blonde poker forum

At the end of August this year, two of my friends will be getting married.

I have been asked to be best man so, of course, my most important duty is to organise the stag do. The groom is a big Las Vegas fan and has been circa 10 times (the majority when he was <21) so we have just about decided that we will go their for the stag.

Unsure on dates yet and nothing booked. It's likely to be a group of 4-5 of us. Aside from me, no real gamblers in the group - none of the others play poker. Group are all late 20's. Budget will be mid range ish.

I have been with the groom (girlfriends in tow) to Vegas before in 2012. Obviously want to make this one really special.

I thought I would use this thread to mull over ideas, eventually get things planned out and hopefully gain from the considerable knowledge that exists amongst Blondes. Should be able to end it with a fun trip report hopefully.

Will post some initial thoughts shortly. Meeting the groom next weekend to sort out good dates.

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Dates are definitely going to be the important factor in this. I can't help but stress highly enough - you want to avoid June/July/August for heat and cost.

If you can somehow organise it all for April/May then you run good.

i was best man for my mates wedding in vegas a few years ago, had it down to a tee.

include

lake mead on boats with beer
pool party at wet republic
a show
few dinners
1 big club night out
and a lot of spare time for people to explore and do their own thing
have a night walking round with the daft guitar cocktails and small stakes gambling

make sure you are stern with what time youre all meeting in the lobby, 10am means 10am, dont let them take the piss

Don't arrange to meet in the lobby.  Arrange to meet in a bar.  That way if someone shows up 20 mins late it doesn't really matter, and if they show up so late that everyone else has already taken off, then they'll learn for the next day.  The most tilting thing in the world is standing in a lobby while someone decides it will only take them 5 minutes to get from the Strat to Mandalay Bay on the bus...

Having been in June for a Stag Do the one thing I can recommend is a night with bottle service.

Yes it is overpriced and perhaps a luxury that isn't needed but we had a hell of a night. We went to Cosmopolitan in Marquee and had a table outside (where it was a little less expensive). We booked it through a host who we got in touch with whilst in Vegas who met us outside the club and took us over to our table.

Just 2 points to consider:

1. Make sure everyone who goes along is committed to doing their brains on an overpriced night, no-one can be tight in Vegas.
2. Talk to plenty of ladies with your best English accent. Chances are you might end up in a lovely suite in the Venetian with some lovely girls from LA ;)
 

Callaway golf centre is a good day activity, they were really accommodating for big parties and had everything set up for us upon arrival. 

Its only a par 3 course so decent for players of all abilities.

http://taylormadegolfexperience.com/

Thanks for the ideas so far.

I think 5 nights away should be enough. One big club night for the actual ‘do’, a show, some golf and an excursion – Lake Mead, water park etc.

Flights look to be hovering around the £750 mark for 5 nights in May. Looking at a Tuesday to a Sunday flying direct with Virgin. That seems reasonable to me, would be surprised to see them much cheaper than that.

Am unsure on hotels at the moment, do you think it is worth suggesting twin beds (two to a room) to save some money? Hotel prices look expensive on first glance, was thinking something like TI, Mirage type level initially.

Ideally want to get it for £1K each all in.

1k should be plenty

Most rooms are 2 double beds so easy for 2 to share

Mirage/TI level sounds about right, not so expensive that anyone could cough and splutter about it, but plenty decent for those with $$ also.  Fwiw, pool area @ TI is pants while pool area @ Mirage is pretty decent, if that makes a difference.  Fine to suggest sharing rooms, but surely as it isn't being booked as a package, anyone that preferered a room to themself (or even a room somewhere else if they really wanted to) could opt out and arrange it themselves?

Just had a look at some rates calendars in May and there is a LOT of variation, depending on what week you go.  The last week in May looks the cheapest if that helps, there are a couple of very expensive Saturdays in the middle of the month.

12th May - £820
19th May - £532
26th May - £443

All on lowcostusa, but may find better surfing.

As a wildcard on Mirage, you could get a 2-BDR Tower Suite for $2k+tax+RF using code MIRNYNDE  or a 2-BDR Penthouse for $2.4k+tax+RF.

If a couple of guys in the group (or you +best man) wanted to splash a little bit more, both of those suites have wet bars in and not a bad place to meet up at the start of the evening.  None of that hanging around in lobbies malarkey.. and can get half cut on a bottles of spirits bought at off-licence prices.

Hi, no idea where you're based in the UK, but if Manchester airport is convenient enough for your group, Thomas Cook have a direct return in May (12th-17th, Tues-Sun) for £656pp.

Edit- if you want to bring the cost of the flights right down, fly from Dublin. You can get a return on the same dates as above for £418pp with US Airways. Factor in maybe another £50pp for your return flight to Dublin, though Ryanair often do £9.99 each way fares.

You might see it as hassle having to go to Dublin first, but look at the positives...you could spend a night there to kick off the stag do, and what a place Dublin is for a night out. The flight to Vegas is a one stop job, but the connections are pretty swift. And you'll arrive in Vegas as a domestic passenger and avoid US customs, which can be very tedious!

Edit again :) - Luxor is £370 on those dates, for a pyramid 2 Queen beds room thing. So my abacus makes that £185pp...add that to the £418 flights and its 600 quid pp give or take. Leaves plenty in the 1kpp kitty for a hotel in Dublin and the return flights...you could even keep that aspect of the trip a surprise from the stag! :)

I flew with US Airways once and it was the last time I ever took a 1 stop flight. The planes were fecking awful, smallest seating and most basic out of all I have flown on and service was terrible. They were that bad that if given the choice of them or not going I would rather stay at home

Ha, I've yet to have the pleasure of flying with them, but having flown with United, Continental and American Airlines in recent years, US carriers do not compare to European carriers...and the European carriers lag behind the Middle East/Asian airlines!

FWIW to OP there are other options from Dublin that avoid using US Airways, but I think they code share with BA these days so can be hard to avoid them on certain routes.

I have flown with Delta and American airlines before, both were okay though found Delta the better of the two. I fly from Gatwick and there used to be loads of great deals for 1 stop flights until Heathrow had to open more slots and all the US carriers bar US Airways left. Since that US Airways flight have not even contemplated doing anything but direct.
Been a few years since I used them so they may have got better

Have to fly direct and Gatwick is easiest for us all. Given it is a relatively short trip, the less time traveling the better.

Are hotels strict with who stays in rooms? I.e. you book a 1 bed penthouse and 3 of you stay in it.

Stayed in Mirage before and loved it, perfect location and great pool.

The 1-BDR will have one king bed.  Two Queens is not an option.  (There may be a joke in there somewhere..)

So it doesn't work out a very good option to go balla in a Penthouse and then end up spooning with someone, and having to climb over someone sprawled out in the living area on the sofa or a rollaway bed.

So for balla, 2-BDR suite = 1 guy in 1 bedroom, 1 guy in the other bedroom.  1-BDR suite = 1 guy in it, everyone else gtfo.

To answer the occupancy side of things, I think 4 to a room is the limit for fire regs.  However, you can check in, declare 2 people in the room and ask for 4 keys.  The maids will obviously see what is going on, but as long as you look after them, aren't causing a disturbance that needs investigating.. you could in theory have more than that in the room.  Twin room, then after checking in, call down and ask for a rollaway bed to be delivered.  Could now sleep 5, and more if someone was so busto they didn't mind the floor....  As always, being reasonable about these things goes a long way.

And yes, for a short trip, go direct AINEC

Got some good planning done this weekend.

We were also supposed to be going to get fitted for suits. The groom, in his infinite wisdom, decided to ring the wedding shop an hour before to check we could come rather than booking in advance. Rookie mistake.

At the moment, the last week of April looks very appealing. Can get 5 nights in the Mirage with direct flights, two to a room, for roughly £930. Resort fee included. Hoping to work around everybody's diaries and get flights booked in the next 10 days.

I am spending all of this week working down at the BETT show in London. It’s a really excellent show focussing on how technology should be used in education. Sir Bob Geldolf kicks things off tomorrow morning, I don’t think he is much of an educationalist but am sure he will be emotive. I am most looking forward to getting some time with Ken Robinson. He is such a great speaker with some interesting ideas on how we educate our children. The below is his most well-known talk, it really is worth a watch.

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iG9CE55wbtY

Last week in April this year is by far the cheapest I have come across for Hotels, hence why I am also in Vegas then

Still nothing booked as of yet, trying to get everyone free on the same date is challenging.

Do Virgin always have an Easter sale? Had a quick look last night and the non sale prices don't look too bad on certain dates.

Spent the last week in Nuremberg at the International Toy Fair. Lots of good beer and even better meat. Reminds me of Bruges, such a beautiful little city.

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The sales are a guessing game, unfortunately... Have organised a few stags myself, so I feel your pain!

What I did, is sort out some dates which fitted for the most important guests, and set those in stone. If you could make it great, if not, see you on the mini do, the night before the wedding :)

I've never done all that much travelling around Europe, beyond a few stag trips, and some poker jaunts, in which I saw nada!

Nuremberg sounds decent, but you can't really go wrong with good food and alcohol :)

Sounds good. Were you there for business or pleasure?
Are you a collector or trader?

Business.

I work in the world of education resources so just hunting for new ideas and generally keeping up with what the industry is up to. All the really big boys are there – the likes of Mattel, Hasbro etc. The halls are full of hoards of grown adults cooing over the latest Fireman Sam doll or some new Frozen merchandise. These things have a tendency to feel a bit like an old boys club, everybody on the plane out knows each other, I really don’t like the networking side of these types of events but it’s a necessary evil.

It’s actually a great show to just wander around as a consumer. Something like 24 miles if you want to walk the lot though so sturdy shoes required.

Off down to Hereford later on today. Thankfully can liven it up with a picturesque stop in Ross on Wye.

Finally booked.

7 nights from 27th June until the 4th July. 4 of us, two rooms,  two queens in each room at the Mirage, direct flights with BA for a total of £1,047 each.

Seems like a decent enough deal and prices have soared since we booked. Not ideal dates wise as will be insanely hot but should still be great. Really looking forward to it and can get planning now.

Tempted to play the WSOP – am there for a $1K and a $777 but I guess I should give it a miss and stay with the group. Will probably just play some cash at some point. Will have to get along to the Rio for a bit just to take in the atmosphere.

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