How to Get a Discount Rate for a Las Vegas Hotel on the Strip

Since there are a number of great places close to Las Vegas to hike, bike and spend time in the great outdoors, eventually many outdoor enthusiasts will find themselves visiting Sin City. Why not maximize your vacation time by spending the daylight hours outside and the evening hours sampling some of the entertainment that Vegas has to offer? For those that are willing to take some chances in the casino, the payoffs could include free or discounted hotel rooms, meals, and shows. You don't have to be a high roller to get a free (complimentary, or "comp") or discounted room, but there are a few simple rules to getting the most for your money.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Getting a Comped Room

Things You’ll Need:

Computer Casino player's club card Money
Computer
Casino player's club card
Money

Step 1

Visit the website of a casino hotel that you think you would like to visit. Most of the hotel websites will ask for your e-mail address. Since most places will provide discounts on rooms, food, or shows to the people who sign up on their site, it is a good idea to start here for some great deals.

Step 2

Apply for the casino's players' card and be sure to use it. To get any kind of comp, including a free or discounted room, you have to have a player rating. Once you sign up for the card and use it, the casino automatically tracks how much money you make, how much you spend, and how much time you spend playing. Whether you are a high roller or you play smaller games and slots for at least a few hours in a day, your activity adds up. This will pay off later on in better comps.

Step 3

Maximize your game play. One way to do this is to know when the day begins at each casino. If the casino starts their player's club day at midnight, place a large bet on a dollar slot machine and hit spin right at 11:59. This way one large bet will credit as partly to one day and partly to the next. This helps you because you will spread the action out over two days but will spend the same amount as if you played it in one day. If you don't have a lot of money to gamble, play the slots for a few hours each day.

Step 4

Call or ask to speak to a casino host. Ask what you have to do to qualify for the casino rate. Be polite, friendly, and sound interested. If you do this, many hosts will offer you the rate hoping you will become one of their players.

Step 5

Spend all your money in the casino where you are staying, and charge everything to your hotel room. Everything adds up and the casinos reward loyalty. It won't take the place of gambling to earn you comps, but it will help.

Step 6

Ask to have your bill evaluated when you check-out, even if you have only gambled for a little while. Even if you don't qualify for a room comp, the hotel might give you some other comps or discounts if you spent a significant amount of time gambling in their casino. If not, your points will continue to accrue with each trip until you do eventually qualify for a comp room.

Tips & Warnings

Never be belligerent or act entitled. The casinos are not obligated to do anything for you, so your best strategy is to be very pleasant and friendly without being too cloying or irritating. Being as nice and as genuine as possible will make them want to help you out. Even if you don't qualify for a room comp initially, check with your casino host before you leave. You may have played more than you realized and might qualify for a room comp or other comps. It is always a good policy to ask. In newer casino hotels, you will probably have to have higher bet levels or longer play times. The older facilities are still nice, and may do more for you in order to stay competitive. This could help you save a lot of money. If you really like Vegas, plan to stay at the same hotel each visit. Go out of your way to be nice to the staff and tip everyone very well. The verbal tips and suggestions you get from a well-tipped waitress, bellhop, or cab driver could well end up saving, or making you, a lot of money! Hotels rarely comp rooms that were booked through a third-party, such as a travel agency or a travel website. If you want a comp or a comp upgrade, deal directly with the hotel. If you are traveling as a couple, make sure you let the hotel staff know if this is a special occasion for you, i.e., your honeymoon, 25th or 50th Anniversary, etc. Likewise, if this is for a special birthday or if the hotel has special memories for you, make sure they know that.

Even if you don't qualify for a room comp initially, check with your casino host before you leave. You may have played more than you realized and might qualify for a room comp or other comps. It is always a good policy to ask.

In newer casino hotels, you will probably have to have higher bet levels or longer play times. The older facilities are still nice, and may do more for you in order to stay competitive. This could help you save a lot of money.

If you really like Vegas, plan to stay at the same hotel each visit. Go out of your way to be nice to the staff and tip everyone very well. The verbal tips and suggestions you get from a well-tipped waitress, bellhop, or cab driver could well end up saving, or making you, a lot of money!

Hotels rarely comp rooms that were booked through a third-party, such as a travel agency or a travel website. If you want a comp or a comp upgrade, deal directly with the hotel.

If you are traveling as a couple, make sure you let the hotel staff know if this is a special occasion for you, i.e., your honeymoon, 25th or 50th Anniversary, etc. Likewise, if this is for a special birthday or if the hotel has special memories for you, make sure they know that.

While the idea of a free room may be attractive, never gamble more than you can afford to lose.

Resources

Article Written By Beth Anderle

A former Army officer, Beth Anderle has been writing professionally for many years and is an experienced freelance reporter. Anderle graduated from the University of Maine with a Bachelor of Arts in international relations and completed a Master of Divinity from Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. Her areas of interest including gardening, genealogy, herbs, literature, travel and spirituality.

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