Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2015

duchy

I fully expected to hate Vegas.
I'd sent loads of people there as a travel agent and had always said I'd like to see it for the experience but didn't expect to like it.

First trip we stayed at the Orleans for a week mid summer when it really was too hot and made it down to the Strip twice (did the Canyon and some concerts and lots of pool time). We enjoyed it but didn't love it as we really hadn't done our research and didn't really understand what Vegas offered. I can understand why a really short or badly researched trip can turn people off -It took us til trip two to really "get" Vegas and come to love it.

But perhaps EssexExile is just a masochist ? (or a laundrette enthusiast )

John259

FWIW I think most people either love Las Vegas or hate it. I wouldn't like to guess the percentages each way. I'm somewhat in the middle, I'm quite happy to spend one night there as part of a road trip and take a drive down the Strip to see the lights, but that's enough for me.

BTW for someone doing a road trip of the southwest and driving in the USA for first time, Las Vegas is a good place to start because it's much smaller and the road network is much simpler than either Los Angeles or San Francisco.

lizzielie

Not feeling any love from Mlife:( My Spring offer is special rates on all hotels:

Special Rates from $XX per Night (depending on hotel)
Comp Yourself with Express Comps™
Buy One Ticket and get a 2nd for $30 to Select MGM Resorts Shows

Status: Platinum

A touch disappointed considering how much we spend with MGM resorts. And yes, we do gamble. We've booked 3 nights at the Mirage now for May, have 3 nights undecided and the last 6 nights at the Aria, so will check how the rates compares now with the Spring offer. That said, hubby just got a 50% offer through Booking.com so that is now looking cheaper than Mlife rates. Go figure! Back to the spreadsheet and maybe a call to negotiate will work some wonders.

I am also contemplating cancelling Mirage, as after an email exchange, we've found that they hard charge $200 per night for incidentals, compared to Aria's $130. Makes you wonder who is a 4* or a 5* hotel....Not to mention, no love was felt yet again with their customer service.

Seldom_Seen_Kid

Ideally would prefer to go back on specific dates this year, and Thomas Cook are cheaper than I can book separately. However, after over a full hour in-store they cannot confirm if the resort fees are included for Signature.

Some info though = Book by 1st April 2015 for travel this year and the resort fees are included for the MGM Group (listed every hotel but Signature). Book after 1st April 2015 and the resort fees are not included.

gizmat

I was under the impression its called the signature at the mgm grand, therefore a mgm property, I booked it with lowcost usa and got resort fees included and just booked flights with t. cook

nykied

lesley74 wrote: »

Don't quote me on this but I think the obvious difference now is:-

Trump doesn't have a casino, so no casino symbol
Venetian is 8.0 rating, and I think it may have a bed choice too
Palazzo is 9.0 rating, don't think it has a bed choice
Wynn I have never seen to be able to identify so I have no idea, but I guess it would be a bonus if you happened to get it anyway!

Good luck. Keep me posted if you manage to get something good for September as I'm also looking. Need to get my May trip sorted as well though.

Thanks Lesley

As for the love/hate Vegas, I was really worried that my (now) husband would hate it. Fortunately he also loved it but I think that it is one or the other. Vegas isn't a place that I think you can be ambivalent about

Seldom_Seen_Kid

gizmat wrote: »

I was under the impression its called the signature at the mgm grand, therefore a mgm property, I booked it with lowcost usa and got resort fees included and just booked flights with t. cook

Definitely a MGM property, but TC could not confirm 100% that they were included. Someone from 'product' will contact me on Monday apparently.

I have always booked separately, but the TC flight price is high for my dates.

duchy

John259 wrote: »

BTW for someone doing a road trip of the southwest and driving in the USA for first time, Las Vegas is a good place to start because it's much smaller and the road network is much simpler than either Los Angeles or San Francisco.

Although airfares to Vegas from the UK are usually higher than LA.

Winter_Jasmine

Morning All. I'd be really grateful for your thoughts...

Currently, we have 11 nights booked at Monte Carlo, late June and into July.

DH and I now have our Spring MLife offers so we've been doing a bit of playing around with dates and rates but we've never booked comp nights before so aren't exactly sure about things.

DH's Spring offer includes 3 nights comped at Excalibur (any night) and 2 nights (Sun - Thurs) at any hotel up to and including Mirage.

My Spring offer is 1 night comped with a 2 night stay at anywhere up to Monte Carlo (I've assumed this is essentially a BOGO offer - or am I wrong and I'd need a 2 night paid stay to get one free?)

The terms state that there needs to be 72 hours between promotional trips within MGM resorts.....does this mean, for example that we could book DH's 3 nights at Excal, then 72 hours later he could also have 2 nights at Monte Carlo - both through his Spring offer? Or do you have to pick one option from the Spring offer?

If my offer is 1 night comped, 1 night free and we're able to use offers at more than one hotel (as long as we observe the 72 hour gap) we're thinking:

2 nights DH comped @ MC
1 night my comp @ MC
1 night paid @ MC to validate my comp
1 night possibly My Vegas @ MC
3 nights DH comp @ Excalibur (Fri-Sat-Sun night)
1 night My Vegas bonus date @ Excalibur
1 night my comp @ Excalibur
1 night paid @ Excalibur to validate my comp

If we could do it this way we'd end up paying about $120 for 11 nights (plus resort fees)....this seems a bit too good to be true!!

I'd never fancied Excalibur but three nights free seems to good for us to turn down and I have heard ok things about it. I'd also prefer to stay at Monte Carlo last but doing it this way around means we get a weekend comped without having to change hotels twice

ferf1223

Winter_Jasmine wrote: »

Morning All. I'd be really grateful for your thoughts...

My Spring offer is 1 night comped with a 2 night stay at anywhere up to Monte Carlo (I've assumed this is essentially a BOGO offer - or am I wrong and I'd need a 2 night paid stay to get one free?)

I checked our offers to see if we had one with similar wording and we don't...but I think I read that as one free, pay for 2 but maybe you are right - I asked my hubby how he reads it and he reads it BOGOF - so maybe call to double-check.

I am pretty sure that the 72 hours thing is just that and you could book another room for a stay 72 hours later...that's the way it has worked with TR in the past - I know they are different programmes but probably similar terms in this respect.

And thanks for the heads up that new offers are out...hubby has a ridiculous offer compared to what he normally gets...ridiculous to the point of possibly being a mistake...but we'll be calling later today to see if maybe it is right.