Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2014

nvh

Good location, small footprint (easy to navigate), nice pool if you're not fussed about swimming (inc. wave pool, lazy river), easy access to Aria, monorail through to Bellagio, easy to get onto strip and head south too...

I like it - our room was no nonsense - seemed modern and easy to access

Get it for a decent price and you're laughing

becksta

nvh wrote: »

Good location, small footprint (easy to navigate), nice pool if you're not fussed about swimming (inc. wave pool, lazy river), easy access to Aria, monorail through to Bellagio, easy to get onto strip and head south too...

I like it - our room was no nonsense - seemed modern and easy to access

Get it for a decent price and you're laughing

Thanks to everyone for your replies so far. At the moment LowCostUsa are quoting £553 for a deluxe room for the 11 nights and it includes the all important resort fees. Seems like a great price although I would normally book directly with the hotel.

Just wish that the flight prices would drop a bit - £750 for a direct flight seems a little high still (or am I being greedy?)....

marsman802

I think that sounds about right from memory for the time of year - I've only been in Jan and Nov before and those have been the rock bottom prices.

I paid £636 for direct flights with BA and 5nts in MC last November.

But I'm planning on going this April (first time with nice weather I hope!) and for 4nts and a direct flight in planet hollywood I'm getting close to a £1000.

Indirect then knocks £250 off that price so I'll be doing that. It's more money for Vegas....

martmonk

MC - agree with earlier comments.
However we stayed three nights before moving to Cosmo and the difference was massive which in retrospect left me feeling (unfairly) slightly disappointed with the room at MC.
I didn't go to pool - OH did for a morning and really liked it.
For 11 nights I'd seriously consider splitting if you can manage it within the same sort of budget, if for no other reason than to experience 2 different resorts in the same holiday. My first few trips were one hotel only, the last 2 have been split and this time round we are doing Golden Nugget, Vdara and Mirage for 3 nights each. I wouldn't go back to just one hotel for more than a 4 night stay.

Back to MC - current deal on MyVegas for 1500 'gold' - $38 per room per night and you can book up to three nights per redemption (plus resort fee).

marsman802

martmonk wrote: »

MC - agree with earlier comments.
However we stayed three nights before moving to Cosmo and the difference was massive which in retrospect left me feeling (unfairly) slightly disappointed with the room at MC.
I didn't go to pool - OH did for a morning and really liked it.
For 11 nights I'd seriously consider splitting if you can manage it within the same sort of budget, if for no other reason than to experience 2 different resorts in the same holiday. My first few trips were one hotel only, the last 2 have been split and this time round we are doing Golden Nugget, Vdara and Mirage for 3 nights each. I wouldn't go back to just one hotel for more than a 4 night stay.

Back to MC - current deal on MyVegas for 1500 'gold' - $38 per room per night and you can book up to three nights per redemption (plus resort fee).

Great idea Martmonk - I did something similar between Tropicana and Palazzo last January. Was pure luxury for the weekend in the Palazzo.

I'd definitely recommend trying a few if you can.

credit_crunch

we have done the same on our 2 trips
1st one we split 3 nights mgm & 4 nights encore
2nd trip was 5 nights new york new york & 5 nights cosmo

wynnvegas

becksta, we stay regularly at the Monte Carlo. In terms of location and price, it's always been a winner with us. Similar prices to Luxor and NYNY and probably on par with Ballys up closer to the centre but a better hotel than all three.


The gym is the best we've been to in Vegas, the steam rooms and saunas are fantastic as well. The buffer is decent and the pool area is good if it isn't too crowded (music can be a bit loud for my liking). The tram is great to Crystals and Bellagio and we use it a good bit. Casino has become a bit run down in recent years but it's still one of my favourites. If you're happy with the deal, which seems perfectly decent, go for it and I'm sure you won't regret it.


Incidentally, we did do the duelling pianos last year. They weren't a patch on the NYNY guys and I'm told that the twins in Harrahs are even better but haven't seen them to compare.

wynnvegas

Evening All,


Looking for a wee bit of advice as we're doing things differently this summer and it will make for quite a departure from our usual lazy Vegas holiday.


We normally go to the south strip for three weeks, stay in one or two hotels during that time and just chill out, bit of sunbathing, gambling, shows, shopping etc. We walk most places and will occasionally get a couple of buses downtown or to the malls but that's about the extent of our journeys off the strip.


We've never driven in America (or anywhere abroad come to think of it) but we've decided to extend the holiday to 4 or 5 weeks this summer and have ourselves a little tour of Arizona and a wee bit of Southern Utah. We've still to sort out the exact bits we want to hit but the intention is to have a week in Vegas, hire a car at the end of the first week for a fortnight, do our little road trip and then come back to Vegas for the remainder of the holiday. If it goes to five weeks, the plan will be to incorporate a lot of the neighbouring towns and Death Valley.


Arizona aside, as the details and advice for that are probably for another day and another forum, what are our options for car hire and is there any limitation on miles driven or anything out of the ordinary? I assume most cars come with a satnav and, from perusing and participating in this forum for a few years now, it always seems ridiculously cheap but I presume, like most car hires, there are things to look out for and many a tale of folk getting caught out with the smallprint, extra insurances, mystery issues occurring after handing it back when the bill hits the credit card etc.


Any advice on where to go (the airport being my only reference at the moment for hiring a car in Vegas), what type of vehicle we should be looking at for a couple of weeks desert journeying (my suggestion of a hummer was shot down very early on there!) and any general points of advice on renting a car or just about driving in America would be massively appreciated.


Cheers,


Billy

sensibleadvice

wynnvegas wrote: »

Evening All,


Looking for a wee bit of advice as we're doing things differently this summer and it will make for quite a departure from our usual lazy Vegas holiday.


We normally go to the south strip for three weeks, stay in one or two hotels during that time and just chill out, bit of sunbathing, gambling, shows, shopping etc. We walk most places and will occasionally get a couple of buses downtown or to the malls but that's about the extent of our journeys off the strip.


We've never driven in America (or anywhere abroad come to think of it) but we've decided to extend the holiday to 4 or 5 weeks this summer and have ourselves a little tour of Arizona and a wee bit of Southern Utah. We've still to sort out the exact bits we want to hit but the intention is to have a week in Vegas, hire a car at the end of the first week for a fortnight, do our little road trip and then come back to Vegas for the remainder of the holiday. If it goes to five weeks, the plan will be to incorporate a lot of the neighbouring towns and Death Valley.


Arizona aside, as the details and advice for that are probably for another day and another forum, what are our options for car hire and is there any limitation on miles driven or anything out of the ordinary? I assume most cars come with a satnav and, from perusing and participating in this forum for a few years now, it always seems ridiculously cheap but I presume, like most car hires, there are things to look out for and many a tale of folk getting caught out with the smallprint, extra insurances, mystery issues occurring after handing it back when the bill hits the credit card etc.


Any advice on where to go (the airport being my only reference at the moment for hiring a car in Vegas), what type of vehicle we should be looking at for a couple of weeks desert journeying (my suggestion of a hummer was shot down very early on there!) and any general points of advice on renting a car or just about driving in America would be massively appreciated.


Cheers,


Billy

We got a great price from Alamo Brits booked before we went and picked up from airport car hire on day 2. In hindsight I' have collected straight off the flight and drove to hotel but it was first time and didn't realise hotel parking was so easy and free. We drove from day 2 to day 16 then off hired for last 6 days in vegas. Again in hindsight I'd have hired for 3 weeks straight and had convenience on the strip.

So we had 2 weeks drive and chose a full SUV which had all the gadgets and was very comfortable on long journeys making the journey part or the experience rather than just a means of getting from A to B. It was AWD too which was great in the mountains. It's personal choice but i'd advise thinking about how long you're in the car and how much more you'd wish to pay for that time to be part of the experience.

Sat nav is always extra (I think) because AFAIK there are no cars with integral sat nav.

PS, the air con worked very well in the larger car, it cooled to what it said on the gauge front and back without being having to be on high fan blowing all the time. Small cars might but I'd imagine some would have to work hard and be directed at the face to cool. Might sound picky but worth thinking about when driving lots of miles in 45+ degrees.

wynnvegas

many thanks SA. True to the moniker!


Can I ask what model you got and how much the rental was?


Cheers,


Billy