Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2014

vegasvisitor

nvh wrote: »

Does anyone know if Trump still sticks out like a sore-thumb on Hotwire (ie. it's the only 5* without a casino in North Strip)?

I'm checking BetterBidding but recall someone (Lesley?) saying something about another hotel falling into the zone (though that may have been Priceline Name Your Price)

edit: actually, doesn't matter - Priceline Express takes the guesswork out of it (it lets you choose rooms so I can easily see what Venetian / Palazzo is, and it's cheaper than what I thought they were on Hotwire)

I could have investigated...as I can't remember off hand. I do know that I booked on Priceline last time as you can definitely exclude Trump on there. You can even tell the difference between Palazzo and Venetian with 8/10 and 9/10 ratings. I think palazzo has 9/10. Can't remember if I used Express, quite often you get a discount code for Express for 5% off. Either than, use the rate you get on express and bid 10% or so under on the normal Priceline section and work your way up to 5% off, and you should get the deal somewhere in there. If they have the 5% deal on though I have just used it in the past and been happy with the price.

Did you try it, and if so any success?

vegasvisitor

A wee deal on High Roller. Have to be quick though, ends in 4 hours. Ride plus drink $17

https://www.livingsocial.com/events/1193886-day-or-nighttime-ride-on-the-high-roller-drink?afsrc=1&city_name=Las%20Vegas&cvosrc=email.blast.digest_dailyus&preferred_city_id=30&utm_campaign=digest_dailyus&utm_content=30&utm_medium=email&utm_source=blast&city_id=30-las-vegas&id=1193886-day-or-nighttime-ride-on-the-high-roller-drink&msdc_id=30-las-vegas

lizzielie

photome wrote: »

Not been reading about the flight changes o not sure what has happened but if BA are cancelling a flight they should offer you a refund or an alternative.

If the alternative is not to your liking and they wont change it, I would post on their facebook page...it works with KLM

They cancelled the LGW to LAS and we have been booked onto LHR to LAS, so an alternative has been given Refund is an alternative, but the cost would be quite a bit more leaving Madrid to Vegas via London and then back to Gibraltar if we bought a new ticket. So that is out of the question. Issue seems to be we want to re-book so our departure is in another country, if it was within the UK, it would have been no issue BTW, does anyone know roughly the cost of upgrade to premium or business at the airport? The lady I spoke to, mention this as an option, but didn't think much of it. I know Virgin offers and advertises it...

Maybe hubby should tweet BA in any case, they tend to respond to his tweets when he mentions them? Either way, I will not lose any sleep over it, as the main thing is that we will get there!

ferf1223

masterwilde wrote: »

photome es i use to log in monthly, but after numerous complaints nothing ever changed until my recent visit which is strange as i didnt complain this time lol.r

if you were just checking your offers on TR then you might not have anything (we almost never do but we can usually get 5 nights comped if we log in and go to reservations and check that way).

We would give MGM properties more of a chance but they don't seem fussed about us, really...the most we can normally get is 2 nights at Luxor or Mirage and that's only recently whereas TR has been good to us for years..until a couple of years ago each of us could get 5 nights comped at least at Bally's...we've been lucky to get Caesars last trip and next (next in the Octavius tower for reasons we cannot quite comprehend but didn't complain!). We are slot players though...and it seems that I have read before that TR is more generous to slot players, mlife for table players...or maybe I made that up.

ferf1223

masterwilde wrote: »

where as after going vegas 5 times i have never until my last trip ever earned tier credits

just read this - so you must not play slots? Must play table games below the level they rate players, maybe?

masterwilde

ferf, i play between $25-$50 per hand for about 4 hours a day split over the 24 hours. i used to ask if i was being rated, alwys told yes but never earned anything.

Then at monte carlo this May i was playing and after 3 days a rep came over with a pearl card as i had earned 26000 credits during my play.

Hence i no longer use TR properties as i just got fed up with them, but its my loss really as i really like ceasars and love their poker room

ferf1223

ok - that makes a bit more sense but it does seem crazy you weren't rated for your play....but I am sure I have read that TR favours slot players and mlife table players so sounds like your experience is along the same lines.

nvh

lesley74 wrote: »

Did you try it, and if so any success?

We fancied switching from Flamingo to a higher end (not sure if that's the words I'm looking for) hotel, and thought that somewhere "up that end" would be appropriate to give us a decent spread. Venetian seemed a good shout - good $20 opportunities etc

- Toyed with Trivago (etc) which brought in "Amoma"(!?) quoting £318 for Venetian including taxes - charged for credit card though
- Lastminute "top secret hotels" could easily identify Venetian as £314 but with an additional ~£59 taxes (strongly considered this as seemed more assuring than Amoma... I had Clever Hotels fresh on my brain from the day I checked in @ Chicago last year) :eek:
- Then thought it would be worth a priceline gamble as long as we didn't get Trump - but got a little baffled so went for Hotwire instead (£266) - but then had concerns that sods law would mean we ended up with SLS which will be open by then
- Then fell upon Priceline Express and rather than go for the Name your own Price, wussed out and used the 5% off - got it for £245 inclusive of everything (resort fee is optional I believe)

Priceline Express was quite good, as it gave an option to "Choose your Room" so was obvious it was Venetian as it had "Venetian Luxury King" as a room option

Quite happy with that - ~£60'ish per night and somewhere new!

vegasvisitor

Sounds like you did well compared to other sites. Like you, I'd be wary of Amoma - simply because I've not known anyone to use them. I'm also wary of Travel Republic because they are known to do bait and switch, which would be a nightmare if you book a flight with them as they want to change your hotel but won't cancel your flight.

I wondered how many nights you were talking about, but your last line makes me think 4? If so that's a steal! ..... off to look and see if they have any better prices for me lol. I couldn't get a deal before for the nights I was after. I'd have got better deals if we'd gone to Vegas the week before....at the time I couldn't get the time off work but unfortunately that changed as the other person who was going to be off was moving jobs and not able to say at the time!

nvh

lesley74 wrote: »

I'm also wary of Travel Republic because they are known to do bait and switch, which would be a nightmare if you book a flight with them as they want to change your hotel but won't cancel your flight.

wasn't aware of that one - thanks. Amoma had a lot of really mixed reviews, which put me off.

lesley74 wrote: »

I wondered how many nights you were talking about, but your last line makes me think 4?

Yeah, this is for 4 nights (a Mon-Fri stay). Glad it seems a good deal - never looked at Venetian before and the Mrs has never fancied it, however showed her some pics of rooms and she changed her mind quite quickly... from the pictures I showed her, she actually thought I was paying for an upgrade there (rather than just plumping for the cheapest room!)

Good luck with your search!