Updated: July 2021
In this article
What is the Free Stay At Atlantis in the Bahamas with Caesars Diamond Status?
I’ve seen many bloggers write about how you can get a free stay at Atlantis in the Bahamas if you are Caesars Rewards Diamond or above. And while I’ve seen bits and pieces of what to expect on various message boards and blog comments, I’ve yet to see a comprehensive review of the Atlantis experience when using this “comp.” So I flew down for 4 nights to find out…. (actually, I’ve now gone twice and this post is a combination of both stays).
For the uninitiated, Caesars Rewards is a casino chain loyalty program and Diamond is a high tier status within the program, which has Gold, Platinum, Diamond, Diamond Plus, Diamond Elite, and 7 Stars as its program levels.
You can get a free stay at Atlantis in the Bahamas if you are Caesars Rewards Diamond or above. And while I’ve seen bits and pieces of what to expect on various message boards and blog comments, I’ve yet to see a comprehensive review of the Atlantis experience when using this “comp.” So I flew down for 4 nights to find out…. levels with varying benefits.
The reason why many MilesTalk readers care about this and have access to this free stay is because of the various status matches that have been able to confer Diamond status – the genesis of the Status Match Merry-Go-Round.
Wyndham Rewards has reciprocal status matching with Caesars meaning that Diamond status with Wyndham gets you Diamond status with Caesars. And recently that has been as easy as matching many mid-tier hotel programs to Wyndham, including Hilton’s Gold level which you can get just by signing up for the Hilton Surpass credit card or the Hilton Business credit card. (In 2020, this was match to Wyndham was paused.)
But many people ask questions like “How much are the fees on top of the free nights?” and “How much will I spend on meals?” as well as “What are the rooms like?” And, of course, “Will my Marriott Bonvoy Elite benefits apply?”
What Can You Expect with this “Free” Atlantis Bahamas Stay?
The first thing to know is that if you have Diamond via status match, you will have access to only the lowest level of redemption for Diamonds (marked as 15,000 Tier Credits on the Caesars Atlantis page). In fact, even if you are only Caesars Platinum, you have access to this offer, however you’re limited to 3 nights off-peak and 2 during peak times.
For Diamond, even matched base level Diamond, you get 4 nights in the Royal or Coral. It used to be the lowest category Beach Tower, but that tower is closed for the time being. Here’s the complete details from the Caesars website:
I’m going to focus on this tier because it’s what people that matched to Diamond are eligible for.
Booking the Stay
To book, you’ll call 1-888-877-7592. Note that not all days will be available. Be prepared to be flexible. State clearly that you are calling to book a Caesars Diamond (or your level) complimentary package.
Peak vs Off Peak Dates at Atlantis
Off Peak months are May, June, September, October, January and February. Additional Peak days may occur during these months.
April, September, October, November, or January would be my picks…. February can be chilly.
I used to say to book off-peak because the tower you could book was better. They are now the same. You just get $25 more in casino credit at the off-peak time.
The Beach Tower – Now Closed
The Beach Tower, in which I stayed in 2018, turned out to be the forgotten stepchild of Atlantis. It was due for a refresh in 2019, but closed entirely instead.
Should it reopen, I’m leaving my original experience at the Beach Tower as I wrote at the time below:
- You are a 10 minute walk (at a reasonable NYC pace) from the action of the Marina or the Casino. Even farther from the waterpark or spa.
- The Beach Tower is old and, I’m not exaggerating, a bit decrepit. The idea is that you’re headed to the beach and you know this is the lowest level accommodation at Atlantis, but so much was falling apart. In fact, in our initial room (we had to move) the balcony door couldn’t be opened and we discovered the lock to the entire room was faulty (no key card needed to enter!).
- The decor reminds you how old the building is. To make things worse, they have literally closed road access to the Beach Tower. So while it’s removed from everything else and contains a check-in area and driveway, the check-in area doesn’t function and the driveway is blocked. It adds an extra “haunted” vibe to the stay -as if you are staying in a closed down hotel.
- There is ONE outlet in the room. It’s not by the bed. I got into the ritual of charging my laptop while I was out so I could put that on my nightstand to charge my phone overnight.
- As you can see, the room by itself just looks “fine” but in context of the things broken in the rooms and building (in our second room, the lights didn’t work until we got maintenance in and the Wi-Fi was incredibly slow, one of three elevators was usually out of service, etc) it made it less tolerable and a bit of an intrusion, if you will, on the relaxation aspect.
And here are some supporting pictures of the Beach Tower:
Now, it’s not all bad. We did have an *incredible* view:
And as we were told, if you are staying IN the Royal Tower, you can’t SEE the Royal Tower from your room. True enough….
No matter which tower you are in, you do have included and unlimited access to the Aquaventure Waterpark. Bear in mind that if you want a locker while at Aquaventure, it runs $17 and up.
2021 Atlantis Stay: The Coral
We returned in June 2021. This time, we we booked the Coral Tower. We had the choice at booking at Coral or Royal and I chose Coral for just one reason: Coral Tower rooms have small balconies with chairs. The Royal Tower rooms only have a Juliette balcony. We were going to be “Working from Beach” on this trip and I wanted to be able to do that on the balcony. In hindsight that probably wasn’t enough of a reason.
But I also learned that the casino rate books into the un-renovated portion of the Royal.
While the room rates for Royal run about ~$120 more per night and are typically more desirable, it’s not cut and dry. I would say this: if you will spend a lot of time at the waterpark (i.e. with kids), book the Royal to be closer.
If you want to have easy access to the Marina (where many of the restaurants are), and/or the Dunkin’ Donuts that is “in town” (two blocks away), the Coral is much closer. Both are equidistant from the casino.
Now the rooms are indeed renovated at Coral, so they are nothing like the Beach Tower we experienced in 2019. For example, outlets abound on each night stand 🙂
Here was our first room at Coral:
That view!
But then, in a struck of good fortune, I wound up in contact with Sherrese, the lovely front office manager at Coral and someone who was aware of the extreme issues I encountered last time.
As a one-time courtesy to make up for that last stay, she graciously bumped us to a suite on the top floor and in the “Owner’s Wing.”
To say that this room was gorgeous would be an understatement. It felt like we were transported to a room in the Cove.
This definitely set the tone for a nice trip!
COVID-19 Reopening: 2021
I’m sure this will be a rapidly evolving situation, but if you are traveling in 2021, you should be aware that at least as of now, many things are still closed.
For example, the downstairs Starbucks at Coral was closed, the Starbucks in the Marina was only open in the morning, Virgil’s BBQ is currently closed and being used as a COVID testing center, the Marina Pizza (which I used as quick lunch last time) was only open for dinner, the Lagoon Bar and Grill is closed, and Café Martinique is closed.
Still, plenty was open and the Aquaventure waterpark is fully open!
If you are on the Caesars Diamond Casino rate, what is the “real” cost of the room?
The total cost per night will be $66. That is the resort fee of 55.94 + a $10 gratuity. The resort fee includes wifi for four computers, 2 waters per day, towels, local phone calls, etc. Is it egregious at $66 per day? Yes. So just think of it like a $66 per day room.
I’m Marriott Bonvoy Platinum / Titanium / Ambassador: Will I get upgraded? Will I get points? Will I get on-property benefits?
Great question and, as Titanium I can tell you – somewhat! My stay hasn’t yet posted to my Bonvoy account but I believe they said there is a 1,000 point welcome amenity. You won’t be upgraded due to status but they did check us in early and implied that was a favor based on my status. As for late check out, that is subject to availability but they did mention it as a benefit.
They no longer appear to offer the Welcome Amenity of a beverage (wine split, etc) or snack like we got in 2018.
Free breakfast is not an included benefit. Marriott grants the Atlantis an exemption from the on-property breakfast benefit. Suffice it to say, there is no executive lounge.
Will I earn Marriott Bonvoy points from the stay?
In 2018, I made sure they had my Marriott number again at checkout. The points did not post automatically as I suspected they might not, but I submitted a missing stay request online 2 weeks later and I was credited a few days later.
For my 2021 stay, I filled out a missing stay request and was told that casino rates are not qualifying rates for elite nights or points on incidentals. That said, my wife submitted a missing stay request the same time as me on the identically booked casino rate and got all her nights and points, so this seems to very much be a “luck of the draw” thing regarding who you get processing the missing stay request.
Note: Only the Coral, Royal, and Cove Towers are Bonvoy-participating parts of Atlantis.
How much will food cost me at Atlantis Bahamas?
The answer is ALL OF YOUR MONEY.
Seriously, it’s really expensive. A breakfast sandwich at Starbucks was about $9. A slice of pizza at the slice joint at the Marina was $7 (even a cheese slice). The buffet in the Royal Tower was around $45 at lunch and $70 at dinner. Then there are name brand restaurants you’l recognize from the States. Carmines, Virgils BBQ, Nobu, and Todd English’s Olives – to name a few. We ate at the latter 3 of those and only Nobu was up to snuff quality-wise.
All food is base cost + 12% VAT + 15% auto gratuity. The $7 pizza slice is $8.89 all-in.
Think about what you’d be paying in a high end NYC restaurant (but for average food) or, perhaps more appropriately, what you’d pay at an island at an exclusive resort in the Maldives. Beers around $10 and drinks around $12-$20. Entrees were all over the map. You could manage a burger or a flatbread for a hair under $20. From there it was + + +.
We were going to have dinner at Virgil’s but switched to lunch after I got a gander at the dinner menu prices (not shown online). You’ll see below why lunch is the move there…
Pro Tip About Food Just Outside the Atlantis Resort
Just outside the resort, off the Marina, is a Dunkin’ Donuts (with normal prices) and a restaurant with normal prices – standard fare like chicken and ribs and burgers. We didn’t eat there, but would have if we discovered it sooner.
You can also take a ferry for $16 round trip to “town” though I’ve been there before and it’s basically “any cruise port tourist area.” If you really want to be adventurous, you could use TripAdvisor to find a truly local restaurant in Nassau where prices will be cheap, but the cab fare will make up for much of that.
(2021 note: The ferry is still closed due to COVID)
Service at the Atlantis Resort
You might be a bit shocked at how bad the service is at the restaurants…. The tip of 15% is automatically added to all bills (including that $7 pizza slice) and across the board, we generally felt the servers were interested in anything but our meals.
In general, expect “standard island” service. This is not the Four Seasons…
The Casino Experience Pass
[NOTE: As of January 2019, the Casino Experience Pass is no longer offered.]
You will still get $75 – $100 (peak / off-peak) in slot dollars and access to Aquaventure.
Electricity in the Bahamas
The outlets in Atlantis are US 110 Volt ones, so no adapters are needed.
Currency in the Bahamas
There is a Bahamian Dollar that is pegged 1 to 1 to the US dollar. Everyone and everywhere at Atlantic accepts and gives change in US dollars. I did note on checkout though that the bill is charged in Bahamian Dollars, so be sure to use a card with no foreign transaction fees like the Chase Sapphire Reserve or the Chase Sapphire Preferred.
The only time you ever *might* get back a Bahamian dollar as change is if you went somewhere really local off the beaten path, like the Fish Fry.
Weather in the Bahamas
Generally around 70-90 degrees F year round, but in mid-winter it can occasionally be upper 60s, low 70s. I find that the shoulder seasons are generally be fine, but early February, for example, may not be as warm as expected.
Taxis to and from Atlantis
From the airport in Nassau (NAS), it’s about a 30-40 minute ride.
The taxi charge is complex and most drivers seem to try to rip you off. The fee should be $40 from NAS to Atlantis for two passengers with one normal bag and one personal item sized bag each. That is $38 for the base fare + $2 for the toll on the bridge to Atlantis. Before entering a taxi, get the info sheet from the attendant that goes over this so you have it for reference. Additional people or bags will add to the fare, as will a large suitcase (add $2). Importantly, reconfirm the price with the taxi driver before getting in and confirm also that their car or van has Taxi license plates. I say to reconfirm so there is no dispute at the end. Basically everyone I talked to acknowledged that taxi drivers love to pad the fares and rip off unsuspecting tourists. A 15% tip is customary.
On the trip back, it should be just $38 as there is no bridge toll on the way back. Additional bags or passengers over 2 will still be extra.
Tipping at Atlantis
When you drink or dine on property, 15% is included on all bills. This is the expected amount. Yes, there is a line for additional tips, however nobody seemed to expect it and given the level of service, I doubt you’ll feel inclined to add more, but of course that is at your discretion. Island-wide, 15% tips are the expectation. Of course, if someone helps with your bag or with beach chairs, etc, a few bucks is always welcome.
You’d tip in US dollars. No need whatsoever to ever get any Bahamian dollars.
Customs in the Bahamas
Bear in mind the Bahamas is not part of the US! It’s an independent country and you will pass through customs on entry. On the way back to the US, you will pre-clear customs in Nassau.
Priority Pass Lounge at Nassau Airport on Departure
Not remotely worth arriving early for. Not super comfortable and rather than having food and drinks out, you get a $20 credit per person (including VAT and 10% tip) to use on food and drink. They were done with food for the day by 5pm, though, so it was drinks and cookies for us.
Cell Service and Wi-Fi at Atlantis
If you have T-Mobile like me with their unlimited international roaming, you’ll get signal on their BTC network. I initially was having issues, but I manually selected the network and then it stuck. Note that it was 3G speed and very slow, so I connected to the hotel Wi-fi whenever possible. The Wi-Fi, while free, varied greatly in speed from perfect to a crawl. And they don’t have it setup to flawlessly transfer you from connection point to connection point, so you often have to reconnect if you’ve moved around. Notably, in the Coral I would lose service often on the balcony and in the hallways. By the pool/beach it is in and out.
Don’t forget to explore Atlantis!
Additional Note:
As of January 2019, those booking this offer are being told:
“If you redeem this complimentary offer you are expected to play to the same level of casino play or greater. If you do not play or show reduced casino play you may be charged for some or all of your upfront complimentaries including rooms, food & beverage, limos, etc. If you need additional clarification, please contact Casino VIP Services or your Player Development Executive.
Customers receiving room reservations at a special casino rate must record 4 hours of rated play over the duration of their stay. If 4 hours of play is not generated, the special casino rate will be changed to the Casino promotional rate. The nightly promotional rates are: The Beach/The Coral $200, The Royal $300 and The Cove/The Reef $450. Additional room taxes and fees apply.”
My understanding is that this is because they have received an unintended number of people from Caesars who aren’t gambling and that isn’t their intent of the offer. I would expect the above to be truly stated and you should be prepared to put in 4 hours at the casino.
We made sure to log 4 hours of play.
Atlantis Casino vs. Baha Mar Casino
I’m adding this in after my 2021 stay.
While the Baha Mar bills itself as the largest casino in the Bahamas, the one at Atlantis still feels much bigger, much better, and with better table minimums. It was unquestionably more crowded. (I spent 4 nights at Baha Mar before heading to Atlantis for 4 more nights.)
The Baha Mar is seemingly more interested in high rollers. One night I saw 12 dealers standing at empty $25 tables while there were none at lower denominations. I mostly played slots there because I won’t personally be baited into gambling above my comfort level.
At Atlantis, I spent many hours at the tables: $15 BlackJack, $10 Ultimate Hold ‘Em and $10 Let it Ride.
Note that both casinos say that they “want to see 4-6 hours of play a night at $50 = $100 average bet” to send you their own comps. Crazy in my book but clearly not in the books of other players!
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Earn 60,000 bonus Ultimate Rewards points (worth up to $750 or more!) when you spend $4,000 in 3 months. How to apply for this offer.
Summary
Despite what seems like a lot of dissatisfaction in my post, we had a great time.
We didn’t go out of our way to save every dollar, but we did actively try to keep costs reasonable. That includes the $65 a night resort fee, food, and two massages at the Mandara spa ($100 + tax each for 50 minutes was surprisingly reasonable there). We didn’t do any other activities.
All in all, though, Atlantis really is a great place to get away from winter weather and this deal did save us $880 off of what the rate would have been for the same room online ($220 / night avg rate).
You have the beach, lots of pools, the waterpark, the casino, and the relaxation of an island. Atlantis is beautiful.
And at $65 a night, with the right expectations going in, you’ll have a fantastic time.
Questions?
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Great information! This pretty much matched my experience pretty well. Food is expensive – so pack snacks if you can to supplement. For free play, I believe you have to “cycle” through the entire $100 free play to make it “real play”. and then you can cash out. Jacks or Better has some of the best Video Poker odds for that. Also, they have little competitions throughout the day that are pretty easy to win! You can play it once per week (I think their week resets Sunday or Monday), so I was able to play twice and win an additional $150. Not bad. Also Marriot Status is hit or miss depending on who you get. I’m not sure the official policy, since you’re marked as a “casino” stay, one front desk agent said I wasn’t eligible for benefits – I went down the next day and asked again and they said they’d send up a cheese plate. Couple things to note here, Dave: You wrote that it’s four nights in the Coral (off-peak), it’s actually The Royal. Also, there is a minor catch to the round of golf: No clubs included, and I believe they are $70 to rent. So it makes it a $70 round of golf unless you bring your own.
Thanks Ryan – Updated the golf info with a HT to you. And thanks – I’d mistyped Coral vs/ Royal in a few places and thought I caught them all…. I found the one you spotted and corrected. We kept talking about the Coral when were there since they are connected and it got stuck in my head 🙂
One more thing to note: The Bahamas are completely sovereign from the United Kingdom. They have been independent since 1973.
I’ve been there 3 times in 2 years. Me and my wife are both Diamond so we did 4 and 4 nights back to back. We’ve stayed in the Beach, Garden, and renovated Coral Tower. The Beach Tower is very much run down. It has musty smell and the rooms are whatever. We DID enjoy our balcony though and had that exact same view.
The new Coral Tower rooms are faaaaantastic and they have a large balcony. They were still renovating the 2nd building (the one with the library) when we were there.
The shuttle to the Beach Tower was still operational when we stayed. I’m curious as to why they closed it off. The walk from Beach to Coral really sucks.
For food, we stuck with the burger spot (I heard it used to be Johnny Rockets), Dunkin Donuts, and poolside eateries.
When we brought our kids for the shallow water dolphin experience, they had no problem allowing us to be on the “beach”. I filmed with my Yi Action cam on a stick. Note: they don’t allow filming IN the water by participants.
We went to the comedy club once and it was….ok. The host was better than the other comedians.
Coral Tower has a new pool and although they shut down the pools pretty early, they had kids movies on an outdoor screen at night there. Note: they shut down the pools but you can go back in but you are on your own.
Foods deals can be had at the poolside eateries. Closer to the Cove there are better choices. Also, the delicatessen has some good deals but you have to pay attention to what you’re ordering. The pizza spot next door is ridiculously high. I want to say they have 21″ pizza (huge) but they run about $35.
We ordered delivery from Dominoes and it was actually normal prices.
The food overall is way too high. The Dunkin Donuts just off the reservation is even higher than “normal” and the restaurant next door to it was high enough that we didn’t eat there. We did eat at Fish Fry (Arawack Cay) and they were decent and high depending on the place. Twin Brothers is good but expensive. We did the daring thing and walked back from there.
Transportation should be arranged ahead of time through Atlantis and they bus you in. We forgot to this in time our first time there and ended up paying $60 one way in a Lincoln Town Car. Otherwise, I think it was $30 rt. Big difference.
I think Baha Mar may steal Atlantis thunder soon. It’s muuuuuch closer.
I believe resort fee is waived for diamond members
I was there in May and did the three nights in the beach tower and agree with your assessment of the condition of the building. One food tip I would add is the Double Dragon Chinese restaurant. They deliver and their portions are huge. If your are staying the beach tower they will drive up to the closed road. Drivers only take cash.
NFD: Unfortunately, it definitely is not 🙁 You are thinking about at Caesars Entertainment properties (where it is waived). But at Atlantis, which is not owned by CET, resort fees are not waived.
Kazu: Great tip, thanks for sharing.
Atlantis offers two meal plans for Breakfast and Dinner the nicer more gourmet one runs about $130 per day plus VAT and gratuity
I think it is well worth it if you like to eat at the nicer restaurants (Nobu was not included) but many including Virgils were.
THey have a lesser meal plan for the Pizza and burger places as well I think it ran something like $85 a day plus VAT & Gratuity
They may offer a childs rate for the meal plans we do not have anyone in our family under 25 so it may be good to ask if traveling with younger children.
Thanks for this information! Any thoughts on whether a vegetarian or vegan could survive there? I have to look out for the gf.
A vegetarian, yes. A vegan…. I don’t think I’d advise that.
I wrote a post about my experience too, nice to compare/contrast 🙂 http://www.demflyers.com/2017/01/26/trip-report-total-rewards-atlantis-bahamas-trip/
My biggest tip would be to go to Viola’s for food. Only a block away from the Beach Towers and the food is reasonably priced with large portions. Menu is posted on my blog post.
I called today to make a booking inquiry. I just got status matched to Wyndham Diamond but when does it make most sense to status match to Total Rewards?
THE AGENT ON THE PHONE TOLD ME THAT JANUARY IS NO LONGER CONSIDERED OFF PEAK – IS THIS CORRECT?
Hmm. The website still says January is off peak. You never know but I would try another agent.
It makes the most sense to match Feb 1 as that is the start of the TR program year.
beach tower sucks. Run down and too far from the action. We tried to get room service and were told “no room service in the beach tower.” Atlantis frequently has promotions (for example $300 resort credit with 3 night stay) which you can’t combine with the caesars benefit.
Both this article and the comments are very useful; thank you everyone! Now, I can’t wait to read trip reviews about the Dubai stay. https://www.google.com/search?q=total+rewards+dubai&oq=total+rewards+dubai&aqs=chrome..69i57j69i64.3448j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
What are the room occupancies like? Would a family of 5 (2 adults and kids ages, 4,3,1) be able to fit/be allowed in the base room?
Note the Dubai stay is only for EARNED Diamond status. Matched or gifted status doesn’t count for that.
Just booked my trip for the end of May so I appreciate the info Unfortunately it looks like they did away with the casino experience pass this year, only get the $100 free slot play
Can anyone else confirm this? Was going to Founders Card route and these perks we’re part of my cost offset calculations.
What do you need confirmed? Feel free to join/post on the MilesTalk Facebook group for lots of quick feedback to whatever questions you have.
Sorry…the comment Steve made that the casino experience extras were no longer being included…Dolphin Experience, Golf, Sushi Sampler, couple of free drinks
I have heard that from others as well. Seems to be true.
Daryl, there is now no mention of the casino experience pass here:
https://www.caesars.com/total-rewards/tr-partners/atlantis-paradise-island
Does anyone know if they charge extra for kids? Particularly for the waterpark.
I just booked a Total Rewards Diamond status Atlantis trip. I got my TR Diamond status through a match with Wyndham. When I made my reservation, the terms and conditions state this:
“If you redeem this complimentary offer you are expected to play to the same level of casino play or greater. If you do not play or show reduced casino play you may be charged for some or all of your upfront complimentaries including rooms, food & beverage, limos, etc. If you need additional clarification, please contact Casino VIP Services or your Player Development Executive.
Customers receiving room reservations at a special casino rate must record 4 hours of rated play over the duration of their stay. If 4 hours of play is not generated, the special casino rate will be changed to the Casino promotional rate. The nightly promotional rates are: The Beach/The Coral $200, The Royal $300 and The Cove/The Reef $450. Additional room taxes and fees apply.”
I don’t have much gambling experience at Caesars, so not sure how they will measure this. Any ideas?
Daniel: This does seem to be a new term in 2019. They have indicated that it was always intended to be for actual gamblers. So I would plan to play slots or tables for a combined 4 hours over the course of your stay.
If anyone else has REAL experience from 2019 onwards, please share.
Anyone know if we’re allowed to book this for someone else? I have the package but can’t use it? Can I book it for my parents for example?
No, it has to be in your name.
When do these free nights expire?
[…] – A free four night stay at Atlantis (Also see:Free Atlantis Stay via Caesars Total Rewards Diamond: What To Expect with Room Fees, Food Costs, and…) […]
My Ceasers diamond status expires in Jan 2020, can I make a booking for Feb/March 2020 or should I make bookings prior to my status expriation?
You cannot. You will need to rematch next year to book that. Each year, you can only book until Jan 31 of the following year.
[…] News and notes from around the interweb: Free Atlantis Stay via Caesars Total Rewards Diamond: What To Expect with Room Fees, Food Costs, and… […]
Hi! This is GREAT info! Does anyone know how long the Caesars match (from Wyndham) will last? Is it also the same three months?
Hi Susan – It will last until Jan 1 – the end of the Caesars program year.
Anyone have experience with going with a group of 4 people but only put 2 on the reservation? I’m assuming the “free” room is only for 2 people and they probably charge an astronomical fee for added people. Any wristbands? Are they strict when enforcing this?
I am booked at the baha mar from using Hyatt points but wanted to spend a day at the water park at Atlantis. A day pass is outrageous and would gladly pay $60 something for one night. Can you book just one night on the diamond offer? Even 2 nights would be cheaper than the cost of one pass.
You can book 1 night no problem, but keep in mind the resort fee is $66 per night. Subject to availability. You’ll have to call to see.
Did you ever inquire about paying to upgrade to a different building when you arrived?
@nfd Only for a certain level of Diamond – not the matched based tier.
@J: We did and the answer was no.
[…] Keep in mind that Caesars Rewards, formerly Total Rewards, has a status match going on where you can bring over an Mlife Gold or higher card to get their Diamond status – which waives resorts fees, gives you a $100 Celebration dinner, and access to the 4 free nights at Atlantis in the Bahamas. […]
I am wondering about the $100 Celebration dinner. Is that something that could be used at one of the Atlantis restaurants?
Hi, @Iris, Unfortunately not. Atlantis is not a Caesar’s property and has no affiliation other than a marketing agreement between Caesar’s Rewards and the Atlantis casino. That’s also why you have to pay resort fees here.
Thank you, Dave.
My wife and I were there a couple of weeks ago on my complimentary trip. We are returning in January with the kids to use hers, and this first trip was extremely helpful as we plan our next trip.
Prior to this trip I hadn’t spent a dime in a casino, so this was a big concern for us as well. We asked at Casino Services when we arrived and were given a players card that had our $100 in complimentary slot play. We made sure to ask what was required and were told that we just needed to play for four hours. They track this by your players card. The lady at the desk said that as long as your card is in the machine and you are actively playing, your time is being counted. If you decide to play table games, just hand your card to the dealer. However, the $100 is for free slot play, not table games, so if you decide to play those, you’ll need to put up your own money.
We were given two players cards, one for me and one for my wife. We asked if we played simultaneously, would that eliminate the required playing time quicker? The answer was that we could play at the same time, but her playing would not count towards the four hours.
Like I said before, we are not gamblers, so we slow-played the free $100 and were able to make that last. We found the penny slots with a 25-cent minimum bet to be the lowest amount you could possibly bet. We would wager $2 at a time and spin every 45-60 seconds or so. We had about $20 remaining after about 5 hours of play, so we decided to play the 50-cent minimum bets until our comped money ran out.
I checked today and it’s been 1 1/2 weeks since the trip and I haven’t seen any extra charges on my credit card. I will be sure to update this if that changes.
A couple of tips: Always cash out after winning, even if it’s only something small like 2 cents. Otherwise your winnings get credited towards your bets and you end up playing them. We ended up coming away with a little more than $90.
Also, Take advantage of the free drinks while playing. They are smaller, but it’s definitely better than overpaying for drinks from any of the bars.
Thanks so much for the great info. I just became Diamond today & had been wondering about the Atlantis deal.
I never cared much for the Bahamas to begin with. I was there many ago & found it to be seedy. Growing up in New York, Nassau-Paradise island had a cheap low budget reputation among the islands.
However there are trade offs in life therefore ‘IF’ there were no resort fees, the food quality & price was better, the island was safer to venture away & additional Total reward perks were thrown in..well then it possibly would be worth the time effort and airfare. Sounds like a bad deal. I’d prefer the Dubai deal if the airfare wasn’t $1800+. ea way from San Diego. Thanks again for such a clear detailed article.
@Jerry: Thanks for the comment. It is definitely either a great deal or not such a great deal depending on your viewpoint (and I’d add if you go during their off peak time when you get a room in a much better tower), but I think it’s important to consider that paying under $70 a night for these rooms is a steal when you consider that any other customer there is paying full price PLUS still getting gouged on everything. For us (also in NY) it’s a deal worth doing each year just to get a nice beach vacation for not much more than the flights. It’s hard not to get ripped off for food every day of the week in NYC anyway 😉
Dave, you make complete sense. For me I’m thinking the flight time, changing planes etc. From NY or east coast I can see how it may be worth it 🙂
I asked about using my Marriott status when booking and was told they don’t apply Marriott status to comp offers 🙁
Hi @croc. Thanks for stopping by! You won’t be able to add when booking. You can add at checkin but only in an eligible tower. The beach tower USED TO be included but no more. From the latest Marriott Bonvoy T&Cs: Points or Miles may be earned and Points may be redeemed for stays at The Coral at Atlantis; The Royal at Atlantis; and The Cove at Atlantis. PS: You’ll probably still need to submit the folio later for credit but it will be eligible if in one of these towers.
Awesome! Thanks for the quick response. We’ll be at the Royal, so here’s hoping! I’ll make sure to keep a physical copy of our folio! Those elite nights will be much appreciated.
Update on this: was able to add my number on check in, and got upgraded! (she said “out of the kindness of her heart” but it was also right after she pulled up my Marriott account).
One thing I haven’t been able to find around the internet…do you know how this codes on a credit card? I’m trying to decide if I should use my Marriott card (if it codes as Marriott), or my Citi Prestige (if it codes as a generic hotel). I’m also debating doing food and beverages as room charges or credit card charges (if they ring up as food, that could be 5x on Prestige)
I tried looking back to what I did last December but my Amex statements don’t go back that far. My hunch is that you could put it on the Bonvoy card and have Amex manually credit the difference if it didn’t work automatically. They are able to look it up and see it’s Bonvoy. PS: Yes, that is exactly how my experience went. They gave us a little welcome amenity and a nice view as well as a late checkout. That was the extent of the benefits but better than nothing!
I was there in late Dec 2019 with my wife and one year old. We did the status matches and wound up staying at the Beach tower for 4 nights. We just wanted a quiet family stay in the sun, so we did not mind if the Beach tower was a ten minute walk away from the action. We loved the ocean view, and loved being close to the beach. I did the required 4 hours at the slot machines, got lucky and wound up taking home over $100 from that. I had no problem at check out. We found the resort fee and supplement for automatic tips to be well worth it. It was tremendous value for money. The Atlantis is quite something to see – the grounds are spectacular. Our child enjoyed seeing different fish / sharks / turtles / you name it, and we enjoyed seeing them even more. Walking the grounds was very pleasant, and the staff were extremely friendly and hospitable. We took the ferry into town – a fun ride with a local story teller sharing fun stories on the way – and we thoroughly enjoyed Nassau. We ate at some restos and and a fish fry in town, other times we ate at the resto near Dunkin Donuts. There was a snack bar near the beach pool that had a pretty good deal on a wrap with rice and chicken – not too expensive. The free waterpark access was a great bonus and very fun. All in all, the Atlantic via status match was incredible value for the small amount we payed, and I would go back in a heartbeat. If you are from a northern clime like we are, I highly recommend it.
Very useful info…..my husband and are are thinking of taking advantage of his Caesar Rewards Diamond Status off peak in October for 4 nights comp. We were thinking of taking our 2 boys who would love the water park. I know the resort fees are about $66 a day, but I am wondering if they charge for extra people in the comped room. It is my husband that has the comp and the 3 of us would be staying in the room with him. Do they charge extra if he gets a room with 2 double beds? Thank you for your help!
Hi Veronica, Yes, there would be a charge if they are over 12. The webpage states:
Room is based on double occupancy and is non-transferable. Additional guests over the age of 12 will result in a $50 charge per person per night in The Beach, The Coral, The Royal and The Reef with a maximum room capacity of 4 adults and 1 child under the age of 4.
I would call them to confirm exact costs for your situation. Hope that helps!
Hi Dave, does Atlantis enforce the over 12 rule? We are 2 adults, 2 kids over 12 and 1 kid under 4. If I just go check in and get the 5 wristbands, would they ask for passport or details of everyone staying in the room? Or are the wrist bands different for over 12 and under 12? We have two kids over 12, and so just trying to see if there’s a way to avoid this charge $50×2 per night charge, which will be $400 for 4 nights! If not, then we will plan something else may be in Florida.
I wish I could help you with this but as I haven’t been with kids. I sense they are likely pretty strict. Perhaps someone in our Facebook group knows for certain.
Hi Dave,
Amazing info!
Question: I thought it was a lifetime max of 1 diamond status match and redemption per person. We used my status match and redemption in Jan 2020. Next, we plan to do the same under my wife’s name. If I understood correctly, you seem to be able to get this deal annually? How?
Hey Ran. The key is to make sure you matched your Caesars to Wyndham Diamond! That’s the whole premise of why it’s called a Merry Go Round, so I recommend you read that post again :). Once you are Wyndham Diamond, you can then match that back and forth to Caesars as the program years are off by a month. Just don’t miss a match back!
Each year you rematch you get another Atlantis stay (until, I predict, one day they remove the benefit.)
And yes, if you get your wife in on the action, you each get four nights a year. Take two trips or book 8 nights (4 each back to back).
Dave, thanks for clarifying.
I read through the Merry Go Round post and when I was ready to start, realized I hit a road block given that Wyndham is currently not processing any status matches. How else can we get on the Merry Go Round? Grateful for any insights.
I have Marriot Bonvoy Gold Elite still but don’t see how that can help given the Wyndham “bridge” is broken.
Dave, did you get my other comment a moment ago? Since the Wyndham “bridge” is broken, how do we get on this Merry Go Round? 🙁
Got both comments 🙂
Only onramps now are:
1) Wyndham Business Credit Card (gives Wyndham Diamond status)
2) Founders Card (non-trial) – don’t recommend the company but it’s a valid way in.
3) If you have Milfe Gold or Hyatt Explorist or Globalist to match to Mlife Gold, you can match that in person at Caesars to get on the Merry Go Round.
Hope that helps!
Can anyone give a report on current mask requirements? Actual on the ground reality vs. what the phone reps tell you and what is on the Atlantis website. I know there is a health visa required to travel to the Bahamas even with proof of vaccination. Also, when you play the $100 slot credit, does that time count towards the 4 hour gambling requirement? Thanks!
“Also, when you play the $100 slot credit, does that time count towards the 4 hour gambling requirement?”
Yes it does, as per another report above. Playing 4 hours is playing 4 hours whether or not they give you a credit.
I would love to hear some more data points on this. We did it in 01/20 and would love to do it again in next few months. Especially curious if the 4 hour play is being enforced. I heard the language changed.
Thanks for the updates you did provide though.
Thanks so much for the tips , very informative and helpful! About the casino experience, we did get $100 free play! Maybe you should update the post
Glad it was useful! Yes, I think maybe the language is confusing. The relevant section above says:
_______________
The Casino Experience Pass
[NOTE: As of January 2019, the Casino Experience Pass is no longer offered.]
You will still get $75 – $100 (peak / off-peak) in slot dollars and access to Aquaventure.
________________
You used to get, on top of the slot dollars, an Experience Pass that included a free Dolphin swim, appetizers and drinks at various restaurants, etc. They removed that, but you still get the slot play.
So is it 4 hours a day? Or is it 4 hours during your stay?
Hi Denise. It’s for the whole stay.
Hi Dave- Is it possible to book a room with the Caesar Diamond benefit for a day? We are only in Nassau for a cruise port stop so would only need access for maybe 6-7 hours. Would the minimum gambling time be adjusted? My dad and I would gamble while my husband and son (16) enjoy the waterpark. We will be there at the end of October 2021 and are all vaccinated.
I don’t think that would work too well – you wouldn’t be able to check in until I think 3pm unless you got lucky, although I think you probably don’t need an actual room, so maybe that’s not an issue. The 4 hours of required gambling is per stay though, regardless of length of stay, so I think that would be a problem as they might charge you the fee for that. If you could check in early, then you’d get a room key which would get them access to the waterpark – but I’m not sure how it works if you don’t have the room key yet (you could call and ask that I guess). Worth a shot as two day passes would be a crazy $300!
Long story short: Maybe possible but a bold move 😉
Thanks, Dave. I’ll call tomorrow and I’ll let you know what they say. I appreciate you getting back to me so quickly.
Did you ever get an answer on this? I’m thinking of doing same in October.
Hi Dave,
This article and comment thread are great! Question – does each room occupant get their own pass/wristband to Aquaventure or just the Caesars diamond card holder?
Hi Hank, Everyone in the room will get their own wristband. Just note the limits on room occupancy which I believe is $50 pp over 2 ppl.
Hi Dave,
Quick question. If I qualified as Diamond in 2021, giving me Diamond all of 2022, does that mean I can do a trip prior to 1/31/22 and then do another before 1/31/23?
Thanks!
I believe you should be able to as it’s one time per “member year”
Thanks!
Nope. I just tried booking past 1/31/22 and they said they aren’t yet granted to book beyond that. They emailed me and said to check back in 2 weeks if they get it extended past that.
That’s correct (and the same every year). The Caesars program year ends then. On Feb 1, you will be able to book for the new program year, through Jan 31, 2023.
Hi, thanks for the great article.
Do you need to have and use 15,000 Tier Credits to book this Atlantis trip?
Unless something has changed for the new program year as of Feb 1st, you do NOT need the tier credits for Atlantic.
Great summary on the experience! Thank you for sharing. I got the Wyndham card and matched the diamond level with Caesars and booked at the Coral in June! We are also going to get massages but their website prices are $200+! I see you only spent $100+tax each massage! That’s a great deal. Did you book there or prior to arrival?
Those massages were many years ago 😉 Trust the current stated prices…
Hi Dave, we just booked for January and our room taxes are in included in the comp. If it’s $66/day for a resort fee, how much would the maid gratuities be?
Completely at your discretion.
I just booked 4 nights as a Diamond Member and they said it is $64.90 per day and $5 maid fee for each person per day. Also, there is a $150 hold put on your credit card. I asked about the required 4 hours of play in the casino and they said that was discontinued. Also, you need to cancel 7 days before otherwise you are charged $200. I also get $100 in free slot play.
Any update on this post for 2022?
I’m currently at Atlantis right now. Booked the 4 free nights and picked up the additional 2 nights for $100/night. I’m in the Coral Tower and they gave me a few upgrade to an ocean view on the 10th floor (but I lost the king bed and got two queens instead).
They put a hold on your card for $150/night and let me tell you, you will spend more than that a day. That said, having a blast, girlfriend loves it here and my staff back home in Canada hate me right now.
There is so much to see and do, but for breakfast I’ve been going to Dunkin’ at the little market place across the street. There are 2 liquor stores there as well with much cheaper prices. Haven’t gambled much but that’s simple because the GF doesn’t gamble and I’d feel weird sitting at the tables without her.
Am I able to gift the stay to a family member or does the Daimond member have to actually go on the trip?
You 1,000% have to go yourself.
Hi! I am looking to go in June with my partner and two children. They will be 13 and 15. I appreciate all of the information found here. I have one question that I cannot confirm and was online for over an hour before being disconnected. I am a Caesars diamond member and will be using those rates and staying in the Coral for 4 nights. I understand that I will still be responsible for the $59 plus 10% VAT. Am I also paying $50 per child per night? Please clarify if you can. Thank you!!
Answering because I don’t want to ignore you but I haven’t been there with kids to know for sure. I have heard there are charges for kids though I’m not sure if that kicks in with the first one or after 2. However, when you call VIP services to reserve, they will definitely know 🙂 Also be advised the resort fee has increased since this post. I think it might be $62 or more now!
Did anyone have any trouble getting a hold of someone at the 888 877-7592 number? I have called 4 times over the last week and no one answers and it disconnects at exactly 1 hour. Is there an alternative way of booking this trip?
Can you try 800-752-9711 and report back if that works? There are two different numbers on two Caesars pages now….
I actually got through today after being on hold for 45 minutes and booked my trip for May. I guess this is still the number but definitely have to be persistent to get through. Thanks for responding and making all of this information known. I can confirm that the resort fees are now $64.90 per night at the Diamond level with a $5 maid fee per night. Additionally they collect $150 deposit per night which is refunded as long as no damage is done to the room.
My partner and I are looking to go in May and I am currently a Diamond member. Am I able to go ahead and book for May or do I need to wait until February for the Caesars year to start over? I just know on the website it say’s all travels must be completed by 1/31/2023. Am I able to book now? I do have the Wyndham biz card so February 1st I will be able to match again.
As you correctly infer, you cannot book now past January 31.
Once you have Diamond in the new Caesars year on Feb 1, you can book through next Jan.
Hi – do you know if the rooms have all been renovated at this point in time? We’re going in May 2023
I haven’t been since the last update – but I very much doubt they’ve invested in renovating the lower tier rooms and if they have it would be in the most minor way.
I booked a trip for May 2023, in late January of 2023, while I still had Caesar’s Diamond status. As of February 1, 2023, I was downgraded to Gold. This new status does not change the terms of the deal that I booked while I was still Diamond, or does it?
In theory, you should not have been allowed to book that (per terms). You may want to call to reconfirm your reservation (without saying why) and I suspect that it will be intact.
If I book now with Diamond status and then reach Diamond Plus before my stay, will resort fees be waived?