Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2012

crow99

GLad to be able to help in some way.
It's also worth checking reguarly as the other day I was able to book a Fab Deluxe for 5 nights for free and then only two nights.

Likewise PH and Paris show up for brief periods, I'm pretty sad and at a computer all day so I normally check quickly once a day

amrad

Those were the strip hotels I could find at good prices - anything else you would suggest?

photome wrote: »

Is there any reason why you narrowed your choice to the 4 hotels you listed, as you have been before there probably is, just thought I would ask though as there are lots more choices.

ferf1223

VALUE FOR MONEY

Froggitt wrote: »

Can stay most of November at Rio for about a tenner!!!!

One other thing on TR comp rooms - normally they limit to 5 consecutive nights - at least that we have always seen...I think (not positive) that there's a 3 day gap required between comped stays...

So another reason if there are 2 of you with TR accounts to check all options - because we used to be able to get 5 days each on our own at some properties...if we tried to book our normal 8 nights on one reservation, with one as companion, it was more expensive than one of us booking 5 nights, the other booking 3 nights...and asking to have the reservations linked. We normally asked them to be linked before we arrived as seemed to be less hassle for the agent at check-in, but we have had it done at check-in before.

Froggitt

So say mine says Harrahs every Mon Tue Wed Thu in November listed as Comp.....if I want two weeks, the cumulative price in that calendar page (on the left) is just the paid for days. Will it actually let me book two weeks or which 8 are comped?

Froggitt

ferf1223 wrote: »

You have to collect your bag at your first point of entry in the US, and take it to the recheck area (usually very close by)...then it goes from there to your connecting flight.

As for timing, it depends on a lot of factors - how many other international flights are landing, what airport, do you change terminals, etc.

We normally go for 3 hours...though next month we have 2.5 to make a connection at LAX...not thrilled but should be OK.

http://apps.cbp.gov/awt/

That is somewhat helpful, but by no means a guarantee of wait times...but it gives you an idea by airport/terminal/day of the week in any particular month.

If you have booked a through-ticket and you miss your connection as the first flight is late arriving then the airline will have to get you to your destination. If you book separately, there's no obligation on either airline to sort it out for you.

Lets create a quick reference guide here by airport, and photome can paste it into page one when complete. I'll go first.

Charlotte (US Airways hub) - easy peasy. Bag drop about 10 yards away, all "terminals" only a short (5-10 mins) walk away with lots of moving walkways.

masterwilde

hi all, i phoned total rewards last night as they could not verify my date of birth on there site and asked me to call them which i did. They said when i joined 5 years ago they didnt enter my dob correct and therefore had no access.

However the lady stated that you have to use your comp/rewards within 180 days of gaining them, is this right as that would mean i have to go vegas twice a year to use them to an advantage.

I always gamble around 5k sterling at blackjack and therefore each trip i gamble 30k usd as it goes back and forth. hence i thought i would have some decent rewards but alas no and couldnt use them if i did if i have to go twice a year.

Do any of you get around this? if so could you please explain how

many thanks

craig

ferf1223

VALUE FOR MONEY

masterwilde wrote: »

However the lady stated that you have to use your comp/rewards within 180 days of gaining them, is this right as that would mean i have to go vegas twice a year to use them to an advantage.

I always gamble around 5k sterling at blackjack and therefore each trip i gamble 30k usd as it goes back and forth. hence i thought i would have some decent rewards but alas no and couldnt use them if i did if i have to go twice a year.

Do any of you get around this? if so could you please explain how

many thanks

craig

it's reward credits that expire after 6 months of inactivity - not necessarily comps available through the booking calendar...reward credits are worth $0.01 each...so you can use them up before you leave if you are not planning on coming back within 6 months...for food, shows, purchases in their shops, room charges etc.

Comps via the bookings system are different...they may taper off over time, but we have definately had comps available after more than 6 months absence.

They are much kinder to slot players...obviously you play a game with a much lower house edge, so they are not going to give as much away to you as they would to a slot player like me. From what I have read, MGM properties are better for table players, CET/HET better for slot players.

ferf1223

VALUE FOR MONEY

Froggitt wrote: »

So say mine says Harrahs every Mon Tue Wed Thu in November listed as Comp.....if I want two weeks, the cumulative price in that calendar page (on the left) is just the paid for days. Will it actually let me book two weeks or which 8 are comped?

hmmm..I'm not sure as we've never tried anything that long - with some paid for nights in the middle...it may do as you'll have more than 3 non-comped days in the middle. Hang on, just checked and it's saying the max you can book is 11 nights, even before we get to the what's comped section? That's going in putting actual dates, not using the calendar...but when I look at 11 nights, only 5 are comped over the duration.

the other thing...sometimes checking a shorter duration brings back better prices, so bolting together 2 bookings may be better...we have had it before where we were staying say 6 nights over a weekend and putting in all 6 nights, we got charged for Friday & Saturday...and got the weekdays comped...but putting in 5 days instead, all were comped, including the weekend nights.

ferf1223

VALUE FOR MONEY

ok , because I was curious, here's what we can see for a random month at a random hotel for a longer duration (11 nights seems to be the most it will let me put in).

Calendar



Check Trip Price



Breakdown:



oh...and now if we add me to the booking as a companion - the above was just hubby.





We have found before that it will give you the earliest nights comped that their system says you're due...but later nights may actually be more expensive (like weekends, special events) but we can get them comped if they are earlier in the trip...so sometimes it can pay to play around with start dates...

Froggitt

So even tho theres loads listed as comps, it maxes out at five days?