Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

pebblesmax

The Bellagio Fountains

If you can afford it now and are happy with your choice, just do it. The price will vary constantly by a small amount because of the exchange rate. I've even had it change slightly whilst booking something.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

Bexster wrote: »

Today the same booking on lastminute is coming out at £1250 so its £11 cheaper - is that right does it change day to day? Arrrggghhh this is doing my head in! He he just want to pick one and go with it but worried about that nearer the time it would be cheaper. Definitely decided on Venetian and booking direct doesnt seem to have made it any cheaper now just worried booking now when it might be lower nearer the time?

It may change day to day.

If your package price is £1250, if you take out the flight price of £947 you end up with £303...at today's exchange rate that = $498 for the hotel - less than $100 a night I assume including tax...so I would say that you have a pretty good deal...assuming the flights on the package are the same flights you priced at £947 and not flights with a connection in the US.

It's possible a better deal will come along, but if your dates include a Friday and or Saturday I'm not sure how likely as less than $100/night average for Venetian is pretty good (they did a promo I think last summer which was pay the temperature - so if it was 97* that day, you paid $97 plus tax, if it was 108*, you paid $108 plus tax)...but even that deal wouldn't be better than the less than $100/night including tax. the other thing is the exchange rate - at the moment it's $1.645 - could be better or worse by the time you go, so booking direct and paying in dollars could be more or less....so it's really up to you - if it's a price you're happy to pay and not look back, then go for it - sometimes people prefer to know it's booked and won't be more expensive...other option is to book the flights, then stalk the hotels.

One thing though - not sure if the math on your hotel calculation is right - $895/1.6 is a lot more than £412.

luci

The Bellagio Fountains

$895 is $179 a night and you should be able to do much better than that, but if the package works out at less than $100/night I would grab it with both hands as I've never seen the Venetian at less than that apart from last summer's temperature offer.

sew109

The Volcano @ Mirage

Sorry Venetian is the only luxury hotel that I have stayed at in Vegas that I would never stay in again, great rooms, great resturants etc but weekend clientele total !!!!!! enough that I would not stay there over a weekend if it were free !

pcg2001

The Fremont street experience

fizzo17 wrote: »

Well we have got everything booked now

Flying with Vigin out of gatwick. Staying at the MGM for the first week on the buffet deal. Brother in law is getting married at red rock canyon then we are driving up to south Lake Tahoe where we have booked a lodge for our 2nd week. Then back to Vegas and a week at the Golden Nugget. We wanted to see if there was a different feel to Vegas if you stay downtown. ( and their pool looks fantastic! )

Thanks to everyone who contributes to this thread. It is a fantastic resource and I have found loads of usefull info on here. :T

Hi, fizzo17!! Your trip sounds great! Can you share some details on the marriage at red rock canyon? I am shopping around for alternatives! TIA

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

sew109 wrote: »

Sorry Venetian is the only luxury hotel that I have stayed at in Vegas that I would never stay in again, great rooms, great resturants etc but weekend clientele total !!!!!! enough that I would not stay there over a weekend if it were free !

I'm curious about the comment on the clientele...in what way are they !!!!!!? Genuinely want to know - we've not stayed at Venetian yet...really hoping they extend the $109 deal with $50 slot credit into October as we would probably try it out for a night for that price...though would not be on a weekend.

gamboller

Hey,

Great thread I was just wondering do many hotels charge for incidentals per night.
Was looking to book the Venetian but then noticed:
"
A cash or credit card deposit of $150.00 per night is required upon check in for incidentals and the balance of room and tax for the remainder of your stay
Estimated tax is based on the current Clark County room tax of 9% however guests will be charged the tax rate in effect at the time of occupancy and Clark County room tax is scheduled to increase to 12% beginning July 1, 2009.
"On my budget $150 times 7 $1050 would really stretch my spending budget as it would be near credit card limit.

Do all/most hotels in Vegas pre-auth this from your credit card?

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

gamboller wrote: »

Hey,

Great thread I was just wondering do many hotels charge for incidentals per night.
Was looking to book the Venetian but then noticed:
"
A cash or credit card deposit of $150.00 per night is required upon check in for incidentals and the balance of room and tax for the remainder of your stay
Estimated tax is based on the current Clark County room tax of 9% however guests will be charged the tax rate in effect at the time of occupancy and Clark County room tax is scheduled to increase to 12% beginning July 1, 2009.
"On my budget $150 times 7 $1050 would really stretch my spending budget as it would be near credit card limit.

Do all/most hotels in Vegas pre-auth this from your credit card?

Most will pre-authorise the cost of the room and an additional amount per night for incidentals - the incidental amount will vary from hotel to hotel. I know at least some will allow you to give up the right to charge things to the room (like restaurants, shows, etc.) and even to make outside calls in order to avoid having the incidentals portion of the preauthorisation. I'm not sure if Venetian will allow you to waive the option to charge stuff to your room or not.

Edited to add - I know some people pay the pre-authorisation amount in cash...there was a thread about it on Open Vegas recently - will see if I can find it. Seem to recall that some people paid it daily in cash and then only topped up the daily amount if they had used any of it (by charging things to their room).

Here's the thread with the example of putting up a daily cash deposit:

http://www.openvegas.com/vegas/forums/showthread.php?t=66133

It's the 10th post by barhopper and a few others seem to do the same or similar.

sew109

The Volcano @ Mirage

ferf1223 wrote: »

I'm curious about the comment on the clientele...in what way are they !!!!!!? Genuinely want to know - we've not stayed at Venetian yet...really hoping they extend the $109 deal with $50 slot credit into October as we would probably try it out for a night for that price...though would not be on a weekend.

We arrived ona Tuesday night and stayed until the Sunday Morning and Tuesday and Wednesday were fine Thursday was not quite as good and the property unbarable Friday and Saturday night. At the weekend all the common areas seemed to be packed with groups of 20somthings who thought that they were all some sort of celebrity and that all that mattered was that they got noticed and had a good time and to hell with anyone else. There were groups shouting and knocking into people very drunk and not one or two but loads of these groups, they did not seem to be playing but even when I brought this up with security and front desk I was told this is Vegas at the weekend, well I have spent many weekends in Vegas and never seen anything like this. When one of these idiots bumped into my wife and knocked her to the floor I told him to appoligise and chose not to. I look like an overweight nice gentle type fella I am an ex doorman, aba boxer, I have 2 black belts and instruct selfdefence when he did not appoligise I presured him into doing so, secuirty watched on and came up to me afterwards, I then got in to an argument with them saying it was their job and they told me I seemed to be doing well enough on my own ! It was not this one inccident that has shadowed my view of Venetian but it was the whole atmpsohere over the weekend that we were there.

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

sew109 wrote: »

We arrived ona Tuesday night and stayed until the Sunday Morning and Tuesday and Wednesday were fine Thursday was not quite as good and the property unbarable Friday and Saturday night. At the weekend all the common areas seemed to be packed with groups of 20somthings who thought that they were all some sort of celebrity and that all that mattered was that they got noticed and had a good time and to hell with anyone else.

Ah, LA kids there on Daddy's dime, most likely...thanks very much...I wouldn't like that sort of scene either so good to have the info.