No matter how much you spend for a hotel room in Las Vegas, everyone wants to be treated like a VIP. So how do you get the most value for your money? We talked to a few travel experts and put together a list of tips to get the best bang for your buck while booking a hotel room in Sin City.
Booking Vegas Hotels Off-Season
The best weather in Las Vegas is usually in early spring or fall. Those weeks are also a little quieter on the Strip compared to summer, big sporting events that draw gamblers, New Year’s Eve, and other holiday periods. Midweek stays typically offer much lower rates when compared to the weekend. Seriously, the difference between Tuesday and Saturday could be $500. Of course, that could depend on what’s in town. It’s wise to check events when booking. Avoiding major conventions like CES in January or May’s EDC can help you dodge overblown rates.
Sign up for a Player Rewards Card
The big resort companies on the Strip all have a player’s club rewards card, so take advantage of those tier discounts. MGM Rewards (formerly M life) by MGM Resorts is generally better at suite discounts than Caesars Entertainment’s Total Rewards. Wynn Resorts runs some really good suite promotions as well. Plus, you can technically combine, for example, a Memorial Day sale discount with your Red Card discount. A manager might have to approve it, but it’s been done before.
Tier matching helps, too. For example, Caesars will match players’ club membership status at other resorts up to the Diamond level. If you’re staying downtown, the Plaza and Golden Nugget follow similar policies.
Don’t Underestimate Off-Strip Resorts
When booking your stay, don’t overlook off-strip accommodation. The Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino, the Palms Resort, and Virgin Hotels are just a short Uber ride from the Heart of the Las Vegas Strip, offer multiple quality accommodations, great rates, and smaller crowds. Downtown Las Vegas also boasts thousands of rooms and lower rates than the Strip. The rooms aren’t as flashy as the Strip, but the fun remains the same. Downtown’s Circa is the exception; this adults-only resort is home to the world’s largest sports book and an amazing pool/nightclub/concert venue that puts Circa on the same level as any of Las Vegas Boulevard’s hottest resorts.
Virgin Hotels offers luxury and freedom from the Strip’s madness, less than a mile from the heart of Las Vegas Boulevard.
Be Aware of Who Charges for Parking
Parking on the Strip used to be free. Not anymore. MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn, Venetian, and Resorts World charge for parking, but offer discounts for locals (usually three hours) and/or rewards members of a certain tier. Locals get free parking at The Strat. The Sahara and Treasure Island continue to offer free parking (at least for now) along with slightly off-Strip properties like the Palms and Rio. Policies can always change. Research the latest information with the hotel directly if you’re planning to book a room. Downtown hotels often charge a low fee to park, but usually offer validation. A notable exception is Circa on Fremont Street, which has the highest Downtown parking fees. For some, paid parking may not seem like a big deal, but every dollar spent at the garage is a dollar wasted on not upgrading your room.
Check Out Transportation Alternatives
Nobody wants to drive around while on vacation, and with crazy parking garage prices, it’s just not cost-effective. Sure, you can walk, but the Strip is much bigger than you think, and Vegas is hotter than the sun for half of the year. You might think Taxis and ride shares are great, but Taxis are overpriced, and Uber surge pricing on the Strip might even be worse. But have no fear, the Decue Bus offers scenic double-decker 24/7 service along the Strip. And monorails aren’t just for Disneyland and Springfield, either. The Las Vegas monorail runs 7 am – Midnight weekdays, and till 3 am on weekends, with daily passes starting at $15. Free tram service connects the South End of the Strip from Bellagio to Luxor.
Play the Waiting Game… and Check your Email
Book a regular room first. Then wait for an email offer from the hotel for a room upgrade at a discount price.
The “$20 Trick” — Does it Really Work?
It’s a tradition in Vegas. Fold a twenty-dollar bill in your palm and pass it along to the person working the check-in desk with the hopes of an upgrade. The $20 trick is a thing, but a lot of hotels are cracking down on it. Wynn, for example, isn’t going to give you a suite for $20, but will sell you a view upgrade for $25 a night or so. It’s often better to go in knowing the type of upgrade you want, asking the desk agent if the suite is available and if it’s possible to get an upgrade. They might give it to you for free — although unlikely — or you can try negotiating an upgrade charge. If they help you, definitely tip $20 or even $50. Tip for service, don’t bribe. It’s tacky.
Booking Hotels Direct
Hotels love it when you skip third-party websites and book directly with them. Going this route may or may not secure the lowest available price, but it does give you the best chance to get the room you booked or score a potential upgrade. Typically, with big hotel companies like MGM Resorts, priority goes to the whales (the big spenders and high-stakes gamblers), although they usually stay in larger suites and villas. Then comes the guests who book direct, followed by those using comps or tier discounts and finally, bookings on third party websites.
The hotel has little reason to give the person who has the least connection to the property and paid the least for their room the best treatment. Direct hotel bookings will often allow rate adjustments should the price go down on a room and also have a fairly generous cancellation policy, usually with 72 hours notice. With third-party sites, you may not be able to cancel as easily, if at all.
If a hotel is overbooked, those who made a reservation on a third-party site are most likely to get walked to another hotel. Walking is a process in which a hotel like Caesars Palace might send overflow guests to another property within the company’s portfolio like the Rio. Hotels have less incentive to move a guest who paid full price.
To have your cake and eat it too, follow our direct hotel links and you’ll earn both a discount and the benefits of booking direct.
Take Advantage of Hotel Discounts
Resorts frequently offer discount codes and sales, although suites don’t usually get the same markdowns that regular rooms do. Sign up for online mailing lists directly with hotels before booking.
