Mandalay resort fee

vegasgroom

Have to vent about Mandalay.  I'm paying for the rooms for our groomsmen and bridesmaids next summer so I booked about $4400 in room nights with them for everyone.  I asked if they'd waive the $17/night 'resort fee' on the rooms and made sure to mention that free wi-fi and pool access would not be of much use since we had wedding-related activities scheduled for this group of people but they refused to waive the fee.  Really?  You can't part with that $400 or so bs fee when I'm already spending four grand?  WTF

mwkoby

Ugh, sorry to hear that. I'm not sure how their res system works but I've worked in hotels and it may be an automatic thing linked to the room rate, so maybe they can't waive it. Sorry, just playing devil's advocte here. Did they give you a discounted room rate? I'm just thinking that maybe they could absorb the difference on the rate itself. I'm still waiting for a good deal in April to book mine. It's usually cheaper to book a package from here though.

vegasgroom

I booked them all through the web during a sale since it was cheaper that way than the group rate.  I figure the group rate people don't really care since they're not getting a commission.

mwkoby

Ah, ya, that makes sense. Plus they have to pay commission to the online vendor that you used. That was very nice of you to pay for their rooms though!

j_jaye

As someone from overseas I really don't understand resort fees! I have never experienced that anywhere else in the world! The websites of the hotels are so misleading! I think it is just a case of price gouging (sp?) especially since if the hotel is at full capacity the pool would be way over crowdwd if you wanted to actually use it.
 
I have warned all my guests about the extra fee on top of the room rate. 

We purposefully are staying at a hotel taht does not charge a resort fee!

Sara191431

Oh, and after Jan. 1st, the resort fee is going up to $18 so with tax it's $20 and some change.

But maybe you guys already knew that...

vegasgroom

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_mandalay-resort-fee?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:91Discussion:ee32a1e7-6964-4118-92c4-cf0f77c65c2aPost:d66f3688-9b40-490a-88e5-762f1a675692">Re: Mandalay resort fee</a>:
[QUOTE]As someone from overseas I really don't understand resort fees! I have never experienced that anywhere else in the world! The websites of the hotels are so misleading! I think it is just a case of price gouging (sp?) especially since if the hotel is at full capacity the pool would be way over crowdwd if you wanted to actually use it. 
Posted by j_jaye[/QUOTE]

It is basically just a way for a vendor to charge more than the advertised price, the same way most airlines here charge baggage fees now.  It lets them get away with running tv ads or online ads that say woohoo big deal available right now, $100/night or whatever the price may be that happens to be $5 less than their competitor, until you show up to check in and get hit with the $17 additional per night resort fee. And the same way it makes me not want to fly those airlines, it makes me not want to stay at MB again.

Natrasha

Wow, I'd be pissed too! Especially at $17 PER NIGHT when you're already spending that much. The "resort fee" is such crap. I wouldn't want to stay there again either. They should think about keeping customers, not angering them.

MVJP10

Greedy bastards.

I would think they could waive it for you especially since you are dropping that much loot the fact that they won't is absurd.

mwkoby

I was shocked when I started planning that there weren't any concessions being made for me because I was having my wedding there and bringing 75 people to stay there.  I think I had some pretty strong feelings (angry ones) about that for a couple of weeks before I realized that my wedding is bring in pennies compared to some of the big conventions that are held there and what they make in the casino.  If I had my wedding in my hometown at a golf course or something, the bride and groom would be doted on and surely they would try to be as accommodating as possible because I'd be bringing in a fair chunk of change for them.  This is not the case in Vegas.  From what I've heard, the hotels usually have about 30 weddings a day, we're just one of them.  And for the hotel itself, our rooms that we're occupying are an extremely small percentage of their overall inventory.

Don't get me wrong, I know it's frustrating and I'd love to not be paying a resort fee as well.  We're staying for a week so I'll have 7 days of it to pay, not to mention our families and guests.  I was able to get a little perspective though in the beginning of my planning so I just thought I'd share.  While I've been treated very well by my WC, if I wanted the kind of treatment I'd get at home, Vegas is just not the place for it.  Majority of the strip hotels all charge the resort fees now.  They range from $15-$25.  I hope I'm not pissing off some people by writing this comment, that's not my intention.

direy25

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_mandalay-resort-fee?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:ee32a1e7-6964-4118-92c4-cf0f77c65c2aPost:f62addad-27bf-4874-914f-92c9327f6696">Re: Mandalay resort fee</a>:
[QUOTE]I was shocked when I started planning that there weren't any concessions being made for me because I was having my wedding there and bringing 75 people to stay there.  I think I had some pretty strong feelings (angry ones) about that for a couple of weeks before I realized that my wedding is bring in pennies compared to some of the big conventions that are held there and what they make in the casino.  If I had my wedding in my hometown at a golf course or something, the bride and groom would be doted on and surely they would try to be as accommodating as possible because I'd be bringing in a fair chunk of change for them.  This is not the case in Vegas.  From what I've heard, the hotels usually have about 30 weddings a day, we're just one of them.  And for the hotel itself, our rooms that we're occupying are an extremely small percentage of their overall inventory. Don't get me wrong, I know it's frustrating and I'd love to not be paying a resort fee as well.  We're staying for a week so I'll have 7 days of it to pay, not to mention our families and guests.  I was able to get a little perspective though in the beginning of my planning so I just thought I'd share.  While I've been treated very well by my WC, if I wanted the kind of treatment I'd get at home, Vegas is just not the place for it.  <strong>Majority of the strip hotels all charge the resort fees now.  They range from $15-$25.</strong>  I hope I'm not pissing off some people by writing this comment, that's not my intention.
Posted by mwkoby[/QUOTE]
It's not just Vegas.  Resort fees are becoming more & more common at other destinations as well.  I work in Aspen and a lot of the hotels here have been charging resort fees for a long time now.  It does suck, but I don't see them going away anytime soon.

MVJP10

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_nevada-las-vegas_mandalay-resort-fee?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:91Discussion:ee32a1e7-6964-4118-92c4-cf0f77c65c2aPost:f62addad-27bf-4874-914f-92c9327f6696">Re: Mandalay resort fee</a>:
[QUOTE]I was shocked when I started planning that there weren't any concessions being made for me because I was having my wedding there and bringing 75 people to stay there.  I think I had some pretty strong feelings (angry ones) about that for a couple of weeks before I realized that my wedding is bring in pennies compared to some of the big conventions that are held there and what they make in the casino.  If I had my wedding in my hometown at a golf course or something, the bride and groom would be doted on and surely they would try to be as accommodating as possible because I'd be bringing in a fair chunk of change for them.  This is not the case in Vegas.  From what I've heard, the hotels usually have about 30 weddings a day, we're just one of them.  And for the hotel itself, our rooms that we're occupying are an extremely small percentage of their overall inventory. Don't get me wrong, I know it's frustrating and I'd love to not be paying a resort fee as well.  We're staying for a week so I'll have 7 days of it to pay, not to mention our families and guests.  I was able to get a little perspective though in the beginning of my planning so I just thought I'd share.  While I've been treated very well by my WC, if I wanted the kind of treatment I'd get at home, Vegas is just not the place for it.  Majority of the strip hotels all charge the resort fees now.  They range from $15-$25.  I hope I'm not pissing off some people by writing this comment, that's not my intention.
Posted by mwkoby[/QUOTE]

I understand what you are saying but some times it's just nice to vent :)

mwkoby

Oh, I hear ya!  I did my fair share of venting too.  I just about told MB I was going to take my wedding elsewhere because of it.  Now that I've gotten some perspective though, I just thought I'd share.

dvohnout

Your $4000 means nothing to them. That is nothing. People get married in Vegas all day every day bringing guestswith them. They aren't going to waive the fee.

ahhhitsshannyn

Resort fees suck!!!!! That is definitely not good business since I am sure you are dropping big $$ for your wedding and reception too!

vegasgroom

I hope I win big at craps and take them for a few grand LOL.

j_jaye

LOL that sort of revenge sounds good...I hope you win big and get everyones resort fees back!

red1115

 I explained to my guests, Mandatory Resort Fees are universally despised just like airlines baggage fees.  These fees are "greed" based if you will as they are implemented to increase revenue.  As some friends of mine that work in the industry have pointed out, as the recession has continued, less people are actually gambling, so the casino/resorts have incresed their revenues by raising the prices on everything they can food/drinks/shows/shopping/spa etc. to compensate, as they can't raise the actual hotel rate w/o driving even more people away to competitor's  resorts.  (Can you spell HARRAH'S?)  Unfortunately we all know these fees are cash cows and will be around for awhile. Just try weaning the casinos off "free" money! <sigh>

Just found out that Bellagio will begin charging a resort fee after the new year also.  But at least the fees are are only nightly and not charged nightly/per person like some places!  EEK!

bcschuman

I, too, am frustrated with the resort fees but realize that is something that you get with a hotel like Mandalay Bay... they are one of the nicest hotels/casino in Vegas and it is not like it is the Westward Ho.  Most of my guests are staying elsewhere, so luckily I don't have to worry about defending the resort fee.  I do agree that they should be a little more accomodating if your wedding is happening there or you are paying for a large sum of money for rooms... but we are small change compared to some of the other events they have coming through the hotel:(.

Suzsee

They waived our resort fee at mb. We had a vista for 5 nights. Guy at check in was awesome -- he also linked all of our guests together so everyone could be in the same general area.  We didnt have a room block -- rooms were cheaper without it.  We did book our room with our wc...maybe that is why the fee was waived??