Hipfest III - Final tally

So, here's the tally for my trip:

Transportation:

Airfare:
Outbound:  01/24:  Southwest PHL-BNA-LAS:  $5.60 (flight booked with points)
Inbound:  01/29:  Frontier LAS-PHL:  $19.85 ($100 flight credit, plus $4.55 and $15.30 additional)

     Total Airfare:  $25.45

It could have been less if I downgraded my Frontier flight, but if I knew that flight was going to be so empty, I wouldn't have upgraded to the stretch seat.


Ground Transportation:
Work to Colonial Airport Parking, Lester, PA:  Approximately 137 miles (x 57.5c/mi = $78.78)
Tolls:  $12.00
WAX bus from airport to downtown:  $2.00
WAX bus from downtown to airport:  $2.00
Dollar Car Rental:  $66.09 (1.5 days, $33.05)*
Gas:  $9.00* ($4.50)
5 days parking:  $45.21

Colonial Airport Parking, Lester PA - Voorhees, NJ - Home:  Approximately 195 miles (x 57.5c/mi = $112.13)

Tolls:  $9.00

Gas:  $27.25

     Total Ground Transportation:  $325.92

So here's where flying out of PHL gets me.  For gas, tolls, and parking, that's $93.46, but if you factor in mileage at the Government reimbursable rate, that adds $284.37.  Not much of a savings if I flew from IAD or DCA, I think.  But, I got to fly back with my friend (although we didn't sit together), and I enjoyed a free dinner with my friends.  Alternatively, I could have taken the Amtrak up to Philadelphia, but I think it worked out best by me driving.

*Rental car and gas in Las Vegas was split between Kip and I.

***  Edited note:  Bob pointed out to me that the reimbursable rate includes gas (and tolls as I discovered), so those amounts shouldn't be totaled together.  I wasn't really sure how to quantify my travel time in relation to the cost to get to PHL.  But, as I related to Kip, there is also the factor of time in the inconvenient itineraries for the flights between DCA or IAD and LAS (one included an overnight layover in DEN).  Without gas and tolls, the travel "amount" comes to $190.91, plus the $25.45 airfare comes to $216.36, which would probably be close to a decent round trip flight from the Washington DC Metropolitan area.

Lodging:

4 nights, Golden Gate suite:  $0

1 night, Wynn:  $0

     Total Lodging:  $0

I got the 4 nights comped through my monthly offers.  I redeemed 2,900 gems for a two doubles room at Wynn from the Wynn Slots app.  I paid no resort fees.

Food:

01/24:  Lunch:  Chickie's & Pete's, PHL:  $23.49

Something to eat before I got on the plane.

01/25:  Lunch:  The D Grill:  $0 (actual price $35.96)

01/25:  Dinner:  Andiamo:  $0 (actual price $99.71)

Both lunch and dinner were for three.  Scott chipped in $7 comp for Lunch, and my monthly comp offers covered everything else.  The tip was left by Scott and Kip.

01/26:  Breakfast:  Magnolia's, Four Queens:  $0 (actual price $26.51)

01/26:  Dinner:  Top of Binion's Steakhouse:  $0 (actual price $123.96 w/o tax)

I redeemed 2,000 crowns from the Four Queens Slot app for a $25 comp at Magnolia's.  I redeemed 10,000 hats from the Binion's Slot app for a $100 comp at Top of Binion's Steakhouse, where I was also able to use the 25% off LVA coupon.  Although both apps give you a QR code, I had to go to each slot club to get a printed comp voucher.

01/27:  Dinner:  The Buffet at Wynn:  $0 (actual price $89.98 w/o tax)

I redeemed 2,400 gems from the Wynn Slots app for a buffet for two.  I had already booked a buffet for the next day, but I had no issue cancelling that one and booking this one (you cannot have more than one buffet comp per day).  Redemption was easy, I just showed the confirmation on my phone to the buffet cashier.  The only trouble was the cashier reading the small print!

01/28:  Brunch:  Market Street Cafe, California:  $8.66 (actual price $16.65)

01/28:  Dinner:  The Buffet at Wynn:  $0 (actual price $89.98 w/o tax)

The Market Street Cafe meal was the only one I ended up paying cash.  If Boyd didn't wipe out my comps, I would have used those.  We did use the 2-1 LVA coupon for this meal.

I redeemed 2,400 gems from the Wynn Slots app for a buffet for two, which I booked this morning.

01/29:  Dinner:  Iron Hill Brewery and Restaurant, Voorhees, NJ:  $0

I was fortunate that my friend Bob had accumulated comps for this meal.  I left $10 as part of the tip.

     Total Food:  $32.15

So, we missed a few meals, but we powered through. . .

Drinks:

01/27:  The Laundry Room:  $64.00 for drinks (4), $24 in tips.

A really cool speakeasy bar inside Commonwealth.  Reservations are required.  Seems all the drinks are $16, including the personally crafted ones.  I highly recommend this place!

01/28:  Golden Tiki:  $0 (tab picked up by Kip)

We were there for happy hour, which includes some discounted drinks.  I only had one, since I was driving, hence Kip picked up the tab.

01/28:  Parasol Up/Down:  $35 for drinks (2), $8 in tips.

Since we did well, we treated ourselves to cocktails and a great view of the Lake of Dreams show.  I just had a neat Woodford, but Catherine enjoyed her cocktail, although she said it could be improved.  Could not beat the view we had (and we saw three shows), but next time, perhaps I'll get a cheaper beverage.

This doesn't include drinks/tips we had while gambling at The Vue Bar at The D, Prohibition Bar at Golden Gate, or Boar's Head Bar at Main Street Station.

     Total Drinks:  $99.00

Gambling:

Pretty simple.  Alone, I was probably around even, but with the Joint Venture with Kip, I won.  Sure, you might not like having a gambling partner (or partners), since all of your winnings will be divided among the group.  HOWEVER, all of your losses will be divided too.  What you are doing is spreading the variance around, hopefully one person's losses is offset by another person's winnings, and that's what happened to me.  Kip hit two royals this trip, of which I was able to share 3/8ths (since they were reportable winnings), and that saved me.  We also had a combined $1,050 in match plays to use, so I figured we should come out ahead.

We also used coupons from the Las Vegas Advisor's Member Rewards Book (MRB) and the American Casino Guide (ACG).

The D:

$25 Match Play (ACG)

$25 Match Play (MRB)
$25 Match Play (show Southwest boarding pass within 48 hours (?))

$5 Free Play per 50 points, up to $100 (MRB) (we maxed this coupon out)

El Cortez:

Show Southwest boarding pass for a chance to win $10-$1,000 in Free Play, and a $25 Match Play

Four Queens:

$10 Free Play (MRB)

Double points, up to 500 points (ACG)

Fremont:

$10 Match Play (ACG)

Downtown Grand:

$10 Match Play (ACG)

Earn 25 points, get $10 in Free Play (ACG)

$5 - $50 Match Play (MRB)

Binion's:

Double points, up to 500 points (ACG)

$10 Free Play (MRB)

Golden Gate:

$25 MP (ACG)

$5 Free Play per 50 points, up to $100 (MRB) (we maxed this coupon out)

Ellis Island:

Play $10, get $10 in Free Play (ACG)

Play $20, get t-shirt (ACG)

$10 Match Play (ACG)

Play $10, get $10 in Free Play (MRB)

$10 Match Play (MRB)

There were a lot of coupons I didn't get to use this trip, so hopefully I'll use them later this year.  Kip and I played it "safe" on our match plays, betting red/black at the same time.  We know it's not the best mathematical play, but I know I hate just jumping in on a blackjack table to play one coupon.

So, overall it was a very enjoyable trip.  It seemed fast, with all of the planning we had, and we did change a few things on the fly, but we made some time for things we wanted to do (and discovered that some of the things we wanted to do were closed).

Let me know if you have any questions!