Yesterday I got a wonderful yet almost surrealistic press release from Harrah’s. What was wonderful is that Harrah’s simply was announcing the hotel rooms at their Vegas casinos (Paris Las Vegas, Bally’s, Rio, Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Imperial Palace and Harrah’s) are priced as they are priced when you pay for them. Wow? Why would such an announcement be necessary? Because some other hotels in Vegas use a “resort fee” to significantly bump up the cost of your stay.

As the economy worsened last year, Vegas resorts dropped room rates to unprecedented levels in order to keep their hotels full. But those advertised rates were simultaneously undermined at some properties by something called a “resort fee.” These mandatory fees (essentially therefore part of the cost of the room) have become increasingly prevalent in Vegas.

Maybe, public awareness, and common sense will soon reverses this trend. So, Harrah’s press release offers not only good news that Harrah’s is not using these bogus charges, but the announcement also raises the question of which of their competitors are charging a “resort fee”? For now, to get an answer call any hotel in Vegas you are considering staying at to ask about “resort fees.”

So, what is the resort fee? A “resort fee” is a backdoor charge that covers things as silly as being able to make a toll free or local phone calls from your room or a free newspaper in the morning. Essentially a smorgasbord of random stuff thrown together in order to charge this fee that you are forced to pay for every day you stay at the hotel. Remember this charge is added to what you are already paying for the room. The only difference, between this fee and your room rate: you may not  know you are paying this added cost for your room until check-in.  That is what happened to me.  The “resort fee” is meant to be sneaky.

I learned about the “fee” when I stayed at Trump last year. This was extra sad as Trump lacks a casino, shows and much of anything that would make it a resort in the Vegas sense.  But that property should not be singled out. Others do this too. Still, Trump’s approach to the “fee” was an infuriating experience. At check-in I was told about the charge which was about $15 on a room that I had bought on-line, and thought I was paying under $100 per night. Had I known in advance I was going to be charged this at check-in, I could have gotten a cheaper and better room at another hotel. But there was no hint during my on-line purchase— unless it was disclosed in tiny print in huge passages of legalese— that such a fee would be charged, and certainly no mention of the amount. And, even Trump’s management must not have been sure customers are properly informed, because at check-in about the first thing that happened was that I was told about the fee. Then I was immediately required to sign a disclosure statement, supplied by the hotel, that I had been informed of the mandatory fee. By then, of course, I was at check-in weeks after making the reservation.

I was free to refuse to pay and leave, of course. But I only drove from my home a few miles away, imagine the vacation miseries this would create for tourists who just finished flying to Vegas from places remote. The list of services that the fee covered fell into two categories: stuff I did not want and stuff I already expect to be free in Vegas (like valet). And, it seems nothing has changed much at Trump since I stayed there.

The “resort fee” is one of the many ways Vegas hotels seem to have developed some disconnect with their customers, one that must be fixed for Vegas to get out of the continuing slump we face. People do not develop good feelings for a place when they feel hustled at check-in by being charged money they weren’t expecting to pay, while being ordered to sign an agreement that this charge was disclosed. From experience: You just feel like a sucker.

Remember back when people said first impressions were important.  (Photo: Sarah Gerke)