Another round of resort fee increases

Agreed, I think that's exactly what happened. Hotels realized it was a good trick that'd allow them to market a lower price than their less-crafty competitors.

If I remember correctly, what have morphed into resort fees started as a $5 energy surcharge that some Vegas hotels imposed during some energy spike in the mid 1990s. The surcharge allowed the hotels to claim one price but collect $5 more.

The problem came when every hotel got in on the game. Now, they all market artificially-low rates, and there's no longer an advantage in it. All resort fees do now is make inexperienced visitors mad.

Would be best for everyone if the practice ended. For that, the government will have to act, because no single hotel has sufficient incentive to increase its rooms $20-$30 relative to its competition.

I am staying downtown at a Boyd property this next trip to avoid a resort fee. The fees are ridiculous on the strip and even the off-strip properties now.

Doc, I agree with everything you said. I haven't change my style of gambling one bit and Carnival Cruise Lines has given my wife and I five comped cruises in the last 14 months.

Air travel absolutely sucks and I live in Florida. With five cruise ports within a short drive and the Seminole Hard Rock 30 minutes from my home why deal with all the BS that goes with a Vegas trip.

I will be the first to tell you nothing is like Las Vegas but as I have grown older the lure of LV is less and less.

July one of the lowest room rates during the year. Room rate advertised $39.00 per weekday night.
Room $39.00
Tax !3% $5.07
Resort fee $25.00
Tax 13% $3.25
Total $72.32 per night
David Copperfield is good but he is not that good. They to turn a $39.00 room rate into $72.32 per night with 2 bottles of water.

Tutontow and thegreek obviously understand the numbers. Those who tout the B.S. about the ripoff "resort" fees as being no big deal are obviously to ignorant or stupid to understand the numbers. Paying $72.32 for an ADVERTISED $39.00 room rate is the reality about the "resort" fee. Buyer beware.

Doc,

No one likes resort fees. But some of us are able to process the information and make a non-emotional decision. So I might consider a room with $39 room rate plus resort fee for $72.32 over a comparable room at $89 and no resort fee.

Fried, I agree $72.00 for a room seems like a good price. My heartburn isn't the slick way that $39.00 room turns into a $72.00 room. My heartburn is the way they say the resort fee pays for internet, the gym etc. All things I don't use when on vacation and couldn't care less about.

Charge me $50.00 for the room and then charge me more if I want those other amenities such as internet.

I read Jon's latest trip report and it is crazy how they are gouging people in so many ways. I think he stated a cold drink was $5.00 from a vending machine. I seem to remember somebody staying at a property on the strip and a Margarita was $21.00 at the pool.

Like I said in another post "God I miss the Vegas of the 1980's"

Don't get me wrong, I'm not pretending to defend resort fees. I'm just saying that $72.32 for a room with resort fees included may be a better deal than the $89 even without using the internet or gym.

It's all just math mumbo jumbo. The resort fee isn't really for internet or gym, they just say that as a marketing ploy.

"I will be the first to tell you nothing is like Las Vegas but as I have grown older the lure of LV is less and less."

I totally agree. The Vegas of today is not the Vegas that I fail in love with on my first visit, back in 1995. There is not much in Vegas today that interests or excites me. The resort fees, $18 burgers and $40 buffets are a turn off for me.
The $18 burgers and $40 buffets I can avoid, but I am stuck with the resort fees. If I was getting something of value for the resorts fees, I could live with them, but as it is , I see no value to me.
But, as long as people keep saying " I don't have a problem with resort fees", we will keep on paying.