Hidden Costs of Las Vegas: What You’re Really Paying For
We may receive a commission if you make a purchase.
Vegas Shows | Hotels | Attractions | Tours
Home > Hidden Costs of Las Vegas: What You’re Really Paying For
Las Vegas remains to be one of the most popular destinations for tourists in the United States, but many visitors are often surprised by the hidden costs and fees associated with their trip. From resort fees and parking charges to mini-bar charges, the expenses can quickly add up. It’s important to budget carefully and be aware of these additional costs to avoid any surprises.
In this article, we’ll discuss all the costs you can expect while on vacation, and how to avoid them when possible.
Resort Fees
Resort fees are one of the most common hidden fees you will find at any Las Vegas resort. While these fees are often quite high, they replace costs for many amenities like long-distance domestic calls from the hotel phone, Wi-Fi, parking, and a variety of other services depending on the resort.
The typical cost of resort fees is an additional $30-$50+ per night. These fees also apply to complimentary rooms, which is important to keep in mind. For the full list of Las Vegas hotels with resort fees, you can check out our comprehensive resort fee guide here. This guide covers what resorts charge these fees, and how much each of them cost.
While there’s no way you can avoid paying this fee outright if the hotel charges a resort fee, there are some ways you can try to offset this cost. One of the ways you can avoid the fee entirely is by staying at a hotel with no resort fees. Although this is not always a way to avoid the fee, being part of one of the casino loyalty programs at a resort will often reduce the overall amount you have to pay. For example, comped rooms may be offered in exchange for paying only the resort fee, or the resort fee may be waived entirely for high-level members.
Lastly, if there are any amenities closed or not operational during your stay covered by the resort fee, it is possible to ask that the resort fee be waived or lowered. While we cannot guarantee the request will be approved, there’s certainly no harm in asking the front desk during your stay.
Parking Fees
If you’re renting a car or bringing your own, parking fees are something you will need to take into account. While some resort fees cover parking (such as SAHARA Las Vegas or The Plaza Hotel & Casino), most times this will be an additional charge.
Fees for both self-parking and valet typically ranges from $10-$50 per day. Self-parking is typically in the lower range of $10-$30. For valet, the cost is usually higher at $35-$50, not including tip. As with resort fees, you can take a look at our parking fee guide here for a more comprehensive look at Las Vegas parking fees.
The two biggest ways to avoid this fee is to sign up for casino loyalty programs as certain tiers offer free parking, or to stay at a resort with free parking.
Mandatory Tips and Service Charges
Depending on a number of factors, mandatory tips and service charges may be added to your hotel bill. These charges are typically intended to cover the cost of services provided by the hotel staff, such as room service, spa treatments, and restaurants on resort property. The amount of the mandatory tip or service charge can vary depending on the hotel, what services are provided, and the type of room you book.
As with a few items on this list, it’s hard to avoid paying them, but being conscious of the hotel’s policy can help you budget and account for these costs. If you want to know more about Las Vegas tipping etiquette, you can take a look at our article here.
Entertainment and Ticket Fees
One of the biggest hidden fees that you will encounter is with show and attraction tickets. These fees can often cost 20-30% on top of your ticket price. They often come in the form of service fees, processing fees, and even venue fees. While these charges may seem small individually, they can add up quickly and significantly increase the overall cost of attending an event.
The best way to circumvent these fees is to either call the box office directly to purchase tickets over the phone or in person. This way, you can avoid many of the online service fees. Additionally, discounted ticket sites can often offer huge savings on popular shows and experiences.
Incidental Charges
Although this is not technically a hidden fee, we think it’s important to include in this article. As many hotels across the country do, Las Vegas resorts will typically place a temporary hold for incidental charges on your card when you check in. These can range from a flat fee your entire stay, to $100 per night.
While there’s no way to avoid this charge, we recommend putting this charge on a credit card over a debit card. The reason we recommend this is because it typically takes longer for a hold on a debit card to be released and can often tie up money you had budgeted for other activities.
Hidden Hotel Charges
Resort fees cover a large number of amenities during your stay, but there are some extra fees once you check in that you need to be aware of. Hotels may charge you for early check-ins and late check-outs, but one of the biggest charges is for mini-bars. Mini-bars installed in hotels in recent years usually have sensors that detect when items are removed or moved, and when you have items with you that need refrigeration, this is extremely inconvenient.
The good news is that most hotels are willing to provide refrigerators to guests who need to store medication or other items that require refrigeration, as well as ice buckets for drinks you bring yourself.
More Tips to Keep Your Trip Budget-Friendly
Now that we’ve gone over some of the most common hidden fees you’re likely to encounter during your trip to Las Vegas, we want to leave you with some extra tips to save money.
Use player’s cards even if you’re a casual gambler
As we’ve mentioned throughout the article, player’s cards are often one of the best ways to secure reduced or waived fees in Las Vegas. Even if you only gamble occasionally, signing up for a player’s card can lead to significant savings on meals, shows, and accommodations.
There are three major programs we want to highlight:
MGM Rewards – MGM Rewards offers a simple and convenient way to earn points towards your next tier. Not only does gambling get you closer to comped rooms and waived fees, your dining, accommodations, and even retail shopping can help you secure some amazing deals.
Stations Boarding Pass – Station Casinos has some of the most expansive offerings from their rewards program. With rewards like staterooms on cruises, VIP Check-In and turn down service, and even complementary concert tickets.
Caesars Rewards – Caesars Rewards is one of the best rewards programs if you’re looking to avoid resort fees. For diamond tier members and up, your resort fee will be completely waived at check in. lower members can also enjoy perks like free rooms and being able to turn your points into free play while gambling.
Look for Additional Discounts
While this might not save you the money from fees directly, looking for discounts available to you can often save you a surprising amount.Many hotels, restaurants, and attractions offer discounts for seniors, students, or members of certain organizations.
The good news is we’ve done the research for you and you can find a number of articles outlining a wide variety of discount programs:
Military and Veteran Discounts
