The service charge struck a nerve with many social commenters who expressed disbelief at the high cost from a mid-tier resort.
In Las Vegas, you can gamble away $60 in seconds. Or you can spend it checking into a budget-friendly hotel on the Strip a few hours early.
A social media post depicting a $60 (plus tax) early check-in fee on a digital kiosk at Flamingo hotel-casino went viral over the weekend. The service charge struck a nerve with many social commenters who expressed disbelief at the high cost from a mid-tier resort and frustration at the seemingly endless nickel-and-diming of Las Vegas visitors.
The post, originally shared by X user @wonderousATX around 1:30 p.m. on May 31, was shared by two of Las Vegas’ largest social media influencers, Las Vegas Locally and Vital Vegas, which amplified its reach.
“Nice….charging 60 bucks for a room that’s just sitting empty til 3:30….way to go,” said one Facebook user on Las Vegas Locally’s post.
Another Facebook user quipped, “This is why visitors are staying away from Vegas.”
Under the original X post, Vital Vegas bluntly said, “Awful. They’re doing this to themselves.”
A commenter under Vital Vegas’ retweet said simply, “This is nearing insanity.”
Caesars Entertainment, the Reno-based gaming and hospitality corporation that operates Flamingo Las Vegas, did not respond to a request for comment.
Early check-in fees are common at Las Vegas hotels and typically range from $20 to $50. Many Las Vegas hotel operators offer guests the option to check-in early for an additional charge during the online reservation process, although the fee is frequently waived upon arrival.
The $60 charge by Flamingo is higher than expected for a hotel of its caliber. Wynn and Encore, two of the Strip’s premier luxury resorts, charge $75.
While the price of early check-in at Flamingo was shocking to most online commenters, many said they were unsurprised since casinos on the Strip are earning a reputation for employing new ways to charge visitors for things that used to be considered basic hospitality.
“I remember when early check- in was just a service they offered. If your room is ready before 3:30 then why in the heck do they need to charge you if it’s already ready?” asked a Facebook user.
“Remember when that was a service given to customers? Pepperidge Farm remembers,” wrote another social media commenter, playing on the cookie maker’s popular nostalgic-laden television commercials.
The “nickel-and-diming” of Las Vegas visitors appears to have reached a tipping point now that the post-pandemic consumer spending spree has all but ended. Visitation to Las Vegas and gaming revenue reported by casinos on the Strip have both been declining in recent months.
Although no one factor is solely responsible for changing consumer habits, many social media commenters are offering a glimpse into one of the primary reasons.
“Welcome to Las Vegas,” a Facebook user sarcastically wrote. “We now charge more while offering less.”
