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Our questioner is referring to a statement that appeared on The Mirage’s Facebook page on March 16, regarding resort fees:
"Hi, everyone! The daily resort fee is meant to enhance your experience during your stay by including additional services and amenities. Our resort fee includes complimentary in-room internet [sic] access, unlimited access to the Cardio Center, daily newspapers that can be picked up at Impulse and the Bell Desk, two bottles of water delivered daily to your room, robes for comfort, unlimited local and toll-free calls, complimentary notary service, faxes, copies and complimentary printing of boarding passes at the Business Services Center.
"Just an FYI ~ the rest of our sister properties will be implementing the Resort Fee soon as well."
Sad to report but, yes, this policy is spreading through the MGM Mirage chain and is indeed being applied retroactively. Company spokesman Alan Feldman put it into context: "Mirage started their resort fee October 1. All reservations are subject to the resort fee (regardless of when they booked). Guests cannot opt out of all or portions of the fee.
"There are clearly differing views about this," he added. "However, on balance, these are services that many other hotels would charge for individually and we package it together to offer greater value and so as not to nickel and dime guests." Feldman says the policy is either in place or soon will be at MGM's higher-end resorts (i.e., Aria, Bellago, Mandalay Bay, MGM Grand and The Mirage).
A smaller – and, to our minds, pettier – version of this is practiced at Gold Strike Tunica, one of the most obscure outposts of the MGM empire. At Gold Strike, "a refreshing dip in our sparkling pool" comes at the price of "a nominal fee," according to the official Web site. Feldman says Luxor used to charge a pool fee for bathers who were not hotel guests but later dropped it.