Las Vegas - Cheap Hotels: Extra Bonuses (good) & Resort Fees (bad)

I just booked a few hotel nights, so here's what I've found. Love to hear about extra bonuses... Some places give away coupons and/or funbooks, but don't advertise them on Orbitz/Expedia/Travelocity.

*** Even if you only want 1 night, you might check for 2-3 nights. Sometimes the 2nd or 3rd night is free. ***
Golden Gate & El Cortez have 2nd night free specials (El Cortez only for the next week or two).
I saw these specials on hotels.com, but not on orbitz.com. Seem to vary between websites.

-----------------
Good Hotels
-----------------
El Cortez (-$8, $5 dining, & free 2-nights in June-July-August 2009 with 2-night booking)
- In April/May 2009 with a 2-day booking, they give you a free certificate for 2 nights in June, July, or August.
- Funbook requires internet booking (Their website or other website). No phone rez.
- Funbook with $5 slot play (once every 2 weeks), $5 match, $5 dining, $0.50 off Keno ticket
- I won $2 once on one of these $0.50 keno tickets...
- some stuff in the cafe is less than $5 (for the $5 dining certificate)

The El Cortez free certificates can be used on expensive weekend nights for their best Tower rooms ($60-70/night + taxes = $66-77). When I'm not comped, I use El Cortez certificates for my Fridays and Saturdays. They kick butt on expensive weekends, and the Tower rooms are surprisingly nice (3.5* - 4*, roughly Flamingo/Ballys quality) and very large - junior-suite size.

Four Queens (-$5)
- Funbook with $10 match & $10 slot play (new members only)
- Book a stay for travel now - August 31, 2009 and receive a Fun Book valued at over $100
- Four Queens also has "Win Cards" ($15 for $10)

Binions (-$5)
- Funbook with $10 match ($10 slot play for new members only), but your reservation must say you are getting a funbook.
- Bring a printout/voucher to registration showing you get a funbook.
- Binions gives (A) $25 slot play for $20 (B) $10 match play for having your picture taken with $1 million (only once/person...they issue you a check-like match-play-coupon)

Riviera (+$4 to -$6)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $3.92/Day incl. Tax
- Book a stay at the Riviera Hotel and Casino and receive accommodations as selected, and play $20 in slot coin and receive $10 in complimentary slot play. (I did this. If you play slots, this could be a good deal.)

Fitzgeralds (- 2 Breakfasts)
- 2 Free breakfasts. They give vouchers for free breakfasts which can be used anytime (not just on your day of stay).
- Book a room in a qualifying rate category January 20 through September 10, 2009 for travel February 1 through September 10, 2009 and receive: Free breakfast, including: 2 eggs any style, breakfast potatoes, bacon or sausage, choice of toast, and tea or coffee

Gold Coast (- Breakfasts, maybe expired)
- Premium Room Special – Two Free Breakfasts per Stay
- Book a qualifying stay now - March 20, 2009 for travel April 19 - August 31, 2009 and receive two free buffet breakfasts. Must book “Two Free Breakfasts per Stay” rate plan. Breakfast valid at Ports O’Call Buffet. Cannot be redeemed on Sundays. One promotion per room, per stay. Not combinable with other promotions. Taxes and gratuities not included. Blackout dates: May 17 - 20, June 12 - 18, and July 17 - 18, 2009. Blackout dates subject to change without notice. Management reserves all rights.

Las Vegas Hilton (on HiltonHHonors.com and FlyBMI.com)
- 1,000 Hilton pts (with promo signup)
- $25 promotional chip (worth $12.50) with some bookings at FlyBMI.com, Orbitz.com, Expedia.com

MGM
- Book West Wing or Deluxe package with $20 slot play (new members only) & Studio 54 or Tab admission (Sun-Thu)
- Book a stay in a qualifying rate category March 30 - December 28, 2009 for travel during the same period

Four Queens, Hard Rock Cafe, Luxor, Mandalay Bay, Palms have "Win Cards" ($30 chips for $20 cash)
- See http://flyertalk.com/forum/las-vegas/945210-win-cards-30-chips-20-cash.html
- usually only allowed once every 6-12 months. Don't have to stay at hotel.
- Four Queens might be the old smaller offer ($15 for $10)

---------------
Bad Hotels
---------------
Planet Hollywood (+4.99 + tax)
- Resort Charge of $4.99 per night (plus tax) will apply.

Orleans (+$5)
- free internet in cafe (but I can only get my computer to work about 50% of the time, lousy router may not be giving out IP reservations correctly. The connections are often malformed.)

Hooters (+$5)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $5.00

Silverton (+$5.50)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $5.50 per room/night

Sahara (+$6)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $6 Per Day
- $25 match play (new members only, Does anyone know if this is enforced?)

Stratosphere (+$7.50)
- resort fee at orbitz.com, didn't notice one at hotels.com
- A Resort Fee totaling to $7.50 that is not taxable - includes admission to Tower, pool & fitness center, 2 for 1 at American Superstars and Bite, & more
- They had a free laundry room when I was there in 2007

Tropicana (+$7.99)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $7.99 Per Day

Fiesta Rancho Station (+$9.95)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $9.95 Plus Tax Daily

Fiesta Henderson (+$9.99)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $9.99/room/night

Texas Station (+$12.95)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $12.95 Plus Tax Daily

Boulder Station (+$12.99)
- Hotel resort fee: $12.99 per room/night
- free internet in rooms

Aliante Station (+$15+Tax)
- Resort fee charged at hotel/condo $15 Plus Tax Per Day

The M Resort (+$25)

mitchell - as always you are a great asset to our forum! Thanks for sharing your private research.

The El Cortez free certificates can be used on expensive weekend nights for their best Tower rooms ($60-70/night + taxes = $66-77). When I'm not comped, I use El Cortez certificates for my Fridays and Saturdays.

They kick butt on expensive weekends, and the Tower rooms are surprisingly nice (3.5* - 4*, roughly Flamingo/Ballys quality) and very large - junior-suite size with a living-room-ish area (couch & table).

If you wait until the 2-3 weeks before your dates, the El Cortez rooms may be full. Slot Tournaments at El Cortez can fill up their rooms.

But if you book 4-8 weeks before, there's usually an opening.

I have a work conference 7/30-8/2/09, and I can use 2 certificates to hold that $500 weekend at the El Cortez.

- In Mar 2009, they gave 2 nights free in Apr 2009
- In Apr & May 2009, they are giving 2 nights free in Jun-Jul-Aug 2009

Stratosphere still has free guest laundry - used it on our visit in March to allow us to pack light enough to avoid checked bag charge (we were flying Delta).

Is it possible to book El Cortez thru any site and get that sweet promo? Is it something that's given at check-in?

Don't forget the Westin Casuarina Resort Fee, which (I think) is $15.

Mike

Vapno:

1) El Cortez offers their coupon book for any on-line booking: Expedia, their website, etc...
2) The 2-day free certificate is for any 2+ day booking (via phone, in person, or any website)

Update: Binions' $10 slot play is only for new members. Bummer.

Thanks Mikeef for the Westion Casuarina Resort fee. I'll look it up.
Heard "M resort" is $25, but haven't double-checked yet.

Sometimes you cannot avoid the fees. The Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa in Orlando, Florida tacks on an extra $15 per night "resort fee." The booking voucher says the room is $116.00 per night "including taxes and fees." At check-in they stick you with an extra $15 fee which is nothing more than jacking up the room charge. OR you can find another hotel. No where on the booking voucher does it say you must pay a resort fee. You are standing there with all your luggage and kids after a long day of travel. Now how are you going to find another hotel? So you pay the extortion money. I'm surprised some lawyer hasn't filed a class action law suit. As much as I dislike some lawyers it may be the only remedy besides, of course, not staying there again. :mad:

Update: Orleans has (1) reinstated their $5 resort fee (2) no longer gives $10 match play on check-in (3) They have had free wireless internet for the past 3 months in the Seattle's Best area, but the network is flaky (possibly bad reservation holds)...

Sometimes you cannot avoid the fees. The Gaylord Palms Resort and Spa in Orlando, Florida tacks on an extra $15 per night "resort fee." The booking voucher says the room is $116.00 per night "including taxes and fees." At check-in they stick you with an extra $15 fee which is nothing more than jacking up the room charge. OR you can find another hotel. No where on the booking voucher does it say you must pay a resort fee. You are standing there with all your luggage and kids after a long day of travel. Now how are you going to find another hotel? So you pay the extortion money. I'm surprised some lawyer hasn't filed a class action law suit. As much as I dislike some lawyers it may be the only remedy besides, of course, not staying there again. :mad:No, you either demand that the fee be rescinded at checkout or you dispute the charge with your credit card company, as you have documented proof on your booking voucher showing "including taxes and fees."

Gold Spike has $1.99 (+tax) resort fee

One of the recent bonuses which disappeared was Sahara's unlimited $50 for $40 buy-in coupons (for hotel guests). I cashed in ~$400-500 before they closed the loophole. In retrospect, I should have hit that coupon much harder before it disappeared. I was trying to be a little discreet & use the coupons not-too-quickly.

The Sahara coupons were marked "6/30/09 expiration", but they were accepting them until 8/11/09.
I flew into LAS 8/11/09 evening, and luckily I scampered over there to use a coupon (which could be cashed at the cashier's counter).

The very next morning Sahara replaced the coupon with a "9/30/09 expiration" coupon which has to go through the player's club (stand in line for 0-30 min, and validate with your account, possibly checking if you are *really* a hotel guest, as opposed to just flashing a old room key). On my last visit in August, someone at the player's club said they were going to stop taking the "50 for 40" coupons at the end of August, even though the coupons say "9/30/09".

Still a good deal: If you can get "show tickets" from people seeing the Sahara show, the Cashier will give you "25 for 20" without writing your name or checking a players club. So you can do as many as you want. Note: you must buy the chips on the *same* day as the show.

I recently read that the M Resort dropped their resort fee.

Thanks for the heads up. I googled it in Las Vegas Advisor's 9-10-09 Question of the Day.
- Google cache http://74.125.93.132/search?q=cache:gY9Y-WV8jmcJ:www.lasvegasadvisor.com/qofday.cfm+M+drop+%22resort+fee%22&cd=7&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=us&client=safari
- subscription only http://www.lasvegasadvisor.com/articles/QofDay2secure.cfm?QID=1779&Keywords=resort%20fee

"Resort fees" first reared their ugly heads in Las Vegas almost a decade ago, when guests of Station Casinos properties found themselves hit with daily charges for phone calls, whether or not any had been made, and an energy surcharge. Stations were subsequently involved in a class-action lawsuit, along with the Hilton, Wyndham, and Starwood chains, and were forced to send compensatory coupons to 940,000 former guests who'd stayed at Station properties between April 1, 2001 and April 4, 2004.

What got those hotels into hot water wasn't the fees themselves, but rather the fact that guests had not been forewarned of the charges prior to check-in. Hence, unfortunately, the fees themselves remain and in many instances have only continued to climb – Green Valley Ranch now whacks on an additional $24.99/day, for example, which they're now obliged to declare on their website (it's in pretty small print).

As to what these "resort fees" cover, it varies from property to property. At Bellagio there's a $25/day charge for use of the spa and fitness center (the fee's waived if you order a spa treatment), while the $3/day fee at the Gold Coast covers access to the fitness center, shuttle service, in-room coffee, and toll-free calls. Hard Rock's $7/day fee includes in-room safe, parking, minibar (but not its contents), bath products, and a plasma TV.

We just called Planet Hollywood and were told that their $4.99/night fee covers two bottles of water, a coupon book for the Miracle Mile Shops, and "free" local phone calls. Irony duly noted. The additional $15/night charge at the Mirage gets you two passes to the "Secret Garden" attraction, access to the fitness center, a daily paper, unlimited local and toll-free calls, two bottles of water per day, bath robes in the rooms, and notary services in the business center. How useful.

OK, back to the facts. As stated out the outset, it would be just too time-consuming for us to research every single policy in town, especially as these vary even between properties within the same group, but here are a few pointers:

Harrah's properties do not charge resort fees but you will be required to put down a refundable deposit against incidentals when your book you room. The same applies to Venetian and Palazzo.

Wynn and Encore don't charge any resort fee and don't require a deposit but do charge your first night's stay to your card when you book. This is non-refundable if you cancel less than 48 hours before checking in.

Station Casinos properties all charge fees, so check before you book a room at any Station or Fiesta. The details should be available on each property's website (often in pretty small print), or call the toll-free number to find out (you can find them all in our hotel listings.

MGM Mirage: Some properties in the group charge a fee, including Luxor, Excalibur, the Mirage, and Signature at MGM Grand, while others, including MGM Grand itself and Mandalay Bay, don't. Interestingly, Luxor recently did some market research among followers of their Twitter, canvassing us for our thoughts on resort fees, which were apparently passed on to casino marketing. Properties within this group are actually obliged to compete with each other and the Luxor's pretty proactive about finding ways to out-market its sister properties, so it will be interesting to see if this hotel decides to drop its resort fees to try to lure guests from its rivals. We can't believe too many people responded that they simply adore resort fees and would like to see more of them, especially if they could be even higher, so perhaps there's a change brewing ... Time will tell.

Boyd properties downtown don't charge resort fees but Coast Casinos hotels (now owned by Boyd) do, and the nightly charge varies from property to property.

UPDATE: 09-10-2009 Reader feedback:

"The new M Resort recently dropped its daily resort fee of about $25. Of course, they increased their room rates by about $25 at the same time, but still, that's much better than being smacked with an extra fee at check-in. Kudos to M Resort for simply being up-front about their rate and not hiding it behind a resort fee." [Ed: Yes, you're correct on both counts and we tend to agree with you.]

"Boyd does charge: 'An additional $4.50 hotel services fee will be applied daily.' (Cut from Sam's Town Web site) What services? I got stuck with the fee on a comped room and will never stay at Sam's Town again." [Ed: Hmm. They told us no, but we'll investigate further. Sounds like a similarly confusing scenario to MGM Mirage, where some in a group do and some don't.]

Westin - charges $15 resort fee (noted in above posting)

Tuscany - charges $10 resort fee

Having stayed at both properties before and not receiving this charge - this resort fee was a suprise.