8 Easy Ways To Get VIP Treatment at The Hottest Clubs in Las Vegas
A VIP host reveals the winning tips to own Sin City nightlife.
A-List Las Vegas VIP host Manny Kess works with superstars and celebrities ranging from Super Bowl MVP Von Miller and R&B star Usher to billionaire hedge fund managers and Saudi princes, ensuring they always get the red carpet treatment.
He’s the founder of The Kess Group, a full service hospitality and concierge company offering bespoke VIP experiences for visitors to Las Vegas. The Kess Group provides everything from individual experiences to end-to-end services for luminaries, celebrities and elite visitors.
For Maxim, Manny reveals eight tips for getting VIP treatment at Vegas’ million-dollar super clubs like 1Oak, Light and Marquee:
1. Work With a VIP Host
“Don’t try and act like a hotshot who can throw money around and get his way. It won’t get you in the club, and it will likely get you laughed off the line. Vegas clubs have patrons who can drop $250,000 or more on a table in one night. Instead, work with a VIP host to get you in the door and at a table.
“We work out an advance arrangement with the clubs on how much our clients will spend, and where exactly they want to sit inside the club. Once that reservation is in place – a very difficult reservation to make yourself – the velvet ropes will part when you show up.”
2. Hit a Pool Party
“Pool parties in Vegas are some of the hottest tickets around. Celebrities, high rollers and Saudi princes can show up at peak times and get right in. You can’t. It’s nothing personal.
“During peak times, doormen get pulled in multiple directions and don’t have time to deal with mere mortals. If you arrive just before the rush, you will likely get right in. Score a table, and there will be no shortage of girls wanting to get in on the action.”
3. Stack the Deck in Your Favor
“The fastest way to get into a club is to enhance the female-to-male ratio. Make sure your group has 10 or fewer people and no more than three guys.
“Remember that the doormen are in charge of filling the club with hot girls. So if you and your buddy see three or four attractive women on line, try and befriend them so you can enter as a group.”
4. Eat Your Way Into the Club
“Most clubs have restaurant partners, as is the case with Tao and Tao Bistro. Sometimes a really generous tip for your waitstaff can score you a front-of-the-line pass for the nightclub.
“When you’re signing the check, ask the waiter or waitress if there is anything they can do to help you skip you to the front of the line. Sometimes they have the discretion to make that happen.”
5. Dress to Impress
“A sharp dresser will always get in before a guy in jeans and an untucked shirt. While you may not be a millionaire, a VIP host can at least help you look the part.
“I have a Maybach on call for my top celebrity clients, but for an everyday Joe, I’ll rent them a quarter of a million dollar supercar, like a Lamborghini, for a few hundred dollars. It never hurts to have some eyeballs on you when you arrive.”
6. Don’t Rely on Concierges or Cab Drivers
“Don’t assume your hotel concierge or cab driver will know which nights are the best nights for Vegas’ hottest clubs.
“They are likely going to steer you to a club where they’ll get a kickback, and they probably can’t tell you which club will be the best on a Friday night versus a Saturday.
7. DO Talk to the Maitre D’
“When trying to score a reservation at one of the hottest restaurants, stop by the restaurant in person and ask to speak to the maître d. This personal interaction will go a long way. The manager always keeps a table or two available in case the Sultan of Brunei walks through the door.
“No, you won’t get that table, but there’s always flexibility. If you can make a personal connection with the maître d, he or she might do you a solid. Also, a tip will aid getting the prime table with the best view and expedited seating.”
8. Finally, Channel Your Inner Clooney
“A lot of people think you have to suck up to the GM of the hotel to get a room upgrade, but the front desk staff checking you in have the discretion to upgrade your room.
“You can score an upgrade by channeling your inner Clooney and infusing a little bit of charm into the check-in process. If your schmoozing skills are lacking, you can discretely slip them a $20 bill. A twice folded bill, cupped in the palm of your hand, can turn a simple handshake into a room upgrade.”
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