Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2012

popstar

photome wrote: »

How did you find that price?
I used to check Virgins hotel only prices but havent done so in ages as they stopped being competitive.

That looks pretty good for 2 rooms though but I can only get a price for the Cosmo with flights, it disappears as soon as I choose hotel only

That happended to me too, if you go through Virgin Atlantic, you can get it.

pennylane99

SHOWS

mazxx1 wrote: »

Hi All, would really appreciated some experienced Vegas advice!

My Partner & I are off to Vegas on 6th April (she will be 5 months pregnant at this point - Gulp), so i guess this is our last trip for a while! We will be there for 6 nights, meeting some friends, then heading off to San Fran via Yosemite.

We are really confused about what the best hotel to stay in would be, in terms of location, facilities, cost etc.

We are happy to splash out on a suite but the question is where?

We have been looking at the Bellagio, but I have concerns that due to its age it will be really tired, but i think its well located were we to walk anywhere.

The Cosmopolitan looks exciting but i keep hearing rumours that the house keeping is horrific so any experience of this place would be greatly received.

The Wynn, looks like it could be the one, but it seems a long way down the strip and i don't seem to be able to find any deals on the place.

The advice i have read in the Forum so far has been great but would really appreciate anyones help on this accommodation conundrum!

thanks

there are several offer codes for the Wynn/Encore at the moment, but may not cover your dates as its over Easter

NXWNTR2, 3, 4, 5 & 6 with rates from $118 a night & 2 free buffets on certain dates

luci

We have stayed at the Cosmo, Bellagio and Encore.

The Encore standard rooms are really nice, but I think it is too far north for a first visit.

All the Bellagio rooms have been refurbished and were only finished in the past few weeks so won't be tired. A lakeview room would be the way to go.

We loved the Cosmo as we had a fountain view terrace studio. The only difference between a studio and a one bedroom is a wall between the living and bedroom areas.

I would put the Cosmo first, then Bellagio then Wynn last.

bubble113

CASINOS

photome wrote: »

How did you find that price?
I used to check Virgins hotel only prices but havent done so in ages as they stopped being competitive.

That looks pretty good for 2 rooms though but I can only get a price for the Cosmo with flights, it disappears as soon as I choose hotel only

As popstar said I did it through Virgin Atlantic choosing hotel only option. You have to go to the end of the dummy booking as for some reason it adds a little bit more on at the very end (no idea what the extra is for!)

I booked through them for August got a good price for a wraparound. I compared it to a lot of the usual sites...lowcost,expedia, direct with hotel and a few others but they were a lot more expensive. Only downside is cancellation,its not free!

stoneman

CASINOS

OK, I keep reading on here how new visitors to Vegas shouldn't stay in hotels that aren't "central".
Pray tell me what is so special about staying "central" ie somewhere in the region of the intersection of Flamingo/LV Blvd?. The only thing there is the fountains to look at, and the back passage shops at PH. So what, make a trip there to see them. Not a reason to stay in that area on their first trip.
IMHO North strip hotels have much more to offer. Just look at what is in easy walking distance if you stay say Wynn. Encore, Venetian, TI, Mirage, Palazzo, most of which knock socks off of the central hotels for quality. Also there are more things near you to see. Fashion Show Mall, Sirens of TI, the volcano at Mirage, the shops at Palazzo and Venetian, the gondolas etc, etc.
And if you stay at say NY/NY, Monti Carlo or MGM, everything is now connected to the more central area by City Center that walking to Bellagio is no big deal IMO.
So, where do we have central worth staying at. Anything in City Center, can't comment because I have never stayed there, but by most accounts get the right room and you have a nice view. Although I don't lke the casino set up in the Cosmo. Ballys, old casino and most of the rooms are quite old fashioned from what I hear, but big. Caesars, none of the rooms have a real strip view because the towers are all at right angles to the strip, and unless you get an Augustus tower room you are gonna get something not quite nice or far away from everything, casino is the nicest looking one in Vegas. Bellagio, unless you have a lake view room (which is gonna cost you big) the other rooms are small and over rated, and it is VERY BUSY. Flamingo, old rooms except for the Go rooms, casino is old. Imperial Palace, enough said . Bills, old casino and basic rooms from reports I have read. PH, poky rooms and a casino that would be a bit too in your face and loud for most middle aged visitors. I would say the winner here is Paris, nice casino, good rooms if you know what to ask for.

secretmachines

VALUE FOR MONEY

stoneman wrote: »

I would say the winner here is Paris, nice casino, good rooms if you know what to ask for.

what is best to ask for/book? as-and-when our next LV trip happens, I'm putting Paris near the top of the list as quite tempted to stay there

luci

The reason I suggested staying central for a first visit is that you have the choice to head either north or south with everything walkable from central strip. It is a hike from the Wynn /Encore to even the MGM Grand never mind the Luxor and Mandalay Bay beyond that.

Yes you could get a taxi, but for me a taxi is for getting from A to B. Walking means you can take your time visitng all the hotels that interest you rather than fly past them.

As for the quality of the hotels north of the strip being better, they compare to the Cosmopolitan, Aria and Bellagio and I have stayed in those so can give an opinion.

And it is just that, my opinion. I have no idea the OP's attitude to walking miles or getting a taxi everywhere.

We have stayed at the Encore, Palazzo and Venetian to the north and as far south as the Four Seasons and tend to do stuff in the area we are staying if we are at either end of the strip rather than hiking from one end of the other.

duchy

SHOWS

For a first time visitor I think it's all about the buzz of walking out of your hotel (or looking out of your window) and seeing all those iconic sights.

The Wynn *is* nice but the poster's wife is pregnant and staying North will involve more walking than staying centre Strip. I personally think it's enough of a trek from say CP down to MB-Not sure I'd have happily walked it when pregnant.

No-one's mentioned the Venetian surprisingly.

I think I'd be looking at the Venetian (which I always think of as a mid Strip not a north)or a mid tower suite at Ceasars (and a $50 tip to attempt to be moved to Augustus) as the poster was talking about suites.

Also the Flamingo has now started renovating their standard rooms so the choice is no longer "tired rooms or Go rooms". Actually if the prices was right a Go suite at the Flamingo would be a nice choice.

stoneman

CASINOS

But I am not talkng about one specific poster. It is mentioned all of the time to every new person that asks "where should I stay". Sorry luci my post was not aimed at you, but seeing that it came in directly after you posted would seem that way.

stoneman

CASINOS

secretmachines wrote: »

what is best to ask for/book? as-and-when our next LV trip happens, I'm putting Paris near the top of the list as quite tempted to stay there

You can ask for a "P" room, either near the elevators or at the far end of the corridor, they are nice and big. You can also ask for a standard room tower view, or a "Red" room. These are nicely decorated but a bit on the small side.