Hefty Las Vegas casino resort fees can take a big bite from tourists bankrolls before they even spin the slots reels on the casino floor.
Not all casinos are equal. Did you know that many casinos in Las Vegas will charge an additional nightly fee (known as a ‘resort fee‘) when you stay overnight?
What’s more these fees are sometimes not apparent until the last stage of the booking process.
This lack of transparency results in a lot of frustration – because advertised offers and deals seem meaningless in some cases. A casino could for example advertise a room for $5 a night – but charge a $95 nightly resort fee to stay in a Vegas Casino. Of course resort fees are not exclusive to Las Vegas. Hotels in other major cities like Chicago, Orlando and New York apply this charge too.
These unfair fees add up – President Joe Biden
Even President Joe Biden has taken swipes at airlines and hotels – calling on Congress to limit certain extra charges they impose on consumers.
In January 2023, Biden said Congress should restrict airline seat-assignment fees imposed on families trying to sit together and “so-called resort fees” that many hotels now tack on to the bill.
Vegas Resort Fees By Location
| Resort | Resort Fee | Tax Included? |
|---|---|---|
| Aria | $45 | No |
| Horseshoe | $39.95 | No |
| Bellagio | $45 | No |
| Caesars Palace | $45.95 | No |
| Casino Royale | $0 | No |
| Circus Circus | $32 | No |
| Cosmopolitan | $45 | No |
| Cromwell | $45.95 | No |
| Delano | $39 | No |
| Encore | $45 | No |
| Excalibur | $35 | No |
| Flamingo | $39.95 | No |
| Harrah’s | $39.95 | No |
| Horseshoe | $39.95 | No |
| Linq | $39.95 | No |
| Luxor | $35 | No |
| Mandalay Bay | $39 | No |
| MGM Grand | $39 | No |
| Mirage | $39 | No |
| New York New York | $37 | No |
| Palazzo | $45 | No |
| Paris | $45.95 | No |
| Park MGM | $39 | No |
| Planet Hollywood | $45.95 | No |
| Polo Towers | $28 | No |
| Resorts World | $45 | No |
| Sahara | $42.50 | No |
| STRAT | $39.95 | No |
| Treasure Island | $39 | No |
| Tropicana | $37 | No |
| Waldorf Astoria | $45 | No |
| Venetian | $45 | No |
| Vdara | $45 | No |
| Wynn | $45 | No |
| Resort | Resort Fee | Tax Included? |
|---|---|---|
| 4 Queens | $0 | N/A |
| Binion’s Apache | $0 | N/A |
| California | $29.37 | Yes |
| Circa | $39.49 | Yes |
| Downtown Grand | $39.55 | Yes |
| El Cortez | $27.06 | Yes |
| Fremont | $29.37 | Yes |
| Golden Gate | $33.84 | Yes |
| Golden Nugget | $40.68 | Yes |
| Main Street Station | $29.37 | Yes |
| Plaza | $33.90 | Yes |
| The D | $33.84 | Yes |
| Resort | Resort Fee | Tax Included? |
|---|---|---|
| Aliante | $36.15 | Yes |
| Arizona Charlies | $28.24 | Yes |
| Boulder Station | $31.63 | Yes |
| Cannery | $28.24 | Yes |
| Elara | $25 | No |
| Ellis Island | $37.40 | Yes |
| Gold Coast | $36.27 | Yes |
| Green Valley Ranch | $51.30 | Yes |
| OYO | $45.29 | Yes |
| M Resort | $26.31 | Yes |
| Orleans | $41.80 | Yes |
| Palace Station | $45.34 | Yes |
| Palms | $36.28 | Yes |
| Platinum | $36.28 | Yes |
| Red Rock | $50.85 | Yes |
| Rio | $39.95 | No |
| Sam’s Town | $30.50 | Yes |
| Signature at MGM | $39 | No |
| Silver Sevens | $37 | Yes |
| Skyline | $0 | N/A |
| South Point | $27 | No |
| Suncoast | $36.15 | Yes |
| Sunset Station | $37.61 | Yes |
| Trump | $44.22 | Yes |
| Virgin | $51.02 | Yes |
| Westgate | $45.34 | Yes |
Why do casinos charge a resort fee?
The general line from casinos is that the resort fee is charged to consumers in order to cover amenities like shuttle-services, internet access and fitness center access, free local calls from your room, and in some cases a local newspaper.
For now visitors can simply think of resort fees a fixed base room rate. It’s quite possible that they will become a thing of the past if congress acts to change the law.
Avoiding Casino Resort Fees
Some casinos in Las Vegas don’t charge any resort fees (e.g Skyline, 4 Queens and Binion’s Apache).
According to UpgradedPoints.com, “one of the easiest ways to avoid resort fees is by booking an award stay. Many hotels will waive the resort fees on stays booked with points. Hyatt and Hilton always waive resort fees when you book a room with points”.