Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2013

duchy

I was exploring options for suites with balconies after hearing mixed reports about Cosmo and remembered having a suite at the Riv with a balcony a few years back. I used their on-line chat and the agent insisted the only suites with balconies are penthouse suites (costing as much as the Cosmo ones but bigger). I told her I was sure my suite wasn't penthouse before.....she went and checked and commented that she'd learned something new and indeed some of the "normal" suites do indeed have balcony and told me how to ensure I got one.

I certainly wouldn't want to stay at the Riv for the whole stay but a balcony suite (and breakfast at Wynn) sounds a nice option for a couple of days.

Mich81

duchy wrote: »

Depends where you are staying but I'd do very nicely on that kind of budget.

MGM Grand.

The budget is for 2 people, but I think £100 each per day should be sufficient for us? (I hope anyway)

Bearing in mind especially that the first day we won't arrive til 2pm Vegas time so will only have 6 full days.

StuieUK34

huge portions ?? Where do you get those?!!!!! Only seen huge portions at the buffets!
Normal food places serve up normal size (ok, Harley-davidson caf! give a bit more!), but on average, food size is the same as here, unless doing buffet or some whacky awesome food place! (like heart attack grill, etc)...

I reckon whatever budget u go for, as long as u stick to it, it will work no probs
I do £100 per day gambling allowance, and for the 2 of us, we paid £280 each into our kitty (2 of us) over the 10 nights...
Kitty was for fuel, walmart, food, drinks.....
Managed quite well as used vouchers here and there, freebies from myVegas, so budget went a long way this time round!

Mich81

I always find American portions huge, but then again I'm the sort of person who struggles to finish any meal over here too!

ferf1223

StuieUK34 wrote: »

huge portions ?? Where do you get those?!!!!! Only seen huge portions at the buffets!
Normal food places serve up normal size (ok, Harley-davidson caf! give a bit more!), but on average, food size is the same as here, unless doing buffet or some whacky awesome food place! (like heart attack grill, etc)...

it's odd how perceptions vary...most places we have eaten in Vegas the portions are enormous (and we aren't light eaters)...I would not say that on average portions are the same as here...we had an appetizer portion of chicken tenders that was bigger than most mains in the UK (and came in a big basket of fries!). Peppermill? Aren't the omlettes 6-eggs? And I think both pebbles and I have posted photos of the ham and eggs (though hers may have been EI - also huge, ham hanging off the plate). The 'side salad' at Cheesecake Factory made both of us laugh out loud when it came...I can rarely finish what I order when I don't have a starter (heaven forbid I did have a starter - or that stupid bread basket at Grand Lux I always swear not to touch and always touch).

We have gone 24-hours without a meal before as we were still full from the last one...and almost never eat more than one proper meal a day...if we do it's breakfast and a late dinner and that's rare.

photome

StuieUK34 wrote: »

huge portions ?? Where do you get those?!!!!! Only seen huge portions at the buffets!
Normal food places serve up normal size (ok, Harley-davidson caf! give a bit more!), but on average, food size is the same as here, unless doing buffet or some whacky awesome food place! (like heart attack grill, etc)...

I reckon whatever budget u go for, as long as u stick to it, it will work no probs
I do £100 per day gambling allowance, and for the 2 of us, we paid £280 each into our kitty (2 of us) over the 10 nights...
Kitty was for fuel, walmart, food, drinks.....
Managed quite well as used vouchers here and there, freebies from myVegas, so budget went a long way this time round!

I think almost anywhere in Vegas apart from high end places give huge portions in comparison to the UK

a few that spring to mind are Cheesecake factory , Hash House (which are stupidly huge), the apple pancake at the original pancake house, even in Max Brenners where we had the early evening special (taster menu) we struggled to fit in 2 tasters each which were only $6 each

as for budgets we would manage very well with some to spare on Mitch81,s budget excluding gambling

photome

duchy wrote: »

I was exploring options for suites with balconies after hearing mixed reports about Cosmo and remembered having a suite at the Riv with a balcony a few years back. I used their on-line chat and the agent insisted the only suites with balconies are penthouse suites (costing as much as the Cosmo ones but bigger). I told her I was sure my suite wasn't penthouse before.....she went and checked and commented that she'd learned something new and indeed some of the "normal" suites do indeed have balcony and told me how to ensure I got one.

I certainly wouldn't want to stay at the Riv for the whole stay but a balcony suite (and breakfast at Wynn) sounds a nice option for a couple of days.

A suite with a balcony sounds a good deal at the Riv (if they are cheap) are you going to share how to ensure that you can get one

StuieUK34

haaaaaaa, not been to any of those places..
Cheesecake factory is awesome (been to in SanFran and NYC), where in Vegas is it ?? and hash house ? will add those on my to do list!!!!

Georgiegirl256

Mich81 wrote: »

I know its like a ‘how long is a piece of string?’ question, but how much spending money do you all take to Vegas with you?

We’re going for a week, and I’m looking at taking £1500 for the both of us. This won’t include any shows that we might prebook, its purely to cover food, drinks, gambling, shopping etc.

Now bearing in mind my mum doesn’t drink, and I rarely drink but will have the odd cocktail, and any gambling we do will be less than $50 a day, how does this sound?

If the rate stays similar to how it is now, then we’d get $330 a day in this budget – not looking at constantly having big meals at fancy places, I imagine a lot of breakfasts will be at Starbucks or the likes, and given the huge portion sizes I can’t imagine we’ll eat both lunch and dinner. Might get some buffet passes from MyVegas too.

I’ll have an emergency credit card of course, but I’m working out my budget now so that I can plan how much I need to save over the next year

That's how much we are taking for the two of us. We don't really drink a lot, or even gamble that much either. We do like shopping though, and the list for things to do is gradually getting longer, so I'm starting to wonder if that is actually going to be enough? I think if you budget wisely, then it should be fine.

Georgiegirl256

StuieUK34 wrote: »

haaaaaaa, not been to any of those places..
Cheesecake factory is awesome (been to in SanFran and NYC), where in Vegas is it ?? and hash house ? will add those on my to do list!!!!

The Cheesecake factory is in Caesars Palace near the animatronic statues in the Forum Shops (which they are actually updating at the moment), we've walked past it loads of times, but have never been in yet, but I fancy giving it a try!