Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2009

c_l_a_i_r_e

The Bellagio Fountains

jackieblack wrote: »

This is one of the things i don't understand.... (just one, there are many others !)

I've read posts on here from people saying don't take Virgin Holidays car hire, that it's always cheaper to book tha car yourself etc etc

But you get one week free car hire and even with Platinum Insurance, one week's insurance only comes to £168 for a full size, less for fully inclusive insurance (£154) or an Intermediate size (£133 Plat /£119 FI)

Am I missing something?

Jackie i wish i could have found a price like that! I priced a full size car with virgin and it was around £235 for the platinum package, so £50 dearer than the carhire 3000 price. I'm going in July though so perhaps this is partly why my rates are more expensive This is the most we have ever paid for car hire though, and the first time netflights haven't been the cheapest for us so it just goes to show that it pays to shop around.

Oh and congrats on booking your next trip. I'm thinking of adding a trip to San Fran the next time we do vegas:D

Trust_2

The Sirens of TI

This is the difference in cultures, we travel thousands of miles,we make sure we have a booking before we go, thus safe,

A lot of my US colleagues travel quite a number of miles east and west and just turn up, and can get some very good deals, think this was mentioned in an earlier post where people can get MGM for $30 or less a night but it is a huge risk.

Personally I enjoy the comfort choosing the hotel I want to stay in and the standard of room I want and not after a long flight have the worry of hotel hunting and the possibility of being turned away

So your comment is correct book before you go!:j


€€

ferf1223 wrote: »

Don't turn up in Vegas without a reservation...while it's possible you'd get a good deal if occupancy was low - more likely you'll get stung.

Most of us book direct with the hotel using the various deals that are available through the links on the first page of this thread - normally these are cancellable up to 72 hours before arrival...and many times are better rates than 3rd parties and have the option to cancel if something better comes up.

But lately it seems some of the 3rd party deals are better - so best to check both options - direct and 3rd party...with some 3rd parties you cannot cancel or cannot cancel without a fee...so if something better comes along, you can't change without losing out.

And remember the best deals come out 2-3 months before your travel dates - so if your dates are aways out, you may not be seeing the best rates for your dates yet.

jackieblack

The Bellagio Fountains

c_l_a_i_r_e wrote: »

Jackie i wish i could have found a price like that! I priced a full size car with virgin and it was around £235 for the platinum package, so £50 dearer than the carhire 3000 price. I'm going in July though so perhaps this is partly why my rates are more expensive This is the most we have ever paid for car hire though, and the first time netflights haven't been the cheapest for us so it just goes to show that it pays to shop around.

Oh and congrats on booking your next trip. I'm thinking of adding a trip to San Fran the next time we do vegas:D

With Virgin Holidays I don't think the car insurance prices change according do your dates(although obviously the fly-drive price does), at least they don't according to the brochure .

We booked in May for next Easter and were quoted the brochure prices - no mention of them having increased since the brochure was printed.

Nest year we are doing San Fran, Yosemite, Monterey and then down the coast, flying home from LA (14 nights) - all the bits we couldn't fit in this year!:D (Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, Lake Havasu, LA, San Diego)

c_l_a_i_r_e

The Bellagio Fountains

Just noticed this offer on FW - regular rooms from $40, GO rooms from $70:
https://www.harrahs.com/AvailabilityCalendar.do

Froggitt

The Fremont street experience

Entertainer wrote: »

Where can I get stamps for postcards? I'm talking about one or two, not a whole book from Wallgreens. Are there boring things like post offices in Las Vegas?

We always end up taking the postcards back home with us as stamps are impossible to find.

Trust_2

The Sirens of TI

looking at the comments on here about postcards, any post I have sent I have done the bl**dy lazy thing of walking over to
Concierge and asking if they can sort it out for me of course probably costing over the odds, but to take time finding a post office was not an option, without doing this I would be the same as Froggitt and take it home.

Conceirge, if I have spelt it right can be your best friend in vegas!

nvh

The Bellagio Fountains

the talk of postcards is interesting... we sent some the first time we went in 2006, and all we did is go to the Luxor gift shop - they sorted us out with the correct stampage needed, and there was a postbox right next to the check-in desks... (about 10metres away from the gift shop)

I wonder if the system has changed for sending postcards... or whether they just make it a bit more difficult now?

ferf1223

The Bellagio Fountains

not sure if it's changed at Luxor...but we send postcards to the Grans every trip and have never had a problem (other than forgetting to sort them out and then doing it in the departure lounge after buying stamps from the machine)...we've never bought stamps at a hotel gift shop as we normally buy the postcards elsewhere, but hotel business centres will be able to sort it out for you for just the cost of postage...and hotel business centres can also post them for you - they're all USPS collection points as their business customers need this service.

whuuf

For those of you interested in checking out the pinball museum as I am, check before you travel as they are moving home shortly...

"The little-known gem that is the Pinball Hall of Fame Museum will be moving closer to the Strip.
Run by Tim Arnold and the Las Vegas Pinball Collectors Club, the current Trop location holds the world's largest pinball collection -- all in working order and ready to play by the public.
The 1,200 machines will be moved to 1610 E. Tropicana, at a warehouse in the same development as the Liberace Museum. The new warehouse is double the size of the current location.
The new location is expected to open within the next 3 months.
The museum will continue to be non-profit and operates on donations. Any extra quarters over their monthly budget is donated to the Salvation Army."

pennylane99

The Bellagio Fountains

Hi from Encore

sales tax increase from today to 8.1% and room tax to 12%