Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

photome

August

mat5664 wrote: »

Wynn is my favourite. Planet Hollywood Spice Market buffet is also pretty decent. Queues at both can be pretty horrific though at busy times (unless you have the right card to get into the VIP line).

Having said that, I only eat in the buffet once or twice during a holiday. Even with the better ones, the quality of food isn't great and there are much better dining options IMO.

We eat at them most days sometime bfast and dinner, but my original reply was just aimed at the previous 2 posters who were talking about the IP and Harrahs

luci

May

Traincrashing wrote: »

Hey, I've been sorting out our itinerary for where we're going and eating etc and I'm trying to find a buffet we can have for dinner for the night we arrive. We'll have been in LA already for 4 days so we won't be overly tired or anything so no need to worry about that. We're going to see the Lion King at Mandalay Bay that night and I'm hoping to eat somewhere close by, preferably a buffet since it's the only night we can do this on and we both really want to try one. Any suggestions welcome!

I agree with photome, the Mandalay Bay buffet is very good although we've only had breakfast there. I think it's about $28-30pp for dinner.

Spursman180

March

Just got myself into a mindset to put in a trip report, just watched SFTW so in the mood. If I'd written this in the last couple of days I think it would have been quite negative.

Overnight in the Sofitel before the flight, I was used to finding a deal that included breakfast but couldn't find one, booked anyway and paid for a discounted breakfast when checking in. I like the hotel and the breakfast as expected was good but the service was terrible, in the restaurant the staff stood around for most of the time, tables were not cleared and at one point where there was only about 20% occupancy, people had to wait whilst tables were cleared one by one.

Check-in was busy as expected on a Saturday morning, but eased by being a 5 minute trip from the north terminal. Boarded on time and then sat there, took off about 1/2 hour late. Typical flight but endured as a means to an end. Arrival in Vegas and processing Immigration was probably as smooth as I've experienced, picked up the car and was at Harrahs by about 4.30pm.

First real snag was check-in, the queues were massive, getting to the desk after about 1/2 hour we couldn't check in, told to come back in 2 hours, actually didn't get in the room until 8.30pm. This blew out one of the only 2 planned activities I had planned. The 7pm fireworks show at Lake Las Vegas, shame hopefully someone on here actually made it.

Harrahs was very very busy, so much so we went to see my mates family at SouthPoint, came back to Harrahs and the madness began, Carnaval court was in full blast, a lot, lot of people some seriously drunk, both in the court and in the casino, this seemed to continue for most of the 10 days we were in Harrahs, we spent only 2 evenings midweek in there, which probably undermined the whole point of getting a discounted stay on TR, $220 for 10 nights, as we tended to gamble elsewhere.

The room was fine and up on the 25th floor no noise, housekeeping was good but not a challenge as after years of marriage I'm well housetrained. One big advantage for me was that 20 yards from the lift on the promenade floor (the Toby Keith level) was a starbucks that opened at 6am and it was well used. The one on the ground floor was open 24 hours and a lot busier.

Only ate in the buffet once and was dissapointed, the Dennys the other side of the casino Royal was good, decent service and had to be earlier in the morning, going for breakfast after 9am meant a big queue. free wifi is always a bonus, the closest to Harrahs that I found, the Starbucks in the casino didn't have wifi, I didn't get to use the one in the carnaval court, everything there was too congested.

Spent a couple of evenings staying 'local', TI, Venetian, Flamingo, Cosmo, Aria. all interesting but found it a bit difficult to walk, Caesars seemed to take ages to get into? must be some easier way. Seemed to have an impossible task of going into the Cosmo and walking through the casino to the Aria, even now don't know if it's possible ended up coming back out they way we went in and wlking further along the strip?

Did an evening doing the MGM, Ballys, Paris and PH. all that was expected, a lot of club touts out front but I'm certainly not in their age or dress profile!!!

Did the trip out to the Outlet centre (south) I didn't need anything there or in Fry's or in town centre.....for once! but did these on consequtive days visiting IHOP there very decent for a later breakfast and free wifi. Along with visits to SouthPoint, Silverton and The M.

A visit downtown is a must and nicely pleased by the upgrade of the Plaza, bit of fun in the Fitz on one of those older style bandits that you can win a casino token (value $10) both of us trying to win one, I got 4 nice mementos for friends (card covers). Mate had to buy one off me but not before he hit the $500 jackpot trying. Surprisingly we were pestered in Harrahs more than downtown.

Was supposed to move to the Orleans for the last 2 days but changed our minds when we visited the Silverton, stayed there the last 2 days, space, relaxation and free wifi across the casino floor made it enjoyable, tidy, clean and reasonably priced. Very nice cafe mentioned before, Starbucks and Johnny Rockets, will stay again.

Found centre Strip way too much and a very different proposition than when driving in from time to time. As you may gather I will always have a car, would have thought it wasn't needed mid town but it was valuable for the escape.

There were more negatives this trip than usual, but the freedom to move around as the mood took me still ensured a good trip.

luci

May

What is it with Harrah's check in? We arrived at 12.20 hoping for an early check in. After waiting half an hour there were no rooms ready and we were told check in was between 4-6pm. We were given a room number and eventually got in just before 4pm, by which time we were losing the will to live. Hated the slots at Harrah's so we went to the IP and Casino Royale.

joaniemerc

mat5664 wrote: »

just booked 3 tickets for Jersey Boys for my christmas holiday trip.

Thanks for the Jersey Boys code - will have a look at Ticketmaster.com - looks like we'll be there at the same time. We leave UK on Boxing Day:D

Froggitt

We tht JB at Palazzo was fab!!!

mat5664

November / December

joaniemerc wrote: »

Thanks for the Jersey Boys code - will have a look at Ticketmaster.com - looks like we'll be there at the same time. We leave UK on Boxing Day:D

Am arriving on 22nd for 6 nights. Wish I had booked for longer now as the BA flight doesn't get in until 18:30 so by the time we get through immigration, luggage, rental car etc thats most of the first night gone.

Glad I am not staying for New Years eve though - did that last year. Never again. Christmas is a lot less hectic.

joaniemerc

We decided on 10 days (factoring in the blummin' jet lag!) so will be there for New Year. We're Downtown tho' at the Golden Nugget so hopefully will be able to escape the worst of the madness on NYE!

ferf1223

March

Hi guys -

I do have one more Las Vegas Member Rewards voucher book to redistribute (it was one of those very kindly sent to me by bubble and now we're back we won't have any further use for it this year). If anyone is going this year and is interested please PM me with a number between 1 and 50 (hubby has picked the number this time!). Some of the vouchers expire before the end of the year, but most are good until 30th December.

The vouchers remaining in this one are marked with an x and in green on the attached - just in case some who may be interested are only after a couple that may already have been used.

http://www.slotgolf.com/vegas/LVA%20MRB4.pdf

Will leave it open until next Friday and then will see who is closest to the mystery number.

Thanks again to bubble for her kindness in passing her extras onto us intially.

mat5664

November / December

joaniemerc wrote: »

We decided on 10 days (factoring in the blummin' jet lag!) so will be there for New Year. We're Downtown tho' at the Golden Nugget so hopefully will be able to escape the worst of the madness on NYE!

We have 4 nights at Wynn and 2 at Planet Hollywood. I don't think my bankroll could take a 10 day stay!!