Question of the Day - 26 February 2013

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.

And yet more!:

• "I submitted today's (2/26) Question Of the Day, and enjoyed your city and my visit last week. I can report that our room at the Flamingo included a one-paper-cup coffee maker. Ugh!" Ed: "Was this regular room or a GO Room? We know the GO Rooms have some kind of coffee, but this survey is strictly concerning the standard rooms at each hotel." Reader response: "It was the GO room and the coffee was horrendous, in those paper-cup makers. To tell you the truth, when I sent the QoD, I really did not expect it to be featured. I kind of was asking it sarcastically, as I could not believe all the complaints I read in reviews of hotel/casinos. As a side note to this whole thing, when we were in Vegas last week, I visited with my nephew, who is an assistant hotel manager at one of the premier hotel/casinos. We had a conversation about how everything is all about making a buck, the heck with the consumer. So then yesterday, I emailed him to tell him of my question being featured on QoD. Here is what he wrote back to me: 'The coffee-pot issues have always been a big deal to a lot of our guests. It really comes down to the bottom line and the extra cost. Why give free coffee in the room when we can charge you $6 down at our café? It adds up quick!' "Still, we had a great time in Vegas. We love the city, and although I will condemn the in-room coffee maker at the Flamingo, the coffee in the lobby was outstanding, with 2 great girls working the counter with smiles on their faces any time I went there."

• "This is a response to your QOD of February 26, 2013 concerning the lack of coffee makers in Las Vegas casino-hotel rooms. We stayed at the Golden Nugget last night. Our room had a single-cup coffee maker. But, the charge for a box of four single-cup portions of coffee was $10.00. Bottled water was cheaper: The cost for a bottle of water was $7.00."

02/26/2013 Some more feedback:

• "UPDATE: QOD 2-26-13 Rio has high end keurig coffee makers BUT the K-cups are in the mini bar at $8 each. Bally's has single cup coffee makers upon request. Had to be a casino guest to get one."
• "When we last stayed at the Golden Nugget in March 2012, the Gold Tower rooms had single Keurig K-cup brewers. They had them when we stayed there in October 2011 so I brought a supply of k-cups since they were charging $2 apiece."
• "They actually have multi-cup coffee makers at the Vegas Club. Whenever there was not one in our room, we would request one and they were quick to bring it."

Some reader feedback:

• "As a comment to your QOD, I stay at Harrah's. Currently my rooms always have coffee makers...and not the single service type that I've seen in other hotels across the country [Ed: NOTE, we happen to know this reader has Diamond status with CET's Total Rewards Club, and our answer is specifically about standard rooms, not upgrades and comps.] But there was a time, about six years or so ago, when Harrah's had removed all coffee makers from rooms...due to the Clark County Health Department, as you have very accurately stated. But this period lasted less than a year, as I recall. I honestly have NEVER seen a maid remove the urn from a room to have it washed and sanitized. My own thoughts: It should only be necessary to have it properly washed and sanitized whenever a room is vacated. The heat from the hot plate and maker itself should be enough to destroy and potential bugs...if they exist at all in such an environment. I know. I was in charge of food safety for the state of Texas for 16 years and worked in food safety for the State for 38 years. "On a similar issue, I have friends to carry a small coffee maker with them whenever they travel to a hotel that does not provide this amenity. They call ahead if they aren't sure one way or another. The small one-two cup coffeemaker fits nicely into even a carry-on bag."
• "6 years ago, my ex-wife went to Cafe Palio (I think that's the name of the place) when we stayed at Bellagio. She was told if she purchased their cup, all refills were free. Not sure if this is still true, but maybe some casinos offer this type of coffee service!"
• "I am a long-time subscriber and I love the QoD. As a note on today's answer regarding in-room coffee makers, it is my understanding that the rooms on 'Diamond Floors' in the Caesar's properties all have coffee makers. I know that this is true in the Rio and I seem to recall a coffee maker in my room at Bally's. (NOTE: Caesars Palace does NOT have a Diamond Floor). Anyway, keep up the good work." [Ed: Thanks for the kind words. And yup, that's one of the perks of being a Diamond player, but this answer refers specifically to standard hotel rooms.]
• "An addition to your answer today: South Point has coffee makers in its rooms, without a 'resort fee'". [Ed: Not anymore! South Point's $12.99/night resort fee kicks in 3/1/2013.]

Ed: Correct! We haven't updated our coffee-maker table, since we're waiting until our new site is launched, so we don't have to do this twice, but for now we can confirm that, in addition to the properties we list in the main body of the answer, the following hotels also have in-room coffee makers in their standard accommodation: Clarion; Four Queens; Golden Gate; Primm Valley; Railroad Pass; Rampart; Royal; Suncoast; Trump International; Tuscany; Vdara, Westin Lake Las Vegas; Westin Las Vegas; Wild Wild West.