Las Vegas Questions & Answers Thread

carcuscrae

Hi all

I am sure there used to be a Las Vegas sticky in this forum.

Anyway I am wondering if anyone out there can give me some advice for planning a Vegas trip.

1. Is it best to book an all in package i.e Virgin Holidays or is it best to book your flight and hotel independently?
2. Where can I look to get the best hotel prices. I am sure i have seen on moneysavingexpert before a link to a Vegas forum that gives you discounts on the top hotels?
3. Whats the best time to go to get the best flight prices?

Any help would be very appreciated.

Many Thanks

photome

Not a sticky but a 2000 post thread with all the answers, a search would have brought it up

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=338730

jonesMUFCforever

Try costing your holiday on Expedia then do the same thing with Virgin.
Sit down first though - the savings for doing it yourself will astound you!!

PandaPants_2

I dont understand why people still use travel agents for Vegas holidays, ,i really dont. Its just paying someone hundreds (sometimes thousands!) to save yourself a couple of hours online...

ferf1223

PandaPants wrote: »

I dont understand why people still use travel agents for Vegas holidays, ,i really dont. Its just paying someone hundreds (sometimes thousands!) to save yourself a couple of hours online...

I'm with you there but some of my colleagues seem to think it's safer to book through an agent or a package deal...and the thing I hear most is that they get transfers included...um...walk out the door and get a taxi for $20 or less - it's not worth spending hundreds more for. I also think that people just don't know any different in a lot of cases as it's what they've always done- go to the travel agent.

The Virgin Holidays thing amuses me to no end - we occasionally check our DIY holiday against what Virgin Holidays would charge us for the same thing (flying on the same flight and usually with a worse hotel) and then laugh like maniacs. I wouldn't even use expedia except for a point of reference, maybe. Occasionally they might give a good deal but usually booking direct is better.

And that's not even considering the potential for comps to cover part of your hotel cost if you gamble which goes away if you book a package.

I think the other thing is that because hotels in Europe are typically per-person per-night, when people in the UK look at US hotel websites for rates, they don't necessarily realise it's per-room, per-night - so it may not be that apparent that the deal in booking direct is SO much better.

carcuscrae

ferf1223 wrote: »

I'm with you there but some of my colleagues seem to think it's safer to book through an agent or a package deal...and the thing I hear most is that they get transfers included...um...walk out the door and get a taxi for $20 or less - it's not worth spending hundreds more for. I also think that people just don't know any different in a lot of cases as it's what they've always done- go to the travel agent.

The Virgin Holidays thing amuses me to no end - we occasionally check our DIY holiday against what Virgin Holidays would charge us for the same thing (flying on the same flight and usually with a worse hotel) and then laugh like maniacs. I wouldn't even use expedia except for a point of reference, maybe. Occasionally they might give a good deal but usually booking direct is better.

And that's not even considering the potential for comps to cover part of your hotel cost if you gamble which goes away if you book a package.

I think the other thing is that because hotels in Europe are typically per-person per-night, when people in the UK look at US hotel websites for rates, they don't necessarily realise it's per-room, per-night - so it may not be that apparent that the deal in booking direct is SO much better.

You sound like the exact person I need to speak to. I want to do the DIY thing but need some help finding the best websites to get the deals on hotels / flights etc. Can you help please? I stayed at the Venetian the only time i went and i'd love to find a good deal to stay in that good a hotel again. Any help you can give would be most appreciated.

Also when is the best time to go to Vegas price wise?

Thanks

lolamancity

Here's my hints and tips from the other thread:


Just got back from my first trip to Vegas so thought i'd add to the valuable hints and tips

Flights - paid £350 each with Continental through their website after checking everyday for different permetations of flights to get the cheapest deal. We booked a multistop ticket from Mcr to Vegas (change at Newark) then back to NYC and home to Mcr. I thought this was excellent value but the flight out to Vegas totalled more than 17 hours and was a killer, and with 2 hours for the connection, we only just made it with seconds to spare, so i might leave more time if we did that again.

We stayed at the Bellagio, and got a cheap return shuttle (Bell trans) from the airport (£5.50 each return) which was brilliant value. I had booked Bellagio months ago, and gone for the cheapest room, but on check-in tried the $20 trip, to which the girl was ultra grateful and thanked me for about 20 times, during which i was getting a bit embarrased about it...i thought it was supposed to be discreet! Anyway she upgraded us to a deluxe room which was lovely.

One thing we quickly learnt about was Time share people. They are absolutely everywhere you go (on the street, in the casinos with official looking desks) They are stupidly friendly and can spot you from a mile off.... they love middle aged, and couples. They single you out and heap compliments and praise on you, promising free gifts, shows and food... then they try to force you to come to a presentation... then they get pretty nasty and rude and aggressive when you try and escape them. I recommend telling them you are just about to catch a flight home and can't talk to them, or just don't make eye contact and walk quickly past them.

As for Food, i recommend Maggianos mid-strip (chain, but gorgeous food and brill service), Stage Deli (in the depths of the Forum shopping centre at Caesers Palace, the best Cinnamon Toast i've ever had, im still drooling now!), and the Bellagio buffet (dearer than most, but still reasonable)

We did some great Free Stuff. I recommend seeing the MGM lions in the see-thru tunnel, that was brilliant, the famous Bellagio fountains, i could've watched them forever if i could, the volcano at the Mirage was pretty impressive too.

Casinos. Great for contsant free drinks! We didn't pay for one drink, but did get asked for ID every 5 minutes (literally) so don't forget to take your passport everywhere, you need it for everything, inc drinks, paying for food and shopping etc, even my husband got asked a couple of times and he's 34.

Best casinos to play in as settings were Bellagio, Wynn, Venetian and Caesers and Worst were the ones down the Stratospere end, which is looking neglected compared to the big ones around the Bellagio nowadays... those down that end look like they need a lot of tarting up a nit, to keep up with the rest.. Our luckiest at the slots were the Wynn and Venetian.

Shopping - There is a massive mall mid-strip. It looks quite small outside but when you go in, it's never ending! Make sure you head to Macey's Don't forget to get your 'tourist discount' in Macey's. Go to the gift wrapping bit on the bottom floor to obtain this, it gives 11% off at the tills, which is great particularly when you think you're getting a brilliant bargain, and end up a little disapointed at the tills when they add 8%(ish) tax on everything (food, goods etc etc, everything really) the discount card is like getting stuff tax free plus a little extra. The Forum shopping @ Caesers is just stupidly big and has every shop you could imagine, all of which are deserted so youo can just chill out whilst shopping, also the shops are great at the Venetian but mainly because they are set alongside the brilliant gondola river, and the deco on the ceilings at the Venetian is breath taking. Also more great shops are to be found at the Wynn, as well as an amazing looking restaurant we walked past which overlooks an unreal massive man made forest and waterfall.


Don't take cash to the US if you can help it. Get a small amount of currency for tipping and other odd bits and bobs from https://www.currency-express.com/currencyexpress/ who had the best rate at the time we went, then get a Nationwide Flexaccount with Visa Debit, and load it with your spending money, then just use that for EVERYTHING when you're there. We got a rate of 2.067 on one day. Don't forget to take your passport out with you at all times, you need it for ID far more often than you'd think, esp when paying for stuff.

I also recommend goiong up the stratosphere for great views, the big cats and dolphins in the Secret Garden at The Mirage which amused me for hours We also booked a helicopter trip over the Gran Canyon with Papillion, which was out of this world on such a beautiful sunny and crisp day. My absolute highlight was the Cirque De Soleil 'O' show, which was worth the money and more, and i just never wanted it to end, it was truly amazing, you HAVE to go and see it to believe it.

Overall, we pretty much saw everything on the strip. We hopped from casino to casino, covering them all over the days, and walked from one end of the strip to the other by doing this (which burnt off the excess kcals lol) I recommend visiting them ALL, we loved gawping at things like the Eiffel tower at Paris, and the replica skyline ay NY NY, and also swooning at the classy decor (and Xmas displays) in the Bellagio, Wynn, Caesers, Venetian.

Im guessing a lot of the hotels/casinos won't be there when we go back in 4 or 5 years as some were seriously shabby, but i was glad to see them all!

I hope this review has helped a few people, as much as others reviews on MSE helped us have a great holuday in LV! I also found the Las Vegas 2007 by Frommers book invaluable.

Heres a few of my fave pics to go with the review in the review thread!



Venetian



Paris/Bally's



Dolphins @ Secret Garden, The Mirage





Lions @ Mirage



Top of the Stratosphere, excuse my ugly mug



View from our bedroom at The Bellagio, excuse our ugly mugs



A decent view when having a bath







One of many from the Gran Canyon



Bellagio



The plain decor at the Venetian!

carcuscrae

I may be being stupid but whats the $20 trip?

Thanks

Paradise_Found

carcuscrae wrote: »

I may be being stupid but whats the $20 trip?

A day out in Southend!

Seriously, she means the "$20 trick", which is where you
(discretely) hand over a $20 bill when checking into a hotel,
while casually mentioning that you would love an upgraded room,
if one happens to be available.

Some people have reported that the $20 trick sometimes
also works at car hire pick up locations, too.


MARK

Crabman

Thread Closed - please refer to the Las Vegas 2008 Thread