Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

clt1979 wrote: »

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.

Website is here:

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

An ESTA is valid for 2 years...my understanding is that once you have an ESTA you are to update details of your planned entries into the US each time you travel on their wesite...Hawaii is part of the US, so I would have thought that your initial entry is the only one that they will expect to see, but someone else might know for certain.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

roots_controller wrote: »

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

We like to gamble and spend quite a lot of time doing so...but if that's all there was to do in Vegas, we probably wouldn't bother to go (wecan gamble any number of other places)...it's the overall experience that does it for us including the meals, shows, shopping, various side-trips, etc. Plenty of people go and don't gamble and while I could not possibly do that myself (too many slots to tempt me!) I can absolutely understand that others can find plenty of things to do with only minimal gambling or none at all.

I don't know where in the UK I could eat and shop like I can in Vegas, myself.

Cand

The Bellagio Fountains

roots_controller wrote: »

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

Same here when we went to Vegas last year we probably only spent about an hour or 2 at the most on the machines gambling and we loved it that much that we are going back. There is no where at home where I can go shopping that compares to what there is in Vegas or at least I havent found it yet! ;-)

c_l_a_i_r_e

The Bellagio Fountains

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 !!!

You can gamble at home too you know:p

Seriously on our first two trips we spent about 10 mins total on the slot machines and that was it, now you have to pull me away from them:rotfl:
Vegas is just one of those places that has something to offer everyone and i guess thats why its so popular.

Katykat, glad you all had a great time, looking forward to reading the rest of your TR. Your kids are so lucky to have parents like you:A

c_l_a_i_r_e

The Bellagio Fountains

mark1001 wrote: »

DaveyGee, I have been thinking the same about moving hotels.

We have the MGM booked. Grand tower offer that included free buffet every day. Thing is we are there 5 nights and we have a load of places we want to eat so we probably won't want the buffet every day.

The wynn offer looks great. As we are paying $119 for fri/sat night im thinking we might be better paying $199 for wynn then go to MGM for remainder of the holiday. Just not sure about the hassle of moving hotel tho.

Does anyone know if MGM would let us ammend our registration? -Ta:o

You can can amend your reservation if the price goes lower. If you want to say change from a 5 night stay to a 3 night stay and the promotion you booked under has now expired i'm wondering will you still be able to take advantage of that rate for the 3 days or will they make you rebook at a newer rate at the time you amend?

I'm just curious as to whether anyone has done that and if its been ok as i've only ever rang up to get a lower rate for the same amount of days IYSWIM

sew109

The Volcano @ Mirage

I have just written a doc on how to get the best rates for Vegas I hope that this can helps somone



.
There are two ways to reduce the amount that you pay, “when you stay” and “how you book” to get the very best rate you need to combine the two. Whilst it is not always possible to have control over when you go it is still possible to make huge savings by being smart how you book.
When you stay
We all know that the time of year can change the cost of your room wherever you stay but in Las Vegas this is magnified a room one night can cost $50 and the next night $350 this was the case for us at MGM Grand in September 2007. I do not know of anywhere else in the World where rates can change as much as the do in Las Vegas.

Friday and Saturday nights in Las Vegas are the most expensive of the week, in some cases a Friday or Saturday night can cost the same as the rest if the week combined. If you can avoid staying over the weekend do so, this could mean getting out of town for a weekend (we often go to the Grand canyon for a night) or get a cheaper hotel for the weekend we have stayed downtown and off strip just for the weekend.
Check what is on, although there are over 100,000 rooms in Vegas on a busy conference week they can fill up and this affects the price hugely, check what conferences, events and concerts are on when you plan to visit, if you don’t want to se what is on then it is bet to reschedule if you can.
Holidays, Las Vegas if a holiday town and this is when it is at its busiest as a result this is when room rates really go through the roof so if you can avoid being in Vegas over a holiday you will save money.
Time of year, the two weeks before Xmas are the slowest and cheapest of the year and New Years Eve the most expensive night of the year. In July and August rates drop because of the heat, May June and October can be expensive as this is when the weather is good but not the crazy heat that you have in July and August.
How to book
You can not only save a load of money by the way in which you book you can also get extras free food, drinks, entertainment and even return airfares or free nights.
Book direct with the hotel this is probably the most important thing to do, if you book direct you are usually guaranteed to get the best price, by booking direct unless you book a non refundable rate (this will be clear when you book) if the rate drops after you have booked you contact the hotel and they will drop your rate to match this, of course if the rate goes up you will still only pay the rate that you have booked at. We once paid $45 per room per night for Luxorthe same room was being advertised at £110 ($150) per night in a brochure. By booking direct you only pay the first night as a deposit and this is fully refundable if you cancel or change your booking up to 72 hours before check in.
Use a code to book but check that the link takes you directly to the hotels website, these not only give you great rates but loads of extras see here for the best codes online. Look here for some of the best rates available http://www.vegasuncovered.com/pages/special_offers.htm
If you see a deal you like and a rate you are happy with book it straight away as rates change regularly and good deals are often pulled with no notice, as long as you don’t book a non refundable deal you can always cancel later on if something better comes along. Don’t assume that the rate you see this morning will still be there tomorrow or even later today !!
Use the discounts that still allow you book directly with the hotel, if you see a deal that asks you to pay the entire stay up front 9 times out of 10 it is not directly with the hotel (only exclusion is a non refundable offer) and therefore you don’t get the advantages of booking direct . There are only so many rooms available on each deal and when that number has been hit the deal will be pulled so book when you see a rate you are happy with.
Keep checking the hotel’s website to see if the rate drops if it does get in touch with the
Hotel and get them to drop your rate.
Unlike most other places you may visit booking late is not the way to get a good deal booking as early as possible is key, as I have explained you can always cancel if your plans change or you see a better deal later or get the hotel to drop your rate.
As long as you have booked direct then you should be able to have any comps deducted off of your room stay. Its easier to get some money back this way than you may think, you generically will not get much if anything off for low denomination slot play but table games and poker just ask to be rated. Last time I was at MGM Grand 4 hours of poker on the $1/2 table got me $40 off of my room bill. You need to go to the players club booth say the night before checkout and ask what you are entitled to and they will adjust your bill there and then. One tip if you plan to use some comp against your room its far better if they see action off of you each day, make sure something happens on your card even if you stick it in a slot and just play $10 this will work for you getting comps. If you have not booked direct no Casino can comp any of your room charges. If you book direct also try the $20 trick !!

sew109

The Volcano @ Mirage

c_l_a_i_r_e wrote: »

You can can amend your reservation if the price goes lower. If you want to say change from a 5 night stay to a 3 night stay and the promotion you booked under has now expired i'm wondering will you still be able to take advantage of that rate for the 3 days or will they make you rebook at a newer rate at the time you amend?

I'm just curious as to whether anyone has done that and if its been ok as i've only ever rang up to get a lower rate for the same amount of days IYSWIM

I have added days on after a rate has expired and got rooms at a similar rate but not the same offer, I am pretty sure that if you cancelled some nights that the booked rate would be honoured for the days that you have left

Mr_Raoul

Apologies, this is probably a question asked a million times - but do i need to get a Visa for entering the US???

I have one of them electronically chipped passports, & no criminal records or anything like that.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

Mr_Raoul wrote: »

Apologies, this is probably a question asked a million times - but do i need to get a Visa for entering the US???

I have one of them electronically chipped passports, & no criminal records or anything like that.

See a few posts above - you need to apply for and receive an ESTA.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.html?p=21451593&postcount=4252

trets77

The Bellagio Fountains

looks some good stuff you have written there Sew . i am a little pushed for time to read it all right now ( dinner needs cooking :rolleyes:).

so i will quickly give everyone the new thread for THE SPICE MARKET BUFFET

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=21454983&posted=1#post21454983