space that exist. And they almost certainly did a better job growing their margins than downtown did - look at their hotel occupancy and REVPAR over that timeframe.

    Both areas are healthy and doing well. I have no interest in picking on DTLV - a place I like and go to. But I have to roll my eyes at any argument along the lines of "Downtown is kicking the Strip's rear because MGM, CET/ELD, Wynn, or whoever else has made gaming payouts/comps worse."

    CET is clearly making a bet that they can keep their 25% of the revenue (or whatever the share is) with worse service. Time will tell if it is right. But it's clearly been the right idea from 2010-2019 to raise prices, offer worse gaming conditions, add resort fees, etc.

    I think they may be going too far, and some of the stuff in here seems really stupid, like not having valet open 7 days a week, or serving absurdly bad pool food. But I also think mjames has a point that an awful lot of you are dismissing out of hand. Namely, the random casino worker has (a) very little insight as to the decisions actually being made at corporate, (b) they are currently very inclined to blame their overlords for things that their prior overlords were already doing over time, and (c) we are still coming out of a pandemic which drastically affected their available staff and options.

    I think, for a lot of people, walking elsewhere for the next 6-12 months is reasonable. But I also don't think you can look at ANY casino in Vegas right now and think that they're operating at the level of service I'd expect come 2022.
     
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  14. Catzilla

    Catzilla VIP Whale

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    I have no opinion whatsoever, but it's an interesting thread for sure. I went to CP in Vegas exactly once. I had time to kill and wanted to see the fountain show. I'm not sure if I started out in the wrong building or what, but it seemed like I walked down a mile or two of corridors, passed through some slots, walked another mile and finally ended up there. I watched the show and looked at some fish. I remember thinking, holy shit, I'm not doing this again. :eek:
     
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  15. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    Of all the things they've done...this was probably the smartest? How many people a year were paying for Caesars third tier shows? Did anyone care about a 3rd or 4th X burlesque show? Look at Resorts World and what they are doing - it's a headliner's market now.

    The focus for an Allen and Rossi, and for the average person here, is the decline in service.
     
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  16. tee6395

    tee6395 Downtown Dreamer

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    Agreed. ^^^

    It's shameful, imo.

    You seem to have many numbers at your fingertips. I'm wondering what the occupancy rate is. I recognize that the numbers will never compare because, frankly, lack of space. The Strip is huge and DT is tiny. You literally can't walk around downtown under the canopy and right off canopy after 8ish at night. I would say DT brings in a ton. You have your points and I'm not looking to spar with someone so well-versed in stats. I'm just using my powers of observation. I am also speaking in terms of gamblers - not necessarily the club goers, entertainment people etc. No comparison obviously.
     
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  17. The Rumor

    The Rumor VIP Whale

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    ElDorado is probably the worst of it, but after months of this, I think it's time for all of us to admit that they can fill up on the weekends with the true believers who need Vegas at almost any cost. Caveat Emptor.
     
  18. Sonya

    Sonya Queen of VMB

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    I think I've managed to clean up this thread, including the post that upset so many of you.

    I hope that now we can go on talking about your experiences at CET/Eldorado and other properties in Vegas now with the service issues that people are experiencing.

    Hopefully this thread can proceed without getting quite so hot and personal. I ask everyone to take a deep breath because some of these posts were over the line and we need to remember that what makes VMB special is the friendliness and informative posts. I'd hate to close this thread because a couple of people don't take a pause before hitting the reply button.

    Thanks!

    And again a reminder that I always support voting with your wallet. If a company is no longer giving you the service or experience you are looking for, there is probably someone else who would love to have your money. :)
     
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  19. LAdoesVegas

    LAdoesVegas High-Roller

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    I am very sad to hear that El Dorado has plans to get rid of the dome over the tables at CP. That dome is part of the history that IS Caesar's PALACE itself, and while I support sprucing up the foyer in front of it, it would be a damn shame to lose that history. Obviously one of the best things about Vegas is that it's always changing, but some things really will be missed if they are taken down when they don't need to go.

    The conversations the OP had with staff members are right in line with many of my conversations with staff members as well. A & I went 5 times last year (once before the pandemic, 4 times after the reopening in June) and have been 3 times this year. We have stayed at MLife, CET, and Virgin. We make friends with bartenders & security guards & waitresses everywhere we go, and they have told the same story. It was hard in the beginning when things re-opened last June, the pandemic was still raging, customers weren't tipping, and people were getting paid a lot to sit at home. Everyone we encountered was thankful to be back at work and appreciated our patience and good attitude. But the demand wasn't there, so fewer workers was fine.

    But on our trips in February, April, and now June this year, we've noticed that demand is back in a big way, but there still aren't enough employees. Long waits at check-in, trying to be forced to a kiosk (NO THANK YOU, NOT UNTIL YOU GET A BETTER SYSTEM), cuts to housekeeping (we usually don't even want service, but I don't want to be told I can't have extra towels or pillows - ahem, Luxor - or wait 20 minutes just to order them. I always order extra pillows.). Virgin actually solved this problem by having you order anything extra from housekeeping through your TV. I ordered extra shampoo & towels and they arrived in less than 15 minutes. There was only one server at Harrah's pool last summer, so it's disheartening to hear that that is STILL the case. There were probably only 50-75 ppl there last summer, now I'm sure they're coming close to that 200 person point every day. Makes zero sense unless you have someone making decisions who only sees the math and has never worked in a restaurant or bar a day in their life. Someone is doing a bad job at figuring out which amenities can take cuts and which amenities guests actually want. I really want a real person at the check-in desk, good pool service, and cocktail waitresses available while I'm gambling. That's not that hard but those are the things that seem to be disappearing.

    Had A & 3 of his friends got a suite at CP a few weeks ago. It was the first time staying there for all of them. They are all guys in their 30's and very early 40's who have disposable income and aren't already invested with any gambling companies. Their impression was that CP was less impressive than they had thought, especially for the price. They were given the wrong amount of beds (2 instead of 3), the suite was a bit beat up, the fridge wouldn't open at first and looked like someone had pried it open previously, no housekeeping whatsoever, I asked for extra pillows and they brought up extra sheets, etc. They see no reason to stay at or gamble at CET, so now they are wanting to make this a yearly trip and will be staying elsewhere. Not the impression you want to give new customers with your "flagship" property.

    I completely understand that there will be challenges to every line of business, especially hospitality and supply lines, over the next year or more, thanks to COVID and the Shutdowns. But when it's MORE obvious at CET and less obvious at MLife & Virgin & Circa, people will notice and vote with their wallets. Obviously CET has a TON of debt to pay down, and I'm sure they're trying to handle some of that, but I feel like they're letting the pendulum swing too far in the direction of money & lack of service, and eventually they will have to correct it back to excellent service & less pocket-lining. Only time will tell how long that takes.
     
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  20. dankyone

    dankyone VIP Whale

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    Agreed 100%. If The Strip as a whole has lost any business at all to downtown LV, it is a drop in the bucket and they simply don’t care. They have 14 times the revenue and downtown is not a competitive threat. From their perspective the strategy of squeezing more money out of their clientele is working because people are paying up.

    If Caesars loses business, it’s going to other Strip operators. I don’t see many people saying, I’ve had it! From now on I’m staying at the 4 Queens! If your expectations aren’t being met at Caesars Palace, instinct is going to tell you you’re not going to be happy downtown.

    Might CET loyalists just stay home? Maybe. It’s too soon to tell. But right now my gut tells me MGM and Wynn will be the biggest gainers if the current state of the Empire is the new normal.

    Wynn is being very aggressive and throwing free stuff at players with this status match. A lot of people are going to give them a new look this year. Some will like the view and never look back.
     
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