Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

luci

The Bellagio Fountains

We like to hotel hop as each hotel feels like a different holiday. Others disagree and prefer to stay in one place.

As you can see from my trip report, we actually stayed at 5 hotels this time, but left our stuff at the IP when we went to the Encore.

Our longest wait between rooms was going to the Encore when we had to wait an hour for our room. The other moves was a maximum of 30 mins from leaving one room to getting into another, but I think we were very lucky that it was so short.

IMO it's not worth packing/unpacking for less than 3 nights. For 3 nights or more it's fine.

Sweets2

Las Vegas newbie here!
Am hope you seasoned Las Vegas MSErs can please help me to understand how a smartervegas code works? I've got my eye on using the current MKT233 code and it mentions a $30 upgrade per night to a suite. How do I redeem that? On the booking? At the MGM when I arrive?
Also looking at the Wynn offer - am guessing the Wynn is more luxurious? (the offer is easier to understand tho!)

Grateful for any tips to understand this! I'm due to be there in early June.

luci

The Bellagio Fountains

I believe you can upgrade at check in if they have suites available at the MGM.

duchy

The Wynn is definitely nicer than MGM -but the MGM is still very nice.
For a first time visit I'd be inclined to say stay at MGM as it is more central and you get the "full strip" experience.
It's going to be very hot in June and you won't want to walk far in the heat which is a plus for MGM again-distances between hotels are always a longer walk than you think in Vegas.

mookybargirl

The Bellagio Fountains

Agree with pcg about changing reservations with the hotels. I've done this quite a few times and they've amended to the lower rate. Once, I got someone who was hesitant. I said "so would the easiest way be for me to cancel and re-book". That worked and it was changed.

Also agree with Luci. We would need to stay somewhere for 3 nights before we'd think about changing as it is a nuisance packing and re-packing and there are better things to do on holiday . That said however, we love trying out other hotels and always make sure we fit in a new one every trip. If we only stayed at one every time, it would be harder to do this and moving hotels can save you a fait bit of cash.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

Just read on Norm Clarke's Twitter:

My lead tmorrow: Marie Osmond had another health scare on Friday, causing the Flamingo to cancel Donny & Marie show....She's OK

Update - now the story is up and it was cancellation of 1 show, not the whole run...

http://www.lvrj.com/news/44703617.html

Katykat

Wow, what a fantstic holiday. I am aware that we could have done this holiday much cheaper, but it was a special holiday, me & OH were treating our children out of a maturing endowment policy, so apologies about it not being exactly "moneysaving"
Booked Thomas Cook flight only direct from Manchester. Very good flight, lots of leg room, pre booked meals were the best I've ever had ( I'm very fussy). Arrived to stay at The Signature at MGM. Booked 3 separate suites through VRBO. Apart from 1 of them not being cleaned when we got there ( but soon rectified) they were all absolutely stunning. Me & OH had a 1 bed suite. It had 1 ENORMOUS bathroom with jaccuzi & 1 smaler bathroom which I allocotated to him whilst I had the bigger one. Views from our bedroom were fabulous. Daughter & son & their partners had junior suites.
I have mobility problems so had to take taxi's quite a lot. All we had to do was walk out of our building, the valet caled a cab & one was there within minutes. At the big hotels though, we generally had to queue for one, although it was never a long time.
First mistake- day one, arrived mid afternoon. Plonked the cases down & dashed to Wolfgang Pucks to eat enormous meals, which redered us barely able to move. But we did venture outside to gasp in awe at the sights. However, by 6.30, we were falling asleep on our feet, & had to go to bed. So our first evening in LV, we spent asleep.
2nd day, went to Caesars Palace & shops. What a place. Wandered along to Bellagio but the fountains didn't start till 3pm & we wanted to nap, so we wouldn't be tired for the night.So went had a dip in the pool - fabulous pool at Signature, padded loungers, plenty of, & fluffy towels, free iced water.
Went to Il Fornino at New York for dinner. This was our only poor meal of the holiday. We all had diferent meals, but none were remarkable. I wouldn't recommend it.
3rd day, went to lazy River at MGM. Although we had a good daay, I was a bit disapponted. I had spent months dreaming of floating around lazy river, but the reality was different. First, with hindsight, we didn't need a tube each, we could have shared. Second, wherever you sit, you have either heavy rock or rap music blarting out of the speakers. It was deafening & certainly not condusive to lazing around. The beds were not comfortable & the drinks were expensive. Ended up having a tootle arond the MGM shops.
Then went to Olives at Bellagio. This was by far the best place we ate. Food & service were top class. On the watch O at Bellagio. What can I say? We had front row seats(got a bit wet) & it was superb.
3rd day. Bus trip to Hoover Dam. Really enjoyed this, we had a good driver very informative of the facts. Got stuck in a traffic jam though & 1/2 day trip ended at 4.30. ate at Red White & Blue at Mandalay Bay. It was very good.
have to go to work now so will finish later

nw_man

The Bellagio Fountains

KatyKat, you did do some gambling right ??

If all you did was shopping and eating you could have done that back home !!!

clt1979

Hi all, Im of to Vegas from the UK in September where we will stay for 3 nights. We then fly to Hawaii for 9 nights and then back to Vegas for the 2 final nights. Just wondered if anyone no's about this ESTA (visa) application that is required and would we need to apply for two seperate ones? (for each time we enter the USA). Thanks.

roots_controller

The Lion Habitat

nw_man wrote: »

KatyKat, you did do some gambling right ??

If all you did was shopping and eating you could have done that back home !!!

Good point, do you people feel that LV without gambling is a waste of time?
Last year we spent a week there, saw a couple of shows, did GC trip, shopped and generally people watched and probably did less than 20 minutes slot playing the whole time.
We didn't feel that we had missed out on anything by not gambling, and enjoyed the 'buzz' of being in Vegas