As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium member who almost exclusively stays at Marriott properties, I was extremely disappointed with my experience at MGM Grand. I normally stay at JW or W, and this stay fell well below expectations.
At check-in, the Gold Club staff made a big deal about my Titanium status and told me I was receiving “the best suite available.” In reality, I was simply given the same double-queen room I had booked. The room itself wasn’t a major issue, but presenting it as some amazing upgrade was misleading and off-putting. To make matters worse, the double-queen didn’t even have a desk—something I’ve never encountered at a full-service hotel. I ended up changing rooms just to be able to work.
When was changing my room I ask the question does the hotel not have any upgrades available? I was once more told, “Absolutely, you’re a Titanium member, let me give you the best suite.” That promise, too, never materialized. Empty assurances became a theme of this stay.
The most irritating part was the $100 food and beverage credit. I asked the front desk, I asked the convenience store, and I asked again over the phone. Each time I was told it could be used for bottled items, minibar, or grab-and-go purchases. Every single one of those answers was wrong. The reality? You can only use the credit at sit-down restaurants. Not at the bar, not in the convenience store, not even for bottled water. At other hotels, credits are flexible and simple to use. At MGM, they’re restrictive and designed to frustrate.
And then there’s the air conditioning. The room sensors shut the system off every two hours, meaning I had to wake up at least twice a night, get out of bed, and wave my arms around just to keep the temperature below 75°. Only on the third night did maintenance finally disable the sensors so I could actually cool the room to 70° and get a full night’s sleep. For a property of this size and reputation, that’s inexcusable.
Finally, the minibar. On day one, I removed a few items, was charged the astronomical prices, and of course, none of it was covered by the food and beverage credit. By day three, nothing had been restocked. So, I got the worst of both worlds: no value, no replenishment.
MGM makes things more complicated than they need to be. From misleading “upgrades,” to a useless F&B credit, to HVAC systems that sabotage your sleep, to overpriced mini-bars that aren’t even maintained—it felt like one disappointment after another.
I won’t blast MGM on social media, but I have already told colleagues who regularly travel to Vegas to avoid this property. If you’re a Bonvoy Titanium member, don’t expect recognition, don’t expect upgrades, and don’t expect simple benefits to actually work. Expect hassle, wrong answers, and a lot of frustration.
