Las Vegas thread and MSE guide 2010

spike2012

September

duchy wrote: »

Just hand your bags to the bell hop and have them delivered once you're in your room. Don't waste precious Vegas time hanging about for the room to be ready.

For a 2pm arrivial I'd go with the $20 trick as soon as you get there-Just ask if there are any complimentry upgrades whilst laying the bill out in clear view of the receptionist and smile. Worked for me !

One tip for those who like to switch hotels-we moved from Caesars to Flamingo on a Friday. I knew from past experience it would be a zoo later in the day so I checked in at 7.30am (then went back to Caesars and checked out later) -I went back at 2pm-bypassed the massive line and went to the key & mail desk (as instructed when I checked in) -my room wasn't ready but they were happy to move me to one that was already available.

Thank you very much for the advice, thats awesome. Been researching the sandwich trick and some experience better results with $50. Its our honeymoon, I am going to gamble some, so I reckon the extra $30 for a better shot of an upgrade would be worth it for 7 nights. What, like 2 hands of blackjack? lol :whistle:

Dan_S_3

Foosterino wrote: »

I was put off at first by the price, but hubby was persistent, I loved it but if you don't drink you might not get as much out of it. I thought the food and service was excellent and this time we only ate that meal of the day.

Here's some pictures of the food we ate. I took as many photos as I had hot dinners

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198703&id=671566685&l=bc535d003e

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198707&id=671566685&l=c5f59cca13

Great pics Suzy.

Where was the Twin towers thing?

ferf1223

April

Foosterino wrote: »

Here's some pictures of the food we ate. I took as many photos as I had hot dinners

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198703&id=671566685&l=bc535d003e

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=198707&id=671566685&l=c5f59cca13

Great pictures. I am now very, very hungry and especially craving Stripburger as I always order the bleu cheese burger and I think the onion strings are awesome.

Boa21

January , February

Hi all

Still having a ball. Went to the outlets yesterday, shoes for
Mrs B and a watch for No.2 son. Extra discount by using a ShopVegas passport I saw on here.

Saw Phantom last evening, via Tix4Tonight. It was excellent. Cheap seats high-up in the mezzanine - but these were actually very good as you got to appreciate the going's-on with the chandalier and so on. As it was, this area wasn't very full and the hostess told us to sit further forward and nearer the centre, so a result all round.

Walked-back via the Volcano and Fountains of Bellagio.

Today (so far) Used a Groupon deal for the picture postcard tour of the Hoover dam by raft. This was run by Black Canyon River Adventures out of the Hacienda Hotel, between Boulder City and the dam. This was only a short trip, half an hour on the river under the dam - great spot for photos and a really interesting talk. Transfers to and from the Hacienda included. I think I paid $16 each via Groupon. The chap running it reckoned we were the furthest travelled Groupon users.

They do longer tours down the river that look excellent.

Had lunch at the Hacienda in their Brunch buffet. Now this was far from gourmet dining and pretty basic (melamine plates!) BUT, the food was OK, non-alcoholic drinks included, nice desert selection, no queues and a nice friendly server for the princly sum of - wait for it -$7.95 per person, or under $35 for the four of us. Clearly a 20% tip was affordable and well deserved.

I wouldn't recommend anyone heads that way for the buffet, but it's on the road to the Hoover dam so worth stopping to fill-up if your passing, especially if you have kids in tow.

We then used this as a starting-point for a drive around the lake Mead shoreline route ($5 park entrance fee). So a great day out

We have decided we love the carriage house - thanks Luci! :TThe informality and ability to prepare ourselves some food suits us to a tee. Also, we timed it today - five minutes to walk from the room to the strip at the Harley Davidson cafe. A bigger pool would be great, but that's not why wer'e here.

Rounded-off the day with a trip to see Penn and Tellor at the Rio- the show I really wanted to see (Tix4Tonight again). They were brilliant and baffling

Tomorrow is another day and we'll see what it brings.:D

labhras

January , February

Thanks Gamboler

Had a quick look at your previous posts very helpful

duchy

March

spike2012 wrote: »

Thank you very much for the advice, thats awesome. Been researching the sandwich trick and some experience better results with $50. Its our honeymoon, I am going to gamble some, so I reckon the extra $30 for a better shot of an upgrade would be worth it for 7 nights. What, like 2 hands of blackjack? lol :whistle:

For a week I agree $50 is the way to go
I'd never tried it before -although I've had genuinely complmentry upgrades in the past-I'm smiley, chatty, tell them how excited I am about my trip and work the English accent for all it's worth.

When I checked in I got a lady in her sixties and I did wonder if it might not work with "old school". I didn't make a sandwich as I was paying the deposit with travellers cheques-simply handed her my passport and laid a twenty on the desk in clear view whilst asking if there were any complimentry upgrades.
She said "Let me see what I can do" and then offered me two different towers-one with view-one without. I knew the Palace Tower was a trek to the Strip and we'd be out on the Strip more than at the pool so went for Augustus-which is really close to the Strip-no casino treking.

Although my room was comped I don't think that makes any difference (my Total Rewards card is the standard level one I'm definitely NOT a high roller but I do mostly stick to gambling at Harrah's properties now to keep the comps there coming)

My friend arrived the next day. They had never done Vegas properly before (stayed off Strip and barely got to the Strip proper) and was blown away by the room and the view of the Eiffel Tower (which is considered a no view room LOL). The room was lovely-big, bright, nice furnishings and fab beds and linen. The bathroom was big-seperate shower, jacuzzi bath and seperate loo. If that's a room I can only imagine how nice the suites are in the Augustus Tower.

luci

May

Boa21 wrote: »

We have decided we love the carriage house - thanks Luci! :T The informality and ability to prepare ourselves some food suits us to a tee. Also, we timed it today - five minutes to walk from the room to the strip at the Harley Davidson cafe. A bigger pool would be great, but that's not why wer'e here.

Delighted to hear it! I was a bit concerned when you said it was "as expected" and thought that you didn't like it.

OH says it's his favourite hotel. He loves that he can be at the pool within 2 minutes of leaving the room.

Yes the pool is small, but there is never a problem getting a lounger.

The microwave is handy if you can't finish a meal and take it to go.

Vikki_74

October , November

Quick question - if we ate at the Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere, would we be able to get up to the observation platform without paying the normal $15.95 pp admission fee for the tower? Or is there separate access for the restaurant and the tower itself? What about the bars up there (I think it's Level 107 Lounge and Air Bar that are up near the top) - if we went up for a cocktail or two could we get to the observation deck for free?

Apologies if this has already been answered somewhere (I feel like it would be quite a common question!) but I'm not coming up with much from searching the thread or from Google...I did find an extract from The Unofficial Guide to Las Vegas 2010 which suggests you don't have to pay the tower admission if you're dining at TOTW, but I trust you guys more than any guide book

wdyw

Vikki_74 wrote: »

Quick question - if we ate at the Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere, would we be able to get up to the observation platform without paying the normal $15.95 pp admission fee for the tower?

Yes - it's free with using the restaurant.

ferf1223

April

Vikki_74 wrote: »

Quick question - if we ate at the Top of the World restaurant at the Stratosphere, would we be able to get up to the observation platform without paying the normal $15.95 pp admission fee for the tower? Or is there separate access for the restaurant and the tower itself? What about the bars up there (I think it's Level 107 Lounge and Air Bar that are up near the top) - if we went up for a cocktail or two could we get to the observation deck for free?

You don't have to pay for tower admission if you have a reservation at TotW...when you make the reservation they will tell you where to go, etc. Not sure about the bars.