Sahara Las Vegas eliminates resort fees through month-long booking promotion

June 2, 2020 7:13 PM
  • Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports
June 2, 2020 7:13 PM
  • Howard Stutz, CDC Gaming Reports

The Sahara Las Vegas became the first Strip resort to publicly eliminate resort fees at the property – at least for a short time.

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The hotel-casino, which will reopen Thursday after being closed for 78 days due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Tuesday any hotel reservations placed between Thursday and June 30 will not include resorts fees, costs that are added for various services, such as property wi-fi, the swimming pool, use of the fitness center, and other amenities.

The offer covers hotel stays beginning Thursday night through May 31, 2021.

Before the COVID-19, resort fees were between $25 a night and $45 a night, which were added on the cost of the room.

“We know how much everyone has missed traveling and we’ve missed entertaining guests at our resort,” Sahara General Manager Paul Hobson said in a statement. “Removing the resort fee for our first promotion is our way of welcoming guests back to the city and thanking them for their patronage.”

The name Sahara was returned to the property a year ago after Alex Meruelo acquired the resort in May 2018 through his privately held Meruelo Group. Meruelo also owns Grand Sierra in Reno.

The 1,620-room property on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip is reopening under health and safety protocols mandated by the state, as well as the Sahara’s own comprehensive plan. The property will also utilize several “contactless solutions” to minimize health risks, including boking reservations at table games and at restaurants online.

The Meruelo Group spent $150 million to remodel the property, including a renovation to the 60,000-square-foot casino.

Howard Stutz is the executive editor of CDC Gaming Reports. He can be reached at hstutz@cdcgaming.com. Follow @howardstutz on Twitter.