The Lowdown on the $20 Trick in Vegas: Does It Really Work?

Background:

Have you ever heard about the “$20 Trick” in Las Vegas? It’s this thing where you slip a $20 bill between your ID and credit card at the hotel check-in, hoping for a sweet room upgrade. But here’s the real question: Does it actually do anything, or is it just a Vegas myth?

The $20 Trick got popular as a sneaky way to snag a fancier room without paying the big bucks. Many people say that this well-timed tip can convince hotel staff to hook you up with a swankier suite, better views, and extra perks.

But not everyone’s sold on the idea. Some say it depends on the hotel and their rules about taking tips for upgrades. I read many stories online where people’s experiences range from hitting the jackpot with an amazing suite to some feeling unsure if it made any difference.

So, is the $20 Trick a smart move to level up your Vegas stay, or is it more like a gamble? Here is a list of the time when I tried the “$20 trick” in Vegas:

Delano Las Vegas

I tried for the first time at the Delano for a two-night stay, and it didn’t turn out so well. I had a 2 Queen room booked and decided to give it a shot just to have a nicer view. They were running late on getting rooms cleaned and said if we wanted to 2 Queens we would need to wait until 9 pm. So we took a 1 King with Strip View. The difference at the time was $15 a night from the 2 Queen with no view, to the 1 King with Strip View. So, almost a net even.

Encore Las Vegas

Back before the Wynn Tower got renovated, I had a Wynn room booked and wanted a room in the Encore Tower as they were bigger and had queen beds instead of doubles. Generally, the Encore rooms would be $50 or so more a night. I asked if any Encore 2 Queen Rooms were available, and the front desk associate was happy to search for one. I had no casino status with Wynn/Encore, but he found me one facing the strip, and while we were chatting I mentioned that I would be dining at the buffet and he happily gave me a front-of-the-line pass without me asking. Overall, I was very happy with this result.

Bellagio Las Vegas

I asked the front desk associate if any fountain view rooms were available having just booked a standard room with no view for 2 nights. I thought I’d give it a try for my weekday stay with no expectations. Not sure if having MGM Gold pulled more of the weight, but I got a Stay Well Fountain View room which was going for about $150 more a night. I was very happy!

For some reference, I had stayed at Bellagio and Aria on prior occasions with MGM Gold, but did not try the $20 trick and that resulted in no room upgrades at all. Perhaps the trick plus status is a good combination?

Caesar’s Palace Las Vegas

I had a one-night stay at Caesars, booked into the lowest-priced room. Caesars has a lot of towers, and when I researched people were raving about the Augustus Tower with Fountain View. I decided to ask for that room at check-in, and was granted it! Woo-hoo! That room generally costs around $100 more a night than the lowest-priced room. But, I do want to point out that I was also Caesars Diamond at the time from the Wyndham status match. Not sure if that pulled some weight as well, but when I stayed at the Rio with Diamond Status I got an atrocious standard room without the trick.

The Verdict:

So, does the $20 trick in Vegas work? Based on my experiences, I definitely think it works to get a better room and perhaps some special perks like a front-of-line buffet pass. I would assume it works better for short stays, and weekday stays when Vegas is less crowded. But obviously don’t expect anything spetacular like a suite.

Have you tried the $20 trick in Vegas before? What were your results? Comment below!

Cheers,

Ty

Have any questions? Comment below or email me at takeofftotravel@gmail.com. I’ve also started working with a travel agency, Fora Travel, and can assist in booking hotel stays or planning trips. You can also view all my other posts here! Thanks for stopping by!