One of the most appealing ideas behind the appeal of gambling meccas such as Las Vegas is that players can earn a free night to remember at one of the resort’s luxury suites. Images of king-size beds, rooftop swimming pools and other opulent amenities spark the imagination of the low-stakes roulette or blackjack player. Such gifts are often reserved for the highest of high rollers as a “reward” for their play.
Even the lowest-stakes players can receive information from the casino on free or discounted hotel rooms. Depending on the hotel, these rooms can be either beautifully appointed or a step below a roadside motel. However, luxury suites are a completely different class of accommodation. A suite is not limited to a single room, but can cover many rooms and, in some special instances, two or three floors in a hotel.
The amenities offered by many of these suites are limited only by the minds of the hotel’s designers. The Palms Resort features the “Hugh Hefner Sky Villa”, modeled after the famous Playboy Mansion, and the “Real World Suite”, where MTV filmed their “Real World” reality TV shows in 2002. The Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas has the new HRH Tower Suites, with floor plans of over four thousand square feet, hardwood floors and multiple high-definition TVs.
As decadent and luxurious as these suites are, they are just as difficult to get through the casino comps programs. At many of the high-end casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, players must bet up to US$200 per hand for several hours at a time to earn enough comp points for even a standard room. To rank high enough for a prestigious suite, players must often bet thousands of dollars on the turn of a card or a roll of the dice.
Some suites are not available at any cost, at least through the hotel’s reservation system. Many of the top suites are reserved for “whales”, or players who will play for at least US$250,000 during the course of their stay. If you want that special evening in an extravagant Las Vegas suite, start saving now!
