The Las Vegas Thread and MSE guide

trets77

April

stoneman wrote: »

Have you booked direct with the hotel? If so, seems a decent offer, but keep checking on here for better deals nearer your holiday, and check the hotels own website about 6 weeks before you go as prices will usually go up and down closer to your travel date. If you manage to find a better deal, cancel your origional booking (which will not cost you anything as long as it is 48 hours? before your stay) and re-book the better offer

agreed , September is a popular month so it would be a reasonable price . is it booked direct with the Hotel ?

NYNY is a great place to stay

Froggitt

On the buffet poll, many of the stations at Paris seemed to run out of food at around 10am. It also had a longer queue to get in (noone clearing dirty tables) than Mirage, Bellagio and Wynn. Very poor. Avoid.

ruthy14

April

hi yes booked direct with the hotel as we went last year and stayed in harrahs and yes the prices did go down and they honoured it.
Why cant uk hotels do the same?
has NY NY got a buffet as I cant find any mention of it on its website?

pinkpinkfizz

:wave: Just a quick hello to everyone on this forum :wave:

My Husband and me are off to vegas on the 2nd March (leave home on the 1st to travel to London) and direct flight with virgin to Vegas, returning on the 7th (arrive UK on the 8th)

I am SO excited I could scream and run around, lol, but I am a grown up so I show some restraint and will save that until slightly nearer the time

Any advice regarding Virgin flights?

I have been reading through the thread for a few months but now I have to start to take notes, print coupons and learn how to gamble?! I don't even know what the games are called! I did watch ladies poker on Sky last night in the hope of some self teaching but it all sounded complete gobbildeey gook so I fell asleep instead.

Are there any programmes on Sky that show Vegas? I now find myself watching csi and checking out the scenery not following the plot

I have to book our helicopter trip to the grand canyon, that's likely gonna be booked over the next week.

Oh boy oh boy I just can't wait......:j :j :j :j :j :j :j

trets77

April

ruthy14 wrote: »

hi yes booked direct with the hotel as we went last year and stayed in harrahs and yes the prices did go down and they honoured it.
Why cant uk hotels do the same?
has NY NY got a buffet as I cant find any mention of it on its website?

no it doesn't ..it also is one of the few casino's without a poker room.
Chin Chin restaurant has a breakfst buffet that is really really crap ..i'd avoid it . most of the other places to eat are pretty good.

Any advice regarding Virgin flights?

first get a aisle seat booked up on the website . the 747 economy seat config is 3-4-3 narrowing to 2-4-2 at the very back for just a few rows . the 2 seats on thier own will almost certainly be booked up already. if you have 2 seats of the 3 on window you will either block in or be blocked in by a random stranger. i much prefer 2 of the 4 with a aisle seat. the plane will disembark from the front. as has been said before being 1st in the queue for border control , only means you wait for your bags. try to be about 1st third of the way towards the front , for beating your bags through border control.

you can check out seat guru ( www.seatguru.com) but the only good seats apart from the 2 on thier own are the exit row ( usually they try and sell these) or bulkhead which cannot be booked in advance . if your going to the airport the day before , i assume you will be using the free twilight check in service , where you can check your bags ready for the next day from noon , and get a good shot of maybe catching bulk head seats ( with a aisle of course) . you can then just show up at the gate a hour before boarding . leave enough time for security though gate will be a good 10 mins walk from passport control .

Virgin headphones are usual airline crap , get airplane headphone adaptor for your own headphones in the seat entertainment. (maplins should have one) also take your drinking legs to make full advantage of free booze , all journey. Virgin seat pitch maybe quoted as similar to others but it definatly feels more cramped on them than say United , US airways , or BMI . guess thats why they give you free drinks lol . and do make use of the full baggage allowance. we take 2 empty cases every time we go the states . you can check 2 bags at 23kg per person .

there is a Sky Tv called las vegas uncovered on sky one that is always a good watch imo.

i don't recommend playing poker unless you have a firm grounding on the net at least. i,m often reminded of the phrase from Dan Harrington that goes along the lines " be glad poker is so difficult to master , that way your hardwork will see you beat people who haven't bothered" . there is a lot of etiquette to learn as well. beware there are plenty of guys who make a living , taking novices money on the strip. you can get lessons on all the games from the casinos . Craps is the hardest to learn but always seem's to have the most excitment. slots are easy ,just put your cash in and push the button , there is not really any skill to it. Blackjack is the most popular game , playing perfect strategy (below) will see you conceed only a 1% advantage to the casino.


you can pick little cards like this all over the strip , and the casinos don,t usually mind if you have it while playing ( but always ask the dealer) . if you play it you have to stick to it to get that 1% which often means hitting on a 16 , which seems like suicide , but thats the odds . the big casinos have higher limits than the low budget operators on the strip or downtown who offer $5 a hand all day ect . how Roulette is fun i will never know. Bacaarat is okay , but they make it so posh wher you play that it would always put me off if i played. Video Poker is called the crack cocaine of gambling , as it can be beat according to the experts , personally i hate it.

if you really want to try poker take a crash course in reading up on the game and tatics ect. i can recommend some books if you like , and get playing on the net in $5 sit and gos .( i play on Partypoker these days)

ferf1223

March

pinkpinkfizz wrote: »

:wave: Just a quick hello to everyone on this forum :wave:

My Husband and me are off to vegas on the 2nd March (leave home on the 1st to travel to London) and direct flight with virgin to Vegas, returning on the 7th (arrive UK on the 8th)

I am SO excited I could scream and run around, lol, but I am a grown up so I show some restraint and will save that until slightly nearer the time

Any advice regarding Virgin flights?

I'm very excited for you - you're leaving a few weeks before us so I am also jealous.

Trets mentioned twilight check-in and as it seems you will be in London the day before your flight, it really is something you should look into doing. We live in London but anymore always stay at an airport hotel the night before the flight so we can get all checked in that afternoon/evening and then not have that hassle in the morning. Such a great thing...makes a massive difference in the start of the holiday to us.

I'm sure you will have a great trip!

atro1

May

pinkpinkfizz wrote: »

:wave: Just a quick hello to everyone on this forum :wave:

My Husband and me are off to vegas on the 2nd March (leave home on the 1st to travel to London) and direct flight with virgin to Vegas, returning on the 7th (arrive UK on the 8th)

I am SO excited I could scream and run around, lol, but I am a grown up so I show some restraint and will save that until slightly nearer the time


Guess we could be on the same flight VS043!!! :beer: We have not booked our hotel as yet. Awaiting Tretts to find me the Wynn at 2/6!!

trets77

April

atro1 wrote: »

pinkpinkfizz wrote: »

:wave: Just a quick hello to everyone on this forum :wave:

My Husband and me are off to vegas on the 2nd March (leave home on the 1st to travel to London) and direct flight with virgin to Vegas, returning on the 7th (arrive UK on the 8th)

I am SO excited I could scream and run around, lol, but I am a grown up so I show some restraint and will save that until slightly nearer the time


Guess we could be on the same flight VS043!!! :beer: We have not booked our hotel as yet. Awaiting Tretts to find me the Wynn at 2/6!!

no pressure then :A

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Leigh-Anne_60

We are looking to book next month for our first trip to LV - for late Nov this year. We have to book through Virgin and the following are in our price range

NY NY
Monte Carlo
Treasure Island
Luxor
Excalibur
Hilton

We are leaving the kids at home:rolleyes: and will be celebrating hubbies 30th & our 6th anniversary whilst away. At the moment we are swayed to the Monte carlo - for no particular reason

They all seem to be rated 4 stars - but could any of you experts advise of any pro's & cons of these hotels that we should be aware of?

Thanks in advance

LA

PS - Great thread, very informative:beer:

photome

Leigh-Anne_60 wrote: »

We are looking to book next month for our first trip to LV - for late Nov this year. We have to book through Virgin and the following are in our price range

NY NY
Monte Carlo
Treasure Island
Luxor
Excalibur
Hilton

We are leaving the kids at home:rolleyes: and will be celebrating hubbies 30th & our 6th anniversary whilst away. At the moment we are swayed to the Monte carlo - for no particular reason

They all seem to be rated 4 stars - but could any of you experts advise of any pro's & cons of these hotels that we should be aware of?

Thanks in advance

LA

PS - Great thread, very informative:beer:

Why do you have to book through Virgin,,genrally better value to book direct with hotel.

Others will be more up to date tham me but the Monte Carlo was surrounded by high rise cranes and building works when I was there in April.

These are only my opinions but
For that reason I wouldnt stay there

Not much to choose between NY NY and TI and the best of your list

NYNY is on a busy intersection opposite the MGM, I prefer the location of TI.

Excalibur is on same junction as NYNY but not a patch on it

Luxor is OK but location puts me off (otherside of excalibur and further still from centre strip.

Again the location spoils the Hilton for me as it is not even on the strip altho the monorail goes by it.


have you looked on www.cheapovegas.com for maps and rundown on all Vegas hotels