Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

sarahlasvegas

August

duchy wrote: »

Really which hotels ? -it's not something I've ever come across -either at independents or chains like Marriott, Hilton, Novotel, Radisson to name a few. Name and shame

When i was planning my wedding and spending way too much time on the knot wedding site - i remember loads of the "in suite" reception brides ran into problems with getting alchol into hotels - Planet Hollywood was the tough one i think (loads of them hired the massive suite to have a wedding party in). So we're talking more than a few bottles of wine, and a bottle of voddy in their case, and it was generally highlighted as some of them planned to hire in outside food/drink vendors.

Pretty much all the hotels "offical" policy is consumption of alcohol is only permitted if its bought from the hotel i think- e.g. you are in a licenced place so you should only consume things bought from that place. Im fairly sure its the same in Britain - but its one of these things that isnt really enforced, im pretty sure its to do with licencing laws.

I always have loads of drink in room, and generally make a wee mini bar out of a sink - no-ones every said anything to me about it. All this talk of drink is making me want one :rotfl:

StuieUK34

June

Morning all Tis all good out at the mo, loving the mexicana's handing out boobie flyers, especially as i'm walking down the road with my missis! haha, funny thing was they handed my mum the same stuff!
Anyway, went to a ATM in the Walgreaves shop, but it was $3 charge and only allowed a maximum of $200 on my FairFX card....
Any ideas where i can pull out the max $500 in 1 go so i only pay the one charge ? Do Hotel ATM's double charge etc ?

Mini Trip Report **
Virgin Sucks !!!!! Checked in 24hrs before, me and missis on seats 61A/C and my dad on 60D (opposite us)..
Got to Bag Drop, my dad has been moved 13 rows ahead! Excuse was there was a family that needed to sit together (which makes me think of kids)...
Said it was a full plane, so fair enough, cant really moan, i just said i'll get a freebie out of u later Tried to charge more on the bags, so i kinda said to take a walk! Change a seat after were already checked in, and then try and charge for excess weight (less than a kilo)! The 2 backed down after 1 min

10hrs 40 mins flight: Beer cans gone within 30 mins of first serving (didnt stock enough), along with the wine! Kinda new that from the forum!
Food: Sausage and Mash first bit, then bit later some veg style wrap, then a bit later, egg mayo or tuna sarnie (YUK!!!!), so i just ate my newspaper instead
IFE: Oh my GOD!! Plane was called 'Virgina Plain' , PLAIN being the word! IFE had about 8 movies to watch, all on a loop, so not the on demand stuff which i last had on a NY flight.... crap screens, and crap selection (the ones peeps wanted to watch not on!!) Very poor IFE system!
However, plane got us here so am cool with that, plus had my laptop for watching movies on

Got to the Tropicana, SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!! didnt have to do the $20 sarnie cos i knew my cheeky emails to the guests manager had sorted me out, bloke on recep said we got a suite (paid for a normal room via netflights), WOW! Room is huge!!! compared to my dads room, and my mums room here, our bedroom is the same as there room, and the lounge is proper good size, on the 19th floor (Photos when i get home)..
Real nice room, well happy with it! Fridge, coffee machine, bottled water, 2 42" tellys, overlooking Excal and NYNY Lovely jubbley!!!!!
Proper knackered last night, so hit Hooters for munchies, Prime Rib at $9.95 with bottles of Bud at $1.50!!! sweeeeeeeet!!!! Managed to waste $60 on gambling without the slighest hint of a win!! haha

Anyway, ATM's - advice plz!

photome

August

StuieUK34 wrote: »

Morning all Tis all good out at the mo, loving the mexicana's handing out boobie flyers, especially as i'm walking down the road with my missis! haha, funny thing was they handed my mum the same stuff!
Anyway, went to a ATM in the Walgreaves shop, but it was $3 charge and only allowed a maximum of $200 on my FairFX card....
Any ideas where i can pull out the max $500 in 1 go so i only pay the one charge ? Do Hotel ATM's double charge etc ?

Mini Trip Report **
Virgin Sucks !!!!! Checked in 24hrs before, me and missis on seats 61A/C and my dad on 60D (opposite us)..
Got to Bag Drop, my dad has been moved 13 rows ahead! Excuse was there was a family that needed to sit together (which makes me think of kids)...
Said it was a full plane, so fair enough, cant really moan, i just said i'll get a freebie out of u later Tried to charge more on the bags, so i kinda said to take a walk! Change a seat after were already checked in, and then try and charge for excess weight (less than a kilo)! The 2 backed down after 1 min

10hrs 40 mins flight: Beer cans gone within 30 mins of first serving (didnt stock enough), along with the wine! Kinda new that from the forum!
Food: Sausage and Mash first bit, then bit later some veg style wrap, then a bit later, egg mayo or tuna sarnie (YUK!!!!), so i just ate my newspaper instead
IFE: Oh my GOD!! Plane was called 'Virgina Plain' , PLAIN being the word! IFE had about 8 movies to watch, all on a loop, so not the on demand stuff which i last had on a NY flight.... crap screens, and crap selection (the ones peeps wanted to watch not on!!) Very poor IFE system!
However, plane got us here so am cool with that, plus had my laptop for watching movies on

Got to the Tropicana, SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!! didnt have to do the $20 sarnie cos i knew my cheeky emails to the guests manager had sorted me out, bloke on recep said we got a suite (paid for a normal room via netflights), WOW! Room is huge!!! compared to my dads room, and my mums room here, our bedroom is the same as there room, and the lounge is proper good size, on the 19th floor (Photos when i get home)..
Real nice room, well happy with it! Fridge, coffee machine, bottled water, 2 42" tellys, overlooking Excal and NYNY Lovely jubbley!!!!!
Proper knackered last night, so hit Hooters for munchies, Prime Rib at $9.95 with bottles of Bud at $1.50!!! sweeeeeeeet!!!! Managed to waste $60 on gambling without the slighest hint of a win!! haha

Anyway, ATM's - advice plz!

Told you Virgin sucks:D

Sounds like a great room but dont get carried away with the bottled water, you may find a large bill at the end of your stay for it (unless it is included in resort fee)

Try Casino Royale (the other side of Flamingo to where you are) for the ATM I think it $1.50

ferf1223

March

agree with photome on Casino Royale - BUT we weren't able to use our FairFX card there...it just wouldn't take...I remember specifically trying twice and it just said the transaction couldn't be processed...and I remember meeting Luci and her OH at Bill's not long after and asking if they had had any similar issues (think she said they didn't use FairFX)...tried about an hour later at Bally's and no issue...never tried again as being me, having no cash come out means I'm a ball of paranoia until I get somewhere else to try it, so in the end I accepted paying $4.99 at Bally's.

And glad the suite is good, Stuie...and yeah, all of your Virgin complaints are those that have been mentioned here before (possibly exception on the reseating). Thinking about it, it's interesting that they moved him after he checked in...we were once told by a Virgin check-in person at LAS that it was 'amost impossible' for them to move you after you checked in online...maybe reseating for a family is one thing that makes it possible (and I shall not start down that road here).

Triker

March

Stuie, found this for fairfx vegas...

http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowTopic-g45963-i10-k3250901-l23138371-Pre_loaded_currency_cards_FairFX-Las_Vegas_Nevada.html


We tended to use the Walmart cash points, I seem to remember that they have very low fee's to withdraw.

ferf1223

March

Walmart are cheap (if you can get to one), but think they also have a lowish limit...same with Ellis Island.

karie

hi all

great info here as always. looking to return to vegas later this year (maybe late september/early october) for trip number 3. no flights booked yet, any hope of getting anything cheaper later this summer, from anyones past experience? cant decide whether to just go ahead and book...

hcb42

November / December

thinking of booking my hotel now on a flexible rate, and then if i see the deal of a lifetime for December I can cancel no penalty.

Still Venetian and Vdara at top, but Platinum Suites is now top of TA - and I looked at those intiially. Huge rooms, few minutes from strip

Anyone got any advice ? Gosh i am so indecisive, I will be doing 2 nights in each at this rate!

photome

August

hcb42 wrote: »

thinking of booking my hotel now on a flexible rate, and then if i see the deal of a lifetime for December I can cancel no penalty.

Still Venetian and Vdara at top, but Platinum Suites is now top of TA - and I looked at those intiially. Huge rooms, few minutes from strip

Anyone got any advice ? Gosh i am so indecisive, I will be doing 2 nights in each at this rate!

Platinum is Stonemans favourite. I am only put off going there because it doesnt have a casino and the location.

stoneman

October

hcb42 wrote: »

thinking of booking my hotel now on a flexible rate, and then if i see the deal of a lifetime for December I can cancel no penalty.

Still Venetian and Vdara at top, but Platinum Suites is now top of TA - and I looked at those intiially. Huge rooms, few minutes from strip

Anyone got any advice ? Gosh i am so indecisive, I will be doing 2 nights in each at this rate!

I can only advise re Platinum as photome says, we have stayed there several times now. If you are going in December then you might be tempted as it has, I think, the only indoor heated pool in Vegas. You have a full kitchen and huge room with a balcony. It is very intimate, all of the doormen will know your name within a couple of days. Send me a pm with your details and I will email Claire the manager and do my best to hook you up with a good rate and free upgrade to a Princess suite, complete with washing machine and dryer.(she is English BTW) You are a 7 minute walk from The Ballagio so don't let the location put you off. It is soo nice to come in at the end of an evening and have the peace and tranquility of a smaller hotel. You get free wifi and use of the gym at no extra cost. On Wednesday evening they have a welcome party in the bar with free wine and tapas, and every night there is 50 percent off all cocktails and tapas till 8pm