Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2013

Froggitt

San Francisco. Alcatraz, driverless cars, bridge, trolley cars, fire, winery etc etc

alictait

Froggitt wrote: »

San Francisco. Alcatraz, driverless cars, bridge, trolley cars, fire, winery etc etc

Was debating there but holds bad memories from our 2009 trip when I caught flu while there then got quarantined when I got back for over a week (was at the time of the swine flu outbreak) not fun times! But should really give the place a chance to redeem itself!

Georgiegirl256

alictait wrote: »

Hi all

Going to Vegas for Xmas/ New Year, will be our 5th time :T

Am looking to maybe break the trip up by going somewhere else for a few days, maybe Palm Springs or San Diego, does anyone have any recommendations? Have been to the Grand Canyon a couple of times now, and to Phoenix and LA on previous trips. Bearing in mind it won't be hot in Vegas (in comparison to Scotland I'm sure it'll be tropical!) but Iid like to see/ do something we've never been/ done before

Similar happened to us at San Fransisco, although not half as bad as you by the sounds of it. The DH got some sickness bug and a migraine and I ended up going on the tour myself Although we really didn't have enough time to do anything and appreciate it properly. One stand out memory though, is the green looking chicken the OH got there

Palm Springs I absolutely loved, we only spent one night there, it was a Thursday night, the night they do the Villagefest, it was a great atmosphere! We also went on the Palm Springs Airiel Tramway too which was cool.

duchy

pebblesmax wrote: »

Will that be for the wedding duchy?

Looking that way

ferf1223

duchy wrote: »

£40 for Yotel Ferf-even less faffing

I'll be there April or May too

I just don't think the Yotel would be for us...somehow...maybe one day will give it a try but the thought of my hubby moaning about how it's not the Hilton may be too much.

How exciting about the impending wedding!

ferf1223

OK - hubby saw that and has said that his moaning would be drowned out by mine if there are no flannels at Yotel...lack of flannels in hotels in Europe is sort of a trigger for me.

duchy

ferf1223 wrote: »

I just don't think the Yotel would be for us...somehow...maybe one day will give it a try but the thought of my hubby moaning about how it's not the Hilton may be too much.

How exciting about the impending wedding!

I don't view Yotel as a hotel stay-more like a cocoon in the terminal. The rooms are tiny like a ship's cabin but so perfectly placed (and I never use hotel's own flannels anywy )

pebblesmax

ferf1223 wrote: »

Lack of flannels in hotels in Europe is sort of a trigger for me.

Ha ha! Just like Tony. We always take flannels just in case.

photome

pebblesmax wrote: »

Ha ha! Just like Tony. We always take flannels just in case.

Now I know whats in the bag;)

ratkarth

Part 3
Day 6
With the fast realisation the holiday was nearly over we got out our to do list, top of the list kiss crazy golf opposite hard rock, this was really good fun and felt like normal life again, loads of locals and a kids birthday party going on, used a coupon for this from the Internet but felt bad as this was obviously someone's labour of love so I bought a souvenirs drink to make up for it, guy running it v friendly and announced that we were here from uk on the music system, then went to outlet mall (north) I found it too hot do jumping from shop to shop, Natalie emptied my credit card in the Calvin client handbag store, I couldn't find anything I liked in my size but this is what you expect in an outlet,
On the way home decided to see another show so called in to tix4tonight got tickets for rock of ages at 50 dollar each, they tried to sell me dinner 20 percent off coupons but when you look at how much we would actually save on what we would order probably wasn't worth being tied Down
Strip was packed as was fight night so took taxi to ti rather than. Venetian so could avoid the strip, and is only a quick walk over.
Ate a grand lux cf, nice bottle of wine and managed main course and shared salad and a cheesecake, lovely meal and my best so far
Started gambling on the hangover slot machine but after no cocktail waitress came we left, lost around 20 dollars, found the tightness on e drinks really has stopped my gambling this time around
Went for a few drinks in bourbon room before show
Show started at 10, glad I paid for cheapest seats as we were moved to centre 3rd row on arrival as theatre not full
Had a drink before the show jd and coke, which I fainted of the price of 15$!!!
Show was very good, ful of energy, plot not as good as the film but everyone had a fab night and they really got the audience dancing, would def see again at this price but wouldn't have paid 100 dollars plus the seats were originally at

day 7
Got up late as late night the night before, walked the the shop in front of aria and got some juice, tried to go for peppermil for breakfast, again place was rammed and really long que so left it, went downtown and had Fremont buffet as advertised as "the biggest and best buffet downtown" was disappointed with it but hey it was cheap
Went to the mob museum, walked there and felt quite safe for downtown,
This museum was really good, the staff all very friendly and a lovely building, was planning on only spending an hour there but came out 3 hours later and we both now really want to rematch godfather etc....
Came back, I lazed by the pool while nat packed, tried to find vdara death ray spot but couldn't, vdara pool was nice, music quiet, small and very relaxed, a contrast to mgm both good for different reasons.
Went to mon ami gabi and seated fountain view straight away, as always meal was incredible and dawns on us this was our last night. Once again sits deeply in my heart as top meal in vegas. Only downside was sat next to menu board and s everyone reading menu wanted us to review it for them
Finally tracked down "Alan" from the hangover and had some pics with him, ( i dont find these people threatening or annoying, even the music cd guys, the only ones i didnt like were the timeshare ones) went to casino royale played craps and roulette, managed to get. Drink - hooray!! Lost 25 overall
Tried fat Tuesdays as on our todo list and eArl of sandwich on walk home at 2am( agin todo list)
Then sat on swings on the bar outsid vdara (amazing!, going to build me one of those)

Day 8
Woke up early as sad to be going home packed and checked out, left car and luggage with hotel and did some tacky souvinere shopping for people back home, love my bubba gump t shirt I got my friend, went for lunch at le village with a groupon voucher, big mistake as a huge que, at least 30 mins, food was good but not to rave about
Did a bit more shopping, nat had a water massage thing, looked like she was going rough a car wash in a convertible!, chilled on the strip for a bit then picked up car Nd headed for lV sign, huge que there so took some sneaky pictures on the side and back of sign
Didn't have enough miles for first back so flew business, lovely shower in las lounge so wasn't sweaty prior to flight and got a good few glasses of wine in the lounge while on the wifi, the flight back with club world was nice, but definitely not on a par with first with lots of people not happy about the seating arrangement.
I would never consider paying full price for either of these seats (unless I had lots of money)

trip summary

I first went to vegas in the early 2000's where I was out for 6 weeks working when themed resorts reigned and vegas wasnt so fancy, I got comped a lot in Sahara as was there most nights playing blackjack would get lots of free drinks and offered a goodly few buffets, my last adventure before this one was in 2009 when the economic climate went under and at that time vegas was giving away freebies now there is no tomorrow lat time we had mgm room for 30 pounds a night including all day free buffets, slot credits et. Since then vegas appears to have recovered and it is now catering to the young rich crowd where it can above others, the new resorts aimed at this - Cosmo, aria, mandarin oriental et.
They don't seem to favour the low rollers such as me who before would bet low on the 3 dollar craps. I feel my relationship with vegas is much more honest now - i pay for my drinks food etc and I get it (like a regular holiday ) rather than sitting for hours on end at a table racking up points and free drinks
The other thing I've learnt is that in American food I seem to prefer mid priced restaurant to high end, very handy to know,

The good

As always mon ami gabi,
Love - really surprised me as didn't like Ka that much
Kiss crazy golf
My vegas voucher for tok and love and monorail
The first class flight using my saved air miles
The lunch at stratosphere
Daybed at mgm pool
Vdara corner suite
Big elvis
Mob museum

The bad

Sw steak - very expensive for what you got and restaurant was too hot,
My vegas - circus circus, the pub at montecarlo, both poor use of my points but as free not complaining at all, would have rather spent it on zumanity
Tightening up of free drinks
The redicilous prices for a drink and a mixer in a bar

The ugly

The amount of children on the strip, don't get me wrong i have children and I love them dearly, we looked at bringing them to vegas this time and very nearly did, but what is here for them - really this is an adult destination and the heat is really unfair on them. The number of upset tired children being dragged around by the parents I found quite upsetting, particularly the mum at 9pm last night I saw shouting at her 3ish year old daughter for misbehaving by not keeping in the designated casino areas while she was chatting to her friend playing slots Children like to run around its hard for them to understand why they cant, Leave them with relatives or take them somewhere like disneyworld but please not vegas,