Think you know what you’re being charged for? From the time you arrive to the time you leave, Las Vegas hidden fees can add up quickly and take a serious bite out of your vacation! Guests are being fleeced a dollar at a time all over town, and most don’t even realize how much they are paying in these additional fees.
Hey! Remember the days when Las Vegas was an affordable destination for a weekend getaway or a summer vacation? Well, those days have been over for a while now, but what’s really frustrating is being nickle and dimed every time you turn around. Up first, Resort fees… which most people are aware of these days. But, if you’re new to Las Vegas travel, or you just forget, these Las Vegas hidden fees can take a real bite out of your ass when you discover you owe hundreds of dollars more than you were led to believe.
In fairness, many resorts these days are doing a much better job of disclosing these fees in advance. No one likes them, but we can’t avoid them, so here’s our list of over 50 Las Vegas Resorts and the fees they are charging, starting with the most expensive, and that honor goes to Durango, Red Rock, and The Strat. Three resorts which may not have been your first guess. However, as you can see by the numbers, they don’t lead the pack by much!
Also in the $50 a nightclub are Bellagio, Caesars, Venetian and the Wynn, plus other names you might expect. And remember, those Resort fees do not include that warm, $15 bottle of Aquafina they left sitting beside your bed on the nightstand (another of the Las Vegas hidden fees?) just daring you to take a sip from it! Up next, we come to our $40 a night fees, where we find Fontainebleau, which may actually be a bargain, along with Mandalay Bay and some mid-range resorts. However, what you might not expect to see in this range are names like Golden Nugget and Circus Circus.
At this point, allow us to pause for just a moment and appreciate the fact that the Strat is charging more for their Resort fees than the five-star Fontainebleau. Up next, we come to the $30 a night range, and here we find many of the properties located down on Fremont Street, and some that are off the strip like Silver Sevens and Gold Coast. Then in the $20 a night range we head back downtown to the Gold Spike, and not too far away the recently renovated El Cortez. But if you want to stay on the strip and pay no resort fees, Casino Royale is your only choice. Of course, rumors are that the Casino Royale will soon be torn down and replaced with a new high-rise Mega Resort… so there goes that!
If you book through a third-party site you might not see Resort fees listed anywhere. However, if you book your room through the resort itself, those fees will most likely be disclosed. However, this brings us to the next item on our list: The Contact Center Fee is what MGM Resorts is now charging people for the privilege of making a reservation through their call center… at $15 per night! And you might not be aware that you’re paying this fee at all until check out when you see your bill.
Next on our list we come to the Concession & Franchise Fee, which may be the sneakiest of them all. It’s not a tax, and as far as anyone can tell the only purpose it serves is to separate you from more of your cash. Many restaurants and bars around Las Vegas are now charging this phony baloney fee, which you will see on your bill listed only as CNF. It’s usually about 3 to 5% of your total added on so… surprise!
Finally this week, the last five Las Vegas hidden fees you should be on the lookout for in Las Vegas, some are hiding in plain sight, others are hidden much more deeply, like Parking Fees. If you drive to Las Vegas expect to pay through the nose at most resorts just to park your car. The 7% Venue Fee they add on at most every nightclub around Las Vegas, and the 9% Live Entertainment Fee which you will pay everywhere there’s live entertainment. Also be aware of the $2 taxi fee they charge you just for being picked up at the airport… the $2 taxi fee they charge you just for being dropped off at the airport… and the $5 taxi fee they charge you just for the convenience of using your credit card to pay for the ride. Oh! And don’t forget everyone… everyone expects to be tipped!