Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2014

KrazyKel

Hi, Love this forum, Ive always wanted to go to Vegas
Going to have a good read over this topic and get some ideas!

I currently have debt so not able to go on holiday but hoping to pay off and save to go to vegas for my 30th in 2016!

Im a bit of a newbie so dont really know where to start.. (Haven't even got a passport haha)
How long is best to stay for my first trip?/
How much am i looking at paying for flights, hotels (say 1week?)
Want to do it cheap... but obv still nice location etc

How early do you have to book flight/hotels?

It may not be financially possible.. but gives me something to look forward to and plan..

Is there anything I can be doing over the next year to make it easier as in rewards/points/clubcard etc.
Im sure all these questions have been asked before, but thanks

Wammer

KrazyKel, Page 1 of this thread should answer most of your questions. The cost of flights varies widely depending on the time of year you go and the airport you are flying from.

Wammer

Re the Monte Carlo buffet. It's a while since we tried it as there are far better buffets out there.

I would second ferf's suggestion of getting the $50 dining credit instead. You can still use that at the buffet, but it gives you a lot more options. We used it at D.Vino the Italian which was good, but I think I would try The Pub at Monte Carlo next time.

vegasvisitor

We've not tried the Monte Carlo buffet either. It's not a casino we go in much either. When we stayed at MGM a couple of times we went in looking for the brewpub but it was closed. I didn't even know if they had a buffet to be honest, just never thought to go looking. I expect they are priced in line with the hotel/food standard though. I tend to find you get what you pay for with the buffets, and you only get better value (in terms of cost for food quality) if you go off strip.

Orleans and Gold Coast have reasonable quality buffets at a good price. Better value that you would get off strip.

Red Rock and Green Valley Ranch have very similar buffets, and are a step up but being further out again the price isn't much more than Orleans/Gold Coast but the quality is a bit higher.

Silverton has a good buffet, but is a bit remote unless you have a car you might be near there anyway. Not far from the Outlets south strip.

On the strip I find the the food tends to be a bit inline with the quality (and price) of the hotel....and also in line with the price of the buffet. So some of the low level buffets might not have much food I like either. I can pretty much have breakfast anywhere. Late lunch or dinner however I put more thought into. If we're out i the car there are some good options and coupons, then on our days on the strip we end up splurging a bit more. To make a saving, try a good buffet like Bellagio or Wynn and have a late lunch around 3pm instead of dinner. That way you get a nicer meal and a better price. Works well for us on the days we don't have the car as we tend to sunbathe from 11am till 1pm or so, then head out about 3pm. We would have a small breakfast and then a late lunch which would keep us going till the next day.

We have bought a few groupon deals this year, plus have a LVA book, restaurant.com vouchers, and around $200 social rewards each, so I think we've about got it covered....or should I say I'll get stressed because we can't use all those deals as there's too many!!!

dodger1

Are some of the airport taxi drivers still ripping people off by driving through the tunnel? Last time I caught the bus to the strip as the previous two times I had to argue with the taxi driver to take the cheaper route (Flamingo) and I hate arguing.

photome

dodger1 wrote: »

Are some of the airport taxi drivers still ripping people off by driving through the tunnel? Last time I caught the bus to the strip as the previous two times I had to argue with the taxi driver to take the cheaper route (Flamingo) and I hate arguing.

Have you read stonemans TR?

the answer is yes they try to rip you off .

there are always storys over on the vegasmessage board, there is a thread deicated to the taxi rip off

dodger1

photome wrote: »

Have you read stonemans TR?

the answer is yes they try to rip you off .

there are always storys over on the vegasmessage board, there is a thread deicated to the taxi rip off

Ok thanks, I'll stick to the bus then.

Froggitt

Forget the bus. Just say No Tunnel when you get in the cab.

duchy

The first time we went to Vegas we were attending an event at MGM so spent a lot of time there but I found it so huge as well as not as central that I was put right off it and numerous trips later still haven't stayed there.

It always seems such a hike from South to mid strip that it's popularity always baffles me. We once had a race from room to the Flamingo .....we started at the Orleans and caught the shuttle and our friends walked from MGM .......we won lol

duchy

dodger1 wrote: »

Ok thanks, I'll stick to the bus then.

It's the British accent....they assume we don't know better.
Amazingly every time I get a cab there is apparently an RTA enroute and I'd be faster taking the tunnel. Equally amazingly I've always told the cab driver I'll take my chances and the RTA has always vanished before we get to it. Must be Vegas magic .

It doesn't bother me and I'd never say I've got into and argument. I just say firmly No tunnel and I've never had to repeat it more than once. Just part of the game.
The one time a cab driver did do it .......it was a round trip to drop bags off early at check in and go straight back to the Strip and as he had been very chatty once I saw what he was doing I said ....we didn't ask for the tunnel so I'll pay you the non tunnel fare. He smiled ruefully as he knew he'd got caught out. I didn't get angry there was no need.