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For those people complaining about Resort Fees...

Discussion in 'LV Strip Hotels' started by LV_Bound, Jun 16, 2012.

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  1. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    I read a lot of complaints about resorts fees.

    Currently booked for the first time at a CET resort free hotel. Inquired about Internet access ($14/day) and a frig ($25/day). Ouch. Never had to pay for these at any MGM property and we use them every trip. Those resort fees are looking pretty good to me. :eek:
     
  2. Tubbs

    Tubbs High-Roller

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    Including the fridge cost is not a fair comparison. I can understand about the internet fee if you want that every day. Your post implies that a fridge is always free at MGM properties. Unless you need one for medical supplies, that is not true, and presumably CET would not charge in those circumstances either.
     
  3. LV_Bound

    LV_Bound VIP Whale

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    Each time (at either MGM or NYNY) we simply requested the frig and there was no question for its usage or any charge. We always thought is was one of those things they do. Sort of like asking for extra towels.
    After reading a post about there being a cost I asked when confirming my reservation for this trip at PH and they confirmed there is a charge unless for medical reasons as you stated.
     
  4. Dean Martin

    Dean Martin VIP Whale

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    I've always contended that "if" you use the ammenities covered by the fee, it's a good deal. We just got back from Encore and if you like to use the gym and have internet service in your room, it's a much better price to pay the fee versus a la carte. I think most of the complaints are people that just want a room and don't use any of the ammenities but they're forced to pay the fee and basically get nothing (that they're interested in) for it.

    Interesting dynamic at Wynncore; we just got back and our room was comp'd but discovered that a comp room guest can "not" pay the resort fee even if they want it. Your only choice is a la carte. Ended up actually better though as we only really needed internet one day and used the gym 2 days out of 6.
     
  5. sco5123

    sco5123 VIP Whale

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    mgm would be awesome if it weren't a requirement, and you could pay per stay instead of per day, or pay only on the day you plan to use them.
     
  6. ken2v

    ken2v This Space For Rent

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    Trying to convince someone of the validity, or lack thereof, of resort fees is like trying to get the South to admit it lost the Civil War fairly and squarely. It's like the question of room and hotel quality; everyone has different standards and expectations, everyone has a different formula for value.

    I'm often hammered here when I say these aren't hidden fees, that I don't believe they are sneaky and tricky and poorly disclosed, three conditions I've never found in the realm of resort and vacation travel. So, take the cost of room A, add any mandatory resort fee, compare it to the cost of room B with no nefarious unholy resort fee. If A costs less. Winner. If A and B are the same. Winner. If A costs more but its a "better" joint and the added "value" adds up. Winner. Etc.

    OK, so I don't get hammered on this, let's pretend that some people really can't find and read the fine print: After one booking, you'll know. Caveat emptor. But seriously, there is simply no way that anyone active here, anyone who travels at all, should not be aware of resort fees. Now, you still might not like the idea, but they are out there, they are ever-present and they are known. We're back to an act of simple math.
     
  7. br549

    br549 High-Roller

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    Well said Ken. Agree 100 percent.
     
  8. wigwam_salesman

    wigwam_salesman VIP Whale

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    Most hotels say they charge for a fridge, but I have never had to actually pay the charge anywhere in the world.
     
  9. KKB

    KKB VIP Whale

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    The gripe with resort fees...

    is that I HAVE to pay it...even if I don't use those services. Much like the gripe of the OP--griping because he has to pay for services he wants. Not sure how that makes resort fees look good...tomato...tomato.
    Have a smart phone, so don't need internet access. Walk everywhere in Vegas so don't need fitness club. But I am REQUIRED to pay an extra fee DAILY for these services.
    But yes, it just means I must mentally add that $15-25/day chunk to the actual cost of the room.
    One reason MGM/other properties did this is so that when people pull them up on travel sites like expedia, their rates look more comparable to other resorts....not sneaky at all...:nono:
     
  10. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    If a fridge was important to me, I would stay in a hotel with one. Rio, TI and Casino Royale all have them. And if I understand it correctly, Paris emptied out the minibars in some rooms so they can be used as a fridge, too. It seems to me that the fridges in rooms where they are supposed to be an amenity run better and more quietly than ones brought up from room service.
     
  11. bigalbr

    bigalbr VIP Whale

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    The issue with resort fees is that it distorts internet searches. I just ran an Orbitz search for a 6 night stay in late July.

    Orbitz says Monte Carlo is $681. It says Ballys is $696.

    The actual price for me to stay at Monte Carlo is $800.

    Why is it OK for Monte Carlo to understate their rate by $20/night? It doesn't greatly affect me since I know about the charge, but it's still a dishonest business practice. I suppose my real issue is with Orbitz since they tolerate mandatory per night fees that aren't in room rate. They are aware of the fee, it's right below the amount due at booking. If they would refuse to list Monte Carlo until Monte Carlo properly listed the actual cost to sleep in their hotel for a night that might make a difference.
     
  12. JWBlue

    JWBlue VIP Whale

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    I don't get being angry about resort fees when someone knows about them when booking.
    Add them to the cost of the room. You have a real cost. I don't think it is dishonest. It is a breakdown of the cost of the stay.

    I get being angry about resort fees when they weren't disclosed more prominently when booking and the guest
    was not aware of them. Being angry more than five minutes about it is what I don't get.
     
  13. bigbooner

    bigbooner Low-Roller

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    Dean Martin's first paragraph and KKB both nailed it. Maybe there are two different arguments going. One being not wanting to pay for something that you don't intend to use but are being forced to pay. The other being whether you consider them to be "hidden" or not.
     
  14. smartone

    smartone VIP Whale

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    Very well stated Ken! Agreed 100%
     
  15. nitc

    nitc Tourist

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    Well said Ken.

    For us, we don't need/use hotel internet, fridge, complimentary bottled water, morning newspaper, or whatever else comes with the resort fee. Therefore, we choose not to pay one. The OP uses these services, so they don't mind paying it. To each their own.
     
  16. gerry53

    gerry53 VIP Whale

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    we got an email offer from ti for stays till end of august.

    rooms "from" 39 bucks weekdays and 100 weekends but the thing I noticed most was it said resort fee optional for a 28 buck per night saving.
     
  17. Candy Apple

    Candy Apple VIP Whale

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    What do they mean by "optional"? Who's going to choose to pay a resort fee?
     
  18. Username

    Username VIP Whale

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    EXACTLY..........that is why the resort fee is a MAJOR RIP OFF......

    Where were all you resort fee people when there wasn't a resort fee......don't remember you guy begging for a resort fee to be added to your room bill.

    If you go to Vegas to spend hours on your computer.....well then, why not just stay home and do it.........then every 3-4 hours take a trip the the can and flush $5 bill down the toilet......that would save you a lot of plane fare......right....LOL

    BTW I have never been supplied at MGM Grand with a fridge....resort fee or no resort fee...stayed there 5 times so far...but they do supply you with FREE (my favorite 4 letter word) ICE all day long......
     
  19. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Just out of curiosity...

    For those of you who absolutely despise resort fees: are you willing to pay more for an "equal" hotel because it doesn't charge a resort fee? (For example, would you pay $130 for Paris rather than $95 + $25 resort fee for Mirage assuming you liked each property exactly equally?)
     
  20. Username

    Username VIP Whale

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    Personally, I wouldn't........never paid more then $55 per night for a room in Vegas.
     
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