Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2012

stoneman

CASINOS

Just been looking for some flights May next year. It seems as though VS are coming in at over £100 less than BA. Might have to go back on my word.

Winter_Jasmine

BUFFETS

Morning All,

Well, after our disappointment over Virgin's misprice the other week, we at least clarified how much we all definitely want to go to Vegas next year!

Thanks so much to coz2099 for pointing out the Virgin flight sale We were looking at September and were waiting for flights but now June's looking so cheap we're probably going to bring it forward. I will be looking at separate flights/hotels this afternoon but have been on Virgin Holidays this morning. Going in June will now save us around £300 each compared to the September prices :T

We've been twice previously - New Year 2003/04 we did two-stop flights and stayed at the Riviera (seemed ok at the time but now we know better!). Then we went on a Virgin package (paid for with Tesco points!) staying at TI in 2010, which was fine but a bit too far north to be ideal.

We had said we fancied Planet Hollywood this time as the location is brilliant but I didn't realise that their 'no resort fees' doesn't extend to WiFi which costs $14.99 a day?

At the moment, I'm leaning towards MGM Grand - if we go on 23 June from Manchester we can have 11 nights for £995, inclusive of resort fees. Although this doesn't fit with our ideal location (Caesar's to Planet Hollywood) from memory I think MGM's a bit more in the thick of it than TI - am I right? I also really like the look of their pool complex. Does anyone have any strong opinions either way about MGM?

Or, we could have 2 suites at the Vdara for £1090 each, but it's non-gaming. Looks lovely and is in the perfect location. My brother and his partner haven't been to Vegas before, do you think they'll be missing out by not staying somewhere with a casino?

Thanks lots

ferf1223

VALUE FOR MONEY

saffstar wrote: »

We had said we fancied Planet Hollywood this time as the location is brilliant but I didn't realise that their 'no resort fees' doesn't extend to WiFi which costs $14.99 a day?

Where there is a resort fee wifi (or wired in a few cases) is included...where there is no resort fee, you pay for it if you want it.

Some prefer this as they don't want any of the things that are included in a resort fee, so they don't get stuck paying for them via a resort fee.

There are places you can get free wifi...Earl of Sandwich at PH is one.

MGM has never appealed to us - too big for starters.

Winter_Jasmine

BUFFETS

Yeah - I naively didn't realise that, I just assumed that 'no resort fee' meant 'free wifi'! - glad I did notice cos I'd have got it in the neck from everyone else when we arrived haha!

The more I look at Vdara, the more I like about it. Especially as their resort fees are apparently ending from April but you will still have complementary wifi and water in the rooms (what a nice touch!)

secretmachines

VALUE FOR MONEY

saffstar wrote: »

Or, we could have 2 suites at the Vdara for £1090 each, but it's non-gaming. Looks lovely and is in the perfect location. My brother and his partner haven't been to Vegas before, do you think they'll be missing out by not staying somewhere with a casino?

Thanks lots
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hey saffstar, we're only a couple of weeks away from our 3rd stay at the Vdara... you can get from the Vdara lobby to Aria casino in about a 60sec walk... or be in the Bellagio casino in about 3mins... or the Cosmo casino in about 4-5mins.

for us, it's the perfect hotel: relatively quiet, non-smoking, smart, really well looked after... resort fees are fairly pricey at about $25/day i think though, so worth factoring in. (EDIT - but if they're ending...!)

Winter_Jasmine

BUFFETS

Just found flight and hotel deal with Lowcostusa for £970 (Virgin flights and Vdara). I've seen them mentioned a few times on here so I assume they're a decent company?

Thanks Secretmachines - that's probably made up my mind.....just need to wait for people to finish work so I can sell it to them!!

credit_crunch

saffstar wrote: »

Just found flight and hotel deal with Lowcostusa for £970 (Virgin flights and Vdara). I've seen them mentioned a few times on here so I assume they're a decent company?

Thanks Secretmachines - that's probably made up my mind.....just need to wait for people to finish work so I can sell it to them!!

my mum has been looking at sept nxt year too - she has got a few prices less than £1000 per person, flying Thomas Cook, direct from Manchester, hotel choices at that price level were MGM, IP, PH, Monte Carlo etc. You should check their website b4 you book anything. x

rorylando45

CASINOS

I didn't really like Vdara but that's just me. It seems to take forever to actually get onto the Strip from there, and it was also a bit quiet for my liking. I guess for some people that's an advantage though. Rooms were very nice.

secretmachines

VALUE FOR MONEY

saffstar wrote: »

Just found flight and hotel deal with Lowcostusa for £970 (Virgin flights and Vdara). I've seen them mentioned a few times on here so I assume they're a decent company?

Thanks Secretmachines - that's probably made up my mind.....just need to wait for people to finish work so I can sell it to them!!

is that for 11 nights? that sounds good.
this time round we booked a flight+hotel package through ebookers (7 nights, direct VA flights from LGW) which came to £1800 for 2 people... plus another £100 off through quidco, so £850pp

rorylando45 wrote: »

I didn't really like Vdara but that's just me. It seems to take forever to actually get onto the Strip from there, and it was also a bit quiet for my liking. I guess for some people that's an advantage though. Rooms were very nice.

horses for courses, that's why vegas is so great
we liked the stroll through Bellagio to get to the strip, via the conservatory, lobby, jean philippe, etc... we're in no rush ... or through Aria or Cosmo

Winter_Jasmine

BUFFETS

Yeah it's 11 nights including the resort fee (although I've read that there won't be one by the time we go!). I'm just so glad we didn't panic book when our Caesar's deal fell through the other week, I'd have been so annoyed at myself.

Just checked ebookers (£946 for the same thing) then a few more and have now found the same hotel/flight deal with Lastminute for £867.82 each, with 3.53% Topcashback :T:T:T

I don't think we'd mind an air-conditioned walk to the Strip through the Belaggio or the Cosmopolitan. We didn't really get annoyed by the 15 minute walk from TI, it's just that it's impossible to walk fast in 40 degree heat, which can be a bit of a pest!