Did we get ripped off?

The Riviera is a dump, and has gotten worse over the years -- it was a bit better 10 years ago. Circus Circus is better, but not that much.

One thing that has worked for me in the past is to use Hotwire.com -- if you see a 4-star hotel on the North Strip, then it will be the Venetian. I've gotten rooms at the Venetian for about $95, $145, and $185 doing this. Each room is a suite, and will easily hold 3 -- 2 Queen beds and a pull-out couch.

I've also stayed at the Stratosphere twice. While that's also an older casino, it's a lot cleaner than the Riv and the staff and dealers were all friendly.

Last year in Vegas, I heard multiple times that the Riviera was coming down in a few years and that the AHA is shopping for new locations.

Cory
 
av84fun said:
Not that the typical Vegas visitor is a pillar of society but at the Riv the "sleeze factor" is always quite obvious.

The only reason I walk in the joint is to attend pool tournaments and because my wife has a good friend who is a dealer there.

Regards,
Jim
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Jim, how about all the dealers and the gaming personnel wearing the dirty, wrinkly T-shirts all the other years. You know the ones that had something on them about Riviera poolplayers? How unprofessional was that. Talk about "sleezy" looking.

Not sure what they had this year, didn't spend much time in the gaming area at the Riv.
 
Jude Rosenstock said:
I mean, I don't know if it's the flood of pool players or if The Riv is always like that but every other hotel I go to, I'm treated much much better. It seems someone always has an episode there. If I play in the BCA event again, I'm def staying somewhere else.
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With 4000 players in the hotel, of course there will be episodes.

And if you think the Riv sucks, try Circus Circus or the Sahara.

I wish you luck with your new hotel choice but I dont think you will find anything better unless you want to pay up and you will also have to rent a car or pay $30/day or so in Taxi costs.
 
Fragged said:
With 4000 players in the hotel, of course there will be episodes.

And if you think the Riv sucks, try Circus Circus or the Sahara.

I wish you luck with your new hotel choice but I dont think you will find anything better unless you want to pay up and you will also have to rent a car or pay $30/day or so in Taxi costs.
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Hey, when I say "episodes", I don't mean among the 4,000 players at the hotel. I mean among the 50 or so players FROM NEW YORK! Every year someone gets treated horribly and for no reason. I've stayed at Sahara before and Circus Circus. Both seem to have better customer service but I could be wrong.
 
klockdoc said:
Riviera Hotel.... The suggested/recommended hotel for both the BCA and the VNEA Pool Tournaments for MAY weekends in Las Vegas, Nevada.

BCA Tournament May 9 - 17, 2008

VNEA Tournament May 22 - 31, 2008

Both weeks totally sold out.

Riviera suggested room rate for BCA $92.00/night
Riviera suggested room rate for VNEA $84.00/night

Don't you think BCA could have got a better rate for their players?
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I actually book hotel contracts for a living, so I'm pretty well briefed on the ins and out. Room rates stand out like sore thumbs to participants, but just because one group got a better deal on the room rate, doesn't mean they got a better "deal" for the participants. Often, group costs are bundled into the room rate, so some fees that the group may have to charge it's membership can be waived. Negotiable items include complimentary meeting space, parking, reduced rate or complimentary food functions, reduced rate for necessary rooms required for the directors or officials of the association, etc. These fees would otherwise have to be bundled into registration or entry fees.

Group hotel room rates are entirely negotiable, are based on supply and demand, and are affected by how well a particular group "fits" into a hotel. There are also many other variables. One of the largest is, when was the group booked? If, for example, the VNEA was booked 3 years ago and the BCA booked only 2 years ago, the market conditions could be totally different. The other issue is events. generally, a group with more food and beverage functions, or requiring less function room space, may be more desirable for a hotel. Size of the group matters a lot. Ocassionally, a smaller group gets a better deal, because they use cheap rooms allowing the hotel to sell more rack rate rooms during a popular time period. In Las Vegas, the travel pattern, weekday or weekend, can be a big deal.

Anyway, it's complicated. I am a little surprised, in fact, that the group rates are so comparable to each other considering they're different organizations.

Chris
 
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I go most every year too and I have tried staying at a couple of other nearby hotels.. The Riv is a dump but the convenience factor keeps me staying there. I don't gamble much and like to be able to go to my room whenever I please without leaving.
 
watchez said:
Randy tell you the story about how he was at the Splash bar & the guy in front of him ordered drinks. ??? When the bartender brings the drinks over, he says to the guy "Don't forget to take care of your bartender". My friend Randy just lowered his head so now the bartender asks him "Do you think I said anything wrong?" Randy's response, "I did work as a bartender & bar manager for 7 years, and hustling/asking for a tip is simply unprofessional & not done". The Riv bartender could still care less.
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Interesting...alot of places will can your ass if you solicit tips.
 
Rooms

klockdoc said:
Jim, how about all the dealers and the gaming personnel wearing the dirty, wrinkly T-shirts all the other years. You know the ones that had something on them about Riviera poolplayers? How unprofessional was that. Talk about "sleezy" looking.

Not sure what they had this year, didn't spend much time in the gaming area at the Riv.
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As for the rates difference between BCA and VNEA, that is probably due to the organization. A couple of years after I started attending the VNEA tourney, I did my reservation thru thru the tourney, instead of the slot club. The rate was about $30 a night higher. Half way thru the tourney, I was talking with my host about getting some comps, and was told they couldn't comp my room due to the reservation. They did take care of me that year for the rest of the tournament. Vnea gets a certain number of rooms blocked off, and basically resale them.
I had a calendar from the slot club, and I could have booked my room for about $50 a night back in Feb. In April I think, I got another one, and the rate was $55 for most of the nights. Plus discounts if you gamble some.
As for Kady's, the quality of the food has steadily decreased, while the prices have gone up. The waitresses we spoke with, up around the slot machines were all friendly, and most were always smiling. But the bartenders at the Splash bar, have been horrid for the last 5 years or so. When they finally wait on you, it's like they're doing you a tremendous favor, and they're grumpy as he!!.... I didn't buy a beer there at all this year, and maybe 2 last year. I'll go to the gift shop, or up to my room and get a beer before I buy one there.
Last year, I was talking with some friends from MN. and we decided when someone bought a round of beers, they could walk to the gift shop. A 6 pack is like $7.50 or $8. At the Splash bar, I think $3.50 each.
As for staying there, it's a whole lot easier than staying somewhere else.
 
Sigh!!! The Riv is getting worse

This year was my tenth in a row. Unfortunately I think its getting worse.
The rates have been about the same for the last 5 yrs. But that is not my concern. My concern is how the employees treat you. They know may and june are the pool tounaments. You can see it in there eyes that they really dont care if we are there or not. I usually talk to the maid that cleans my room. Same ol, same ol. The maids are tired just like all the other employees. I agree that they treat you like WE owe them something.
What happened to the good ol american work ethic? Well, I can tell you its not at the Riviera Hotel. Some are alright, but most are not. Its sad!!
And do you think I usually get the room I request? NO! This is the second year in a row that they did not have the right room for me and they had to transfer me the second day.(btw, with no discount)
I think next year I might stay somewhere else.
 
Hey guys....I might be a lil off track w/ Vegas hotels but please let me add "The Turning Stone" in Verona, New York. The hotel is OK, but every dealer we came across, we meaning many of the gambling players were a bunch of jerkoffs. We were gambling pretty high, and yet did not receive any nice remarks. Myself and K. McCready won about 7 or 8 dimes on the crap table, what a circus. They had about 10 pit bosses there, told me dont throw the dice high, low, hard or soft. So I pushed the dice to the main boss and asked him please show me how you would like me to throw them.
Then myself Jam, and Keith tried our luck at a BJ table one year, ofcourse we are stuck a couple of dimes. This dealer was just about clapping everytime she bumped us off, it was sick.
Please dont get me wrong, it is one of the best tournys held up north for pool, but if you enjoy casino action..............Oh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:mad:

Frankie
 
Wow, it sounds like I didn't stay at the same place, but I did! I was going to mention to the Riv management that my stay was better than most years - the waitresses at Katy's were all nice and attentive this time, the maids were exceptional this year and the dealer's were all finally nice (in previous years, some dealers acted like they didn't even want to be there, but not this year).

The convenience of rooming on site is key, but I also get the Player's Club Rate most nights, not the BCA rate.
 
I think the Riviera knows they have a captive audience in the Pool Players, as many come in by Air, and do not rent cars to run around Sin City.

Every year I hear complaints about the Riviera, and Circus Circus being DUMPS, or Hell holes, but both sell out during BCA, ACS, and VENA.

I think a lot of people forget that Sin City has a CHEAP Public Transportation System (buses), and if you have the energy to walk, most everything on the strip is walkable from the Riviera.

As I said we gamble a little, and every time I put anything in a slot, or play a table game. I use my players card. Almost monthly I get mail offers with FREE, or Discount Room offers from Sin City Hotels.

Like I said next time you go to Sin City, and go in any Casino sign up for and get your FREE Players Cards, and you too will get offers.
 
After the Stardust blew up, I 'talked' myself into staying at the Riv again for the convenience factor. However, every day & night I found myself traveling to other casinos so I don't think that is an issue any longer. Even the sports book, which got nicer, still does not comp you any drinks. I could go to the Wynn, place my bets & drink for free and sit in comfort with beautiful girls smiling as they served me. I found myself waking up each morning and going to the Wynn & then making my way back to the Riv.

The Riv will still sell out with or without me staying there. They won't lose any sleep over it & I will sleep better because of it.

So the poster that mentioned that he understood hotel booking rates - am I to believe that the BCA makes money on the rooms that are booked each night? I am confused about that.

By the way, the Wynn runs 97% booked for the year - unheard of for any hotel anywhere.
 
Fatboy said:
rates drop here in the summer because it gets hotter, if $8/night is an issue you should recondsider tavelling. in the winter when the CES Electronics Trade Show comes to town they triple the rates at EVERY hotel, the Riv would be about $250-$300 night, they do that the whole Trade show season, anything under $100 on the strip is a gift, unless your north of Sahara. thinking about it Excalaber might be under $100:confused: .
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What's North of the Sahara, a bunch of FEMA trailers?
 
Klockdoc...

TATE said:
I actually book hotel contracts for a living, so I'm pretty well briefed on the ins and out. Room rates stand out like sore thumbs to participants, but just because one group got a better deal on the room rate, doesn't mean they got a better "deal" for the participants. Often, group costs are bundled into the room rate, so some fees that the group may have to charge it's membership can be waived. Negotiable items include complimentary meeting space, parking, reduced rate or complimentary food functions, reduced rate for necessary rooms required for the directors or officials of the association, etc. These fees would otherwise have to be bundled into registration or entry fees.

Group hotel room rates are entirely negotiable, are based on supply and demand, and are affected by how well a particular group "fits" into a hotel. There are also many other variables. One of the largest is, when was the group booked? If, for example, the VNEA was booked 3 years ago and the BCA booked only 2 years ago, the market conditions could be totally different. The other issue is events. generally, a group with more food and beverage functions, or requiring less function room space, may be more desirable for a hotel. Size of the group matters a lot. Ocassionally, a smaller group gets a better deal, because they use cheap rooms allowing the hotel to sell more rack rate rooms during a popular time period. In Las Vegas, the travel pattern, weekday or weekend, can be a big deal.

Anyway, it's complicated. I am a little surprised, in fact, that the group rates are so comparable to each other considering they're different organizations.

Chris
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heres your answer.

Response?
 
av84fun said:
Right! What it needs is a wrecking ball or one of those high tech implosions!

(-:
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As Jim On taxi would say, "You make sacrafices when living in a condemed building"!
 
klockdoc said:
Yes. I had one very good instance during my trip with a waiter at Kady's. Other than that, all the employees make you feel like they are doing you a favor for just being there. How about the bartenders at the Splash Bar?..:eek:

Those guys are a trip. Very arrogant and non receptive to anyone.
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Yep and that little blonde hooker with the tatoo on her calf had on the same dress for three days.
 
Try Vegas.com for rates
I booked 1 added night for single APA in May and payed less then rate
I think it was about 88+ 350 energy surcharge.
I stayed at MGM for 120 weds with 35 food credit
wow what a place
6 pools lazy river hot tubs waterfalls cabana's etc.
I shop the net for deals!
I like to stay at least one night in a high quality place
I agree if you are there for a tournament you need to stay at the riv.
 
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