planning trip to Las Vegas

silkyuk9

luci wrote: »

Yep, book as soon as you see a rate you are happy with. The past few trips I have booked the hotel 7-8 months in advance when I found a rate I was happy with. However each time I haven't found anything better nearer the time.

We booked the MGM at $109 and it rocketed to $450 once the fight was announced.

Spoke to someone at the airport coming home. It was their first time and they stayed at the Flamingo. They had to get their room changed 3 times before they got one that was habitable. They didn't know about the Go rooms when I asked.

If you can go from MAN then look at Thomas Cook for flights. They have flights this summer for around £575 when the next cheapest with a scheduled airline is £824.

Great points, being a newbie to this subject im just concerned about everything, its not so bad going to spain etc as done this year after year.

I just needs guide prices so I know what to expect.

So Im sorting of thinking now that I need to plan way ahead and book flights and hotels seperatly. Ok, lets go to the hoteles to start with, I guess all the Vegas 'pros' (MSE's thats been lots of times) have their favorite places to stay. I'm not at all sure the costings of per night for 2, so, im not a millionaire but how much are you expcted to pay for a reasonalbe hotel per night, thats a hotel that normal folks stay at, like myself and I guess you, not movie and pop stars etc. Once I have a guide I can then go to the flights. So lets say we want to go next June or July (2012) what is the 'reasonable' prices we would pay for like room only basis for myself and the misses. if the hotel is too expensive with a pool, then the pool goes.

nw_man

Silky,

Do it the opposite way.

I reckon your flights are going to be the expensive thing, not the hotel.

Do the flights first.

I booked Monte Carlo for my friends honeymoon ( they are Vegas virgins too, on a budget ) for $286, £190 ish for 5 nights this coming June. However this wasnt a strip view room, everything is relative !

If I were a first time visitor I would want a strip view room myself, thats just my thoughts.

A previous poster has mentioned Circus Circus, almost all UK travel agents will recommend this, I hate it !! Its location is poor and its over run with kids, not to mention looks tatty. Again, just my opinion...

Excalibur is excellent value ( we stayed there ), as is Monte Carlo. Mirage is possibly your best bet for location / cost compromise, although we thought TI was great as well.

The Palazzo..... forget your budget and BOOK IT !!!:D

ferf1223

silkyuk9 wrote: »

if the hotel is too expensive with a pool, then the pool goes.

Almost every hotel has a pool - off the top of my head can only think of one that doesn't (Bill's and you can use Flamingo's pool).

The pools vary from standard rectangles to an entire complex.

Agree with nw_man...flights are the most expensive element - if you can't find flights that fit your budget then there's little point of going onto hotels...that's why I suggested getting flight prices checked out first...once you know what flight prices are, you can start to see what you have left for hotels.

Spursman's suggestion to price up packages on Expedia, etc. is also a good suggestion to start - not necessarily to book, but to get a feel for prices for flights + hotels.

To get the best deal in Vegas you do sometimes have to do some homework - you could find a flight+hotel package that you're happy with and be done...some don't want to keep looking...for some of us that's part of the fun.

Edited to add - never book a Vegas flight without checking hotel prices for the same dates...as some have mentioned, certain things can push hotel prices through the roof - conventions, major sporting events, US holidays, etc...don't assume the price for Hotel X for one week is pretty much standard...it could be much higher or much lower depending on specific dates.

And hotel prices are based on double occupancy - room per night, up to 2 people...more than 2 people there are surcharges.

ferf1223

JustWonderful wrote: »

Circus Circus has a bad reputation for some reason but it is perfect for someone travelling on a budget (as the poster appears to be).

But for not a lot more you can get, if nothing else, a hotel in a much more convenient location...I think that's what most mean when they caution against CC...due to its location, and ignoring anything else, it can easily be beat in a lot of cases...personally I can't bear the property...the rooms may be just fine, but I will never know as I couldn't stand to stay there. And I would stay at Excalibur (and have in the past), which is another budget-level hotel that gets slated a lot...so it's not like I'm just snobby.

ferf1223

JustWonderful wrote: »

We actually found the presentation a bit of a laugh- we had absolutely no intention of buying anything, and it was quite clear that no one on our mini bus had either- people were chanting on the way up 'do not sign anything' and when we all left we all laughed about it and it was a good way of meeting different people.

Like I said - it's down to personal preference...I wouldn't spend Vegas time on something like this, but for some it's a perfectly acceptable use of time with benefits that are worth more than the lost time to them.

duchy

JustWonderful wrote: »

Went to Vegas last year, and had an amazing time.

First time presumably
Vegas is hot all year round really, obviously I would avoid Summer Holidays though.

If you want any more help just PM someone who knows what they are talking about

There is no such thing as all-inclusive in Vegas -it's like saying there are all-inclusive hotels in London-it wouldn't work and would be a rip off

Vegas is NOT hot all year round -between November and March it gets cold enough the hotels close the pools and it can snow . I've walked along the Strip bundled up in coat and gloves on more than one trip. Not an issue for me as I don't go to lay around a pool-but your advice could really mess up the holiday of a sunlover !!

I suggest the OP checks out the Vegas thread on the sticky for accurate advice-page one answers mostt questions -if it doesn't it's a helpful thread with lots of people who've visited multiple times so will give you accurate info !

Oh and CircusCircus is not a particually good buy -even in the budget range there are FAR better deals to be had. It's old and run down and poorly located. Unless you really love other people's children rampaging all over the hotel from dawn til well gone midnight-I'd give it a miss.

duchy

nw_man wrote: »

The main thrust of reviews lately ( and I have been looking a lot ) are that the place is run down and dirty and lots of people complaining of last nights room service trays, plates, left over food, etc etc being outside peoples rooms in the corridors for days !

Not what I would expect from Vegas at all.

GREAT location though

I was there last week
Nothing has changed -still as it was with the addition of a nice food court right by the casino. I think it's the TA moaners all lost at the Flamingo casino recently

photome

MY 2penneth

OP have you read page 1 of the Vegas thread if not I recomend you do so (I know everyone esle has said so to).

Your budget isnt enough but I think you know that now

Lastly I think this thread should be merged with the Vegas sticky

ferf1223

duchy wrote: »

I've walked along the Strip bundled up in coat and gloves on more than one trip.

I remember one of our earlier trips - we were there late December/early January...we knew temps would not be hot...but I distinctly remember standing at valet for Excalibur, with winter coats on (as we had them with us as we needed them when we left London)...wondering why on earth we didn't bring our gloves and hats with us as it was soooooooo cold and windy - just freezing cold...their valet can be a wind tunnel anytime, but this was crazy - our ears felt frozen...we checked temps when we got back home and it was way warmer in London than it had been in Vegas.

One day I hope to experience snow on the strip - I think that would be too cool.

JustWonderful

duchy wrote: »

There is no such thing as all-inclusive in Vegas -it's like saying there are all-inclusive hotels in London-it wouldn't work and would be a rip off

Vegas is NOT hot all year round -between November and March it gets cold enough the hotels close the pools and it can snow . I've walked along the Strip bundled up in coat and gloves on more than one trip. Not an issue for me as I don't go to lay around a pool-but your advice could really mess up the holiday of a sunlover !!

I suggest the OP checks out the Vegas thread on the sticky for accurate advice-page one answers mostt questions -if it doesn't it's a helpful thread with lots of people who've visited multiple times so will give you accurate info !

Oh and CircusCircus is not a particually good buy -even in the budget range there are FAR better deals to be had. It's old and run down and poorly located. Unless you really love other people's children rampaging all over the hotel from dawn til well gone midnight-I'd give it a miss.

Well you're just a wee bit rude aren't you!

All i was doing was trying to help him out, I got the fact wrong about the weather- I have been 4 times, in April,June,September and beg. of November and each time it has been blistering heat.

I have stayed at Circus Circus twice, Excalibur once and for a treat we stayed in Bellagio once.

I liked Circus Circus- others loathe it. It is personal preference.