Clint Henderson is a managing editor at TPG who has worked in the journalism industry for more than 25 years. He is obsessed with travel and has used points and miles to explore the world.
June 20, 2026 • 9 min read
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Quick summary
The Bellagio remains a Las Vegas icon, known for its central location, famous fountains and extensive dining options.
A recent stay booked through a third-party program that promises perks such as early check-in, late checkout, daily breakfast credits and property credits fell short of expectations.
Key issues included lack of room upgrades, unresponsive concierge service, unstable Wi-Fi and denied late checkout despite advertised benefits.
While the renovated rooms and location were positives, the high price and inconsistent delivery of promised perks led to disappointment.
What to consider
Perks like upgrades and late checkout are subject to availability and may not be honored, especially during busy periods or conventions.
Resort fees and high nightly rates can significantly increase the total cost of a stay, even when using travel credits.
Credits for food and beverage and breakfast were easy to use, but other benefits may require follow-up or may be inconsistently applied.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed breakdown of which promised benefits were delivered, which were not and practical tips for managing expectations when booking luxury hotels through third-party platforms.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
The Bellagio is a legendary hotel in the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, but I recently had a somewhat disappointing stay there.
After posting a room tour I did while at the hotel — the only post of mine to ever go "viral" on Instagram — a lot of Bellagio fans were not happy with my mild disappointment, so I wanted to explain the experience here in a bit more detail.
Here's what we look for at The Points Guy when it comes to a great hotel stay — and why The Bellagio Resort and Casino didn't quite fit the bill this time.
The Bellagio is a world-famous hotel in the center of the Vegas action. It's probably best known for its incredible fountains located right on the Strip. The lobby features a spectacular ceiling sculpture by the artist Dale Chihuly.
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
The lobby is also where you'll find an iconic 14,000-square-foot botanical garden and conservatory.
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
And that's not all the hotel has going for it — it was also renovated a few years ago (TPG's own Summer Hull loved the updated room she stayed in, in 2021.)
Booking through Home Away From Home
During my recent visit, I stayed in a renovated room on a high-up floor, and indeed, my room itself was fine.
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The problems, though, mostly stemmed from my expectations, since I booked through Bilt's new Home Away From Home portfolio, which comes with several important perks (or it's supposed to).
Bilt Home Away from Home perks at Bellagio. BILT
These perks include:
Early check-in
Late checkout
Daily breakfast for two (up to $30 breakfast per person at Sadelle's, The Buffet, Bellagio Patisserie, Pool Cafe, Patio or Cafe Bellagio)
$100 food-and-beverage property credit
Space-available upgrade
Here's what didn’t work and what could’ve gone better
No upgrade
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
Bilt Home Away From Home states that upgrades are subject to availability; unfortunately, I didn't get one.
I booked a "1 Premier, King, View, 1 bed," which I would have assumed would have a great view, but it left much to be desired. Room 28033 looked out over the back of the hotel. While I did have a view of some of the swimming pools, I did not have a view of the Strip or the Bellagio Fountain. Instead, I looked out on Interstate 15.
Between this disappointing view and no available upgrades, this was a bummer.
Ignored concierge requests
The hotel says that guests are able to text the concierge service number for assistance 24/7. However, I made multiple attempts to get a response to a request for help getting tickets to a show. There was no reply until they reminded me I needed to checkout by 11 a.m.
Text thread from hotel. BELLAGIO
Unstable WiFi
There's no excuse for bad WiFi these days in any hotel. Sadly, the WiFi at Bellagio was not great. I had trouble getting anything to stream, and Zoom calls weren't great either.
Refused late checkout
One of the benefits that I was counting on using was late checkout. It is supposed to come with my booking via Bilt, but no dice. I called the front desk to confirm this benefit, and the receptionist said they didn't do late checkout after noon, which was confusing. It was especially annoying because I was moving hotels, and I couldn't check into my next hotel until 3 p.m.
The stay was expensive
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
My biggest gripe is that staying at The Bellagio was very expensive. I paid $769.86 for two nights, after a $100 credit for using Bilt Cash to book through the Bilt portal. It would have been $870 for two nights, including the $50-per-night resort fee. Thankfully, I also got a good statement credit from Bilt.
The (see rates and fees) gives you a $400 Bilt Travel portal statement credit* each year for hotel bookings made through the portal. You get $200 to use biannually.
If I had paid the full, nearly $900 out of pocket for two nights at the Bellagio, I would have been even more disappointed.
I will say that there were several large conventions in town during my visit, so maybe I was just unlucky on some of the issues.
*Beginning Jan. 1, 2027, the Bilt Travel hotel credit will combine with annual Bilt Cash and become a $600 total credit that can be used toward eligible hotel stays or all redemptions. Bilt Cash expires at the end of the month, 12 months after it is earned.
What I loved
RYAN SMITH/THE POINTS GUY
Of course, the best things about the Bellagio are the location and the stunning fountains in front. Even if you're not staying there, you can enjoy the display. There's a show every thirty minutes in the afternoons and then every 15 minutes at night.
There are plentiful food and beverage options at the hotel, which is convenient. For example, my Home Away From Home booking via Bilt included a $100 F&B credit at the resort. I also got a daily $30 credit for breakfast. I counted more than 15 dining options. And best of all, there were no issues using those credits on my bill at the end of my stay.
The hotel has an incredible casino, as you'd expect, and there is a great shopping mall attached to the hotel. You are also in the center of the action. It sits between Caesars Palace and Aria, and many of the biggest attractions in Vegas are within walking distance (go see Drag Race Live at the Flamingo).
The renovated rooms are pretty nice, if you can score one with a decent view.
Bottom line
CLINT HENDERSON/THE POINTS GUY
No shade to The Bellagio, but the poor Wi-Fi, a lack of promised benefits, unreliable customer service and high prices made for a less-than-stellar combination.
Despite my disappointment, I would stay again if the price was right. I appreciated being able to use some of my Bilt credits for the stay, and I like the renovated rooms.
I think the key is to set some realistic expectations about what you get if you book via a third-party like Bilt Home Away from Home or American Express Amex Fine Hotels + Resorts.
And maybe don't go during a major conference in Las Vegas.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
