Another round of resort fee increases

Friedmush--I see what you are saying but a room rarely brings $89.00 plus tax in July for a weekday. The only real thing is just advertise the room total cost and forget telling me you are beating me with a resort fee just come out and tell the total. really I do not see the big deal the totals all come out the same don't jack customers around

Ahh, but there are advantages to it. It makes hotels that charge a higher resort fee seem more competitive than they are. And many casinos now charge the 'Resort Fee' on 'Comped' rooms which goes right to their bottom line. So it makes experienced, loyal customers mad too.

Hiding it in the fine print or legalese on the final reservation screen is unscrupulous trickery...and borders on fraud. You could even make a case that this is an FTC issue since their reservation systems are a part of interstate commerce.

Yes, there is a marginal benefit from having a higher resort fee than a competitor. But in my experience, resort fees of comparable hotels tend to be pretty similar, within $3-$5 or so.

And yes, imposing the fee on a comped room does anger experienced guests, about the last thing a smart resort would want to do.

One attorney who recently filed a resort fee class action suit says the FTC is unlikely to get involved because there are so many hotels that do it.

In my experience, the fees are reasonably well-disclosed, likely well-enough to survive scrutiny. I don't think MGM's dumb enough to lose zillions in resort fees because the typeface they used was too small to be enforced.

What offends me are the hotels that insist on charging a resort fee on Casino Comped rooms. Thinking of the Cosmopolitan here.

We booked a comp stay here, though I swore the last time I stayed there that I would never return. Housekeeping is the absolute worst at this property.
But, we have a week's stay in Vegas coming up and needed to fill in two nights of the seven.

No other Vegas property of which I am aware charges a resort fee for comped rooms. Recent stays at Wynn/Encore, The Palms, confirmed this for me.
And, the Cosmo is $30 a night PLUS TAX. So, yeah, I'm getting a well-placed Strip room for $33, but it irks me nonetheless.

The Venetian, among others, charges a ripoff "resort" fee for comped rooms. To them ( and other casinos) "comped" means "bend over, we are not thru shafting you".

Doc, what would you choose between a comped room at Venetian with resort fee vs. $49 room at M with no resort fees?

Ellen- I would choose neither- I have plenty of casinos who comp me rooms WITHOUT the ripoff "resort" fees. I will never stay at any casino that charges me a "resort" fee. And I will not gamble at any of the casinos that charge this asinine "fee"- they have lost my business.

Boiler fully supports Drmilled and all Americans to vote with their wallets. It's a very good thing.

Yes, indeed. Vote with your wallet and stop the whining.

Stating reality is not whining.