Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

dodger1

September

Are there fridges in the standard rooms at the Flamingo. I also read in a previous post that you couldn't take water to the swimming pool, so is there a bar at the pool to purchase drinks, thanks.

mumto2loves

May

bubble113 wrote: »

mumto2loves, pleased you had a good trip. Can I ask about the Stratosphere jump? My son wants to do it, he will be 13, I read that min age is 14. Do you sign a waiver or something? I don't know why it would be 14, maybe a height requirement?.

Thanks

hi
i don't really know why it would be 14, can't really see it being a height requirement, must be something to do with age for insurance i think.

when we booked the jump, we had to read a really really long load of writing which was on a screen by the till, i have no idea what it said, i didn't read it at all ( it would have taken ages to scroll through it all!:o) then at the bottom of the page sign to agree.

oh sorry i've just remembered as i clicked post, we also had to show photo id so you wouldn't get away with just pretending 'not to realise' the age thing.

i'm so glad i did it but it really is so so high and scary,(but then i hate heights so much i couldn't look out of our bedroom window on the 17th floor!) my dvd is hilarious i look like going to burst in to tears or faint. but i did it:T

thehobbit

photome wrote: »

Why not post the dates so others can check some prices.

If you had to pay resort fees in Vegas would you still save?

dates are 27th june to 3rd july.
Yes we would still save some cash if resort fees were separate but not much.
We already have a booking for the mirage but would spend the extra for somewhere better if we found a good deal

On another note is it easy to change travelers checks in vegas casinos? and does anyone know if they charge a fee?

Froggitt

On another note is it easy to change travelers checks in vegas casinos? and does anyone know if they charge a fee?

Yes it is. No they dont.

zaffi

June

ferf1223 wrote: »

just a guess, but Miss USA pageant starts that night - are the days after the 15th also relatively high?

yeah $400 for the 16th and it would seem the 14th is sold out!

Porthorg

May

Right sorry about the delay but here is the final part of my TR......Its a real ramble which I apologise for but its done now so I'm posting it anyway lol. I hope someone finds at least some part of it of interest.

We loved our trip....Vegas was amazing and we have so much that we still want to do. Expect me to be hanging around on here and hopefully able to offer some advice myself. Next trip currently being planned :-)

Treated the OH to a spa treatment thurs morning so I just chilled in the cafe while she did that then we went exploring. Destination Mandalay bay for the Shark Reef aquarium which we enjoyed, doesn't take long to get round but glad we went. Took a stroll though mandalay and Luxor...both very cool hotels. Drove up to planet Hollywood and into miracle mile shops, couldn't stop long as we had other plans. Did what we needed to do then headed over to cesars palace....stunning!!!!! Into the forum shops and more importantly to the cheesecake factory.

We loved this place. Food was fantastic and the cheesecakes out of this world. The portions we're huge, I had ensiladas which were that good I was going to leave some so I had room for my cheesecake but I couldn't do it which left me stuffed ;-( but there was no way I wasn't having cheesecake. OH had a salad which was the most ridiculously sized salad I have ever seen. It was easily 2 maybe 3 times as much as you'd get over here. We decided on a Mango Key Lime Cheesecake - OH MY GOD!!! This was simply amazing.....and a Snickers Cheesecake - lovely but over shadowed by how good the other one was. Very impressed with food, service etc. top Notch :-) Next stop was the Mirage and the Secret garden. Again not a huge place but we loved seeing the dolphins, lions, tigers etc.

We had a reservation at Envy later that evening, WOW.........I would fully recommend that place. Service was second to none, food was awesome. The best steak I've ever had!!! It isn't cheap but well worth it. We had a $25 restaurant voucher. Would have been better with a $50 but as I say....fantastic place....Would have happily paid full price. Its slighty off strip and a taxi would be recommended (we walked on the way there but wished we hadn't) I had a Mango Mohito to drink which was to die for. I need to know how to make those :-D

Checked out of the Orleans Friday morning and drove down to the Cosmo. Into the underground car park, found a spot easily as they have sensors and lights above each spot. When we walked into the lobby my jaw dropped. What a stunning hotel. Had booked 3 nights in a city room but asked about upgrading for a view of the Bellagio Fountains. I think it was around $80 in total for the 3 nights to move to a Premium view Terrace. We we're told that there was a wait for these rooms to be available and that they would call me when ready. Left our bags with the bell desk and went up to one of the pools which I fell in love with.....loved the atmosphere and music, very relaxed and trendy place, ate in the restuarant up there. Very nice :-) After returning the car to the airport and checking out the vegas sign on the way we got a taxi back to the strip, Got back about 3 and after having received no call I checked with the front desk who advised there had been a problem trnasferring the keys to the ones which I'd been given. Not sure why we weren't called but I really wasn't bothered by this minor irritation.

Room was amazing, we were on 22nd floor and it was perfect. Huge room, 2 big TVs, the best bed in the world, great view of the fountains, fantastic shower and bath.......can't say enough good things about it to be honest. it was so nice I think I could happily live in that room :-)

Free wifi most places in the Cosmo including your room......top notch :-)

That night we checked out the Cosmo casino, very nice and swanky. Went over the road to the Miracle mile for a bite to eat then got an early night as we knew saturday was a big day :-)

Saturday was a great day being huge Mixed Martial Arts fans....UFC 130!!!!! Started the day with the free cosmo buffet which was great. Such variety and lovely food. Headed down to the MGM to collect our tickets for later on that day. Couldn't beleive the size of the MGM, Ridiculous really. Saw the lions at the habitat which we enjoyed then went to Mandalay Bay as I wanted to watch the champions league final and we noticed a bar there with it on. We also knew that Randy Couture (UFC Fighter and is also in the Expendables) was appearing at a fight store opposite. Met him and got a signed shirt and a photo with him. We were both very excited and pleased about this :-) The rest of the day was spent at the MGM watching the UFC which was amazing. Loved it!!! Got very drunk, What a day!!!!

Sunday - Hangover from hell!!! Spent most of the day feeling sorry for myself but recovered enough to go out later on. It wasn't a nice day weather wise......ridiculously windy and I was quite chilly in shorts and t shirt. took a stroll down to NYNY to look around and ate in the sports bar/restaurant which was nice but nothing spectacular. Bought tickets from Tix4tonight for Penn and Teller at the Rio which we went to that evening. We love Penn and Teller and thought it was fantastic.
Monday was our final day, checked out at 11 am leaving our bags at the bell desk. Went to do a bit of shopping and to the Cheesecake Factory again. Food and service again were great. Cheesecakes, Cookies and Cream which was nice and a Rasberry Cream one (i think) which was gorgeous.

The Journey home was ok. Left LAS on route to JFK where we would change and get on a BA operated flight (all booked through AA) to Heathrow. We had a few issues at JFK but boarded on time and the flight back was pretty good. Slept most of the way, found BA staff to be great and the headrests were a godsend as you could turn down the sides so you could rest your head on them and I found it great for going to sleep. Never seen this before but all economy flights should have it IMO.

Regarding the flights we found both AA and BA to be good and will fly both again very happily......we will probably opt to fly direct in future though. Changing seemed a hassle and more room for problems to occur.

jonnywells

I got back last week and stayed a couple nights in the Flamingo. We was in a GO room which had both a fridge and a coffee machine (a first for Vegas) Best room i have stayed in in Vegas so far, although i only have it to compare to the rooms @ Treasure Island

Defo you could not bring water/food into the pool area's, they were very hot on checking peoples bags!

Porthorg wrote: »

It wasn't a nice day weather wise......ridiculously windy and I was quite chilly in shorts and t shirt.

Hell that day was cold/windy, never felt winds like it before anywhere....and it had to be on the day I decided to take a walk from TI to Monte Carlo/NYNY and back

wdyw

Talking of resort fees, have people seen that a small battle has been won. TI now have a couple of ways you can book a room and not incur resort fees.

1/ Book their TV special (more than their base rate, but lower than base rate + resort fee - plus also slightly different "freebies")

2/ qualify through their players card

There was one other deal a few weeks ago that they allowed people not to pay the resort fee but that was a time limited thing. Of course if you take the offer without resort fee you don't get the internet, Gym etc!

gracie10

May

Hell that day was cold/windy, never felt winds like it before anywhere....and it had to be on the day I decided to take a walk from TI to Monte Carlo/NYNY and back[/QUOTE]

I can second that I was freezing in vest top and shorts even going in and out of the shops!!

bubble113

August

mumto2loves....Thanks for the info will save me the embarrassment trying to pretend he's 14 then having to produce passport!