Las Vegas

[patrick0685]

Alright, im planning a trip to vegas at the end of june for my birthday. So im looking for recommendations for a place to stay. Would like it to be on the strip, ill do some gambling, but by no means am i a high roller, whats your ideas...thanks

[nogaroheli]

Find one of the main, well known hotels on the strip that has the best deal and go with it. We stay at Ceasars, Aria, Monte Carlo, New York New York, MGM, Excalibur- they all are decent, on the strip (what matters) and you don't spend that much time awake in the room anyway. That'll be fun, enjoy!

[patrick0685]

I was thinking mgm or Caesars, and stayed at harrahs.

[Graves]

If you're really not looking to spend a bunch of dough on a place you're only gonna sleep @, there's always Fremont st. It's only about a 5min ride on the gold line to get to the strip and there's plenty of fun to be had in old LV too.

ETA: if you're taking the lady you may want to stay in one of the nicer, newer hotels.

[TEAMRICO]

Look for a restaurant called Elise Island<SP?
It is off the strip but not far.
Great Prime Rib and great prices!
Saw it on one of those travel shows and was not disappointed.
Plan your trip ahead of time to maximize what you want to do and see.
Don't forget to visit The Pawn Stars!!!

[patrick0685]

If you're really not looking to spend a bunch of dough on a place you're only gonna sleep @, there's always Fremont st. It's only about a 5min ride on the gold line to get to the strip and there's plenty of fun to be had in old LV too.

ETA: if you're taking the lady you may want to stay in one of the nicer, newer hotels.

Ya im taking the wife for her first trip to Vegas so I wanna make sure she has a good time

[Glock Shooter]

I do have some experience in this genre. I'll send you a pm with my phone number give me a call. I'll go over the $20 trick which has worked for me EVERY single time I've tried it. I can show you how to get a super cheap room using Hotwire or Priceline and you'll know the hotel before you buy. Also have a contact there who will buy your show tickets for you using his discount and you'll save 30-60% off retail and you won't have to waste 3 hours standing on the 1/2 price line. You can pick up the American Casino Guide from their web site for $15 and you'll have hundreds of $$ in coupons to use. Check craigslist as locals often dump their extras there.

[BlasterBob]

Just travel South on I-25 to Las Vegas, New Mexico. You'll most likely save yourself a LOT of money and it will be a much more peaceful/quiet place![LOL]

[Mtn.man]

We go about 4 or 5 times a year.
We try to stay in a differnt place everytime

As stated your not living in the room so don't over indulge in one.
As for fun we like places that the locals go to.
And we have been comped at some.
Any where you go ask the desk for a discount package, they don't advertise them but they almost all have them.
Go to 1 of the show stands on the strip and purchase your show tickets.

And NO MATTER WHAT WHEN APPROACHED BY THOSE OBNOXIOUS PEOPLE IN SUITS IN THE LOBBY'S OFFERING FREE SHOWS DO NOT STOP, DO NOT ACCEPT YOU WILL LOSE A WHOLE DAY AT A SALES PRESENTATION.

And you can shoot full auto weapons at a couple places, we go to American Shooters.

[Mtn.man]

You can rent a Harley if you have a license and take the wife for a ride in the desert.

[BigBear]

I've stayed at the Bellagio, Caesars, MGM, and the Excalibur. Just pick one, and enjoy your time! They are all great. A must do it to get out the city limits there and go to the gun range (The Las Vegas Gun Store over on Eastside). This is a place where you can rent full auto and have a literal blast.... Kinda expensive, but was worth every penny. Man, I miss my college days, lol.

[mc223]

Skip Vegas. Go to Reno and stay at Circus-Circus. Cheaper and better returns.

[spyder]

The luxor is awesome, also, I really enjoyed the excalibur, it was fun and their medieval show was fun too.

[Elhuero]

I've stayed at the luxor, next on my list is bellagio. anywhere on the strip is good, you'll be able to walk everywhere.

I had really good luck playing craps at the palms and hooters.

[Mtn.man]

MGM for your hotel. Location is great and that pool is amazing!!! Think they have 7 pools and a lazy river that is like the Amazon. Gets pretty wild there at night- not for kids.
Machine gun shoot is cool but $$$. I'd do the NASCAR drive- 170 mph. You can also jump off the Statosphere- insane, I won't do it.

Rio and Aria have best buffet. Think $40 ayce crab legs at Aria- love those.

Booze is ridiculous out there. Not a lot of free anything anymore. It was $8 for a rum/coke!!! Picked up a cheap cooler, packed it with ice, and hit the liquor store- drank in the room and then had a huge mug of rum/coke for the pool. Frozen booze was $20 poolside at the MGM...damn!


Man I won't go with you, cause you don't know how to work the Strip.
I get premium drinks for free or a buck. Mandalay Bay has the best pool.
And we go to the liqour store across the street from Mandalay Bay or the One by Stratospher buy your own bottle dirt cheap cause there is NO tax.
We also usually get comped for alot of stuff, just ask.
I have a voucher for the Winn at this moment Free standard room, and 100.00 upgrade to suite.
You can score coupons for the automatic weapons shoot and it will cost you half price, just ask.
Right now Excalibur is offering standard rooms for as low as 29.00
MGM owns most of the propertiea around them like the Excalibur etc. look it up.
Go to Vegas .com for some good deals.
And go to the website of the hotel you want to stay at for better deals than just calling.

[patrick0685]

Man I won't go with you, cause you don't know how to work the Strip.
I get premium drinks for free or a buck. Mandalay Bay has the best pool.
And we go to the liqour store across the street from Mandalay Bay or the One by Stratospher buy your own bottle dirt cheap cause there is NO tax.
We also usually get comped for alot of stuff, just ask.
I have a voucher for the Winn at this moment Free standard room, and 100.00 upgrade to suite.
You can score coupons for the automatic weapons shoot and it will cost you half price, just ask.
Right now Excalibur is offering standard rooms for as low as 29.00
MGM owns most of the propertiea around them like the Excalibur etc. look it up.
Go to Vegas .com for some good deals.
And go to the website of the hotel you want to stay at for better deals than just calling.

so you get most of your comps by just asking, asking a manger or the people...who?

[rfizzle]

Man I won't go with you, cause you don't know how to work the Strip.
I get premium drinks for free or a buck. Mandalay Bay has the best pool.
And we go to the liqour store across the street from Mandalay Bay or the One by Stratospher buy your own bottle dirt cheap cause there is NO tax.
We also usually get comped for alot of stuff, just ask.
I have a voucher for the Winn at this moment Free standard room, and 100.00 upgrade to suite.
You can score coupons for the automatic weapons shoot and it will cost you half price, just ask.
Right now Excalibur is offering standard rooms for as low as 29.00
MGM owns most of the propertiea around them like the Excalibur etc. look it up.
Go to Vegas .com for some good deals.
And go to the website of the hotel you want to stay at for better deals than just calling.

^ this is some solid advice.

Like Mtn.Man we go multiple times a year. We're going in a couple of weeks with some friends.

If you have a Costco membership you can buy (IIRC) a $100 gift card to Vegas.com for $79 or $89 (I looked at them on sat but can't remember)

Occasionally Allegiant Air, who flies out of Ft. Collins/Loveland and Colorado Springs has some decent deals, but flight times are very limited.

I've loved staying near Caesars palace since it's about center of the strip. If you're going cheap stay Imperial Palace, Flamingo, or Bally's. Going higher end stay Bellagio, or Ceasers. Paris, Monte Carlo, Planet Hollywood, Treasure island, Mirage, are all middle of the road for pricing and location.

This trip my wife and I are staying at the Flamingo, mostly because of their pools.

Mandalay Bay is excellent for pools but $15-20 cab rides, a long walk, or the bus are the only way to see the rest of the strip.

Luxor is ok, but it's down at the end of the strip like Mandalay bay.

Excalibur is old, and has the same distance problem Luxor does.

MGM is nicer but again you are pretty far down.

NY NY, is a lot of fun, I stayed there once and it was just a fun place to hang out in. it's a little far (across the street from MGM)

For a really high end (feeling and maybe cost) trip I'd do the Wynn, all of their rooms are pimp with nice views. Only down side is like Luxor you are at the end of the strip so cab rides or long walks are in your future.

On the other end you have the Stratosphere, which is like out in the middle of no-where. Circus Circus, which is kinda old and dirty now a days and filled with families.

My reason for staying in the middle is because all the hotels worth seeing/walking around are all right there. The Venetian is really cool, with it's huge canal system inside the mall area. Belagio is worth seeing at night since the fountains are really cool. Ceasers is huge and has a lot to see.

If you are going to see a show (and are flexible for what show you do see) use Tix 4 Tonight (http://www.tix4tonight.com/). Like their name suggests they sell tickets for that night only, at about 40-50% off depending on the show. Not all the shows are available all the time so you have to be a little flexible as far which show you might end up seeing.

I've really enjoyed the Cirque Du Soleil shows I've seen, and have been able to always get decent tickets at good prices from Tix 4 Tonight.

Someone said but don't talk to the people in the lobby offering free stuff.

As far as food goes, if you want quantity go Buffet. For a while there 7 casinos were doing the "Buffet of Buffets". It's a 24 Pass to all of the 7 buffets, as many times as you can go in the 24 period. When I went with some buddies we from 7pm one night to 7pm the next did five...

If you want quality, Vegas is the place. There are more restaurants by famous chefs in that city than any other place I've been too. A lot of them are inside Ceasers and the Venetian.

I've never done anything off the strip, (minus Fremont St.) so I can't help with any of the machine gun stuff. Other than the coupons for that sort of stuff is all over the city, like in every cab there is seat back thing full of coupon books. And usually when you check in the hotel will give you some coupons and stuff for use in that hotel.

[nogaroheli]

Here's another tip we learned that's worked out really well- go to restaurant.com (which is even cool for here at home) and get coupins to new and cool restaurants on the strip. We've found some really nice places that way and even if they aren't the bee's knees you're typically scoring the gift certificates/coupins for cheap. My wife usually hooks them up for a few dollars, and gets ones like $35 off $50 or $75 of $100. BTW you can use that site for here as well.

[Mtn.man]

Yeah rf, You got it.

And yes you need to ask the front desk for alot of discounts etc. They don't offer/advertise it because they will gladly take your money.
Blue man Group is awesome, I didn't think I would like it bit I was wrong.
Terry Fator at the Mirage, and if you can catch Jeff Dunham he is great as well.
We got to see Bill Cosby 1 time he is old school funny. Zumanity is very adult racy and DO NOT sit down front sit in the balcony. Wild Horse Revue is sexy and the wife loved it. Still haven't seen O because it is popular and usually sells out early.
You can't go just once, it might become your next favorite get away as it is cheaper than alot of places even here in CO.

[rfizzle]

Here's another tip we learned that's worked out really well- go to restaurant.com (which is even cool for here at home) and get coupins to new and cool restaurants on the strip. We've found some really nice places that way and even if they aren't the bee's knees you're typically scoring the gift certificates/coupins for cheap. My wife usually hooks them up for a few dollars, and gets ones like $35 off $50 or $75 of $100. BTW you can use that site for here as well.

Good point, also the Tix 4 tonight place does a similar thing.

Read reviews, and find happy hours too.

If you have a smart phone get something like the Urban Spoon app which gives you restaurants around you and the reviews.

[JoeT]

tag

I'm watching this thread. My wife's 40th is in January and thinking a Vegas surprise party

[sniper7]

Stay at Caesars Palace. It was built for Julius Caesar and is by far the nicest place around.

[rfizzle]

Stay at Caesars Palace. It was built for Julius Caesar and is by far the nicest place around.

And I hear they have good pager reception ;)

[patrick0685]

leaving in the AM[Beer]

[rfizzle]

leaving in the AM[Beer]


So what did you end up booking?

[rfizzle]

Since the OP bumped the thread, and I think this thread is a pretty good place for info on Vegas, I'll tell you about my recent trip.

My wife and I went a couple of weeks ago, we stayed at the Flamingo. Which as I've said before is great since it's a cheaper option, and still has a great (right in the middle) location. The "deluxe" rooms are a typical hotel room, not bad and in decent shape. The "Go" rooms are updated in a cool retro kind of style with bigger LCD tv's, refrigerator, tv in the bathroom but they run a little bit extra a night.

We met some friends out there who drove from San Diego. Which reminds me if you ever drive to Vegas (10-11 hours form Denver) Valet is great, it's free, just tip $2-5 easiest way to park at most casinos. A few the valet is in the parking garage so it's not worth it, but most it's right up front and they are quick.

We rented a cabana one day: Cabana was $300 for the whole day, it was 105 that day so having a fan, LCD tv, and refrigerator was almost necessary. We also got two frozen drinks in 20oz souvenir cups included, the personal assistance of Jack & Natia and endless bottles of water. We ate lunch and had some other drinks through out the day and the four of us racked up a $100 (with tip) food/drink bill.

Cabana:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e135/rfizzle_photo/4662a14e.jpg
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e135/rfizzle_photo/f695ef23.jpg

While at the cabana Jack the cabana boy gave us some show tickets for Vinnie Favorito: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRUJ4c9Nf9w, (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRUJ4c9Nf9w) which that video is basically the first 2 minutes of the act, pretty funny. He basically pics on the audience, got a little uncomfortable when he kept picking on "the blacks" but not bad for a free show (tickets are $11 normally and include a drink too).

Other than eating out a few more times, like at Hash House A Go Go:
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e135/rfizzle_photo/cbd792a0.jpg
(Yeah that's bacon waffles with fried chicken)


We just hung out, enjoyed the sights and heat.

Leaving Vegas (I waited till we hit the 10,000ft mark and ok to use electronics):
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e135/rfizzle_photo/90fad6b1.jpg
Looking at that picture you can see why the Stratosphere sucks since it's like a mile away from everything else.

It's funny only a couple days home and some friends already asked us about going in September....

[patrick0685]

So what did you end up booking?

Caesars Palace

[rfizzle]

Caesars Palace

Nice! high roller ;)

[patrick0685]

Nice! high roller ;)

Gatta try to impress the wife so we can go more

[Mtn.man]

Going to the Wynn this time, even get a freebie 9 hole game on their course.