Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2013

Georgiegirl256

muppetbaby wrote: »

The "getting married, can we have an upgrade" most likely will not work because so many people are in Vegas for weddings, special birthdays, anniversaries, etc, that they'd be giving away upgrades all the time. Do a google for "$20 trick" and you'll find useful tips on getting cheap upgrades, what to ask for, what to expect, likelihood of it working, etc.

We took a side-trip to LA, I found ridiculous cheap flights and a cheap hotel just off Hollywood Boulevard (scuzz central, as everyone else has noted), and we ended up missing our return flight LAX-LAS because of LA's horrible confusing sprawling public transport system. A bit of enterprising googling and we got a bus back later that same night for about $20 each, but be warned, LA is ENORMOUS, and lots of it really isn't worth seeing (especially from the back of the world's slowest cab when the minutes are ticking away :mad: )

I was thinking the same thing about the saying of the "we're getting married", as they must hear it all the time. We're going on our honeymoon and unless they actually asked if we were there for a special occasion, then I wouldn't mention it, as I'm sure they'd be like "yeah yeah sure you are!"

I think everyone has in their heads, that Hollywood is SO glamourous, but the reality is so different. When we were there, we compared it to this street in our nearest city, that is well known for being abit scutchy!

Georgiegirl256

ferf1223 wrote: »

we used to be really against moving hotels too but now we like it...though we normally go for 8-9 nights so a little longer and normally 5 and 3 or 5 and 4..not sure I would move for 2 nights as you would have the day you check in and you may not get into the room until later in the day, then your last full day in Vegas, then the day you check out but that's just me...one thing that we do find is that packing to come home is much quicker and easier - as we haven't spread out as much at the second hotel...it is all personal preference...now I look forward to the move as it seems like a new start to the holiday...always try to move 'up' though...never 'down'. But I can understand not wanting to move as we didn't want to for years.

Another good point! If I convince him, 4 in the Flamingo and 3 in the Cosmo would be a better idea I think!

Georgiegirl256

duchy wrote: »

I'm not sure how the building work has affected the Flamingo but it's a nice hotel-very central - lovely pool and the Flamingos in the grounds are pretty (Buffet over looks the gardens but equally you could grab a coffee and pastry and eat alfresco out there)
Standard rooms have recently been refurbished - and the better rooms the Go rooms are a bit more individual if rather pink - TV in the bathroom mirror and $20 will usually get you an upgrade basic Go room to Go room with a view of the Bellagio fountains.

Even if we don't end up staying there, I'd still like to go and see the Wildlife Habitat, like you say the grounds look really pretty!

I forgot about the building work. Last time we were in Vegas they were just starting to build City Centre (although we didn't know wat it was at the time), and the building noise annoyed me for a fortnight :mad:

nvh

Georgiegirl256 wrote: »

We're going on our honeymoon and unless they actually asked if we were there for a special occasion, then I wouldn't mention it, as I'm sure they'd be like "yeah yeah sure you are!"

I remember when we went and stayed in TI in 2006 (had the petite suite - thought it was an awesome room), they asked us at check-in if it was a special occasion.

It (genuinely) was the bird's 21st so I mentioned it and they sent us a bottle of bubbly up to the room, which I thought was a nice touch!

... this was back in the days where I wasn't very MSE and probably spent a stupid amount of money on the room in the first place

Georgiegirl256

nvh wrote: »

I remember when we went and stayed in TI in 2006 (had the petite suite - thought it was an awesome room), they asked us at check-in if it was a special occasion.

It (genuinely) was the bird's 21st so I mentioned it and they sent us a bottle of bubbly up to the room, which I thought was a nice touch!

... this was back in the days where I wasn't very MSE and probably spent a stupid amount of money on the room in the first place

That was nice of them, like you say, a nice touch!

lazyjack

Not sure if anyone has seen this:

http://www.holidaypirates.com/holidaypackages/7-nights-las-vegas-incl-flights-from-amsterdam-and-4-star-golden-nugget-hotel-for-only-eur499

EDIT: This isn't bad either:

http://www.holidaypirates.com/flights/open-jaw-flights-to-san-francisco-for-only-eur403-round-trip-incl-taxes

Hovis91

We booked to stay at the MGM for OH 50th birthday so a few weeks before we went I emailed them and they upgraded us to a Celebrity Spa Suite( it was a huge room with a massive jacuzzi in the bathroom!!) completely free of charge.
We have also stayed t the Bellagio on our wedding anniversary and had bubbles and chocolates left in the room for us.
Each time we were never asked for proof we were actually telling the truth(we were!!)

photome

lazyjack wrote: »

Not sure if anyone has seen this:

http://www.holidaypirates.com/holidaypackages/7-nights-las-vegas-incl-flights-from-amsterdam-and-4-star-golden-nugget-hotel-for-only-eur499

EDIT: This isn't bad either:

http://www.holidaypirates.com/flights/open-jaw-flights-to-san-francisco-for-only-eur403-round-trip-incl-taxes

For anyone who hasnt clicked the second link

It is for flights on various dates through to March from £353 Milan/Bologna to San Fransisco and then return to Manchester with Virgin.

Looks a steal

edit

the first link is 7 nights in the GN inc flights from 499 euros from Amsterdam

Dirk_Gently_2

duchy wrote: »

I'm not sure how the building work has affected the Flamingo but it's a nice hotel-very central - lovely pool and the Flamingos in the grounds are pretty (Buffet over looks the gardens but equally you could grab a coffee and pastry and eat alfresco out there)
Standard rooms have recently been refurbished - and the better rooms the Go rooms are a bit more individual if rather pink - TV in the bathroom mirror and $20 will usually get you an upgrade basic Go room to Go room with a view of the Bellagio fountains.

Thanks for this. I'm in the Flamingo 2nd week of September, in a Go Luxury with strip view.

Our first choices were Bellaggio, the Venetian & Caesar's Palace, but the way the cost worked out we could have had a bottom of the range room at either of those three, or a top of the range room at the Flamingo for the same money.

And I may be wrong, but I think I'd rather be in a really good room in an average hotel than in an average room in a really good hotel. Big fish/small pond and all that ...

luci

The "advice" is usually that a basic room in a good hotel is better than a "good" room in a cheap hotel.

The linens, furnishings, etc are usually higher quality in the better hotels.