Las Vegas Resort Fees Guide

Last Updated on October 29, 2022

Are you planning a trip to Sin City and can’t believe the low prices some of the major resorts are offering? It seems like a great deal, but before you start planning your vacation budget, there’s something you should know. Most Las Vegas hotels charge what’s called a resort fee in addition to the price of your room. Here’s what you need to know to avoid sticker shock from the Las Vegas resort fee and details about the amenities this fee covers.

What Are Resort Fees?

Resort Fees are the sneaky, sometimes hidden fee for almost every hotel in Las Vegas. Most people don’t know they are required to pay them at the time of booking their room and get surprised when they get the bill. When you pay resort fees, what you’re paying for is access to the amenities that hotels and resorts in Las Vegas offer.

If you’re wondering if you can waive access to hotel amenities and skip the resort fee, the answer is no. The only way to really avoid resort fees is by staying at one of the few hotels in Las Vegas that doesn’t charge them.

There are very few exceptions to this rule. One example of how to have your resort fee waived is by joining a program like MGM Rewards. Rewards members who have reached a certain status tier (currently Gold Status with at least 75,000 tier credits) receive the benefit of waived resort fees with direct bookings when they stay at any Las Vegas MGM Resorts property.

Maybe you’ve heard of the $20 trick in Vegas and are wondering if you might convince the person checking you in at guest services to let the resort fee slide. Again, the chances of this are unlikely. Resort fees are a fact of life in Las Vegas, so it’s best to budget accordingly to pay for them.

So, how much are you going to shell out for a resort fee? Resort fees range in price, but you’ll typically pay somewhere in the range of $20 (this is the very extreme low end) to $50. The resort fee isn’t a single charge but one that is added to your bill per night of your stay. If you’re staying three nights in a hotel that charges a $30 resort fee, plan on the final bill being $90 more than the total of what you’re paying for the room, plus any other additional fees or taxes.

Hotels on the Las Vegas Strip typically charge a higher resort fee to stay in their guest rooms than off-Strip Hotels. The average resort fee on the Vegas Strip is around $35-$40, while it’s more common to find a resort fee in the $25-$30 range if you move away from the Strip and look for a hotel room Downtown.

Why not include the resort fee in the price of the room and just charge more? We’ve asked ourselves that question too, and the answer is pretty simple. Hotels in Las Vegas like to advertise rock-bottom prices and special deals to lure Vegas-hungry travelers to their resorts.

After all, if you’re thinking about a spur-of-the-moment trip to Vegas and you snag a room at Caesars Palace for $80 a night or the New York, New York Hotel for $45 a night, that’s only going to encourage your travel plans. The resort fee allows hotels and resorts the opportunity to recover some of the cost of offering such budget-friendly deals.

Downtown Vegas Hotel Resort Fees

Resort Fee Perks & Amenities

Hotels in las Vegas charge a resort fee to cover the cost of many of the amenities they offer their guests. Higher-end and luxury hotels with top-tier amenities typically charge a higher resort fee than others. But, you might be wondering what is included in the resort fee and what extra perks you can access. Amenities and perks vary depending on the hotel, but this list sums up some of the most common amenities and perks covered.

High-Speed Internet Access: When you pay resort fees, most hotels in Las Vegas include in-room wireless internet access. You’ll still want to check with the hotel’s policy regarding high-speed internet access. Some offer unlimited, while others put a limit of up to three devices per room. If you’re someone who depends on in-room wireless internet access, it also doesn’t hurt to take a look at hotel reviews to get an idea of how reliable their internet service is.

Pool Access: Pool access is one of the best amenities offered by Vegas hotels. Some resorts have stunning pool complexes, and if you love the sun and splashing around, then pool access is definitely on your list of must-haves.

The resort fee you pay covers pool access at the hotel you’re staying in. Some hotels do offer pool and fitness center access to non-guests for a daily fee, but this isn’t the case across the board. Keep in mind that pool access allows you to enter and enjoy the pool complex, but extras like daybed or cabana rentals and refreshments cost extra.

Daily Fitness Center Access: Almost all hotels in Las Vegas offer some type of pool and fitness center. Paying the resort fee offers access to the fitness center daily for the duration of your stay. Fitness center access includes the use of all of the fitness equipment plus an indoor pool, sauna, or steam room if one is available.

Fitness center hours may vary, but some hotels do offer 24-hour fitness or cardio center access. Keep in mind that the fitness room is available to only those staying in your guest room and may be closely monitored. For example, if you have two registered people staying in your guest room, the resort fee provides fitness center access for two hotel guests only.

Toll-Free Calls Access: Many of us take the telephone in our hotel rooms for granted. The in-room phones, which were once considered a necessity, really aren’t anymore. Practically everyone carries around their own smartphone, so in-room phones are now considered more of a perk.

Still, there are times when you might really appreciate the in-room phone, and the resort fee allows you to make unlimited local and toll-free calls. This includes free local calls within Las Vegas and other toll-free telephone calls. Old school phones aren’t the same as the phones we carry in our pockets or bag, so domestic long-distance calls may incur additional fees.

Most hotels will also allow you to make toll-free phone calls and unlimited local calls from their front desk if you’re a registered guest and have paid a resort fee.

Extra Amenities: In addition to the standard amenities like pool and fitness center access, high-speed internet access, and unlimited local and toll-free calls, there are other perks covered when you pay resort fees. These are courtesies that you might not always need but are really nice to have.

Depending on the hotel, these might include free airline boarding pass printing. We all know there’s nothing worse than showing up at the airport without your boarding pass in hand. Speaking of airports, some hotels offer free airport shuttle service to and from the hotel on the day of your arrival and departure. It’s important to make arrangements for airport shuttle service ahead of time and not wait until the last minute.

Guests who stay at a hotel and have paid the resort fee also usually have access to the hotel’s business center if they have one on-site, along with free printing and notary services when available.

Some hotels also offer an in-room coffee maker, complete with everything you need to enjoy a nice morning coffee or tea service without leaving the comfort of your room. Some also supply in-room bottled water.

Self-parking is also covered by some hotels with their resort fee. Many Las Vegas hotels offer free parking to all visitors for the first 45 minutes to an hour but extend the courtesy of extended free self-parking to their guests. However, this isn’t the case across the board, and valet parking is almost always an extra fee.

Examples of What the Resort Fee Covers in Las Vegas

Tropicana Las Vegas: Free parking, pool and fitness center access, business center access, bottled water in-room

Planet Hollywood Resort: Access to two pools, high-speed internet access, electric vehicle charging for those using valet services, access to the fitness center, self-check-in, unlimited local and toll-free calls

Harrah’s Las Vegas: Fitness center access for two, unlimited local and toll-free calls, high-speed wireless internet access, access to the family-friendly pool, resort fees waived for Caesars Rewards members of certain tiers

D Las Vegas: 24-hour fitness center access, access to the pool, free self-parking and valet parking, free local and toll-free calls, in-room high-speed internet access, business center access, free local and toll-free calls, high-speed internet access,

El Cortez Hotel: Fitness center access, free parking, boarding passes for airline boarding printed for free, in-room coffee, unlimited local and toll-free calls, wireless internet access, free El Cortez FunBook with downtown destination coupons, in-room bottles of water, a complimentary cocktail with entree purchase at an El Cortez restaurant, discount on massage services.

Facts About Resort Fees You May Not Have Known

• A tax of 13.38% is charged on resort fees.
• They are mandatory and cannot be waived.
• They are calculated per room per night (NOT per person)

• Resort fees are found in other tourist cities in the US, Mexico, and Canada.
• The European Union has made resort fees illegal.
• There is currently only one hotel on the Las Vegas Strip that does not charge resort fees – Casino Royale Best Western.

To take the mystery out of Las Vegas resort fees, we’ve created a handy chart for every hotel on the Strip and their associated resort fees.