[one-two]

I stayed at MGM Las Vegas last month and tried this trick, just to see if it worked. The hotel lady was super cool about it, even though I was visibly nervous. She asked me "are you looking to upgrade" and I said "sure, whatever you can get me". She found me a room that was a little bit bigger than the one I had originally booked. I was staying alone, so it didn't really matter. Now that I think about it, I should have asked for something more specific.

The best I can come up with is "Can I get a room with a better view?"

Is there anything else I could have asked for? Buffet passes? Hakkasan guest list? But then again, I could probably get the same things just by asking nicely.

[chyamor]

there's a huge thread about this on flyertalk

[Beyond Borders]

I see a lot of hacking opportunity here.

Chyamor, do you have a link to that thread so we can steal their ideas and make them better?

[BCZalgyris]

(08-05-2013 09:57 PM)one-two Wrote:  

I stayed at MGM Las Vegas last month and tried this trick, just to see if it worked. The hotel lady was super cool about it, even though I was visibly nervous. She asked me "are you looking to upgrade" and I said "sure, whatever you can get me". She found me a room that was a little bit bigger than the one I had originally booked. I was staying alone, so it didn't really matter. Now that I think about it, I should have asked for something more specific.

The best I can come up with is "Can I get a room with a better view?"

Is there anything else I could have asked for? Buffet passes? Hakkasan guest list? But then again, I could probably get the same things just by asking nicely.

This trick only works during "non-busy" weeks or during the off-season. Try this the week of Cinco DeMayo or during a big fight week (boxing/UFC) and you'll be laughed at. Also, at the top of the line hotels such as Bellagio, Wynn, or Cosmopolitan $20 is worthless. I tried the same trick at Bellagio last year and the check-in lady just smiled at me, handed my $20 back and told me that they had no other rooms available. Pretty sure she was lying about it but really you are better off just getting a casino card "frequent player" card and then including that during the check-in process.

[Drazen]

I use it for early check ins. It really helped when I used to go to rehab at the Hard Rock in Vegas and only book a Sunday room...slip them $20, they let me check in at 11am instead of 4pm+...and they gave me a pool room view too with an opening door.

The problem isn't being a high end/low end type of place, these front desk people don't make that much and a few $20 bills really supplements their income. Alot of the places have automated systems now that kind of discourage it alot. Its always worth a try though.

I usually ask for a "high floor" with a "room by an elevator". You have to flirt with the girl or just kind of bro out if its a dude and they will usually hook it up.

[chyamor]

http://thetwentydollartrick.com/
http://www.frontdesktip.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g45...evada.html

Just a few, Its called the sandwich trick

[MikeCF]

I remember when this article hit Esquire. Used the trick ever since. $20 goes a long way:

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0303-MAR_20DOLLARS

[thegmanifesto]

(08-05-2013 09:57 PM)one-two Wrote:  

I stayed at MGM Las Vegas last month and tried this trick, just to see if it worked. The hotel lady was super cool about it, even though I was visibly nervous.

Ha.

Never be nervous about Greasing people in Las Vegas.

That is like going to Mexico and being nervous about ordering a taco.

[BCZalgyris]

(08-08-2013 10:44 AM)MikeCF Wrote:  

I remember when this article hit Esquire. Used the trick ever since. $20 goes a long way:

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0303-MAR_20DOLLARS

That esquire article is from 2003 when $20 was more like $40 now. Honestly, do any of you guys even go to high-roller hotels in Vegas (and no MGM is not a top notch hotel no matter what the marketers & media would make you believe). I dare anyone to try the $20 trick at Wynn/Encore, Cosmopolitan, Aria, Venetian, or Bellagio and if you actually succeed I will give you a rep point immediately. Shoot, I am going to Vegas for the Mayweather fight next month and $50 is the minimum I will consider to grease the check-in staff.

[Drazen]

Its worked for me at Venetian several times. Also used it at Vdara to get a much nicer room.

I'm not getting the high roller suites, but sometimes they get me preferred rooms, more passes and stuff like that. Its all about how you carry yourself, if you make it more like a tip versus a bribe, its more prone to work.

I've only been denied once and it was at a cheap hotel like Flamingo or something.

[one-two]

(08-08-2013 10:44 AM)MikeCF Wrote:  

I remember when this article hit Esquire. Used the trick ever since. $20 goes a long way:

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0303-MAR_20DOLLARS

That's an awesome article. Thank you.

[one-two]

(08-08-2013 10:55 AM)thegmanifesto Wrote:  

(08-05-2013 09:57 PM)one-two Wrote:  

I stayed at MGM Las Vegas last month and tried this trick, just to see if it worked. The hotel lady was super cool about it, even though I was visibly nervous.

Ha.

Never be nervous about Greasing people in Las Vegas.

That is like going to Mexico and being nervous about ordering a taco.

I'm still new to the whole "grown up" game, but I like it. The stuff you post is very helpful.

[InternationPlayboy]

You can always get rooms cheaper by upgrading when you get there. The reason being is the agents usually get commission off it (which is why she asked you) and the hotel wants to sell the rooms. If they're only 50% they aren't using the room anyways, why not make an extra $50? Only problem is if you go on a busy weekend when the hotels sold out, there are no upgrade opprotunities. If a hotels small, asking nicely won't cut it though. If the agent only has 5 upgrades they can sell, he'll if they're giving them up to you for free. I'd imagine at big hotels though you should be able to get hooked up on night then they are low occupancy.

And Gs right. Shit, anywhere in the service industry. I've worked in a few hotels and for the right amount of money, you can get just about anything as long as you're taking care of the person.

[InternationPlayboy]

(08-08-2013 10:44 AM)MikeCF Wrote:  

I remember when this article hit Esquire. Used the trick ever since. $20 goes a long way:

http://www.esquire.com/features/ESQ0303-MAR_20DOLLARS

This article is on point. Like they say, a 10 is nice but if you handed me a $20 while I was working, im making sure you're getting taken care of. One of the hotels I worked at had a bunch of bars, and I'd throw people who hooked me up with 20s free drinks about 50% of the time and always made sure I took care of them before anyone who was tipping less. $10 is nice, but $20 gets you a lot further. You hardly remember the dude who threw you a 10. And you always remember the people who didn't tip, so keep that in mind.

$20 is good for a tip though, not a room upgrade. $50 was usually the minimum I would do upgrades for, sometimes $40. At least at nice hotels. If you're at a cheap hotel $20 may work. If you're offering cash to the agent however, a $20 may work at a bigger and nicer hotel where they have room to give free upgrades.

Another tip, if you're traveling with a girl always say it's your honey moon or anniversary. A lot of times they'll hook up people on those occasions.

If you're looking for quality drugs, a bellman in a place like Vegas or Miami can be dependable, but be willing to throw down at least an extra $20-50 depending on the bellman. I know it's a little expensive but will usually guarantee quality and not a bag of baby powder. Bellman dont want to piss their guests off if the guests are hooking them up. In Vegas is imagine a $50 would be minimum since they make so damn much. It isn't worth it for them to risk their jobs over $50. Plus they're getting $20s all day. Some of these dudes are making over 100k a year, more than a majority of the people they're working for.