I spent this past weekend in Las Vegas at Zorkfest, the annual frequent flyer and casino loyalty conference. The best part was spending time with all of the great people there – including many readers, soem of whom I’ve met before and some I got to meet for the first time.
I did a session on Saturday afternoon with:
- David Feldman: (moderator) consultant and host of the Loyalty Summit Americas industry conference.
- Ed Pizzarello: host of the Miles To Go podcast
- Clint Henderson: Managing Editor at The Points Guy
The most important miles & points conversation of the year! Dave Feldman moderates @pizzainmotion @garyleff & @ClintPHenderson at #Zorkfest2025. #milespoints #travel #loyalty pic.twitter.com/dty7xnVKgx
— ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟᴢᴏʀᴋ (@TravelZork) December 6, 2025
There were a few striking things about the experience around the conference, aside from the excellent presentations on both miles and points on the one hand, and working casino comps on the other.
Staying Off-Strip Was Kind Of Great
I generally stay on the Strip when I’m in Las Vegas. Sometimes I’ll stay at the far end of the Strip, to be sure. My single best stay was probably at Bellagio when I tipped $100 at check-in for a suite with 5 bathrooms, but I have zero complaints with Resorts World. I like that this isn’t a property non-guests travel to – it’s not nearly as packed as Bellagio, and I’m a big fan of their Famous Foods food court (great Southeast Asian food, unsurprising since Resorts World is controlled by a Malaysian company).
However Zorkfest was held at M Resort in Henderson. It’s a good drive to the Strip – expect $35 to $40 with Uber. You aren’t going to leave the property much.
This used to be one of the nicer ‘locals’ hotels. Their Las Vegas Raiders deal is a game-changer for them, blocking 300 rooms on game nights and bringing in fans. They opened a new tower last week, and that’s where I had my room asisgnment.
- The entire hotel is sparkling clean
- The staff were friendly
- And there’s a lot more value if you don’t need to be on the strip and aren’t paying for Strip location.
Zorkfest can do more and better food and breaks at the hotel, and get more and better comps. So it was the perfect choice.
Room rates generally start at low–mid $100s with a wide band around that, plus a $40 resort fee. And a base room is 550 square feet.
- Weeknights, off-peak I see $90 – $150
- Weekends and busy periods: cseem to run $170 – $250+
Here was my suite in the new tower:
Wait, The Vegas Five Guys On The Strip Is A Tourist Destination?
I didn’t have much time to spend off-site or doing ‘Vegas’ during the conference. It was intentionally held off strip, which both kept people together for the event and delivered a lot more value in accommodations, food and beverage, and casino comps than you’d get from a strip property. But I did wind up Saturday night at… Five Guys, next to the Grand Canal Shoppes at the Venetian. And it was kind of awesome?
Ed Pizza hosted the group there, and they have a complement of booze. This wasn’t your average Five Guys burgers. They have boozy shakes, and they were delicious. They do breakfast all day (get an egg on your burger, any time..).
Plus you have to take a selfie at their rendition of the ‘Fabulous Las Vegas’ sign.
It was a reminder that in Vegas, you don’t always get the best value or the most fun by chasing the neon on the Strip – sometimes it’s a clean room in Henderson and a boozy burger joint that win the weekend.
Gary got Zork’d! (Should’ve asked Mr. Henderson why TPG couldn’t ‘handle’ comments…hmm.)
They didn’t want morons like you ruining their user experience. Simple as
Thanks for hosting lunch at Zorkfest! It was lots of fun hanging out with you and the points and miles crowd. Sometimes casinos don’t get talked about a lot in our hobby, and they’re a goldmine of opportunity.
Good write-up, Gary.
I also enjoyed being off the strip at the M Resort. Better value, but I was in the “older” tower, and your room looks like an upgrade in the new tower. It was an honor to be on stage with you, David and Ed. Loved the new Five Guys, too! I’m glad it got me to the Strip at least briefly.
Zorkfest was fun (it was my first one, but I’ll be back!).
What a fantastic weekend! I learned so much from your panel and from all the amazing experts.
@Coolio — Oh, I thought it was after Kelly sold to Bankrate in 2012, and Red Ventures acquired it in 2017, and basically they’re shills for the corporations, but, yeah, I guess it was ‘me’ who ruined it.
Your suite looks nicer than any room or suite at a domestic Marriott, Sheraton or Renaissance.
“ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟᴢᴏʀᴋ
@TravelZork
The most important miles & points conversation of the year!”
That is like “the most importsant public convenience visit of the year”
@1990: Yes, TPG has become sterile as a R/O medium representing its paymasters.
Gary, to his credit, is strongest in being something of a free speech absolutist.
@Ken A wasn’t lying when he said the toiletries were affixed to the wall!
Looking forward to hearing more details and insights from the trip.
@L3 — I respect Gary, and most of the Boarding Area affiliates, like Matt and Ben, approach to free speech relative absolutism. While it’s fun to think of ‘frequent commenters’ as ‘ruining’ sites, I actually think the ‘community’ that such sites can build is real value as well as great commentary and insight from the respective thought (I mean, ‘thot’) leaders.
And you didn’t call your readers in Henderson for a $0 suite stay?
Mistake 1.
Thank you, Gary, for speaking at Zorkfest and hosting our lunch on Saturday at the M Resort-Spa-Casino in Henderson, Nevada. When I checked in, I was offered the opportunity to stay in the new tower. The new tower and the other areas of this property were super clean. American Airlines originally had my flights, DTW-PHX-LAX-LAS. Upon arrival at PHX, I switched to a non-stop PHX-LAS flight at no charge. The complimentary resort shuttle from the airport for our event and reduced resort fees were welcome bonuses. I enjoyed staying away from the Las Vegas strip and would stay at the M Resort on a future trip.
Sounds like quite the time but I have one question: what did you actually get, of use, for your $100 tip?? I know you got the five bathrooms but unless you hosted the lunch in your room and had 50 people there, what benefit is there in having a bigass suite with five toilets??
I don’t travel nearly as much for work as you do but a hotel room for me is 100% utilitarian. I want a clean comfy bed (harder to come by than one would think), a clean room, a shower that actually drains so I’m not standing in water, GREAT Wi-Fi and an actual desk and office chair to get work done. Literally everything else is fluff to me. I come in, dump my bags, login and go to work. Head out for dinner and then back to finish work, brush my teeth and climb into bed. Get up, shower and head out for the day. Repeat as needed. As long as those things are there, I’m golden.
NOW………..if it’s for vacation/leisure, MAYBE some other things would be nice, but again, a hotel room is a base camp from which I depart in the morning and don’t see again until the evening. For all I know, they’re cooking meth and running hookers out of my room while I’m gone. As long as they’re out of they’re out of there by the time I get back and the place is spotless, I couldn’t care less.
Room rates generally start at mid $100s to about $200 with a wide band around that, inclusive of the resort fee. And, a base room is 550 square feet.
Weeknights, off-peak I see $130 – $190
Weekends and busy periods: seem to run $210 – $290+
Now isn’t that better?
@Ken A — You are the best.
To anyone reading this, I recommend going to these miles meetup events. I did the Chicago Seminars back in the day (2012) and the LAX seminars, and I’ve made some lifelong friends because we share the same interests and can fly around the world for free.