October 25-26-- Staying at Fitzgerald's. Two nights $36 total with $10 food. $15 freeplay, $15 matchplay, and 2 comedy tickets, basically getting my money and more back in comps. I still am booked at the El Cortez in case something changes, and I need to move things around again.
The Fitz room charge is $36 with tax.
October 27-28-29 Free at Four Queens with $50 food credit and $60 freeplay. Bill is at Orleans 27/28/29.
October 30-31 - Paying $34 with tax for El Cortez Pavilion using ACG coupon. Bill is at El Cortez.
November 1- 7 - Paying $192 to stay at Gold Spike through their website.
Bill is at Gold Spike 1/2, then back at Orleans 3/4, and then he goes home Oct 5.
November 8-9 Free at Orleans with $10 food credit
.
November 10, 11, 12,13 - Staying for $27 at Four Queens. 3 nights are free. Also I get to be enrolled in a slot tournament. And I get $60 freeplay as well.
November 13 14 -15 - Paying $34 with tax to stay at Harrah's (although I'll probably pay less to nothing after applying my to be earned poker reward points.) I am doubled booked one night (13) with Harrah's, but that will make the move easier if I don't get a ride. I don't have to take all my luggage at once.
Odd that I made all these changes to try and get 14 nights in one room at the El Cortez, and I did not manage it, and I don't care now as the whole policy soured me on the goal just to stay there in one place my entire trip. Now I am back just jumping from room to room based on offers, deals, and cheap basic prices.
At first I had a booking with booking.com and hotels.com. I got into an exchange of email again with hotels.com over who collects the resort fee at Gold Spike. They don't know that they do. They won't admit that it is the "resort fee;" they call it a "service charge" which they pass on to the hotel. I see the advantage for Gold Spike, as the money is collected long before I arrive. It is a disadvantage to the discounter because it makes their price appear $9 a night higher compared to booking.com or other discounters that do not collect for the hotel. Expedia does the same.
Then I found a cheaper price right on the Gold Spike website.
However, altering this is hard. Next time book in two and three day bits that are easier to cancel.
- 11/01/2011 ------ USD 12.00 add to each the resort fee of $7.95
- 11/02/2011 ------ USD 12.00
- 11/03/2011 ------ USD 12.00
- 11/04/2011 ------ USD 27.00
- 11/05/2011 ------ USD 27.00
- 11/06/2011 ------ USD 12.00
- 11/07/2011 ------ USD 12.00
Room charge is $114.00 Resort fee is $56.00
subtotal $170.00
13% $22.00 (resort fee is also taxed)
Total $192.00 for 7 nights at gold spike ($27 a night on average)
Plus $36 for 2 nights at the Fitz
plus $34 ElCortez ACG coupon deal for 2 pavillion nights
plus $102 Gold Spike- Nov 10-11-12 (until 4 Queens gives me this free) This is now cancelled
plus $27 total for 4 nights at the Four Queens (3 free)
Plus $34 Harrah's (to be reduced with points to 0 after playing poker)
$0 at Orleans
$0 at Four Queens in October
total = $14.68 on average per night (if my math is right)
Total food and freeplay that comes with rooms:
$180 If I added that into the formula, the rooms would cost me $6.50 a night.
And I expect that the Harrah's will be free and save me another $34. Then the average would be $4.96.
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Fly home on Nov 16plus $102 Gold Spike- Nov 10-11-12 (until 4 Queens gives me this free) This is now cancelled
plus $27 total for 4 nights at the Four Queens (3 free)
Plus $34 Harrah's (to be reduced with points to 0 after playing poker)
$0 at Orleans
$0 at Four Queens in October
total = $14.68 on average per night (if my math is right)
Total food and freeplay that comes with rooms:
$180 If I added that into the formula, the rooms would cost me $6.50 a night.
And I expect that the Harrah's will be free and save me another $34. Then the average would be $4.96.
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Had I known that I could shorten my stay at the Gold Spike, I would have left the Fitz in that last week in November, but thinking I was double booked, I moved it to the October 25-26 two night block and will cancel the El Cortez. I save $50 in mandatory food expense which is about equal to saving $45 in Gold Spike room expense. I always have plenty of free food in Vegas. It also gives me 7 nights with no moving at the Gold Spike, an easier move from the Fitz to the Four Queens and if they let me use the free comedy tickets on my check out day, 27th, Bill can come and see that show with me. I see prices of $40 dollars for this show, so the comp is a good deal.
note to self: first confirm the Fitz. then cancel the EC.
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Absolutely the longest and most confusing bookings I have ever made for any trip. I will have to make certain that all the cancelled rooms are in fact cancelled when I finally settle this all down just before I go.
Why does the Four Queens wait to make mailed offers just weeks before the event? Perhaps they want to catch the attention of those who have not yet decided to go. However, it makes planning complicated. I have to have a backup to cancel if and when they send me an offer. Waiting until the last minute to book would be deadly.
