Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

[SteveBourieOLD]

I was looking at the Mirage web site to check hotel room rates for March. I noticed that they have a $15 resort fee and they don't tell you what you get for paying that fee.

Here is their wording - "A daily resort fee of $15 plus tax will be added to your room account, which includes select hotel amenities."

I would assume that you actually get nothing for that fee because it is worded so vaguely.

Does anyone know what they give you for that $15 daily fee?

[toastcmu]

Re: Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

Steve - the best page I've found is at Resort Fees |VEGAS.com It is usally very accurate and lists what's included on each hotel. IT appears MGM is starting to charge resort fees at almost all their resorts.

From the website: MIrage
Daily in-room internet access
Daily newspaper available for pick-up at the Impulse Store and the Bell Desk
Daily bottled water delivery (two bottles per day)
Daily admission to the cardio room (does not include spa or fitness center)
Two robes provided during stay
Complimentary printing of boarding passes at the business center or concierge
Complimentary notary services at business center
Unlimited local and toll-free calls
Free copies and faxes (up to the first 5 pages) at the business center (excluding color and large print jobs)

[SteveBourieOLD]

Re: Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

It's sad to see that these properties need to add these fees to the daily room rates.

It's all just a "gimmick" to get more money out of their customers.

They should just raise the room rates and get rid of the fees.

Dewey Bryan has some interesting comments on these fees on his blog at Vegas Adventures: EVERYTHING I know about insidious RESORT FEES

[fingerstim]

Re: Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

I agree. I have commented many times on the Las Vegas Advisor forum that I will never stay at a hotel/casino in Vegas that will charge me a resort fee. I make an exception for comped rooms because I know of no property that charges a resort fee on a comped room. In addition I was critical of the Anthony Curtis LVA room rate listing due to the absence of a resort fee notation. There is no way to get an accurate reading of who has the lowest room rate charges if the accompanying resort fee is not listed.

[dewey089]

Re: Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

There are reports of Resort Fees being charged on comped rooms. You can check the link Steve included.
(No Bryan in my name however)

I'm in the process of reorganizing the information in that single blog post into an entire blog dedicated to Resort Fees that will be easier to navigate.

When it is fully arranged and ready to go, I'll send the new link to Steve. I'm going to keep it updated. One of the problems with Resort Fees is that they change so quickly and you can be booked and not know. Be sure to get a print out showing the charges when you book and have it ready to argue against newly added Resort Fees. You may have to call a manager to make the argument. Circus Circus admitted to me that any new resort fee would be assessed to a booking even the fee was not in existence at the time of the booking. Check for charges when you confirm.

Protest in writing may help also. M casino has dropped a $25 a night charge because of customer complaint.

I am afraid that this tricky business will in the future interfere with ACG coupons too. I assume that the Gold Spike $7.77 one night coupon will actually be 25% higher because the $1.98 resort fee will be assessed. I am away on holiday and have not called yet to confirm. I did write them and they simply did not answer.
These ACG coupons that actually give the amount of the room charge have been great booking tools. I hope resort fees won't change that.
Don't worry about the El Cortez $30 for two nights. No resort fee yet at the El Cortez. I used my coupon to book in April.
No resort fees at Terribles yet either.

[dewey089]

Breaking News- Harrah's Rejects Fees

This is very good news. Harrah's has recognized this as a marketing angle:

Harrah's uses resort fees to take swing at competitors - Tuesday, Jan. 5, 2010 | 7:10 p.m. - Las Vegas Sun

[jj & cindy]

Re: Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

It has been our experience that most comped rooms do not charge the resort fee however, we just recently had NY NY and the Orleans in LV try to charge us these fees. . .a simple contact with a casino host took care of it at both. It is our understanding that these resort fees are added on comped rooms so that if a guest does not gamble enough to cover the comp, the resort has your signature to charge you the fee.

[dewey089]

Re: Resort Fees at Vegas hotels?

From other's posted experiences I think you are right. I wonder what happens if you ask to be sure that those resort fees will be waived before or when you check in. Generally, you probably say hi to your host before you play and you could do it then. Also if when you book you ask for a detailed e-mail of charges sent to you with resort fees included if they are to be charged, that may help.

It is reasonable to think that this paperwork nightmare for us bookers of rooms is also a paperwork nightmare for those workers adding up the charges. Many, many threads have indicated that it took three of four times to get the fees removed.
This includes famous author Jean Scott. Part of the frustration with resort fees is once you hide something, no one knows if the resort is continuing to play hide and seek with charges just inept at calculating the new bill.

Not only hosts have been called to remove the fees, but often on check out people have called for "a suit" and complained they were not supposed to be charged, or did not know, and they find it removed. It might take fifteen minutes longer to check out, but it might remove the resort fee charge.

Of course, if all charges were assessed once, then this would be easy for both consumer and casino. There would be no confusion. There would be no subsequent mistrust. Why casinos want to educate their customers that they are not looking out for them, but are more like a carnival huckster calling in customers with tricky promises, is beyond me. In the old system the casino was so super nice that people did not mind being tricked out of their money by one armed bandits, etc.
And why they also want to frustrate and annoy their regular gamblers is also a puzzle.

That may be why Harrah's has announced they won't have resort fees. Savy gamblers then respond, "ha, ha, ha ... what about the bad VP, bad BJ, etc?" However, those tricks come later after Harrahs has you staying in the property. Until then the image they project is that they are friendly, and helpful, and not trying to overcharge so you can go on vacation and relax. And that approach has built a huge gambling empire.

Of course, the entire issue can be off your plate if you establish a gambling history at a casino without resort charges. There are plenty who don't charge them.