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In-room coffee makers, and the lack thereof, was actually the subject of one of the very first QoDs, back in 2005, and our survey yielded some surprising results, many of which still hold true today. For example, Venetian and Caesars Palace don't provide coffee makers in their rooms, but Casino Royale and Fiesta Henderson do. (Well, Caesars has coffee makers in some rooms, including in the Octavius and Augustus towers, but only the machine is free; you have to purchase the coffee). Wynn/Encore and Cosmopolitan didn't exist back then, but neither of these high-end resorts have coffee-making facilities in their standard rooms, while El Cortez and Gold Strike still do. With a $24.99/night resort fee, you might figure that Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock Resort would provide an in-room cup of coffee, but they don't (GVR used to, but no longer does, and the same goes for the Rio and the Palms). On a similar note, you might assume "boutique" hotels like Artisan and Rumor that aim for a hip, non-Vegas vibe and don't even have gaming (a reason to lure you downstairs) would have coffee makers, but they don't. Neither does THEhotel at Mandalay Place (perhaps it will when rebranded as Delano?), but other non-gambling properties, like Platinum and Four Seasons, do.
The Orleans and Gold Coast didn't have coffee makers in 2005, but have since added them, while although LVH (in its former Hilton incarnation) told us in 2005 that it was the most-requested missing amenity by hotel guests, they have yet to add this facility to the standard rooms (and are unlikely to anytime soon, given that property's financial woes). The policy isn't even consistent within resort groups. For example, Mirage. Bellagio, and Aria don't have coffee makers, but Monte Carlo and MGM Grand do.
Considering that even the most basic overnight-accommodation establishments elsewhere generally provide this amenity, how come it's such a rarity in a top tourist (and convention) destination like Las Vegas? Having now conducted several in-depth surveys on the subject, we can reveal that there are several answers to this question, some of which may well come as a surprise.
While keeping guests out of their rooms and in areas of the resort where they can spend more is the primary motivation for withholding in-room coffee makers in hotel-casinos, there are a couple of other practical reasons. According to the Clark County Health Department's Regulation 96, governing the "Sanitation of Food Establishments" (which surprisingly includes hotel rooms, if they have coffee makers in them), all food-serving equipment must be washed in a three-compartment sink in an approved sanitary area, or in a dishwasher. So the maids can't just rinse them out in the bathroom sink and be in compliance. This makes coffee-maker upkeep a pretty labor-intensive operation, and hence an additional financial disincentive for hotel management to provide them.
On the subject of regulations, both Cannery and Luxor have previously informed us that their lack of this amenity was due to fire code, although why that applies to these two properties and not others, we're unsure.
The direct expense of providing coffee was another obvious point made to us by a source in senior hotel management: "When you've got several thousand rooms in your hotel, providing coffee for all of them on a daily basis can seriously eat into your bottom line. So why bother when the competition isn't doing it and you're already providing 24-hour-a-day room service?" These days, the availability of single-cup coffee makers, where all components are disposable, makes it easier and less costly (although not too environmentally friendly) to comply with Health Department regulations, however -- that's what you'll find in your room at the Hacienda, for example.
Perhaps the strangest answer we've come across regarding this subject came from a property that shall remain nameless out on Boulder Highway, who informed us that that they removed their coffee makers because they encouraged the manufacture of crystal meth -- both in and out of the rooms (they were being stolen). Yes, we thought this was a bit far-fetched, too, but Las Vegas is known as a meth hotbed, and while this isn't a concern in 90% of Las Vegas casino-hotels, there have been instances of hotels- (and motels) -turned-labs getting raided in some of the seedier parts of town.
If enjoying a morning coffee in your pjs is important to you, but your hotel doesn't provide you with the means, here's a tip from a fellow traveler, who wrote to us in response to a previous QoD on the subject, back in 2006: "I have not been to Vegas in 8 years, due to being ill and old age, but the in-room coffee service answer brought back memories of my last visit at the Plaza [which didn't and still does not have in-room coffee]. I went to Walgreens and bought a coffee maker and fixings for a 7-day stay. Saved the box and gave the coffee maker to the maid as part of her tip. Still planning one last bash so keep the information coming." Ed: Thanks, and we will! Hope you made it back.