nrr

I stayed at Mirage this past weekend 4/30-5/2, and they added a $15/day resort fee, in addition they added a tax of $1.80/day (for the fee) on top of the fee (even if the tax was 8%, I don't see how it comes to $1.80). One of the "perks" is two free bottles of water per day--I looked at the info on one of the bottles: "purified municipal tap water"--a total rip off all the way around.

skofarrell

Not trying to defend the resort fee, but a good chunk of the bottled water sold today (Aquafina/Dasani) is purified tap.

nrr

But not Evian.
When they charge $15/day for minimal services, they should supply more upscale water.
(PS: When one checks in at any of Harrahs Diamond check-in locations in LAS they provide free bottled water.)

Non-NonRev

12% tax ---> $15.00 x 0.12 = $1.80 (or did I misunderstand - math was never my strong suit)

skofarrell

like I said, not defending it. I think Resort Fees suck.

nrr

Per Nevada info at http://tax.state.nv.us/pubs.htm#Sales, Clark County is listed at 8.1%--maybe the hotel rate is different. But as I noted in my OP the resort fees + tax are doubly offensive.

thebat

Well, I just checked out and they would not remove the resort fees. I was comped but it was on a specific, Emailed offer. The Grazie Club rep said it was in the fine print of the offer.
Between the nickle/diming and crap video poker, the V is rapidly losing it's luster.

skofarrell

I dumped them about 4 years ago.

thebat

For whom?

skofarrell

Believe it or not, Harrahs. I'm a $5 VP (sometimes 3 coin $25) player and have been treated very well.

Reasons for leaving the V in addition to them tightening up included: losing a host (whom I liked a lot) and being tied to a single property. The straw that broke the camel's back was when I was there with my wife in June ('06). She doesn't play big, and every single table had a $15 min on a Tuesday morning. At 8am. They were all empty. Ridiculous. Haven't been back.

Harrah's always puts me in a nice suite (no matter what property), and there's a lot more places to choose from nationally (including one about 90min drive form our house).

I'm sure MGM would treat me just as well.

thebat

I believe it. I stay at Harrah's properties all the time. I was at the Rio last week.
I would gladly stay at Paris, PH, Bally's too. I have even stayed at Bill's now and then if I just need a night or two.
I usually get comped because of my play at Harrah's AC. It's a good system and the offers are frequent for all the locations.
Again, the "classy" places are becoming less desirable. I just have to convince my wife.

skofarrell

I've found Paris to be pretty nice, not done PH yet. My wife actually likes the Flamingo. She likes the lower stakes tables and the short walk to the elevators. The suites there are ok.

Caesars was too much like the Venetian for me.

Non-NonRev

You're correct - the Nevada room tax is different and distinct from the sales tax. The room tax caps out at 12% - each county can set a lower rate if desired. Clark County had been at 9%, but went up to the maximum last year:

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/2009-...raveltax_N.htm

iluv2fly

My friends witnessed iluv at his best last year when checking into the Palms. I was RFB Suite and when I was checking in was told that there was a "resort fee" that I had to pay. She said that for the fee, I would get free local calls and some other useless crap. Told the agent I wasn't interested. She said I had to pay it. Told her no again. She then said, "It's ONLY $10." So I said, yes, you are right, it's only $10. Then I asked her for $10 out of her pocket. She asked me why I would want $10 from her. I told her if she thought that it was ONLY $10, she could well afford to pay it for me. The look on her face was priceless. I told her to get the manager. He came out and after a discussion made that famous "one-time exception" for me. The agent never returned to finish checking me in - he had to do it.

I got an offer from the magain for this summer - suite, limo, Free Play, food and club passes. I want to take them up on this, but I feel that this resort fee issue will come up again. Anyone with any experiences with the Palms and this type of offer lately?

cogitate

I just made a mid-June reservation at the Monte Carlo, and saw that the resort fee has increased to something like $14 per night, but now does include in-room wired Internet access. Well, that's a help, but I'd much rather not have a resort fee and pay separately for the things I really want.