Station Casinos' amenity fee

[westie]

I was amazed by amount of the daily amenity/service fee currently being charged at each of the Station Casinos. Here is a listing of the fee for each property:

$7.95
Fiesta-Henderson
Fiesta-Rancho

$9.95
Boulder Station
Palace Station
Santa Fe Station
Sunset Station
Texas Station

$14.95
Aliante Station

$24.99
Green Valley Ranch
Red Rock Resort

[fingerstim]

Those are indeed amazing. Management does not understand that many customers including myself consider those fees "ripoffs." I am coming with a group next June to bowl in the USBC tournament. I researched the new Aliante Station in North Las Vegas which opens in Nov 08. This new place had very reasonable room rates. Then I noticed the $14.95 amenity fee.

I Emailed my displeasure to customer service and was surprised to receive a reply from Joe Hasson the VP and General Manager. We exchanged several Emails in which he tried to justify the value of a such items as a free shoe shine, free use of the telephone, and transportation to the golf course. I told him that I did not wear shoes that need a shine when I come to Vegas, that I have a cell phone with free long distance like most people do in today's world, and that I did not come to Vegas to play golf in June. Therefore I did not appreciate being required to pay for items I had no use for. We agreed to disagree.

I respect the responses I got from Mr. Hasson but I will never stay at Aliante Station even though I would like to because as I matter of principle I will not put up with this amenity fee nonsense. As a matter of fact I will not stay at any Station Casino. In the past I have turned down good deals from Red Rock Station due to the $19.95 add on (Westie says it is $24.95 so it must have been increased lately).

Maybe in the current economy Station Casinos will realize that these fees hurt them and are considered a ripoff by many customers.

[Steve Bourie]

Those "amenity" fees do seem rather high. Especially, for Palace Station because if you ever stayed in one of their garden rooms, it's a slight step above being in a mobile home.

Years ago, I remember staying at the Tropicana and they charged $1 a day for unlimited local phone calls. I never used the phone and I thought it was an absurd charge, but it was only one dollar. That was the only casino/hotel I knew of at that time that had a fee of that kind.

I think it was about six years ago (when Enron was in the energy business) when there were some hefty electric company sucharges for the casino/hotels and it was passed onto the hotel guests in the way of room surcharges. At least those were legitimate fees that were eventually phased out. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like these "amenity" fees are going to be phased out unless there is a consumer backlash.

The best thing that the traveler can do is to thoroughly check out a property before making a reservation to see if there are any added fees. If so, just take your business elsewhere.

In today's very competitive marketplace the consumer definitely rules. Hopefully, the casinos will "get the message" and reduce (or eliminate) their fees accordingly.

[atlanticcityrose]

Atlantic City and NJ charge hotel occupancy taxes, that are passed on to all but the highest rollers. So if you get a comped room, you still have to pay.
The Harrah's properties just upped what they charge, even though the government didn't increase the taxes

[jimc]

I agree with fingerstim. I use to stay at Santa Fe occasionally, but now with the $9.95 fee, I won't even consider it. Why? Just because of the principle of the hidden fee. Just add it on the cost of the room up front. The fees have just gone up. A few months ago the Santa Fe fee was $4.95

[Fighting Duck]

But they still give good local comps. Also, we stay overnight and use their valet parking and airport shuttle when we fly out of Vegas. Saves the airport parking fees.

[tikithecat]

Our rooms are always comped at Stations. The resort (or amentity) fee shows up on the TV screen when we check out, but is followed by CR (credit). We are not charged this fee. We stayed at Sunset last month, no problems. You may want to talk to a host and not a suit.

[Ben Jammin]

I booked a room. No mention of any resort or amenity fee. Upon check in I was charged.

Upon check out I informed the manager I would be contacting my credit card company to dispute the entire bill. .(cancell payment) The fee was removed.

If you aren't told or if it isn't in writing at the time of booking refuse to pay it.

Just call your credit card company.

Otherwise, these deceptive tactics will get worse, as the bean counters try to figure out how to keep their jobs.

[Morpheus72]

A la carte pricing -- the airlines are going to it as well. Pay your ticket price, perhaps with a fee if you don't book it online, then a charge to check your bags, a charge for a bottle of water -- which, if you think about it, becomes a necessity if they leave you on the tarmac for any length of time, and a charge for some food on your 4 to 5 hour flight to Vegas.

So, I'll carry my bags on, book online, buy a soda at a restaurant in the airport and carry it on, and eat before I board.

Oh, and to keep it on topic, I won't stay at any place that charges an amenity fee.

Dave

[dewey089]

The way to avoid any cost of water at the airport is to pack a couple empty water bottles and take them through security, then fill them at the water fountain before boarding the plane.