Can a Comped Room Be Used by Someone Other Than the Compee?

My brother and sister-in-law are big players in Las Vegas and they get complimentary room offers all the time. They told my wife and I that we could use them whenever we wanted. My question is, how does this work at the front desk? If my brother makes the room reservation and we show up with the confirmation number, will the hotel just hand over the key? Seems like something could go wrong and leave us stranded. Am I wrong?

We answered a similar question several years ago and have availed ourselves of other people's comps a number of times since, so the original answer is still valid (with a couple of minor updates). Here it is.

The way we see it, free offers are the "compees" to dispose of as they see fit, which include but aren’t limited to staying there themselves, giving the room to someone else, or even booking it and leaving it empty. It's never a bad idea for the compee, in this case your brother, to read the fine print of the offer, so everyone knows if you’re running afoul of any of the particular casino’s rules, regulations, or policies. But in general, a comp’s a comp and it’s the compee's decision how to use it.

From our experience in this department (we’ve been the recipient of other people’s free room offers many times), it works out in a few different ways. So there a few things you’ll need to keep in mind.

Unless the offer specifies that the person whose name is on the comp is the only one who can take advantage of the offer, when your brother makes the reservation, he should chat up the agent and inquire as to the best way to reserve -- in other words, how he can best reserve the room to expedite the process at the front desk for you.

For us, one time, only the person whose name was on the offer could stay in the room. This meant only that the compee had to personally check in, give a credit card for incidentals, and receive the room keys. The compee then handed over the keys to us and no one was the wiser. This means, of course, that your brother has to be there in person to check in. We get the idea that he doesn't live in Vegas, so either you all have to make the trip at the same time or this isn't a viable option. If it is, it's a good idea to agree beforehand either not to run up any incidental charges (phone calls, on-demand movies, snacks from the wet bar) or to guarantee that you’ll reimburse the compee if you do.

Two other times, the names of both the compee and the party actually staying in the room could appear on the reservation.

The first of those times, however, the compee had to be there to check in; this was no different from the first example above, but with our name on the room as well, it gave us a cushion of security in case anything happened while we occupied the room (for example, we had to show ID in conjunction with staying in the room).

The second time, it wasn’t necessary for the host to be there to check us in; with our name on the room, we just walked up to the front desk, gave our name and the confirmation code, and in we went.

Another time we did this, our compee went through her casino host, who booked a room in our name alone for a few nights using our compee’s player account. This wasn’t a free-room offer; this was a comp extended to us as a favor by the casino host for a valued player. In this case, ours was the only name on the room reservation and we did the checking in, at the VIP check-in desk. If your brother has a host, this is definitely the way to go: He can reserve remotely and you avoid the front desk and clerks strictly following rules of which you might inadvertently run afoul.

So, your experience should be the same as, or at least similar to, one of these four examples, which should help you to navigate whatever system you find yourself in. And if anyone in QoDland has any other experiences in the same vein to share, please post 'em in the comment boxes.

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Comments

rokgpsman Sep-07-2020

Unused comp rooms

I try to use my offers when I can, I think that helps to keep them coming. Seems like Jean Scott gave a warning about reserving a comped room and then not staying in the room. Housekeeping at most places report it if no one is staying in a room that has a reservation, they get a list every morning of all rooms with reservations. So hotel management could find out you didn't actually use the room. The hotel could have used that room for another guest, possibly a paying guest, so they don't appreciate this waste. If your players card also shows little or no activity at the resort during that visit your offers might decrease in the next cycle. The comp room is not just a reward for past activiy, it's also meant to induce you to visit again and give them some business. So if you're going to do this I'd spend some time in the room, mess up the bed, run some water in the shower, use the soap washing your hands, etc, try making it look like someone was there.

Pat Higgins Sep-07-2020

Big Tex

We did this once at a Hotel/ casino in the Caribbean .  I had room for 3 comp nights & my wife had the same. I was to stay in our room with the son in law and grand son.  My wife would stay in her room with our daughter & grand daughter.  However in reality the wife & I used one room & the son in law, daughter & grand kids stayed in the other room.  It was a great trip.  With comp rooms, frequent flyer miles for our collective flights.  We only paid for meals & a couple of activities.

Edso Sep-07-2020

Room Comps

We've actually got comped rooms and never stayed in them.  We would get the comp as part of a mailer that included free play. Did this at the Orleans and the Westgate, even though we were staying somewhere else.  It's nice to have if you have kids.  At the Orleans, we can play and the kiddos can go see a movie, go bowling, play in the arcade, or just kick back in the room, until we are done.  Other times we have booked a comp that both my wife and I got and my son and his friends would stay in one room and my wife and I in the other.  And on rare occasions we have set up comped rooms for the free play and never stayed in the room, but did pull back the covers and wash our hands to give it a somewhat used feel.

Jerry Patey Sep-07-2020

Comp

Have you ever lost your  key? They require id. If both are not there always put extra key in billfold. They ask for Id for new key. They ask for anyone else using the room. List person staying in room. If person using room is diff from one making reservation this should work.

Jerry Patey Sep-07-2020

Comp

Could you use someone else’s card in machine to keep comps coming?  You can but what if you hit a jackpot ? Booking a room and not playing decreases your comps and decreased your average play

O2bnVegas Sep-07-2020

Christmas gift

Caesars Palace used to (probably still does) send me a Christmas 'gift' of a two or three night stay for any friend or relative other than myself.  It was usually good through September or Nov. of the following year.  I only had to call the number, give them my information, the name of the person who would be checking in, dates of stay, etc.  I didn't even have to be in town. One time one of the dates (of two) was "unavailable" but the friend still got the available free night and was delighted.  Another time a different friend stayed two free nights, got to see and do everything she wanted.  

Both times the giftees were hard core NON-gamblers, just wanted to see the sights of Vegas for the first (and probably only) time.  I'm sure Caesars' objective was that a giftee might gamble there, but there was no indication of this obligation on the material.  I didn't notice any deflation of my status after they had used the free nights without doing any gambling.

Roy Furukawa Sep-07-2020

Comp or hosted player?

It sounds like maybe the brother/sister-in-law may be comped players as in they have a host. Hosts can get rooms for family members on behalf of comped players, but usually will only give a casino rate room. The only hotel/casino I've ever seen an offer for free extra rooms for friends/family has been the Cosmopolitan. It used to be part of their players card program for Gold/Platinum level players, but I don't know if that still exists.

[email protected] Sep-07-2020

What about rating?

It seems like this practice could really hurt the player's rating.  If the casino shows that they are staying there for three days and end up giving the casino zero play it seems that it would decrease their average daily play.  Unless they play so much that nothing could hurt it.  Personally I would be wary about doing this.

Question of the Day - 07 September 2020

Comments