<Rant> Club Days are Over

[Spock]

Maybe I (and my group) have gotten too old, but my/our club days are over. I may go again on a rare exception, but I think I am done...Why?

1. Priced out. Unless a group of 6 can get two bottles of Vodka, some bottles of water, and a few redbull at a good (not primo, but good) table, for $300 PP at a top tier club, I am no longer interested. Tried to do this at Hakkasan and host could not do better than $470PP (all-in). Settled for XS having been lead to believe it was doable for $300PP (or less). Came out there paying $370pp (all-in). Sorry, but that is $740/couple of $940 per couple at Hakkasan. Just too much.

2. Music. Last several trips have been nothing but techno. Would be nice to hear an actual song.

3. Service is dropping. For example, wives/GFs used to get escorted to the bathrooms through the crowd. That has gone by the wayside.

4. Risk of getting bumped.

It's just gotten to be too much.

Maybe I am just an old fart.

I miss the glory days of Club Utopia (before the fire).

[ccc]

When did you go last? This past weekend was crazy because Recon was in town.

What table would you consider decent? At Hak, for a group of 6 anything more than Pavillion or Mezz tables is just wasted money, especially if you're looking for $1200 mins. During summer you're not getting main room tables that low on weekends at top tier clubs, and honestly I don't know why you'd expect to.

If you're looking for those deals, go during the week at the 'elite' clubs.

Security will still do bathroom escorts IF you tip them.

Most clubs don't play Techno actually, and if you want to hear different music you need to go to the clubs that play the music you like and forget about the 'status' of the club.

[Brooklyn Marc]

I too am a lil curious as to when you went and what the circumstances were. Vegas on the weekend and tables= money spent no real way around it especially at what are considered tier 1 clubs. As far as the music I would say its all in the spot you choose. There are different clubs that are known for playing specific types of music. I too prefer a decent mix of music, but when I went to Hak, I KNEW going in that it would be heavy on the EDM so I couldn't/didn't complain.

Following the advice of going midweek makes alot of sense if you still want that in the now club experience, nothing wrong with that at all in my opinion if you want to save a few bucks.

[Spock]

Latest example was last Friday night (5/16), but I ran into the same situation last November and the previous May (both Friday nights).

Table I looked at Hak was on the Pavillion. Table at XS was inside in a both on the back wall.

Remember, when measuring cost pp, I am quoting the all-in amount. This includes the $300 handshake, tax, and tip for the servers.

I'm sure I could do better at a lower end club, but going during the week is not an option as it never works four our travel plans.

I agree I should do a better job of researching the music type. But even if I found music we liked, if we can't get into a good club (w/ a decent table for 6) at $300pp (all-in), it's just too much.

[BayAreaOlli]

I think you should try out other clubs like Tryst, 1OAK or Haze. They are good clubs just not the large Tier 1 and they probably will be more like what you are looking for when it comes to music and budget. You should be able to get something at them for the budget you are looking for on a Friday night ($1000-1200 Min + $300-360 Tax&Grat + $300 Tips = $1600-$1860 = $267-$310 per person).

[WC_racer]

Can't I've had that problem. Do agree witjcthat EDM stuff, it needs to go away...very far far away....in a galaxy far far away...bwahaha.

[artedm]

The new Drais has Thursday night and Sunday Night + sunday dayclub
2 vodka choice goose/belv/ciroc for $600
and you can reserve a table online with a map

[ccc]

1. This weekend was insane. Recon convention plus the Billboard awards meant there was a lot more money floating in town than usual. Mins were up every where, and I saw so many bottles flying around it was crazy. Monday at Marquee was particularly hilarious.

2. You were lucky to get a back wall table under 3k on a week end. I think that was DJ Snake that night at XS, which was the only reason you were inside at all. Hak has the highest mins in town, the crappy tables are 1k period.

3. I'm no spring chicken myself, but you can't live in the past. If yourhard stop is 300pp then go to the clubs that let that happen for you. 1Oak, Tryst and Tao are still better than 99% of the clubs in the world. But, if you hold on to the 'this is what I used to get for this price at the top spots' mental state and you can't do weekdays, then your Vegas days are probably done.

[ccc]

The new Drais has Thursday night and Sunday Night + sunday dayclub
2 vodka choice goose/belv/ciroc for $600
and you can reserve a table online with a map

XS usually has that on Sundays too. Demand this weekend raised that to $800, and it was basic Stoli because they were the sponsor. All deals are subject to change and demand. This weekend was a real world example of free market economics at work.

[osritmos]

I've got to agree that Vegas is getting a little out of control with bottle prices, but stupid people pay it so that's where the prices remain. It's not changing anytime soon and I fear my days are coming to a close soon as well. I find $300pp for a so-so table a little ridiculous as well, but I'll still pay it if I'm only coming to Vegas once or twice per year. I can't fathom going higher than $400 for one night, though. The return just isn't there for the cash outlay.

[kman90]

I've never made the connection between having a great time in a club and bottle service. Yes if I had money to burn, having a table is nice, but never ever necessary, and as a couple, yes it'd make things easier on your girl (in heels for sure)

We did a few tables and cabanas a few years ago...but its no surprise to me that its not for everyone. I've watched peeps on this board act as if having a table was a prerequisite for an epic experience - not true
We've made it a point to hit Vegas and save money instead of splurging.

I've replaced bottle svc with presales, exhaustive planning, guestlists and handshakes and we still have a blowout time in Vegas! I agree with you the math keeps adding up and is never worth it. But all of Vegas is excess...isn't that the point?

Come back to the dark side - don't let those paying $1,000 for a $40 bottle of Veuve Clicquot discourage ya

[ryan850]

It seems like the point of his thread was to say that if what he experienced is the standard, then he's prob not down to club as much as he used to. Which it sounds like his experience is pretty standard (I know the mins we'll be paying next week line up) :P

[Brooklyn Marc]

Everyone hs their limits as to what they are willing to pay so I can't fault the OP's point. I agree prices have risen steadily since I first started heading out there. The value placed on a night out is clearly on a sliding scale. I won't pretend to be one of those people that get bottle service every night ( I agree that would be insane) with planning and the right host tip to skip the line you can get into any club you want just fine and have a good night. However, there are certain clubs, like Hak for example, that i would never go to GA just because of how incredibly crowded it gets on fri/sat, in these cases it's worth it to me to spend a lil to actually ENJOY my night.

[genuis8]

I just want to express a slightly different viewpoint - Aside from the fact that the clubs' bottle service is way overpriced (in relation to their retail price from Walgreens) ... could another factor for the high price be - The Diminishing Value of The US Dollar (in short, Inflation) ?

[osritmos]

I don't think one could ever truly justify the price of a bottle at a Las Vegas nightclub as it relates to macroeconomic trends lol. As one person mentioned, Vegas is about excess. I agree, however, that a bottle is not a pre-requisite to have a good time. I've had unbelievable times doing GA at XS. I've had so-so times doing BS. Just depends on the night, the crowd, the music, etc.