4 Las Vegas hotels raised resort fees — here’s how to avoid them

This week, we learned that Caesars Entertainment Corp. has raised -- ever so slightly -- the resort fees it charges at four of its Las Vegas properties.

On March 3, 2020, fees at The Linq Hotel, Harrah's Las Vegas, the Flamingo and Bally's increased from $35 to $37 per night, which amounts to $41.95 per night after tax. On its face, this is a modest increase, but it mirrors a trend of Vegas hotels steadily inching their fees up over the years, adding significantly to the total nightly rate of your room on -- or off -- The Strip.

Several other hotel groups in Las Vegas, most recently M life, have raised fees and, in some cases, this has led to a situation where the resort fee at a particular property costs more than the nightly room rate. We're not fans of resort fees anywhere, but they induce a special kind of eye-rolling when this happens. It's not cool.

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The majority of the major hotels in Las Vegas are now charging between $35 and $45 per night for a resort fee, though there are exceptions. But there are strategies you can use to avoid these fees altogether.

Read on to see what a selection of major resorts are charging right now, and what you can do about it:

How to avoid resort fees in Las Vegas

Match your elite status

Having elite status with Wyndham unlocks key status-matching opportunities to other chains, which is particularly helpful in Las Vegas. The most useful of these status matches in Vegas is the partnership between Wyndham and Caesars, which allows for reciprocal elite-status benefits: Wyndham Diamond members will match evenly over to Diamond-level membership with Caesars Rewards.

Related: TPG's guide to Las Vegas casino loyalty programs

Caesars Diamond status entitles you to plenty of perks at its properties, including a $100 annual celebration dinner at Caesars-owned restaurants, 15% off the best-available rate on rooms or suites, complimentary on-site valet or self-parking and more. However, probably the single best perk of Caesars Diamond status is waived resort fees on all stays, which will save you some serious cash, whether you're an infrequent visitor or a regular on The Strip.

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Book an award stay

Some hotel chains -- most notably IHG, Hyatt and Hilton -- don't charge resort fees on stays booked with points. This is probably the easiest, most straightforward way to avoid a resort fee. At a property like the Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas, where award nights can be had for 65,000 Honors points per night, you'll save $45 per night before taxes -- a nice savings, especially if you're staying more than a couple of nights.

Related: These are the best times to visit Las Vegas

Stay somewhere that doesn't charge a resort fee

Believe it or not, there are still hotels that don't charge guests a resort fee. These places won't be the hottest resorts on The Strip, but if you're just looking for a place to lay your head at night, there are options. These include the Hyatt Place Las Vegas, the Hyatt Place Las Vegas at Silverton Village, Marriott's Grand Chateau and the Las Vegas Marriott. The Grand Chateau is a Marriott Vacation Club property that's located on The Strip and features two-bedroom villas -- perfect for the whole family.

Even if you're set on a resort that does charge a resort fee, there may be a chance of getting it waived. If you book with a travel agent, you can request that your agent call the general manager of the property on your behalf and ask the hotel to remove the resort fee from your stay.

Related: Getting to Las Vegas on miles and points

Bottom line

Las Vegas has changed over the years, from a strictly gambling destination to one that's become a party paradise, with high-end restaurants, daytime pool parties, nightclubs and, of course, luxury hotels. With this shift has come a rise in the cost of irksome resort fees at most properties.

Before you book your next trip to Sin City, make sure you're aware of how much a given resort fee is adding to your nightly rate. Even better, arm yourself with a strategy to avoid these ridiculous fees entirely.