Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

Triker

The Bellagio Fountains

Fragments_Of_Sanity wrote: »

Thanks Trets77, I really did think nearly £800 for a week was excessive, but I don't know anything about holidays.

I just had a look at Hotels,com for october as we're going then, hopefully if I can find the right price, and the Stratosphere came in at £21.00 per night week days and between £42.00 to £45.00 for weekends (room rates go up for a weekend).

We stayed at the Strat on our first visit to Vegas, I wouldn't recommend....room was ok, but it is far from the action of the main part of the strip. But obviously you'll need to consider all your options if you are part of a wedding party then you will no doubt be doing loads of things together. So it may be best that you are at the same hotel because as you'll no doubt find out, its huge and you'll be doing a lot of walking.;)

We also stayed at what was the Barbary Coast now named Bill's Gambling Hall

and loved it here because it was slap bang in the middle of everything.Gets great reviews on Trip advisor.:D

Whatever you decide, have a lovely time.

Stew68

The Secret Garden

Trip Report Last day and the flight home.

I spent the morning packing, I was really reluctant to leave the suite and didn’t leave till almost the last minute, I dropped the bags off at the front desk and headed back to Planet Hollywood to my favourite corner, I played there for a while before heading back to collect my bags and hop into a taxi to get to the airport. Once again I sailed through check in and security and was in departures with quite a few hours to spare. Now I think this is quite an important point to make and I’m sure some of you have mentioned this in the past but I’d forgotten. There is really nowhere to eat in the departures lounge, if you don’t eat on the strip before you get to the airport take something else with you otherwise you may go hungry. It’s a big difference from the domestic departures lounge which I used last year where there seemed to be plenty of different places to eat and shops to use, they obviously have no thought for the international visitors even though we’ve probably got further to go than most of the domestic flights.

The Virgin flight was an hour late arriving so we were an hour late leaving as well, this time I’d got an exit seat next to the window, this doesn’t cost anything but I could still stretch my legs out. As I said in the first report, I hate the travelling but I have to say it did seem a very long flight and I was extremely glad to land at Gatwick and get off the aircraft, the flight attendants were better than I have remembered on flights coming back to the UK and came round with water and orange juice several times, I was a bit upset at the choice of breakfast, Ham & Egg croissant or Ham & Egg roll, not much choice for those of us who don’t like egg then!! I think I’d still travel with them again to Vegas just because of the direct flight but I can see why some of you would much prefer to go indirect, perhaps we should start a campaign with BA to start a direct flight!!

Conclusion.

So I’ve mentioned the hotels, the food, the shows and the weather, surely I’ve not missed anything out? Oh yes, the gambling. I’m not a table person but I do enjoy stopping to play the slots every so often, it did seem to me that the slots seemed a lot tighter than last year but it maybe I’m just even unluckier than I was last year!! I like to play slots that have nice bonuses, I came across the Indiana Jones slots which pretty much hooked me, hence my visit to a certain corner of Planet Hollywood more than once. Star Trek slots were also fun, I did find some Dirty Harry slots but I certainly didn’t feel lucky after playing those!!! Certainly the table games seemed just as busy in the evenings as they did last year.

It seemed to me that going into restaurants alone they were always keen to get you to eat at the bar, I can see their point as they can make more money with two people at a table rather than one but apart from the one exception (Gallaghers at NYNY) the service wasn’t as good. When I said that I’d prefer to eat at a table it was never a problem.

I didn’t mind being alone in Vegas, wherever I was people always struck up a conversation, I’m not a nightclub person and was quite happy to head back to the room when I wanted to so I could rest up, it also meant that I didn’t have to stick to a plan and just do what I wanted to whenever I wanted.

Finally I have to impart my feelings about Las Vegas, when we landed and I saw the strip from the plane I felt that I was home and when I was walking the strip on the last day I felt pretty upset because I knew I was going home soon. I thought my second trip may have been my last one, get Vegas out of my system as it were, but no I still want to go back there, I’ve definitely got the bug.

Hope I’ve not been too long with this report, I love reading about other peoples trips, I have to say a huge thank you to all the contributors to this thread, I’ve learnt so much from you all. If I can answer other peoples questions in the future I’ll be sure to do so.

Stew

gazzer666

The Lion Habitat

Fragments Of Sanity
The Stratosphere is very north end of the strip & like others have mentioned out of the action. I think the amount you are looking at is very high as we will be paying $120 night dollars for 2 rooms in MGM Grand in August. Our flights were about £355 each but when the final person booked 2 days later (6th party member) it had already gone up £50. They are not direct which also seems to up the cost We booked our flights through Netflights. Regarding the single occupancy supplement that is what UK travel agents seem to charge not US hotels. They often charge more for an extra peson but my kids will be free under 16 in existing bedding within the 2 rooms,

We stayed at the Luxor before 5 in a room (3 kids) & they even chucked the rollaway in for free, That cost us about £65 per night in 2005. We have also had a 'suite' (no kids) in MGM Grand before which was only £85 in Jan 07, I do think the prices initially quoted were high but that is what you are paying a travel agent for rather than sorting it out yourself. You will have a smashing time but don't forget your walking shoes! You will be amazed at the size of the hotels. I can remember 1st impressions at The Luxor with a sea of slot machines stretching aheaed of me. WOW, It is quite glitzy these days not the trashy I was expecting & loads to do without putting a cent in the slot machines (although of course that is what the hotels would prefer you to be doing)

Froggitt

The Fremont street experience

trets77 wrote: »

as for hotels . be wary of the following strip hotels

The Stratosphere , Tropicanna , Rivera , Circus Circus , The Sahara , Hooters and The Imperial Palace . all are okay if you know what to expect but may not be suitable for all.

Translated as "theyre dumps".

I believe the cost for a single is more because packages like Virgin holidays price per two people in a room, ie the package holiday co is doing the single supplement, not the hotel.

nvh

The Bellagio Fountains

re: Fragments of Sanity.... Good advice trets and Stew... agree 100%!

pennylane99 wrote: »

I just checked my MGM players account, and have comp room offers for Mandalay Bay and Bellagio

OMG!!! my first ever offer!!!... i'm tempted to print it and frame it! things must be bad! (got the Mandalay Bay and The Hotel one!)

Stew68 wrote: »

I did book one of the lounges with Servisair, I’d never used one before and was very pleased, a very civilized way to start the journey. (These can be booked with Holiday Extras using Quidco to get cash back).

can you tell me anymore? why so pleased? is it just a bit more quiet / relaxing? considering booking one of these

Stew68 wrote: »

3 pints of Fat Tire and large cowboy steak and chips later

Mmmmmmmmmm!

Stew68 wrote: »

you can get the photos you want without people getting in the way

come on then... show us :T

Stew68 wrote: »

I headed down to see Carrot Top at the Luxor, now he has some great reviews on Trip Advisor which is why I booked it, I’ve seen lots of comedians in the UK and didn’t think this guy was a patch on the ones I’ve seen before.

think i've posted before that from the adverts (we stayed in the Luxor and got them on repeat nearly 24 hours a day everywhere we moved) we just didn't get them i know others love tho so glad we're not the only weirdo's that weren't amused



anyways...great report and glad you had a good trip!

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

Stew68 wrote: »

I came across the Indiana Jones slots which pretty much hooked me, hence my visit to a certain corner of Planet Hollywood more than once. Star Trek slots were also fun, I did find some Dirty Harry slots but I certainly didn’t feel lucky after playing those!!!

Thanks for the report, Stew! Really enjoyed reading it. Good to know that PH has the Indiana Jones slots - we played them once at Sam's Town when they first came out - but they had the volume turned almost all the way down which disappointed my husband - we'll have a look. Where did you see Dirty Harry? Those are new to us so would love to try them.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

trets77 wrote: »

we should have a sub poll and what is your favorite Bellagio fountain performance .

I like Ecstasy of Gold, too.

Time to Say Goodbye is my favorite...and probably the Lord of the Dance one that I don't think they do anymore. It was the first one we saw - at the end of the video you can hear me start to say 'do you want to stay for another?' and there we stayed for another 45 mins+.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izVWk24USNI

And because I feel like cheating, my favorite holiday one is Sleigh Ride because I have a soft spot for the song and it's so Christmassy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hb_K1UzTf6Q

rpstdavids

The Fremont street experience

Stew68 wrote: »

Finally I have to impart my feelings about Las Vegas, when we landed and I saw the strip from the plane I felt that I was home and when I was walking the strip on the last day I felt pretty upset because I knew I was going home soon. I thought my second trip may have been my last one, get Vegas out of my system as it were, but no I still want to go back there, I’ve definitely got the bug.

Hope I’ve not been too long with this report, I love reading about other peoples trips, I have to say a huge thank you to all the contributors to this thread, I’ve learnt so much from you all. If I can answer other peoples questions in the future I’ll be sure to do so.

Stew

Thanks for the trip report Stew, I enjoyed reading it.

I've been to Vegas about 12 times over the last 15 years or so, and I've loved every visit, so I know what you mean when you say you've got the 'bug'.;)

Like you, I did one of those trips on my own. It was really nice for once just to do what you wanted, when you wanted, rather than try to do things to keep everybody happy.

It does not look like I will make Vegas this year:(, but reading this thread is making me miss the place more and more every time I read it.

pebblesmax

The Bellagio Fountains

Thanks Stew. Enjoyed your TR.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

pennylane99 wrote: »

Remember to check your Players cards online for any comp offers.

I just checked my MGM players account, and have comp room offers for Mandalay Bay and Bellagio

Thanks for this - no comp offers, but good rates for MB or The Hotel - can't really use them this time, but nice to know they've updated their system so you can book online instead of having to call to even find out what the offer terms are.

I did notice that on these offers it requires you to enter your account no and password to book - which is nice to see since it will prevent people from booking deals they aren't entitled to and then having a problem down the road.