Las Vegas 2007 bargain hunt + tips

Hi,

I'm going to the VEGOOSE 2007 Festival (last minute thing) with 2 friends and we'd like to stay in a hotel rather than stay at one of the camping sites they recommend (camping in the desert?! it's bad enough at Glastonbury!).
Anyway, the festival ticket for the weekend inc service charge and P&P is £88.33, I wouldn't know where to tout one, and wouldn't want to risk it for a few quid so that price is fixed basically.

The hotel really doesn't matter IMO; we'll just be crashing there late at night and enjoying the room service and bathroom facilities (these aren't available at campsites; well they call them toilets...).

I'm thinking of going to New York a few days before, or extending the trip to the Grand Canyon and/or Los Angeles (or maybe doing all of that).

Cheapest flight (it's indirect) I've found is £300.70 with US Airways via Travelocity:

25/10/07 LGW 10:40-20:01 LAS
06/11/07 LAS 07:10-8:55 LGW

Course, I don't want to spend too long looking at flight prices since I know we'll be in Las Vegas on those days, but the surrounding travel arrangements are still a bit vague.

Cheapest hotel I've found (on the strip; I want to be able to get the shuttle bus, shame I don't know precisely where it stops) is Circus Circus but there's bad stuff about that place on this thread so the Riviera (I know it's ancient (all I've read is its one of the oldest hotels), and admittedly I'd like a powershower, but ah well maybe it'll surprise me) at $157.99pp based on 3 sharing a standard room, that's about £77.50 (£25 a night, excellent).

Maybe I could stay somewhere better for a similiar price, or less? Found that price on UnitedVacations.com btw.

What would you recommend I do out of Grand Canyon, New York and Los Angeles (or maybe you've got other suggestions) I work in the gambling industry btw so I haven't got much interest in the strip with regards to going to spend money there, and I wouldn't want to hang around for a whole extra day so I could see a show one night (although I'm going to arriving the day before the festival at about 8PM so maybe I could make it to something that night, maybe I should look at getting a flight a few hours earlier in the day so that would be possible).

Thanks if you've read this far!

Gnomemeister wrote: »

Hi,

Cheapest hotel I've found (on the strip; I want to be able to get the shuttle bus, shame I don't know precisely where it stops) is Circus Circus but there's bad stuff about that place on this thread so the Riviera (I know it's ancient (all I've read is its one of the oldest hotels), and admittedly I'd like a powershower, but ah well maybe it'll surprise me) at $157.99pp based on 3 sharing a standard room, that's about £77.50 (£25 a night, excellent).

I have no idea how far this festival is from Vegas, but unless you are renting a car, transport may be difficult/expensive.

You are going over one of the most expensive weekends in Vegas as there are 2 huge conventions on so there aren't really any cheap rooms. You could try www.imperialpalace.com which is centre strip and a budget hotel or you would be cheaper off strip at either the Orleans or Gold Coast.

luci wrote: »

I have no idea how far this festival is from Vegas, but unless you are renting a car, transport may be difficult/expensive.

You are going over one of the most expensive weekends in Vegas as there are 2 huge conventions on so there aren't really any cheap rooms. You could try www.imperialpalace.com which is centre strip and a budget hotel or you would be cheaper off strip at either the Orleans or Gold Coast.

There are shuttles from the Strip to the Stadium (Sam Boyd Stadium)...and I completely agree that that's a difficult period in terms of prices as it also covers Halloween...slightly off strip may be the better bet (edited because I cannot read!) but on-strip is nicer especially for first timers

luci wrote: »

Re the Virgin Miles + Money, is there any restrictions on the type of flights this can be used on? I am monitoring prices at the moment and they're £458. I've seen fares as low as £311, but surely the M+M couldn't be used on that? How do you know if you will be able to use M+M? I wouldn't want to shell out for miles and then find I couldn't use them..

Possibly the best thing would be to post your dates and then one of us who have an account can check the M+M fares for those dates (and surrounding dates). My impression is that there are only so many M+M fares available on each flight, so they can sell out (I may be wrong on this, but I'm sure that's what I have read). £311 would be a great fare without M+M, I would be jumping on that personally...but if you want to know what the M+M fare would be for your dates just post and one of us can look for you.

Gnomemeister wrote: »

Cheapest hotel I've found (on the strip; I want to be able to get the shuttle bus, shame I don't know precisely where it stops) is Circus Circus but there's bad stuff about that place on this thread so the Riviera (I know it's ancient (all I've read is its one of the oldest hotels), and admittedly I'd like a powershower, but ah well maybe it'll surprise me) at $157.99pp based on 3 sharing a standard room, that's about £77.50 (£25 a night, excellent).

I stayed in a Tower room at Circus Circus a few years back and the room was fine. I would stay there again. I like the Riviera and would stay there as well.

Having said that the northen end of the Strip is not my preferred location. The rooms at the hotels - Sahara, Stratosphere, Circus Circus, Riviera, etc. - are always cheap though.

You could look Off-Strip or Downtown for cheaper rooms as transport to the stadium will not be a problem.

That weekend looks busy which equates to premium rates for rooms. Don't leave it too late as Vegas rooms do sell out.