Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

ferf1223

March

stoneman wrote: »

Personally I don't know what the fascination with staying mid strip is. Each area of the strip has it's own things going for it. ....I suppose if you stay mid strip you can walk(at a stretch) to both ends.

I think that's it for us - mid-strip means we walk out of our hotel and have the option to go north or go south with loads along either route...we also do like north strip and don't find it that far away from mid-strip in the grand scheme of things in Vegas, but it's a perspective thing and since we've been so many times we know what to expect. Would we stay north strip the whole trip? No...because to us it does seems slightly isolated, even though it isn't really...but because we really like the HET side of things - so all our preferred casinos are mid-strip.

I think for first-timers, being more central can make sense...but isn't necessarily the only factor that people will take into consideration.

duchy

May

bubble113 wrote: »

Hi All

Just wanted to ask if £500 for 2 rooms (3 adults 2 children) 28th July for 7 nights at Orleans was a good price. Its with expedia, seemed good to me.....

I believe Duchy likes this hotel so any other tips/advice regarding Orleans would be appreciated.

thanks

I wouldn't book it through Expedia at the moment.
If you check the price booking direct at the moment it works out to £533 and it WILL drop. I have never ended up paying my original rate booked at the Orleans in what must be at least six stays !

Orleans have a price match policy-so book direct at www.orleanscasino.com and keep checking the US hotel booking sites (needs to be a dollar price) until the price drops on there-then call the Orleans and ask them to price match-and they will. They will check the site whilst you are on the phone and confirm it straight away. If for any reason they won't/can't match it-so long as it is at least 48 hours ahead you'd be able to book with the other site and then cancel the direct reservation at no charge. I've sometimes called three or four times as prices have dropped-it was honoured all but once.

I love the Orleans for a family stay-the rooms are big, the pool is nice, I believe there is a creche (not used it personally) and the buffet is a bargain. They also have bands playing at night where you can dance that children can attend. There is also a really nice food court which is great for when you want to bring food back to the room. It looks like it's a trek through the casino to get to it but there is a short cut -you come down in the lift from the rooms towers and then turn right as if you are going to the parking area and it takes you out right by the food court. They also have a coffee shop, TGIs, and a nice steak loft. Lots of choice and all better value than the Strip
There's a nice cinema at the hotel too but we usually catch the free shuttle bus to the Gold Coast cross the road to the Palms and use their IMAX cinema -It has become a bit of a tradition on trips that my son comes on that we do this.

Sign up for a Coast Card even if you only gamble a little -it'll get you money off at the buffet just by showing the card plus comps are pretty easy to earn which is usually a nice last day bonus to use it to take something off your hotel bill (another reason not to use expedia -prepaid rates can't have comps taken off the bill)

totallybored

November / December

Triker wrote: »

Those plates of food look gorgeous, especially the desserts on your photostream.

The food was amazing, it was at the Wicked Spoon buffet at the Cosmopolitan.

Here is the food for anyone interested:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58047665@N07/5336984232/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58047665@N07/5336371449/in/photostream/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/58047665@N07/5336372951/in/photostream/

I don't normally like buffets too much. I dislike seafood and am not keen on prime rib so I always feel that I don't get enough value from nearly $40 at the Wynn when I only have a plate of turkey, mash and pizza. I've been to the Wynn, Planet Hollywood, Mirage and Aria buffets in the past and I've not bothered going to any on several visits. However I thought the Cosmopolitan buffet was so good that we went for lunch twice in our 5 day visit trip!

Its definately excellent value for lunch, we only paid $19 each! I think weekends are slightly more expensive and dinner obvisouly is but I believe that is still under $30. Most of the food is served in small dishes so it stops the excessive piling of food on plates. My favourite was the truffled potato gratin with lamb and pork loin on the pic (with mash!), followed by mini chicken pot pie with a basket of sweet potato fries (unfortunately I forgot to take a pic). There was also individual chilli, beef stew, an excellent hanger steak in a bowl with mint and some green stuff, lamb kebabs, mini macorini, mini pasta, yummy flat bread pizza. I didn't try the asian section but they had korean ribs. I also saw a whole smoked salmon and a charcuterie section.

The desserts were also amazing. I love macaroons and they have purple and orange ones as well as mini madelines. The gelato choice is excellent, there is loads of chocolate covered strawberries and there is a fudge bar with various fudges and pieces of chocolate!

If we'd had more time we probably would have gone again to try things we were too full to try. The people next to us on our 2nd visit told us they had been the day before but couldn't try as much as they wanted so had to go back too.

totallybored

November / December

Toothfairy4 wrote: »

Thanks everyone, we are young 20-somethings so all the walking wont be a problem, off to read wizbit's trip report now

How about splitting the trip between 2 hotels? Do the Encore and somewhere else. Its my fave out of those you've mentioned and I've stayed there a couple of times but the walk does get annoying. Its a good 15 minutes from your room to the Palazzo and you will get fed up of it if you stay there the whole visit. But it is a gorgeous hotel, the rooms are great and the European pool is very relaxing and chilled. On my first visit to Vegas I wanted to go and see absolutely everything so you will want to visit most other hotels and although you think walking is no problem, when its very hot you won't want to be outside too long!

As you're in your 20s the Cosmpolitan might be good as its aiming itself at a younger crowd. The rooms look good and some overlook the Bellagio fountains and have balconies, its a good location with Bellagio on one side and Aria on the other, Planet Hollywood is opposite and I always find that quite a fun casino. Its not been open a month yet and some of the reviews I've read have had a few issues but any new hotel will have that to start with. I'm thinking of it for my next visit as we spent quite a lot of time in there last week.

luci

May

Thanks for the pics of the food at the Wicked Spoon. Looks similar to the Aria buffet which was our favourite on the last couple of trips.

We really like the Encore, but wouldn't stay there longer than 2 nights as the walk can get old very quickly as others have said. I agree with staying at 2 different places in 2 areas of the strip.

We avoided the MGM for a long time as I felt it was too far south, but since staying there a few times, it's fine. However it can take 10-15 mins just to get from your room to the front door or to the pool. Somehow that didn't bother us as much as getting from the Encore to say the Fashion Show Mall.

The Bellagio is OK, nothing special unless you have a lake view room, but even then you will only watch the fountains a few times and not every minute you are in the room.

I really fancy the Cosmopolitan and looking out for any offers on that.

pebblesmax

November / December

I can't wait to try the Wicked Spoon. It looks awesome.

Vikki_74

mookybargirl wrote: »

I'm going to try out stripburger this trip. I've read over the last few years about the restaurant.com vouchers but we've never done this. Can someone give me a quick idiots guide on how it works?

Ok, a quick idiots guide for Stripburger in particular:

Certificates are available with a face value of $25 (off a $35 spend) or $10 (off a $20 spend). Can be used on all food, milkshakes so assume other soft drinks too but not sure about alcohol - definately excludes happy hour.

Only one certificate can be used at a time, and only one per month (in each restaurant).

For most places on restaurant.com it costs $10 for a $25 cert and $5 for the $10 one, but I think Stripburger has recently put the price up, presumably due to high demand - did I read $20 for the $25 cert somewhere on here recently?

For less popular restaurants, discount codes for up to 80% off are made available throughout the month which would reduce the typical cost of a $25 cert to as little as $2 (80% off the cost price $10), however as Stripburger certs normally sell out the day they go on sale (1st of every month) the discounts are never available. There is however a way round this, which I used successfully and posted a while ago:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=35274857&postcount=5730

Others I believe have had mixed results and found Stripburger certs to be unavailable using this method. I would guess they only make a limited number available for purchase in this way each month but can't be sure of this.

To have any chance of success using this method, I would recommend that you be on there trying to redeem the gift certificate as soon as the new stock of Stripburger vouchers go on sale, which when I did it was about 8am UK time on the 1st of the month.

Does that cover everything?

As we only paid $2 for $25 off our meal, and only spent just over the $35 minimum, it was great value for us. If you had to pay a lot more for the cert I'm not 100% sure it would be, although the food was great so worth going to in any case. Staff there were extremely friendly and had no issues with accepting the voucher.

gracie10

May

food looks great at the wicked spoon buffet, we are staying at the cosmopolitan for 2 nights before we move to the wynn so will def be trying the buffet thanks

bubble113

August

Thank you Duchy for your reply will follow your advice and book direct but keep my eye on other sites. I will join players club, not a big spender but do like slots and play a little poker so might get something!

Thanks for the food court tip always helps having a short cut anywhere in Vegas!

Like the idea of the band area that let children in my eldest is 13 and loves music so i'm sure this would appeal to him.

Thanks again

ferf1223

March

Vikki_74 wrote: »

Others I believe have had mixed results and found Stripburger certs to be unavailable using this method. I would guess they only make a limited number available for purchase in this way each month but can't be sure of this.

I was able to get one this way this month, but I was in really early due to pebbles mentioning the new 50% off code being out, which reminded me that new certificates would be too.

Only other thing - when setting up your account, use any US zip code instead of your UK post code - it hasn't caused any issues for anyone, and since you print the certificates yourself no issue with delivery...many use 89109 to search for restaurants and as their zip code.

And be sure to choose gift certificate and not gift card...I made the gift card mistake...luckily my shipping address is my sister in the US so she was able to scan the gift card and email it to me.

We've found a lot of new places through r.com - we regularly look at the options in Vegas and pick a few that are intriguing, look up reviews and make a decision.