Two years ago I booked my room via www.Vegas.com and some folks on the board indicated that I would probably get a crappy room away from the rest of the convention goers and in the old part of the Riv. As a result, I was worried until I checked in... I ended up in a very nice room in the newer part of the hotel just like everyone else (not the lower part) and was pleasantly surprised.

I not saying your right or wrong in your statement. Just saying that I was not treated with a 2nd class room just because I book my reservation from a 3rd party web site.