Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2021

Brats64

bobbyhibs said:

hi
 and thanks for the   info stoneman!   it seems your not the only one whom  feels   vegas is not as fun? as it used to be? and now a vistor  tax? shakes head. I often    get  a *vegas buzz* feeling  and   wanna    book up asap  and try  find a good deal (which i am struggling   with at the minute) and well with  recent posts.  and MORE exspenses  which you have stated  .and dont even mention the   resort fees.. you do kinda wander...
all the best!

Bobby,

I wouldn’t let let other peoples posts on their recent vegas trips influence your plans.
If you’ve looked forward to getting back to vegas, go.
Other peoples findings of their latest trips, are their opinions..they are posted to help people on this forum understand that increased prices, and extra add-ons make further trips to vegas less appealing…and for that, I thank them all.
But it would never put me off going back.It purely let’s me know it will cost a few quid more than it used to..I’m fine with that…what doesn’t cost more?
We done vegas once or twice a year for a number of years.Our last trip was October 2019..We are desperate to go back.Unfortunately due to compromised immune system I’m still not prepared to take the chance yet..hopefully something will change soon.But of late I have started looking at possible options.We can still get flights where we would pay only the taxes, we can still get MGM comped rooms for most of a stay, and have the ability to get a “cheapish” room using the wynn slots as we both have the max gem limit.So a stay in vegas would still cost us very little..while I would rather there wasn’t new extra charges, or a few dollars on a meal, I would be more than happy to pay them, as it meant I was back “holidaying” in vegas.

secretmachines

All of which makes this forum even more important... It's an MSE forum after all, not just a regular Las Vegas forum

StuieUK34

yup....
I save money by going to vegas on full comps....
But then blow $5k in 11 nights thinking i will get rich !
Still not wrote my trip report, and i go on hols next week again !
Will write my vegas trip next week !    
Agree with brats and secret,  all just our own opinions we all take with a pinch of salt....

On that note, u seen what the dollar is today ?  i been going to the US since 2001, and have never ever seen the rate this low!  ouch !!!!!

kroberts

I do agree with what's been said regarding the cost of everything. While there we spent a lot more on food than we previously have. While in California a week before we went to Vegas we did a supermarket shop for 4 days and couldn't believe how much it cost. A food shop is definitely cheaper in the UK. The Vegas hotels were more expensive but have put that down to demand, everyone is going on holiday again and they will take advantage of that. 

Having said that we will still go back, maybe not for a few years but we do look forward to our Vegas trips. It will just take a bit more saving.

jimi_man

Great thread that I've just stumbled across. We went to Vegas back in June. First time since about 1994, so we were looking forward to seeing some changes. We’ve been to the US a few times since then and my wife goes a few times a month so we were prepared for the prices.

Travelled BA Club with the new Club Suites, which was fine. We decided to stay in the Luxor, which I know is rather dated now and is down the end of the strip, however I wanted to stay there just for nostalgia purposes. As it happened the rooms had recently been updated and they were fine. Two large beds and a huge room. $32 a night so with the Resort Fee it was $70 a night I think, which isn’t too bad. The weather was gorgeous (actually they had a heatwave whilst we were there and it was in the mid 40’s every day). The pools were seriously warm.

We walked everywhere so I can’t say what the taxis are like. Whilst it was hot, we like the heat, and it’s very dry heat so you don’t sweat. The food is expensive but then it is in the UK too. The difference we found that was that we had to share everything there as it’s too much for one person. We never have both a starter and a main course, or might share one of each. We don’t eat a lot of (any) junk food but it did look expensive though. We ignore the 15%, 18%, 22% tipping suggestions and just do 10%.  Found a bar offering two dollar beers. I’m not a bottled water fan as I don’t like the plastic waste so we tend to refill bottles with tap water and put in the fridge which was fine.

Gambling is… gambling. The odds are worse than I remember and whilst I don’t play roulette, I noticed another zero on the roulette table which is pretty mean. There are still some 9:6 video poker machines around if you hunt, and (in the end of the strip that we were) free drinks were in abundance, even whilst playing a 25c video poker machine (and winning handsomely I might add!) to the extent that we were turning them down.

Hired a car for a day or so and went north to the Valley of Fire to do some walking and the scenery is magnificent.

Had a great time all in all. The biggest thing I noticed was the smoking – obviously you can smoke in the casinos and we aren’t used to smoking in inside areas in the UK.  We are going in a few weeks to LA and hiring a car for two weeks and going to do some travelling around and some walking – should be a little cooler this time. Will probably call in to Vegas for a couple of nights as I really like it.

photome

nvh said:

stoneman said:

We are not hiring a car, haven't done that for the last couple of trips when the hotels started charging for Valet and self park. Uber and Lyft will do us fine.

We checked out of Signature a few days ago. First time we have stayed there - seemed alright to be honest 👍🏻 Would stay there again (especially as it was quite cheap)

Anyways, FWIW, turns out it’s free valet  🤷🏼‍♂️ (No self park options so maybe that’s why?)  - obviously this goes against the grain compared to other MGMs but at least you get something for the $44 compulsory resort fee

Side note - I just returned our hire car for zero charges. Apparently I had prepaid (I hadn’t 🤷🏼‍♂️) - got it in writing tho and they closed off the account so that’s a win!

We also seem to be winning in the casinos - that’s also against the grain 🤔🤣

Anyways - our last night tonight (technically we have a room booked for tomorrow night but it was cheaper that the $50 late checkout fee and our flight is an evening one so at least we can grab a shower before we leg it)

Don’t be too surprised if you get charged to your card for the car hire,

I had a exactly the same as you , all my paperwork said pre paid and I got a bill for zero at the end..I knew I hadn’t paid,

 I returned the car end of May. They charged my card in August ( only just noticed as it’s not a card I use often)

Marvel1

On booking.com, just a sample hotel, does it really include the daily resort fees and not going to be asked to pay again over there?

• Pyramid Two Queen - £316.36
• 13.38 % Tax - £63.30
• Resort fee - £156.73
• Price (your currency) £536.39

stoneman

Marvel1 said:

On booking.com, just a sample hotel, does it really include the daily resort fees and not going to be asked to pay again over there?

• Pyramid Two Queen - £316.36
• 13.38 % Tax - £63.30
• Resort fee - £156.73
• Price (your currency) £536.39

Yes looks like it. Keep screenshot though, just in case

jimi_man

Marvel1 said:

On booking.com, just a sample hotel, does it really include the daily resort fees and not going to be asked to pay again over there?

• Pyramid Two Queen - £316.36
• 13.38 % Tax - £63.30
• Resort fee - £156.73
• Price (your currency) £536.39

Yes, that's what we found. We've just come back from Vegas (second time this year!) and that was the case.

Also, (and I'm sure you probably know this) but booking.com is usually more expensive than booking through the actual hotel website.

Marvel1

jimi_man said:

Marvel1 said:

On booking.com, just a sample hotel, does it really include the daily resort fees and not going to be asked to pay again over there?

• Pyramid Two Queen - £316.36
• 13.38 % Tax - £63.30
• Resort fee - £156.73
• Price (your currency) £536.39

Yes, that's what we found. We've just come back from Vegas (second time this year!) and that was the case.

Also, (and I'm sure you probably know this) but booking.com is usually more expensive than booking through the actual hotel website.

Oh yes, will defiantly be comparing the costs including cashback in the mix