While you may find a cheap “base” rate at the Artisan Hotel on West Sahara Avenue in Las Vegas, keep in mind electricity is not included. Yep, you’ll need to pay a daily “power surcharge.” Welcome to Sin City.
This really isn’t a joke…
The Latest Las Vegas Resort Fee: Daily “Power Surcharge”
Las Vegas pioneered the resort fee, tacking on resort fees for amenities you think would be included in a stay like use of the swimming pool or TV. At many lower-end properties, these fees can approximate the base rate of a room, effectively doubling the price per night.
If that is not troubling enough, hotels and resorts in Las Vegas are not required to disclose these fees during initial booking, meaning you often will not see them until the final payment screen, causing frustration and wasted time.
But one brave hotel in Las Vegas is going beyond the daily resort fee (which of course it is still charging) and adding an additional fee for the use of electricity.
The Artisan Hotel is located two blocks from Las Vegas Strip near Circus Circus and Sahara. Yes, this “boutique” hotel is now charging guests a daily power surcharge.
(and no, you cannot opt out of it, just like you cannot opt out of other bogus resort fees)
In today’s ‘WTF Files’, Artisan Hotel on West Sahara is now charging 1) a daily $19.95 resort fee 2) a $3.95 a day power surcharge. No, you can’t opt out of electricity, and both of those fees are taxed. Way to welcome visitors back, Artisan. Thanks for the gouge! @VitalVegaspic.twitter.com/anPdLK3lZC
— Vegas Unfiltered Blog by Sam Novak (@sammasseur) May 15, 2021
Need I say anything else?
CONCLUSION
One reason I tend to avoid Las Vegas is for the silly nickel-and-diming. But this latest fee is truly the cherry on top of a ridiculous bait-and-switch system that is screaming for reform.
Anything under than all-in pricing is deceptive pricing. And in the case of the Artisan Hotel, the additional surcharge is truly an insult.
What are your thoughts on the Las Vegas power surcharge?
(H/T: Miles To Memories)
Wow – a new low. But it’s Vegas. No surprise. I struggle to understand why anyone would want to go there. I know there are some fabulous restaurants, high end shopping, and lovely hotels. The same can be said of NYC, LA, Chicago, Miami, etc. If I want to be around trashy, poorly dressed people who like to smoke inside and drink too much, I can just save my money and go back to my hometown in southern Indiana.
It’s getting out of hand everywhere. The latest is a Courtyard in suburban Dayton Ohio charging a $10.50 parking fee. Courtyard and Residence Inn are now doing this at suburban properties all over the country. One recently was next door to a popular restaurant and bar and the parking spilled over. I couldn’t even find a spot and they tried to charge me. A Courtyard in Virginia shared a lot with a Target…$10.00 please. A Renaissance in suburban Dallas shared an open garage with a closed event place next door. They tried to inform me of a $20 fee for parking there though the gates were open and no one was charging anyone else. I said I would park on the street. They told me it’s illegal (It was not). Now, even a few Hyatt Place’s and Hyatt House’s are trying it out.
My technique lately is to adapt, as I expect if people don’t find ways to combat this it will become more than a trending pattern and become established everywhere. If I see the buried surcharge on the booking page I go ahead and complete the reservation. At that point I call the property and tell them I am not paying for parking at a suburban property with an open lot and I will cancel the booking now within the time allowed if they do not waive the fee. They always do. So far. If enough people do this I imagine they will get tired of dealing with it and it will go away.
Much like California hotels in municipal utility areas (where electricity rates did not spike) that charged energy surcharges during the California power crisis in the 2000’s, this charge is totally “bogus”. NV Energy’s pricing to these resorts has not changed significantly in recent years. This is pure “nickel and diming” & probably fraudulent (due there being no basis for the surcharge). If the hotel was really worried about their energy bills, they could easily implement some no cost (or quick ROI) energy efficiency measures.
Agreed, Caleb, Vegas has deteriorated over the past 10 years. I enjoyed it while it lasted, but it’s no fun anymore.
I live in Las Vegas and we LOCALS avoid The Strip and their gouging of customers. We have better neighborhood casinos that offer more for less!!!
Las Vegas hotel rates are typically not what you actually pay, much more so than in other cities. Some Las Vegas hotel should start a $39.99 rate with a lot of surcharges, like electricity fee, water fee, bed fee, room door fee, toilet paper fee, towel fee, shampoo fee, toilet fee, pillow fee, TV fee, window fee, etc.
Crazy.