Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

stoneman

The Bellagio Fountains

ferf1223 wrote: »

Looks like you are right - according to their website room keys are only required until 1pm...really cool if you can go in and have a look - I never knew that...and we'll totally be having a wander around on our next trip just to see what all the fuss is about.

http://www.flamingolasvegas.com/casinos/flamingo-las-vegas/casino-misc/pool-detail.html

If you get there about 7:30am for the 8am opening, everyone rushes in and the guy doesn't even bother checking the keys. BTW you do have to get in there really early, as the chairs go within an hour of opening, it's a really popular pool. If you want a more laid back and sumptuous time try the Go pool at Flamingo. you don't hae to be staying It is much smaller, comfy cushioned beds, big fluffy towels, and misters all around. It is free for women and $10 for guys(except Saturdays when it is $20 for blokes). the go pool is optional topless but we have only ever seen one or 2 bother.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

bongo2202 wrote: »

Have just done it now and there seems to be nothing in it at all, if anything the guy from the travel company is £6 cheaper, flights are with Continental from Manchester and they came out at £850 and hotel comes out at £661ish so no difference in what he quoted me to be honest, will have a look around though to see if I can get it any cheaper but at the moment both prices coming out at just under £1500 for the 2 of us for the week

If they're about the same price, perhaps consider booking separately and watching for better hotel rates closer to the time...if booking direct with Bellagio you would only be charged the first night's deposit upon booking and that will be refundable up to (I think) 3 days before your arrival should you find something better. At least that way you would be booked with what you could find at this point and could keep an eye out for better deals over the next few months.

That's what I would do, anyway...what a lot of folks here do...but others prefer just to book and be done with it...then again, if you book yourself you could still book and be done with it...but have the option to keep looking if you want.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

stoneman wrote: »

If you get there about 7:30am for the 8am opening, everyone rushes in and the guy doesn't even bother checking the keys. BTW you do have to get in there really early, as the chairs go within an hour of opening, it's a really popular pool. If you want a more laid back and sumptuous time try the Go pool at Flamingo. you don't hae to be staying It is much smaller, comfy cushioned beds, big fluffy towels, and misters all around. It is free for women and $10 for guys(except Saturdays when it is $20 for blokes). the go pool is optional topless but we have only ever seen one or 2 bother.

Oh, I don't have any intention of USING the pool facilities at Flamingo, but would love to have a look around...I won't go to the pool if there are more than about 10 people out there...one additional plus for Bally's for me as it's dead when it first opens - at least when we've been there (never in the summer).

c_l_a_i_r_e

The Bellagio Fountains

Stoneman thanks for your review and piccies of Encore:beer: Glad you both enjoyed your stay there.

luci

The Bellagio Fountains

I agree with ferf re the Bellagio. The rooms are nice enough, but not the biggest in Vegas and only worth having if you have a lake view room. However the location is excellent.

Definitely book the flights and hotel separate if they are roughly the same price as a package. There may well be promos nearer the time that you can take advantage of. The price you book at won't go up, but it would well come down if you keep checking https://www.smartervegas.com or fat Wallet for offers. FW isn't as good as it was as it isn't being maintained and the front page hasn't been updated since January, but people do keep adding deals to the thread.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

FYI for those booking with carhire3000 - Vegas rentals are not always with Dollar...just booked for September (their inclusive rates were pretty much equal to dollar.com's rates without any insurance waivers - so I couldn't see any point in going with dollar.com). I knew it might not be a Dollar booking though it seems they frequently are, so I'm not annoyed, just was keeping my fingers crossed that it WOULD be. Ah well...waiting in a queue it is then!

nvh

The Bellagio Fountains

ferf1223 wrote: »

If they're about the same price, perhaps consider booking separately and watching for better hotel rates closer to the time...if booking direct with Bellagio you would only be charged the first night's deposit upon booking and that will be refundable up to (I think) 3 days before your arrival should you find something better. At least that way you would be booked with what you could find at this point and could keep an eye out for better deals over the next few months.

the advantage of doing this as well, is that should the Exchange rate get better, the cost will in-turn be cheaper...

(the disadvantage of course is that if it gets worse, you'll have to pay more! )

so it's a good gamble to start with whether you're wanting to pay a fixed price (useful for tight budgets), or if you want to risk some offers and a better exchange rate. I'd definitely go for the latter option myself!

As for Bellagio, we've stayed in a (partial lakeview) Salone suite and it's the best hotel room i've ever stayed in!! Jacuzzi by the window, electric blinds, lots of room etc etc... superb room if you can budget it (even for just a couple of nights at the end of your stay)

http://www.bellagio.com/hotel/salone-suite.aspx

http://travel.webshots.com/album/246171666BydRMl

neobis

Restaurant.com adds Mandalay Bay restaurants
Gift certificates to several restaurants located in Mandalay Bay are now available:

Aureole
Fleur De Leys
Mix
Shanghai Lilly
Strip Steak

Can someone explain to me how restaurant.com works?

I am heading to Vegas in 2 weeks and I am looking to eat at Aureole. It seems I can purchase 2 x $50 vouchers ($100 in total) for $40 from restaurant.com.

When I add in the code DINING I get a further 60% off meaning it will cost me only $16 for $100.

Is this right? I have $100 to spend in Aureole despite having only paid $16 for it?

Is there a catch as it seems too good to be true?

Thanks,

n.

nvh

The Bellagio Fountains

from memory, you can only use one voucher per visit, per month - so you would only be able to buy and use 1 x $50 voucher for Aureole... their are also the T&C's under the "Add To Cart" button on the left hand side...

These T&C's vary slightly for each restaurant

Aureole states:

Valid with a minimum purchase of 2 entrees or 2 Prix Fixe dinners excluding $45 menus. Excludes gratuity & tax. 18% gratuity added to before discount.

http://www.restaurant.com/microsite.asp?rid=357816&mcn=00060934

you have to work out whether it's worth getting one of the vouchers plus paying 18% gratuity (although apparently occasionally they forget to charge this)

One worth trying, that's on the strip with no gratuity charge is Cafe BaBa Reba (Tapas) at Fashion Show Mall but these are ALWAYS limited availability and come onto the site some time around the first day of the month (when no discounts are around usually)

Froggitt

The Fremont street experience

You may remember a few weeks ago I started my Everything Vegas google map.

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=105863286002279699212.0004692e030c9f2196755&ll=36.122208,-115.170193&spn=0.016847,0.036263&z=15

Well, its getting better all the time......with the fantastic help from ferf and luci, the number of "points of interest" is increasing, and more and more of the points now have some content behind them e.g. website, deals, reviews, editors comments.

I have also been speaking with the MSE Webmasters, who will hopefully soon be enabling the [gmap] functionality on this board, which will enable google maps to be embedded directly into a post, rather than linked to like the link above. The map is already linked to on the first page of this thread.......this will mean the map can be embedded on that page at whatever size and zoom we want.

I am now looking for a few more volunteers to add to the content on the map - Vegas regulars who can comment generally about restaurants, different room types in the hotels, shows etc, but also "experts" in some of the new categories to go onto the map......Poker Rooms, Golf, Clubs and Bars, and "Adult Fun" (which obviously includes where to get hold of midget strippers!!!).

I think the end objective is to create a "one stop shop" that contains the combined experience of loads of people in an easy to access "database".......200 plus pages of forum per year is a bit unwieldly to take on holiday with you.

If you are interested in contributing, let me know by PM and I can give you the required access to add to the map. If you just want to find out more before committing, also PM me and I can give you more details.

Froggitt