Las Vegas 2007 bargain hunt + tips

photome

Ferf

I tried booking 3 nights in the promo period MGM (all nights highlighted) but got to the payment screen and the third night hadnt been deducted. Do you know if it should have been?

ferf1223

photome wrote: »

Ferf

I tried booking 3 nights in the promo period MGM (all nights highlighted) but got to the payment screen and the third night hadnt been deducted. Do you know if it should have been?

Hi - I think it says somewhere that the cheapest of the 3 nights will be deducted at checkout.

Yeah, here are the T&Cs from the MGM site:

Book by December 20, 2007. Inclusions are per package, per stay and have no cash value. Lowest nightly rate deducted from your bill upon check out. Rates are subject to change and restricted dates apply. Minimum 3 night stay. Not available for existing reservations. This promotion is non-transferable, subject to availability, may not be combined with any other MGM Grand promotion and is not available to groups or persons attending meetings or conventions or over certain blacked-out dates. All prices are subject to tax and/or handling fee and based on double occupancy on a per-stay basis. Activity credit is not valid at L'Atelier, Joel Robuchon, Rainforest Cafe, Emeril's, and in-room dining. Activity credit is valid only for KA by Cirque du Soleil and Crazy Horse Paris and must be redeemed after check-in. All prices for Crazy Horse Paris, KÀ by Cirque du Soleil are subject to tax and/or handling fee.

Steff

ferf1223 wrote: »

We've been late December/early January a few times and it really can vary even day to day within the same trip. Sometimes we've been fine in long sleeve tops and other times we've had coats, gloves, hats - the works. It's the wind that makes the difference but I distinctly remember standing waiting for our car at the valet at Excalibur, all bundled up, freezing to death, cursing the wind and thinking 'this is so wrong - it's so much warmer in London!'

So my advice would be to plan for layers.

Morning ferf,
just seen your post and couldnt help but comment on it. Having only ever visited Vegas in June/July when it tops out at around 115 degrees every day - its SO hard to imagine having to wrap up in Vegas!!!
Usually you are avoiding the sun whilst queuing for taxis and trying to get hit by the water sprayers.... How amazing that it can fluctuate from one extreme to another. I really cannot imagine being there and being cold.

Although, I usually end up having to wear layers inside the casinos with the harsh air con in some places. It must be a blast being able to walk up and down the strip without getting fried!!! I have never done it. Even at night in July its still around 100 degrees and my other half always complains that he is too hot!
The joys of Vegas eh?;)

iltisman

I just read on the pilots forum Maxjet has had trading in its shares suspended I wonder if this will effect any mse,s.

bring1t

My_Fathers_Daughter wrote: »

Have done fly drive a few times before so the extras won't be a shock - we will probably only use a car for a few days anyway (no point having one when you are staying in vegas) so I will check out the difference and see what happens. Thanks for the heads up though!

Managed to get some good hotel deals after a fair bit of searching today - 3 nights Monte Carlo (plus comp drinks, buffet & spa passes) for $299 then 3 nights Luxor (inc NYE) for $635. More expensive than I have paid before but overall not too bad. We are planning to drive down to the Grand Canyon and overnight somewhere en route in between those.

To be honest - these flights are a good £300+ cheaper (each) than I have seen anywhere else for this time of year so I am V pleased with myself...I was considering the Canaries but LV is much more fun!!!!

Didn't realise how cold it would be though - the latest I have been before is October and the weather was lovely then - does anyone know if it will be 'jumpers' or 'coats' weather (or even both :eek: )?

Also any tips for where to spend NYE would be gratefully received.

Still excited :j :j :j

I was in Vegas for New Years Eve last year and to be honest the best place is out on the strip!! It gets completly closed down to traffic and it is a really party atmosphere and at the 12 o'clock mark a number of hotels let off all the fireworks......it was a bit chilly though. we actually had hats and scarfs on!!

trets77

LVA has published it best found rates for the last year. makes a good guide to expected prices.

Under $20
El Cortez
Under $30
Arizona Charlies East , Four Queens , Gold Coast , Gold Spike , Palace Station , Sam's Town , Suncoast, Vegas Club, Wild Wild West
Under $40
Arizona Charlies west , California , Circus Circus , Fiesta Henderson, Fiesta Rancho, Fitzgeralds, Fremont, Golden Gate , Hooters , Nevada Palace , Orleans, Plaza, Sahara , Stratosphere, Terribles, Texas Station, Tropicanna, Tuscany.
Above $40
Flamingo $49 , Harrahs $52, Hilton $54, Luxor $55, Ballys $59, Golden Nugget $59, Monte Carlo $60 , Hard Rock $63, Rio $63, TI $69, NYNY $70, MGM $80, Planet Hollywood $84, Mirage $88 , Palms $89, Paris $89, Westin $109, Mandalay Bay $110, Green Valley $129, Red Rock $129, Caesars $132, Bellagio $159, Venetian $179, Wynn $189

SavvyStevie

Me and the wife are in Vegas for 3 nights in Dec and have been trawling the sites for a good hotel deal and quite like the one posted by Ferf for the MGM. With the night free it would work out at about $150 for the Grand Tower but was wondering if it was worth upgrading to a bungalow king suite for an extra 50 bucks or considering another hotel?? Budget would prob be about 300$ for the 3 nights.

Also keen on seeing a Cirque du Soleil show whilst there - any recommendations for which and where to get the best deal?

Have been to Vegas once before staying in the Palms for Spring Break and loved every minute of it - crazy!!!

Any help much appreciated.

trets77

Cirque du Soleil shows are seldom found at a discount. if you are there a week night and it's before Xmas there is a chance one may appear at one of the 2 half price ticket outlets , but i doubt it will be a 50% discount . you could also check out the free magazines to see if any offers are advertised.
your probably as well buying from the shows box office as anywhere else.

Baz_2

SavvyStevie wrote: »

Also keen on seeing a Cirque du Soleil show whilst there - any recommendations for which and where to get the best deal?

We saw two cirque shows over the summer and both were amazing, for your first show however id recommend Mystere at treasure Island. You can get a good show/dinner meal for around $130 each which isn't bad value as the seats are decent aswell and you can choosebetween the steakhouse and the italian places to eat. Its a set menu but decent.

On the back of seeing that and enjoying it so much we paid full price to see Ka the next night and that was awsome also.

The Muscle men in Mystere are just awsome.

lolamancity

Just got back from my first trip to Vegas so thought i'd add to the valuable hints and tips

Flights - paid £350 each with Continental through their website. We booked a multistop ticket from Mcr to Vegas (change at Newark) then back to NYC and home to Mcr. I thought this was excellent value but the flight out to Vegas totalled more than 17 hours and was a killer, and with 2 hours for the connection, we only just made it with seconds to spare, so i might leave more time if we did that again.

We stayed at the Bellagio, and got a cheap return shuttle (Bell trans) from the airport (£5.50 each return) which was brilliant value. I had booked Bellagio months ago, and gone for the cheapest room, but on check-in tried the $20 trip, to which the girl was ultra grateful and thanked me for about 20 times, during which i was getting a bit embarrased about it...i thought it was supposed to be discreet! Anyway she upgraded us to a deluxe room which was lovely.

One thing we quickly learnt about was Time share people. They are absolutely everywhere you go (on the street, in the casinos with official looking desks) They are stupidly friendly and can spot you from a mile off.... they love middle aged, and couples. They single you out and heap compliments and praise on you, promising free gifts, shows and food... then they try to force you to come to a presentation... then they get pretty nasty and rude and aggressive when you try and escape them. I recommend telling them you are just about to catch a flight home and can't talk to them, or just don't make eye contact and walk quickly past them.

As for Food, i recommend Maggianos mid-strip (chain, but gorgeous food and brill service), Stage Deli (in the depths of the Forum shopping centre at Caesers Palace, the best Cinnamon Toast i've ever had, im still drooling now!), and the Bellagio buffet (dearer than most, but still reasonable)

We did some great Free Stuff. I recommend seeing the MGM lions in the see-thru tunnel, that was brilliant, the famous Bellagio fountains, i could've watched them forever if i could, the volcano at the Mirage was pretty impressive too.

Casinos. Great for contsant free drinks! We didn't pay for one drink, but did get asked for ID every 5 minutes (literally) so don't forget to take your passport everywhere, you need it for everything, inc drinks, paying for food and shopping etc, even my husband got asked a couple of times and he's 34.

Best casinos to play in as settings were Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian and Caesers and Worst were the ones down the Stratospere end, which is looking neglected compared to the big ones around the Bellagio nowadays... those down that end look like they need a lot of tarting up a nit, to keep up with the rest.. Our luckiest at the slots were the Wynn and Venetian.

Shopping - There is a massive mall mid-strip. It looks quite small outside but when you go in, it's never ending! Make sure you head to Macey's Don't forget to get your 'tourist discount' in Macey's. Go to the gift wrapping bit on the bottom floor to obtain this, it gives 11% off at the tills, which is great particularly when you think you're getting a brilliant bargain, and end up a little disapointed at the tills when they add 8%(ish) tax on everything (food, goods etc etc, everything really) the discount card is like getting stuff tax free plus a little extra. The Forum shopping @ Caesers is just stupidly big and has every shop you could imagine, all of which are deserted so youo can just chill out whilst shopping, also the shops are great at the Venetian but mainly because they are set alongside the brilliant gondola river, and the deco on the ceilings at the Venetian is breath taking. Also more great shops are to be found at the Wynn, as well as an amazing looking restaurant we walked past which overlooks an unreal massive man made forest and waterfall.


Don't take cash to the US if you can help it. Get a small amount of currency for tipping and other odd bits and bobs from https://www.currency-express.com/currencyexpress/ who had the best rate at the time we went, then get a Nationwide Flexaccount with Visa Debit, and load it with your spending money, then just use that for EVERYTHING when you're there. We got a rate of 2.067 on one day. Don't forget to take your passport out with you at all times, you need it for ID far more often than you'd think, esp when paying for stuff.

I also recommend goiong up the stratosphere for great views, the big cats and dolphins in the Secret Garden at The Mirage which amused me for hours We also booked a helicopter trip over the Gran Canyon with Papillion, which was out of this world on such a beautiful sunny and crisp day. My absolute highlight was the Cirque De Soleil 'O' show, which was worth the money and more, and i just never wanted it to end, it was truly amazing, you HAVE to go and see it to believe it.

Overall, we pretty much saw everything on the strip. We hopped from casino to casino, covering them all over the days, and walked from one end of the strip to the other by doing this (which burnt off the excess kcals lol) I recommend visiting them ALL, we loved gawping at things like the Eiffel tower at Paris, and the replica skyline ay NY NY, and also swooning at the classy decor (and Xmas displays) in the Bellagio, Wynn, Caesers, Venetian.

Im guessing a lot of the hotels/casinos won't be there when we go back in 4 or 5 years as some were seriously shabby, but i was glad to see them all!

I hope this review has helped a few people, as much as others reviews on MSE helped us have a great holuday in LV! I also found the Las Vegas 2007 by Frommers book invaluable.

Heres a few of my fave pics to go with the review in the review thread!



Venetian



Paris/Bally's



Dolphins @ Secret Garden, The Mirage





Lions @ Mirage



Top of the Stratosphere, excuse my ugly mug



View from our bedroom at The Bellagio, excuse our ugly mugs



A decent view when having a bath







One of many from the Gran Canyon



Bellagio



The plain decor at the Venetian!