The $20 Trick thread

Because the front desk People can get in trouble for doing it....they are much more likely to help you out if you slip in between the cards.

 

So we think that despite thousands of internet pages about the topic and hundreds of clerks taking money, the vegas hotel industry remains unaware of this 'trick', even though they have cameras covering every part of the hotel and casino.

 

Of course they aware of it. But they can still get reprimanded for it. So being discreet seems to yield better results. It's pretty simple.

 

Agree to disagree. If they were getting in trouble for it, it would be a lot less common.

 

It's well documented that it is against the "rules" for them. It's not common for them to actually ever get in trouble for it. But it's one of the reasons why they will not take the money if a supervisor is close by.

Just holding out the money - they will NEVER take it. They still might help you out, but this is the "$20 trick" thread, not the "ask nicely for an upgrade " thread. Trust me, I tried it the other way for a while before seeing results doing it the "standard" way. And while you can get some nice upgrades by just asking nicely, the $20-$50 you are willing to discreetly tip can get you some amazing upgrades, and if they take the tip, you will definitely get something. It's not even a gamble because they will never take the money without helping you out. Never.

 

Ps-
If they were allowed to accept tips, none of them would refuse the money, which is quite common especially at MGM properties.

From what I am experiencing it's actually getting a little tighter , less of them accepting the tip. A few years ago it was less frowned upon.

 

My point is that they are either allowed to do it or they aren't. It might differ from property to property, and even from time to time. All I'm saying is that if it's 'frowned upon' to the point where they could lose their job, they aren't risking their job for $20 in this economy, no matter how you think you are hiding it. If they are taking a tip, it's sanctioned, whether it's tacitly or openly. There's no such thing as discretion if the cameras are rolling.

If I was running the hotel and I 'frowned upon' my clerks taking tips, I'd publish a policy forbidding it, then simply catch one breaking the rule and then very publicly fire them. That would cut way down on the rest of it, don't you think?

Despite some opinions to the contrary, the hotels aren't stupid.

The only exception to this is hosts -- read back in one of natedog's threads where he tipped the host in his room, where there are no cameras.

I'm not suggesting you don't tip. I'm suggesting that it's not a 'trick.'

 

I am contemplating trying this on Saturday at the Elara. Me and a friend have a 1 bedroom suite booked, would love to get a two bedroom lol. Our flight gets in around 10am. Should I wait till afternoon to check in or try and see what they have when we arrive?

 

Mike you are right about it varying from casino to casino and varies over time, I think it comes down to the culture of the management. It is policy, though, that they aren't supposed to accept tips for room upgrades. There are so many other things going on at any given time there, especially at the front desk, that I think it is way way far down the list of things they are actually worried about enforcing, though. I'm sure someone somewhere has been fired for it but I would imagine that is rare.

Also, getting a newer employee usually works against the trick working.

I don't know anyone who has worked the front desk, maybe someone here has and can further clarify exactly what the rules for them are and how serious they enforce it.

 

I agree 100% that getting a newer employee works against you. It works against you anytime you want anything that's out of the ordinary, because they are less likely to know what they can and can't do and more likely to be focused on the basics.

 

I think if they make a show of it that is when they get reprimanded. Sure a lot of people know, but that is still a tiny faction of the guests checking in. If everyone knew about it then it would be worthless. Less than 10% of hotel guests are $20 trickers I would guess.

 

I agree. I read a lot of customer reviews of hotels in Vegas on other sites, and many of those people are clueless of many things associated with resorts fees, upgrading ($20 trick), etc. And i'm not including customer complaints who don't go online. Many people in here, including myself, warned of the resort fees before and after March 1st (at CET hotels) and they're still complaining. Some of the same people said "well, i guess i'll stay at MiLife properties" not knowing most Strip and off Strip properties are pretty much all fee based now (with exceptions of course).
Same with the sandwich, i personally never used it because i never cared about room upgrades, especially at Bally's where i usually stay in the south tower, but i always knew about it. This year, starting with Rio in a couple of days, i will use the tip mainly because of my recent health issues.

 

I am leaving for Las Vegas next Tuesday and will arrive to the Mirage about 930 pm. I plan on trying the $20 trick. I have a standard queen room booked. I did it last June and was successful getting a strip view room on the 24th floor. I plan on asking for that again. Want to make sure others think I can't get anything more than that. Thanks.

 

Since you're arriving on a Tuesday, I would ask for a Tower Room with a strip view.

 

Tried the $20 trick at the Rio this week......Saturday-Thursday stay.

Got upgraded to a Samba Suite, which is the size of a standard "suite" at the Rio.

The room seemed to have been upgraded recently......carpet and furniture seemed fresh.....flat screen TV.

All in all, nothing special, but well worth $20 for 5 nights.

 

The Samba Suite look nice. Did you have a mountain or strip view? Is the Samba Suite near the pool? The Samba Suite is in the Masquarade Tower however, wonder if i use the sandwich and ask for a Samba with strip view, or if not, go back to my original plan and ask for the Ipinema with a pool view.

 

I'll be checking into Mand' Bay on the 22nd for 3 nights, paid for a standard room, but already got upgraded to 660spa suite as its our honeymoon....
I was planning on trying the $20 tip in hope that we might get "the great room" or "Sky View" even! or higher, but would have to be extremely lucky i guess!!!

Then next hotel will be for 5 nights checking in on 27th at the Luxor, this room is comped already (comped, but i have to pay the resort fee as part of the deal)....
So kinda hoping as you lot go home on the monday (memorial wkend), hotel should be quieter as such, so was thinking as its for 5 nights, maybe offer $50 instead of the $20 in hope that we might get a super nice room (got std room booked already)..
I'll post on here the outcome anyway!

 

The rooms on the 24th floor of the Mirage are better than the regular deluxe rooms, too. The 24th floor tower deluxe rooms have a bigger bathroom that has two sinks and a vanity as opposed to the regular rooms that have a small bathroom with just one sink.

 

Got 3 nights comped at Encore in July (King suite) and might try the $20 to secure a nice view. If we get upgraded to the Panoramic Suite, if not no big deal as the room will be just fine.

 

All we asked for was a room with a tub ("doesn't have to be a jacuzzi!"), knowing that the Forum Tower didn't have them except for the suites. Honestly, I was only hoping for a Palace Tower room and if we were really lucky, a Forum Tower suite. When she said Augustus my wife thought I was going to do a touchdown dance.

Since I didn't do any research into the room before we went, I didn't realize the Augustus and Octavius towers have their own valet parking. Found out on the last day and made sure to use it just because we could!