April 8, 2010
AccessVegas.com Readers Weigh In On Las Vegas Hotel Room Price Proposal
In the Feb. 17 issue of AccessVegas.com Insider Vibe, we told our readers the following:
A Better Pricing Model? – One of the biggest complaints from travelers (and especially Las Vegas visitors) is the so-called “Resort Fee” that charges you sometimes $10-15 (or more) for either services that seemingly should be included in your stay (free phone calls) or services that many are not likely to use (the hotel gym). Local writer, blogger, and UNLV Center for Gaming Research Director David G. Schwartz recently floated a proposal for a tiered pricing level:
A guest booking a room at the “standard” rate would receive a room key and not much more. He or she would have to pay extra for virtually every other hotel service; for example, to visit the health club, use the Internet, or make phone calls.
At the “gold” rate, customers would receive everything that came with the standard, plus free wireless Internet, phone calls, bottled water, copies of the local paper, etc.
For guests looking for more, a “platinum” rate could deliver all the benefits of the gold rate, plus several extras — dining credits, a selection of prix fixe menus at select hotel restaurants, tickets to the hotel’s big show, complimentary spa services, and nightclub admissions.
He (and many here in Las Vegas) are very interested in your thoughts. If you’ve ever thought about writing in on an issue and you have any feelings one way or the other, this is the time so speak up! First, go ahead and read the rest of the article Tiered room pricing: A modest proposal (an easy read).
We then asked for reader input. The following is all of the responses with no editing or censoring:
I was al ready to buy a room at Ecalibur until I got to the end of the pay cycle and they popped up witha $9.95 resort fee. This was not an option,and included free telephone highspeed internet welcome reception and 2 drinks. I would use none of these free things, so why should I pay for them. I feel its another way for the casino’s to get another $10.00 out of every one. I did not rent the room because of that charge, and also found out many other casino’s are doing the same gimick. If they need $10 more for the room then say so up front, don’t throw it in at the end of pay cycle and hope we don’t see it.
I agree that resort fees should be optional. When I come to vegas all I want is a place to sleep a few hours before I go back to gamble. I don’t want phone service I have a cell phone, I don’t want to exercise, I dont want to use a computer,ect.ect. just give me a place to crash for a few hours. I recently was all ready to buy a room until I got to the end of check out and saw the resort fees, It made so mad I didn’t even go to vegas, I just stayed home and played at my local casino’s.
I believe the room rate should be for the room and the amenities within the room. I don’t think guests should be charged for services they either have no interest in or can’t use. If someone wants to use the spa, they can pay for it, if someone needs internet services, they can pay for it, etc.
If a hotel/resort wants to throw in complimentary extras to encourage travelers to book at their property, that’s certainly a plus; however, anyone who doesn’t use certain services should not be forced into paying these “new” fees.
Someone that designs room tiers sounds like the airline front office. Look what the airlines have done.
They started with charging for food, then for your suitcase, and now for a pillow and blanket. Before
long, to me at least, everything will become al-a-carte. That is not what I want to see.
When I book a room, I want to know the exact cost plus tax and that is it. If we start to tier-up our hotels
where will it stop? A bed with sheets, a bath with linens, a room with TV and electricity. That may be
a little to the extreme, but I prefer just knowing that when I stay at a place I am welcome as an all-paying
guest.
I don’t think there should be a tiered pricing level. If you don’t spend a lot gambling I don’t think you should be penalized by having to pay more for your room services. I think you should be given the option when you book your hotel room that if you want to use these services then you are charged the resort fee for them and if you don’t want them then you do not receive the use of them. As for the phone in your hotel room I don’t think you should be charged to use the phone if you are making local phone calls, this should be included in your room rate as it is at many other hotels outside of Vegas. We travel to Las Vegas quite often and are getting charged the resort fees and we don’t even make use of them.
I have always been a believer of paying for what you want. This plan would give everyone that option. For the most part I want a place to sleep and cleanup at. If I want a paper I will buy one, if I want to go to agym I will pay for it. I should not be required to pay for things I will not use. Good idea in my book.
I am all for tiered rates. Give me the Gold level any day. Who has time to work out at the Gym in Vegas? Eliminate fees unless self imposed!
I feel that it’s just another way to get more money off of the visitors. I think the 3 tier level is a good way to go. Let the geust choose what they want. I don’t need the news paper, only get the Sunday paper where I live, I can make calls from my cell phone, don’t need to use the gym and I’m on vacation so I don’t need the internet.
I read The Die is Cast blog all the time. David Schwartz is a very smart guy. The big resorts in Las Vegas should take some advice from David.
I hate resort fees. more than the money. i hate that the way they stick it on at the end of your stay. When You book and pay for the room that should be the price. instead of ,your room rate was 320.00 but we have a 10.00 a day resort fee. so now you owe 350.00. it seems underhanded.
I like David’s idea of tiered room pricing. It is one of the best ideas i’ve heard in a while. That way you know what you are getting and exactly what your paying.
I think it is a very good idea as I am one of those paying for services that I do not use. If I wanted them I would gladly pay for them and am always a bit miffed at having to pay anyways. Vegas doesn’t have to worry about lost revenue in that area as we will all most certainly use those savings during our visits being it food, shows, shopping or gambling entertainment.
I find resort fees to be a thinly veiled attempt at raising a low advertised rate by $15/night or so. I will not book a room if it includes such a fee. The first time I encountered these “fees” on my bill, I made such a stink that they were removed. I do not typically use the services provided, preferring my own cell phone, air card for computer, and grocery store water. Even if I did, $75 for a 5 night stay would be extremely expensive. If [limited?] spa or exercise room services are included, how many people actually use them every day and limit themselves to just those services? If the services are so valuable, desk clerks would be able to successfully offer them at check-in to guests who actually want or would use such services. Fees of this sort are like rental car operations who offer “fill-up” service, charging a “reduced” rate for a full tank of gas upon return. If this service were mandatory and charged up front, it would be no different than the hotel resort fees.
JUST GIVE ME A BASIC ROOM PRICE. HAVE CELL PHONE WE DON’T USE THEIRS.
We have been coming to LV for quite a few years, but have not really been subjected to the resort fees. We sometimes stay in a timeshare instead of a hotel. I do like the idea of the different levels. In this day of cell phones, who needs to pay for phone service. When we come to LV we are so busy doing and seeing all Vegas has to offer, that we have used a hotel pool once and never gyms, spas, etc. For those that do, a higher price would probably be attractive. We did get hit with a $2.50 a day safe charge once because it was not mentioned that there was a fee. We argued the point and it was deducted. With this economy I know hotels are trying to keep prices down to attract customers, but maybe a small increase in the daily rate and then including some of the extras would not upset people so much. Hotels should not try to emulate the airlines that are now so bare bones that they are charging for everything. People like to feel they are getting something for their money.
I would be in favor of tier’d pricing if I knew what it included ahead of time. Most people would not care about the phone. Everyone has a cell phone. We never use the hotel phones. If we want restaurant reservations, we call ourselves. Not interested in a ‘free paper’ if the room costs more. Not interested in paying for internet hook up if I don’t bring along my lap top. Unless you’re a high roller, which we’re not, we would pick the basic room tier.
Put me down as a yes on the idea of tiered room rates instead of the resort fee. Sometimes when we go to town, we just need a room. We’ll never use the gym or phone or internet. Sometimes we’ll know ahead of time we’ll want to use those services. I’d prefer having the option to choose.
My wife and I have been able to make one, 3 day, trip to Vegas a year and have done so the last two years. We are planning to do it again this year. Cost is always a factor and we have little interest in paying for the “frills” for everyone else. We want to know what the hotel will cost us before we go so we can plan on what to spend on preferred entertainment when we go. Ninety nine percent of the time this simply means a nice, CLEAN, room with comfortable bed and nice bathroom. We don’t travel to Vegas with our child so we don’t need robes. We escape to Vegas so we don’t want to see a newspaper and we do plenty of walking from place to place on the Strip so the idea of hitting the treadmill in some hotel health club doesn’t exactly top our “to do” list.
I believe tiered pricing is a good idea because one size does not fit all and these forced “fees” for unused amenities will effect our travel plans.
Thank you for the work you do, your newsletter is a valuable resource for our Vegas weekend planning.
I think the idea of Tiered Room Pricing is a good idea! We have been coming to Vegas for the past 14 yrs and like staying at different resorts to enjoy what each one has to offer. Unfortunately
we are not in the rooms long enough to use all the facilitys! We donot use the phone, we have cells, the laptops stays home, why use Hotel bottle water for $5.00 when you can get it at a small store or shop for $0.99? We will watch tv to see what the Resorts offer and catch the news before bed and waking up in the mornings. I think it`s a good idea to pay for what you use! If you want it all, pay the platinum rate! If you want a place to sleep, shower, and shave that should have it`s own price as well! That would give some people more money to spent at the tables, shows and whatevers! Looking forward to our trip this summer, love your news letter!
This will never work, it is too logical, reasonable, and honest to be accepted by the industry.
i encountered these for the first time last year at the mgm signature have to say like most people not very impressed just another backdoor tax as we would say here im not interested in working out in a gym im on holiday i have to pay for an english paper if i can find one im sure travellers to the uk are not that interested in uk news i dont have anyone to ring in the usa either so that is of no use to me im not bringing my lap top with me either so im left with two very expensive bottles of waters the resort fee should really be put into the room price or maybe boycott the hotels that charge easier said than done though as it is becoming the standard oh well
I agree 1000%. Only pay for services used and asked for.
Tiered pricing is fine with me. We have been visiting LV 1-3/year for 20 years. I like to be the one to choose where I stay and what I pay. The new “tax” reminds me of my phone bill: complete with 5 different taxes. Just add it to the cost of the room. Charge only those who use the services, such as internet, phone, health club,etc. One casino will charge $90/night with no fee and another $80/night plus the fee. If this is optional depending on casino, JUST ADD IT TO THE COST! DON’T PLAY MIND GAMES. It isn’t a tax as taxes are not optional.
Seems like something the government would dream up, not a private citizen. And I don’t mean to insult or put down the person suggesting it, but it’s just a “bureaucratic” way of doing what I consider is already being done. Most of the “extra” services mentioned I already consider are “extra costs” and plan accordingly. At many hotels in many other cities those extras also cost extra, though a few higher end places include them in the basic price, which has been adjusted higher to cover the extra costs anyway. Putting those costs in the regular room rate just makes people feel like they’re getting some nice extra perks. The system aint broke so leave it alone and let people still have some responsibility to think for themselves.
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