At Your Service

When in Las Vegas, don’t we all dream of being treated like a high-roller? For clients booked at the Monte Carlo Resort and Casino, that dream may be closer than they realize all that’s re-quired for the much-sought-after VIP treatment is a room on the hotel’s specially designated Concierge Floor. And anyone can book it.

Since the Monte Carlo opened a decade or so ago, the 45 rooms and 15 suites on the top floor of the hotel have been designated for VIPs. Agents can book this room-class for their clients just like they book any other room in the hotel, but guests staying here will receive a variety of perks.

The special treatment begins before guests even get to the floor: Those staying on the concierge level need to insert their room key into a slot in the elevator to be able to stop on the top floor. While this may seem like a relatively minor treat, it can actually go a long way toward creating a feeling of exclusivity and prestige for clients. On a recent press visit to the hotel, other guests always took notice when a special key was required to go to the “penthouse” floor.

Once guests exit the elevator, they are greeted by a concierge at a desk at the center of the floor. The concierge can help guests arrange for show tickets (possibly even for sold-out shows), hard-to-get dinner reservations, sightseeing activities and any other “reasonable request” (although what “reasonable” means in Las Vegas is anybody’s guess). Guests also have use of a special Club Monaco lounge. Both the concierge service and the lounge are available from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. each day.

“Overall, the guests say they are pleasantly surprised with the VIP treatment they get on the 32nd floor,” said Chris McGahey, director of hotel operations. “And they are always especially pleased with the VIP lounge.”

And rightly so, as the lounge is stocked with complimentary food and drinks including bagels and lox in the morning; finger sandwiches and fresh fruit throughout the day; and hot appetizers and cocktails in the evening. During our stay, the lounge served mini beef wellington, chicken satay and shrimp tempura, among other items.

“Guests who are used to the concept of a VIP lounge expect a complimentary continental breakfast and maybe a glass of wine in the evening,” said McGahey. “But they are blown away by the wide range of choices they have in our lounge. It adds real value to the Concierge Floor.”

As I recently discovered, for families with small children, the convenience of having easy access to snacks and drinks such as fruit, milk and crackers was especially helpful not to mention those pre-dinner appetizers and cocktails for the grown-ups. And having the concierge on hand as a source for information on city attractions and events is a great perk as well.

“Our concierge are usually seasoned employees,” said McGahey. “They have a lot of experience, as well as a lot of connections in this town. So they can often get reservations and show tickets when others can’t.”

McGahey also said that because there are a lot of repeat guests on the Concierge Floor, a sense of community often forms around the lounge, and in a 3,000-room hotel, anything that helps guests feel more at home is a positive.

“It’s part of our overall philosophy,” McGahey said. “We don’t just want to supply the minimum, we want to excel.”