What if “Comped” Rooms were abolished?
The discussion about the possible elimination of free drinks while you gamble brought up an even more terrifying topic. What if the Vegas powers abolished “comped” rooms? How would that affect your Vegas trips?
What is a “comped” room? “Comped” is an abbreviation of the word complimentary. It is a free room that you have been given based on your prior play at that establishment. Your play is tracked by your Player’s Card. The first piece of advice given to any Vegas virgin is often “sign up for and use your Player’s Card!” The casinos dangle “comped” rooms in front of our noses to keep us coming back. And it works. Oh boy, does it work. I know that every time I consider another trip after I analyse those frightening airfares, my next thought is always “Well, at least my rooms are free!” That thought is so powerful that it allows me to justify another Vegas excursion.
While most of us have come to the conclusion that we could live with buying our own drinks, having to pay for our own room is a thought that strikes fear into the heart of every gambler. I think that free hotel rooms are the smartest marketing tactic that casinos ever came up with. Personally, having to outlay several hundred dollars for my room would eliminate a big chunk of my gambling bankroll. I might as well stay home if I can’t afford to gamble. This would not be an issue for some, but for many it could mean the difference between “Vegas trip” or “no Vegas trip”. We are all aware of the inadvisability of gambling a thousand dollars in the hopes of getting a hundred dollar room stay. But in many instances, we are going to be gambling regardless, so a free hotel stay makes us feel better about it.
For some of us Vegas veterans, bouncing from casino to casino to utilize as many comps as possible has become a game of sorts. Even if our gambling bankroll vanishes, we feel like we have achieved something when we eat our FREE meal, watch our FREE show and lay our heads on our FREE pillow. It is all part of the fun and the challenge; getting the most out of your Vegas vacation. The money you don’t spend for rooms and food is money that can be used to pad your bankroll.
It is the existence of these casino perks that keeps many of us returning year after year. I can honestly state that when my “comped” rooms go away, likely I will too.
And that would be a sad, sad day.
If there were no more comped rooms, how would it affect your Vegas trips? Sound off in the comments below!
Bonnie, aka Blonde4ever, is the admin of one of our favorite Vegas forums: LasVegas4ever. She covers a large spectrum of topics from her personal experiences in Las Vegas.
11 thoughts on “What if “Comped” Rooms were abolished?”
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If I had to pay for rooms, my Vegas bankroll would be reduced accordingly. I would still go, but I would have less to spend.
And where would I spend it? Likely a Hampton Inn or similar non-gaming property.
What would that mean to resorts that had been comping me? They don’t get my play anymore.
If I did not receive any more comped rooms, it would not keep me from going to Vegas, but it would keep me from going as often as I do now. It’s bad enough that the airfare and rental car rates have been higher this year, but if I also had to pay for my rooms, I probably would not have went to Vegas at all this year.
My Vegas trips would definitely be over if I had to pay for more than a room night or two during my average 10 day stay. I still garner some comps from play in days gone by, and because I have made the trek 4 times in the past two years. I will only play on my card, where I am actually staying.
Now that we are retired, my gambling budget is cut to the bone, and although I still can ‘play’ each and every day (Thanks to my daily envelopes) I am limited to lower denomination machines. I still have fun and love my visits…absorbing the energy all around me, and meeting up with other Vegas Nuts.
But to even THINK of no complimentary rooms (mine or friends’ who are generous to share with me!) makes me weak in the knees….
I can’t see this happening. Remember when Venetian cancelled everyones comped rooms a few years ago? It never happened to me but refuse to sign up for the Grazie card or gamble at that casino due this incident!
Places that charge a resort fee on “comped rooms” already have done away with comped rooms. Atlantic City also charges a hotel tax for ‘comped’ guests, and it does not seem like AC is booming.
No need to stay at an overpriced casino hotel, with a resort fee on top of a daily rate. Many locations across the nation now offer better gaming than Las Vegas, if Vegas raises the “cost” of visiting they just offer another reason to go somewhere else.
No more free drinks combined with no more comped rooms would surely end our trips to Vegas. There’s no reason for us to go anymore. We can gamble anywhere we want and there are a lot of travel destinations closer to us than Vegas which are a lot nicer than Vegas and cheaper at the same time.
Considering CET is charging a resort fee on comp’d rooms (unless you are in their top tiers) they really aren’t comp’d.
I guess that goes back to the whole issue of the hotels charging resort fees in the first place. I personally haven’t seen this behavior, even when I was a TR platinum a few years ago. Where did you see it and were you working through a host?
If comped rooms were eliminated, I definitely would not come to Vegas ever again!! And if all the casinos did it, I would find a new form of entertainment.
sooo this is how u get the comped rooms…with a players card haha. I never put 1 and 1 together as to how they track who get a room or not. u learn something new every day
If our rooms weren’t comped, Vegas could count us out for sure. Same goes for eliminating comped drinks. We can justify spending airfare if we don’t have to pay for drinks or rooms (and food). If we have to suddenly start paying for drinks/room/food, we couldn’t afford to gamble and why go to Vegas if we can’t gamble?
Our local casinos offer us free rooms, so we would just stay home. I am sure Vegas won’t ever do that unless they want to drive away the remaining gamblers that still make the trek to Vegas from time to time.