Rio for Thanksgiving weekend??

Well, I'm debating...I thought that Thanksgiving would be high-priced. But maybe it isn't a particularly high visitation weekend, since most people are turkeying/visiting/shopping? Anyway, I looked up the room rates for that period, and using the LVA coupon code, prices from this coming Sunday through the first Wednesday are $16 a night, except $42 on Black Friday and $21 on the following day. Then, for some reason, the price leaps up to $139 on the first Thursday in December, but then after that weekend, it drops back to $16 for most of the rest of the month. Maybe the price leap is due to Horsie Week?

The Rio has its flaws, but this one's hard to pass up. I have no idea if there will be a similar deal in the 2026 LVA book, so that's an additional incentive.

? Resort fee.A silly question.

resort fee waived with LVA coupon

The prices I quoted were without resort fee and taxes, but with the coupon, the resort fee is waived. The taxes add about 12%.

I am there at the moment for two weeks. I am happy with the unrenovated room , especially for the price. Sure the furniture is somewhat beat up but the bed is very comfortable, the bathroom and overall room is clean and it smells fine.  Great if just want a stay with a good night's rest and decent shower.

At the checkin they were trying to put a large hold on my credit for "security purposes"'. I got it down a bit with back and forth with the manager, but it still is a hefty hold on my card. I went to the desk rather than kiosk to desk with this matter, as I guess if you use the kiosk it will default to $100 per night.

Also I had them sort out and credit me for the deposit on a prior cancellation, that was getting nowhere with emails and voicemail.

 I only get to Vegas once a year, but I hopefully LVA will get the deal again in 2026. I would recommend LVA and RIo look at tightening up the coupon process. The fact the don't ask for the coupon at check in is now known and being discussing on other forums.

So if this starts being abused by non LVA members it could possibly lead to Rio pulling back from repeating the offer in 2026.

I am STILL waiting for the return of two separate deposits from April and June stays. They have a high stone wall and a moat between you and the people who should be taking care of it. Leaving a message accomplishes zippo.

I've been able to get the "incidental" hold cut in half by standing in line at the front desk and falling to my knees in supplication. It's ludicrous to have a hold of several hundred bucks on your card. 

Since the hold would have been $1400 (!!) if you hadn't complained, would you mind sharing what you managed to get it down to?

I don't think that Rio is unaware of all the people using the LVA code (multiple times, too). Earlier this year, the front deskling reacted with incredulity to the low room rate and called its manager, who in turn couldn't believe it, even after I showed it the coupon --and they only allowed me to check in after I showed them my confirmation email. In contrast, you can now book and check in without presenting the coupon at all, and you can use the code multiple times. It's pretty much an open secret, and all the Rio employees are aware of it at this point. 

Since the way they're doing this, they clearly do NOT require LVA membership--just knowledge of the code--i wouldn't call it "abuse" if Larry LVA tells Nigel NotLVA the code and Nigel uses it. Clearly, the Rio wants people in the older tower rather than have it sit there empty. And of course, those guests will gamble and eat there, so...everybody's happy.

In any event, this is a killer deal and thanks to LVA for making it available.

Yes they wanted $1400 hold. I told them I was not going to charge to the room but pay at point of sale but the agent needed to discuss it with their Manager. She came back after a good few minutes and said they  could only go to $1200. I said that is too much can I speak with the Manager. Off she went again and came back and said the final and best the Manager could do was $1000. Obviously there was no intent on the Manager's part to speak directly to me. 

I gave up at that point, I was very tired after travelling all day and it was the middy of the night on my home time zone. So maybe I could have persevered and held out for a lower level?

However I was prepared for this level of ctrdit hold to happen based on I believe your prior posts.

It seems many posters are not familiar with hotel procedures regarding the "hold" placed on their account at check-in.   No matter your intentions to charge or not charge expenses (meals, etc) to the room, the hotel puts a "hold" of a certain amount on the credit card you use at check in.  This is unlikely to actually result in being charged that amount (or less) unless the room sustains damage, the guest smokes in an unsmoking room, or skips out leaving room charges unpaid/settled in some way, which is to protect the hotel in those cases. 

The "hold" stays on your credit card for a certain number of days, after which it is removed if no charges or damages are found after check out.  This is standard operating procedure.  I've stayed in hotels hundreds of times, had holds placed on my card each time, varying amounts depending on the property's policy, and never had that charge shown up on my cc statement, since I never left damage, never smoked, never skipped out owing for room charges. 

If a guest checks in without a credit card the guest must pony up an amount in cash, which would be refunded if, again, no charges or damages are found.  I found myself in that situation only once, when somehow my husband had gone to an event or something while I was to check us in.  He had the credit card, so I would have had to fork over some cash to get checked in, even for a comped room.  Somehow it worked out that I was able to wait for him to join me to get checked in.

Candy

Candy, the issue isn't whether or not a guest would or wouldn't be charged, fairly or unfairly. The issue is that a hold on a credit card reduces the amount that can be charged to pay for other things. If it's on a debit card, then the funds "held" are completely tied up and can't be used for anything else. AND, those funds aren't "released" until several business days after you check out.

So if you have limited funds/credit, you'll have hundreds of dollars tied up well beyond the end of your stay. This could royally fuck over your vacation.

The $100 a night requirement is grossly excessive. Real hotels charge $100 per STAY. 

OK, Kevin, I get that.  But of course anybody that short on funds/credit doesn't need to be gambling anyway.  Some hotels do not accept debit cards for the hold amount.  Or that used to be the case.   Whatever they charge, it is their bailiwick no matter what we think. 

Candy