The Magazine for the Gaming Enthusiasts

Slot Club Spotlight

Sleeping Around in Vegas

A cheap room on the Strip? How about one for downright nothing? They're easier to come by than you think
by Jeffrey Compton with Jean Scott

Though the list of potential conquests grows longer and longer every day, a cheap or free room is the major comp goal of most active slot club members. Before you can take advantage of meal deals, pirate battles, light shows and cash back, you need a place to hang your hat and rest your feet.

The level of the discount for a room (commonly called the "casino rate") and the availability of room comps are a product of supply and demand: The more rooms a casino has to give away, the easier it is to get one. Many gambling jurisdictions, such as Atlantic City and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, are notoriously under-roomed, and thus only the best customers get put up for free. Even in room-happy Las Vegas, the fad factor at the newer establishments fills the fort with so many paying customers that room comps are either hard to come by or require more play than they are worth.

Fortunately, you can sleep on the Strip for free (or at an unbelievably low rate) in a nice, clean, comfortable room as long as you follow two rules: 1) aim your sights toward the north end of the Strip; and 2) listen to (or read) Jean Scott, the "Queen of Comps" and author of The Frugal Gambler, published in 1998 by Huntington Press.

Why the North Strip? Because north of the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Spring Mountain Road are several "hotel-room heavens": large, older, but well-maintained establishments with legendary names and lots of rooms to fill. Your hunting grounds include the New Frontier, the Stardust, Westward Ho, Circus Circus, the Riviera and the Sahara. (Note: The Desert Inn is also in this part of town. Wonderful hotel, gorgeous casino, very expensive.)

Why Jean Scott? To be frank, no one has "slept around" this town more than she has. Since I live in Las Vegas, I don't spend a lot of time in hotel rooms. Jean, however, stays more than 100 nights a year in Las Vegas hotels÷and pays for none of them. Together, we narrowed our choices to three hotel heavens: specifically, the Riviera (my top choice), Stardust (one of Jean's favorites) and the New Frontier (mutual consent).

The Riviera
    The Riviera is the best place to get a cheap (or free) room in Las Vegas with minimum hassle. The system is both straightforward and tailor-made for folks who are relatively new to the slot club/comp game or simply want to avoid any negotiation.

     The Players Club at the Riv pays 0.25 percent cash-back on video poker and 0.5 percent on slots. In lieu of cash, the hotel more than doubles the amount in comp dollars, which can be used in the gift shop, buffet or food court.

     At the Riv, all casino rates, free rooms and RFB plans are based on Player Club points: Earn so many points per day and you are entitled to a specific benefit level relative to room costs. Better yet, points are not deducted from your account to obtain these benefits, so you can have your cash and sleep there too.

At the bottom of the comp chain is the "Player's Rate." Every three months, qualified members who have earned just 100 points over the last 12 months ($1,000 coin-in on reels, $2,000 on video poker) receive the Rivue, the club's newsletter, complete with a calendar showing the guaranteed Player's Rate for every night over the next 12 months. Thus, without picking up the phone, you know that the Player's Rate on Friday, Nov. 6, 1998, is $45, while on Monday, March 8, 1999, the rate is $20. (To guarantee the Player's Rate, you must make your reservation before the current newsletter's expiration date÷in this case Sept. 30, 1998.)

The Rivue also gives extensive information on casino promotions, including special room and food packages, double- and triple-point periods, the ongoing $40-for-$20 slot promotion, and the recently added daily bingo games (free for Player's Club members).

If you gamble some, it gets better. Earn 140 points in a day ($1,400 reels, $2,800 video poker) and the hotel cuts $10 off the Player's Rate. Earn 240 points and get the $10 discount plus a $10 food credit per night. Run $4,750 through a slot machine in a day (about eight hours of quarter play) and get a free room plus a $20 food credit per night; while 975 points per day gets you complete RFB for two people. Again, this is in addition to your cash back. Though the casino does not have any 100 percent-plus video poker games, I did see several dollar 9/6 jacks or better machines, as well as an excellent selection of reel slots.

Note from Jean: "Several days a month (usually on weekdays), the club offers 'step-up days,' where you can get a higher level of discounts and comps for less play. The Riv has recently renovated its rooms, and even the less-expensive ones feature high ceilings, Spanish-tile bathrooms, hair dryers and room safes. You can also get a small fridge in the room if you request it."

The Stardust
    After a series of both famous and infamous owners, including Howard Hughes and the crowd that inspired the movie Casino, the Stardust has been ably owned and managed by Boyd Gaming Corp. for the last decade and a half.

The Stardust Slot Club rebates between 0.33 percent and 0.5 percent in cash, depending on the type and denomination of machine. Hosts are given wide latitude to keep customers happy, though management avoids disseminating any specific information regarding comp programs. So let's cut to the chase and go with Queen Jean on this one.

Jean: "The Stardust is one of the easiest places to get free rooms at a nice Strip property if you are a regular customer. It was the first slot club we ever joined. Though I have never seen anything in writing, I know that after earning 1,500 lifetime points ($30,000 to $45,000 coin-in) you get something in the mail from them every month, like free rooms, free meals, double-point promos or free drawing tickets. (One of these landed us a free car a few years ago.) Though the casino has eliminated much of its 100 percent-plus quarter video poker inventory, they still have several quarter and dollar 9/6 jacks or better machines, plus my favorite Piggy Bankin' games.

"Most quarter players are offered free room nights in the motor inn section of the hotel. Though the rooms are Motel 6-basic, many people like them because you can park your car right alongside your room. The much newer Tower rooms, which you can get for a little extra cash or a little extra play, are extremely luxurious. All of them have two queen-size beds or one king. Some even have a Jacuzzi.

"The most important word at the Stardust is ASK. We were members for several years before we discovered you could get additional comps beyond what's offered in the mail. For example, if we want a buffet for two, we go to the booth after earning about 50 points. If you want the better restaurants or additional free rooms, talk to a host."

New Frontier
When I first came to town, the Frontier was known for loose video poker, a cashless slot club that was very generous with rooms and meals÷and the world's longest ongoing labor strike. Shortly before the hotel was sold (and the strike ended), the casino did a 180 with its slot club. Though the new Cash Time Club has a high cash-back return for reels, all free-room privileges and accumulated food comp dollars were wiped off the books. There were a lot of unhappy customers (and phone calls to my office).

Under the new owner, the situation is improving. For starters, free-room privileges have returned. Members with a lifetime total of 1,000 points (currently $3,333 coin-in on slots, $10,000 on video poker) are entitled to two free room nights per month on any Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday (with some restrictions, such as holidays and during the Comdex convention). Members with 2,000 points can also use their free nights on Sundays and Mondays, while members with 20,000 lifetime points can use their two monthly freebies any day of the week. You must earn 300 points per night during your stay. Rooms for additional nights can be purchased for $29 on weekdays, $59 on weekends.

The Cash Time slot club rebates 0.6 percent cash for slots and 0.2 percent on most video poker machines. And since the new club debuted over a year ago, they've been in double-points mode. At this time, the club does not award additional comp dollars for rooms and food, but insiders tell me that may soon change for the better.

According to Cindy Potter, casino marketing manager, all standard New Frontier hotel rooms will be totally renovated within the next year or so. "We recently signed an agreement with the upscale Radisson hotel chain," says Potter. "At this time, we're just part of their reservations system; but after the room renovations are complete, we'll be able to flag their name on the hotel."

Though not yet renovated, both the standard hotel rooms I inspected, as well as the one given to a friend of mine, were clean, comfortable and had a brand new television, radio and a coffee maker.

The word from Jean: "Members with 50,000 lifetime points can spend their free nights in one of the 400 suites located in the hotel's open-air atrium. I would not portray them as plush, but they're nice enough. Each suite has two separate rooms, each with TV, fridge and wet bar. Besides a large bath, each suite has an extra vanity sink in the bedroom. Get one on the side of the pool and you'll have a great view. Local phone calls and 800 calls are free at the New Frontier. (I like that feature.)

"Though the hotel has decent video poker, they eliminate 90 percent of the benefits if you play 100 percent-plus machines, especially full-pay deuces. If you are trying to accumulate slot club points, I recommend the 9/6 jacks or better machines with double pay for four of a kind. You will get full benefits with this game. If you are just playing to win, stick with the full-pay deuces.

A final word from both Jeff and Jean: Sweet dreams!

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