The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

triggerrabbit

October

Whats the best way of making calls back to the uk? Anyone know what phone cards to get? And can you use the cards in your room without being charged by the hotel?

WestHamDaz

redrichie2001 wrote: »

Has anybody any experience flying with US Airways?? and whats it like to connect at Philly, Which I'm doing in 10 weeks time!!

check my first few posts on this forum, i have flown gatwick to philly on usairways and have mentioned the experience on it somewhere on this thread.

TangoBunny

October

I stayed at the Tropicana,Imperial Palace and Flamingo for my first trip to Vegas last year.We had a strip view at the trop and IP.
Out of the 3 hotels I preferred the IP as it was smaller and more friendly than the other 2,Nice room nice view but mega noisy in a strip room because of the carnival court outside Harrahs.
Nicer room at the Trop and sooo much quieter although we had a south strip facing room so there wasn't that much to see appart from the Excalibur,mandalay bay and Luxor
I didn't like the Flamingo at all.....far to busy and impersonal for my liking,room was nice with a lovely garden view and tons of space but unless a really good offer came up I wouldn't stay there again

iltisman

January/February

Just back from Vegas stayed at the Excalibur at $49 and Orleans at $80 for Fri + Sat. I always find the Excal just OK and is good value,the Orleans is better with nice rooms and a pleasant casino with good cinema.As always I left Vegas for a drive into Arizona and accross to San Diego.
I have just received an offer from the South Point with rooms as low as $40 and a room+ concert deal at $90 http://www.southpointcasino.com/entertainment/08-summer-concert-package.php?cid=47&jmid=27653&j=132943355

photome

iltisman wrote: »

Just back from Vegas stayed at the Excalibur at $49 and Orleans at $80 for Fri + Sat. I always find the Excal just OK and is good value,the Orleans is better with nice rooms and a pleasant casino with good cinema.As always I left Vegas for a drive into Arizona and accross to San Diego.
I have just received an offer from the South Point with rooms as low as $40 and a room+ concert deal at $90 http://www.southpointcasino.com/entertainment/08-summer-concert-package.php?cid=47&jmid=27653&j=132943355

Having stayed at quite a few Vegas hotels, The Orleans is in my top 3 for value, and feelgood factor. A huge plus is that it is easy to get around, unlike the MGM which is Waaaaaay to big.

I love san diego.

photome

More flight searching

The £289 return next march Lon-La is still available on airline network and direct with KLM (flight with NWA)

I have now found a flight from Norwich for £370 return to LA, not great connection times in Amsterdam, but my main concern is that it is on a KLM 747 combi (half passenger, half cargo) they are old and have a central film screen. From reviews I have read the seats are as bad or worse than Virgins. Anyone have any opinions?

I guess I could always sit in the toilet unless trets gets there first

trets77

April

JosephCoyle wrote: »

Guys,

I'm heading to Vegas on 22nd Sept for 5 days - can you help me out with accomodation - I went on tripadvisor etc but the only hotels that get great reviews are the 5* hotels which we can't afford.

Ideally we (my wife and I) are after 3* / 4* on the strip with good clean rooms, good food and of course good gambling facilities where the drink is free if you play..
Any other websites to check (except fat wallet would be good). Maybe we should wait a couple of months before booking accom....

I have read the first couple of pages of this thread but want the latest views if possible - thanks in advance guys.:j

I agree with previous replies . Trip adviser is Invaluable in avoiding that very poor hotel in a unfamiliar place , but for Vegas it does not really work. there are over 250 places to stay listed , so really nice places end up a fair way down the list because the list also includes out of town , Lake Mead , and the surrounding Canyon properties. some of these are probably worth the ratings but they are not on the strip .

South Point is a good example. It gets good reviews ( rated #6 out of 252) and is quite the bargain , but it is a 15 min car ride from the strip . fine if you don't won't to be on the strip yet want affordable luxury , but not if you want the expected Las Vegas holiday




all of the big hotels on the strip are usually spotless cleaning wise , and very friendly . but each hotel will not be to someones taste . i very much doubt you would be disappointed by any of the following.

Mirage , Ballys , Planet Hollywood , MGM Grand , New York New York , Luxor , Mandalay Bay , Paris, or Treasure Island.

if you can find them at a price that suites the extra special places to stay are Signature, Caesars , Venetian+Palazzo , Wynn, THE HOTEL , and The Bellagio .

you should AVOID Monte Carlo because of the massive construction going on next to it. and should be be very sure you know what to expect at the Bottom end strip properties ..Excalibur , Tropicanna , Hooters , Circus Circus , Stratosphere , Rivera and Sahara.

that leaves the what i call the awkward to pin down properties , places that some love yet others slate. personally i would not be adverse to staying at any of them , but i would suggest a bit of research if they are in the running. Flamingo , Imperial Palace , and Harrahs all have superb locations , yet there are negatives to some. Imperial Palace for example is a noisy place and seems to be now geared up for the younger set.

Bills Gambling hall ( formerly know as Barbary Coast) has a big fan club , but only has a very small amount of rooms .

that said , pretty much every hotel i have ever stayed at in the USA has massively superior customer service and is better value than a UK Hotel.

trets77

April

photome wrote: »

More flight searching

The £289 return next march Lon-La is still available on airline network and direct with KLM (flight with NWA)

I have now found a flight from Norwich for £370 return to LA, not great connection times in Amsterdam, but my main concern is that it is on a KLM 747 combi (half passenger, half cargo) they are old and have a central film screen. From reviews I have read the seats are as bad or worse than Virgins. Anyone have any opinions?

I guess I could always sit in the toilet unless trets gets there first

Have you considered Air France direct out of Heathrow . showing £389 in the sale. they were around the £400 mark when i put some proposed dates in a while back

trets77

April

Sue_B wrote: »

Thanks - have checked it out, but it's a bit pricey (I know it's going to cost more - but not THAT much!) - any other ideas?

from $149 seems pretty reasonable to me .

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?host=promo&pid=005&code=SUM010&kbid=27920

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?host=promo&pid=005&code=SUM011&kbid=27920

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?host=promo&pid=005&code=SUM012&kbid=27920

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?host=promo&pid=005&code=SUM013&kbid=27920

photome

trets77 wrote: »

Have you considered Air France direct out of Heathrow . showing £389 in the sale. they were around the £400 mark when i put some proposed dates in a while back

Have cosidered them as they are part of the KLM/NWA/air france alliance.

MY problem is I really want to fly into Vegas and out of LA but cost is prohibitive and I hate the drive back from Gatwick/Heathrow to Norwich (150 miles), so am very tempted by the Norwich-La return and then either a connecting flight to Vegas or drive the next morning.

Want to go straight to Vegas as we are flying out around the 26th march and need to be in Vegas on the 28th for the Monsterjam world final...AWESOME.