We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

Options
1133134136138139660

Comments

  • Good deal on the flights. Can you tell me where you booked & where you're flying from?

    Through thomascook.co.uk - from Heathrow. It's with Northwest Airlines on the way there and KLM on the way back. The quality of planes doesn't bother me, after all it's only sitting still for 11 hours... might as well save as much as possible.

    The 3 centre trips sound great, I'd love to go on a cruise but I imagine it'd be way out of my price range.
    2016 diet challenge 16lbs/42lbs lost

    2014 MFW #114: £5000 overpayments made
    2015 Savings Challenge #65: £6000 saved
  • ferf1223
    ferf1223 Posts: 8,936 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture
    March
    pcg2001 wrote: »
    There are these offers that give some credit, 241 buffets etc at the MGM... but these are per stay, right? Has anyone booked for example 2 nights in their name and the other 2 in the partner's name?

    It's just that I will be too chicken to try the $20 trick... and I was thinking perhaps of staying in a regular room and them upgrading to a suite for 1 night. I might as well pay towards a 1-night upgrade... Also, this would allow me to get twice as many benefits.... I am just thinking here :rolleyes:

    But this may imply leaving the room and switching to another one... and eventually waiting in the lobby with the luggage. It does not seem very practical...

    I would be too shy to suggest and ask about this elseshwere but here, but this is a money saving forum...

    I appreciate your comments. TIA

    PS: I am really looking forward to this trip!!

    I would think that it would work though I haven't tried it myself. If you checked out of the first room (via TV checkout in the room) and went down to reception to check in, if your room wasn't ready you could leave your luggage with the bell desk.

    You may want to read the fine print to see if there is anything in there that would prohibit you doing this but if the bookings were in different names and on different credit cards I would think you could do it.

    Personally I would find it too much faffing around I think - especially for another room in the same hotel...but I can see why some might make it work.
    Does remembering a time that a certain degree of personal responsibility was more or less standard means that I am officially old?
  • luci
    luci Posts: 5,960 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    May
    stoneman wrote: »
    This always intrigues me. Why would you want to settle into a hotel, unpack everything, then pack it all back up again and move to another place??
    I know it's nice to visit all the hotels, and of course, it might be cheaper to stay off strip on Fri-Sat but the thought of doing all the packing and moving would drive me mad.:eek: Once we are in a hotel, we stay there for the duration. We always get a room with twin beds so OH can place all her outfits for the week out in order on the spare bed:D
    Because it feels like a different holiday.

    We have stayed in the same hotel for the duration the first couple of times we visited Vegas, but since then we have hotel hopped. We like to stay somewhere cheaper at the weekend and I grudge $300+ a night. We also like to try out different hotels. We actually stayed one night at the Venetian and one night at Caesars while still keeping our room on at the IP as we got it so cheap.

    For 3 nights or more it's no hassle to pack up and move. It's not like packing to leave home as it's just a case of putting everything in the cases without having to decide what is and isn't coming. It takes 15 mins tops to pack or unpack.

    The only potential hassle is if the room isn't ready and you have to check the bags with the bell desk. I find staying in the same hotel for a week or more boring.
  • luci
    luci Posts: 5,960 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    May
    I have started posting my trip report live from Las Vegas. If anyone would like to read it the first 2 days are posted HERE

    I shall be updating it every day or two. Would you prefer that I make a new post on here each time it's updated or will I just leave the link in this post?
  • c_l_a_i_r_e
    c_l_a_i_r_e Posts: 4,647 Forumite
    November/December
    hi luci thanks for posting the link- i look forward to reading it. I think it would be good to post a message when it is updated, just so people don't miss out (i know i would forget to go back and check otherwise). Hope you enjoy the rest of your holiday- enjoy!!!!!!!!!
    :starmod:C'est la vie:starmod:
  • davidmcg2u
    davidmcg2u Posts: 391 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 100 Posts Combo Breaker
    Through thomascook.co.uk - from Heathrow. It's with Northwest Airlines on the way there and KLM on the way back. The quality of planes doesn't bother me, after all it's only sitting still for 11 hours... might as well save as much as possible.

    The 3 centre trips sound great, I'd love to go on a cruise but I imagine it'd be way out of my price range.

    I'll need to check that out thanks.

    All in the price was something in the region of £1200pp max. That was both options totalling 15 nights away - the cruise is full board.

    Toying with a few options & we are supposed to be (well have it booked) going back to Mexico in October but since Vegas we feel that there is so much me never managed to do.

    Either way it seems we've been bitten by the bug - if we don;t get back this year it will definitely be next!!

    Ta
  • stoneman
    stoneman Posts: 4,549 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    May
    luci wrote: »
    Because it feels like a different holiday.

    We have stayed in the same hotel for the duration the first couple of times we visited Vegas, but since then we have hotel hopped. We like to stay somewhere cheaper at the weekend and I grudge $300+ a night. We also like to try out different hotels. We actually stayed one night at the Venetian and one night at Caesars while still keeping our room on at the IP as we got it so cheap.

    For 3 nights or more it's no hassle to pack up and move. It's not like packing to leave home as it's just a case of putting everything in the cases without having to decide what is and isn't coming. It takes 15 mins tops to pack or unpack.

    The only potential hassle is if the room isn't ready and you have to check the bags with the bell desk. I find staying in the same hotel for a week or more boring.
    Fair point, but we find it hard with 3 32 KG suitcases that contain 14 different outfits,( 2 each a night, early evening, then change for later on) 15 pairs of shoes, 2 make up cases, 1 golf bag containing 2 sets of clubs, day time clothing, my 2 pairs of jeans, 3 T shirts and 4 suits;) etc, etc. Not trying to sound pompus or flash, but we do Vegas 4 times a year and we go for the dressing up and going out.
    The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.
  • stoneman
    stoneman Posts: 4,549 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Photogenic Name Dropper
    May
    pcg2001 wrote: »
    It's just that I will be too chicken to try the $20 trick
    Look, Vegas runs on tips, that is the whole point of it. I find that the check in staff almost find it an insult if you don't ask for a "complementary upgrade";) just don't seem so ambiguous about it, that is where the confusion comes in sometimes, and the offer is not correctly understood by the staff.
    What I do is get my tip ready ( amount depends on length of stay, and what you want to upgrade to, it helps if you know ab it about the property) IE, if you would like a high up room in Caesars Augustus tower for a week, best to start off with $50-$100 and as you approach the desk have said $50 note, (not small domination's as they can't see straight away whether you are offering £20 or 4x$20) inside your passport. I say something like, " hi Mr. Young, I have a reservation for a classic room but if you could find me a killer room, or even a suite, high up in the Augustus Tower facing the Bellagio, there is a very nice gratuity inside my passport for you" works every time, never failed yet,( i have been asked once to up my tip by the clerk at MGM, as $50 would not get me a suite for 7 nights, so another 50 was required)) as they have been told directly what you are after. All this stuff of slipping the note between your driving licence and credit card and not saying what you want leaves too much to chance. The worst that will happen is the clerk will say that there is nothing available as they are full up, they will not look down on you at all. Remember these people are being paid at most $10 per hour, the chamber maids make more than them!!
    Obviously if all you want is a strip view at IP, mirage, TI, Luxor, etc, then $20 will be fine, even for the week. I have even had my tip returned and upgraded anyway!!!
    The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot. If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that you will have enough to pay for something better.
  • blindman
    blindman Posts: 5,673 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    stoneman wrote: »
    Fair point, but we find it hard with 3 32 KG suitcases that contain 14 different outfits,( 2 each a night, early evening, then change for later on) 15 pairs of shoes, 2 make up cases, 1 golf bag containing 2 sets of clubs, day time clothing, my 2 pairs of jeans, 3 T shirts and 4 suits;) etc, etc. Not trying to sound pompus or flash, but we do Vegas 4 times a year and we go for the dressing up and going out.

    I think most people on this (MSE) thread are trying to save money which is why they split their stay over 2 hotels to get a good rate.

    If I can save money (I don't like pay $300 for a hotel room) I will split a stay, though will try to be in either place at least 3 nights.

    You obviously don't need to save money this way. This is not a criticism of your lifestyle.
  • pcg2001
    pcg2001 Posts: 1,406 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture Combo Breaker
    Now I am a big fan of this forum, and even though LV started out as an option I can't imagine now going to LA without the trip to LV. From what I have read here and elsewhere, preparing a trip to LV has been "studied" thorougly and everyone seems to plan it more than you would plan another trip. I am still amazed at the rate the LV tripadvisor forum is refreshed!!
    But there is so much stuff going on in LV and so many people reporting their trips and preferences, that is has become overwhelming. So, thank you all for sharing an answering my newbie questions!!!

    As for the room swaps, from what I have read, the hotel can be really part of the Vegas experience. Given that I won't be returning to LV in the near future, I am really tempted to switch hotel during my 4 night stay. Not so much to save money but to have different experiences. And for example to stay in a suite for 1 night.

    As for the offers attached to the room rates, I asked for your advise on the room upgrade/ name swap (thuis getting twice the offers). I know these offers are only there to tempt you and once you check in you might be offered complimentary buffets and vouchers, so it might not make sense to try to maximize the offers beforehand by switching rooms (or upgrading to a suite, as I initially envisioned) and name reservations as I mentioned in my last post... it is just that I just hate the "gamble" (ironic for LV) of waiting to be offered an upgrade or good room or vouchers... [To illustrate this, let me share this experience: a few weeks ago I stayed in one of the best 4* of Blackpool (which in itself does not say a lot), paid about £100 per night for almost a week and when we checked in we were given one of the worst standard rooms they had (in the upper floor, low ceilings, service-lift access only and really tiny and old). After I politely complained to another reception clerk, we were shown 2 rooms for the same price range, refurbished, bigger and much much nicer.]
    I just hate this gamble and being a LV newbie, I am sure I will need to practice the $20 trick before going, in front of the mirror :rotfl:

    PS: After doing some searches on the tripadvisor, I notice opinions are clearly divided on this hotel switch and some people do feel stronly against it. But as with everything else, we all look for different things when we travel!!

    Have a great Sunday (planning your next trip, that is what I will be doing :-)!!
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.8K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.8K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.8K Life & Family
  • 257.1K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.