blonde poker forum

Hi all, been a long time since my last post. Hope everyone's well.

I've been playing 20+ years, but have never made the pilgrimage to Vegas. As I turn the big 50 next year, me and MrsM are planning a trip, probably the last week of April and was looking to get some suggestions, travel tips, booking advice, money/buy-in advice, etc. from the members.

It won't be an entirely poker-based trip, we'll try and get some other stuff in too, but poker-wise I'd like to play a mix of cash and tourneys while I'm there. Entry level 1/3 cash for preference, possibly 2/5 at a push. Tournament wise, $500-$1000 freezeouts I guess.

Considering splitting the holiday between a few nights in Old Vegas and a few nights on the strip, rather than the full week on the strip.

Any recommendations for things to do, places to eat/drink, poker-musts, pro-travel tips greatly appreciated.

There is loads of stuff here
http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=56335.6000 (http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=56335.6000)

It really depends on your budget.  A lot of places on strip are hugely expensive and the prices were much higher than in the past, especially at weekends.  I think you are going to get way better value on strip midweek, and it will be much easier to get reservations at the good places too.   So I'd probably do somewhere like the Wynn Monday to Friday and somewhere downtown at the weekend.

There are some great places to eat.  Just about everything foodwise in the Wynn is top notch.  I did go to an expensive steak house in Bally's this time and didn't see the point.  Ended up North of $100 and didn't think it was that special.   I went to a better one before, but can't remember where. 

I was recommended the barbecue restaurant within Ellis island for my trip this year. It was great and ended up going 3 times. Great value. (Vegas was very expensive) Simple menu of chicken, ribs or a mixture. Sign up for a players card and get a discount.

If you're thinking about a daytrip to the Grand Canyon, i'd advise hiring a car and doing it yourself. Coach trips advertised are very expensive for what you get, the time they take and with limited time at the GC.

Thanks, I've started having a scan through that thread. I started at most recent, but once I got about 15 pages back, it got very COVID-y. I also started at the beginning, but 2012 info probably a bit out of date. I'll keep skimming theough, but would also be grateful of any highlights here if anyone has anything.

I'm off there in about 4 weeks. Been many times but finding it more expensive this time so spend time and shop about. I booked a studio suit at the Vdara for 6 nights for £862 (second time there). In comparison Mirage wanted £1000 for a room and Venetian £1,700. Some friends going with us for the first time are staying at Flaming and Linq which are less expensive. Both great locations but the Flamingo especially is dated unless you book a Go room.

The Vegas thread on here is a mine of information with lots of good advice from very seasoned Vegas travellers.

Flights dearer too and no direct flights from Manchester anymore since covid.

Anyway you're going to have a blast, see some shows and do some trips while you're there.

recommend the D downtown , love to stay there or 4 queens though thats a bit rough and ready. Not one for shows so can't recommend anything there. poker wise Wynn, Aria and if downtown Nuggett favoured.

Wouldn't stay at the 4Queens, as security there is shocking, and a few people have been robbed there in the last few years.

+1 to The D and you can use comp dollars at a super little thai restaurant down near El Cortez (Le Thai).

Nugget is the only cardroom downtown, and if you're staying there with the partner, I'd take the Rush Tower.

Alternatively, if you stay DT Sun-Thurs, I'd probably book Circa, which has the great pool/sportsbook for NFL games on Sundays and can be had for ~$150 a night all in. They sometimes have a 2 night for $300 deal at various times, which includes $100 RC and a daybed at the pool, too.

Prices have gone up, and we've suffered a double whammy as the £ is a bag of shit nowadays.

Hard to know what hotel to recommend, without any idea of budget.

I'd rank them

Wyncore >>>>>>>>> Cosmo > Nomad > Aria > Palazzo >>>> Bellagio > Vdara >>>>> A.N.Other.

For a short split trip, I'd probably want to be centre strip while I was there, so as to have lots within (semi) reasonably walking distance.


CET is normally cheaper overall, but you can get some good rates at Park MGM  as well.

They are just starting to refurb NYNY as well (long overdue), so they'll have newly refurbished rooms by then as well, and they do look quite nice at first look.

Choice of two for me on the strip these days, Jockey Club Suites or Bally's. If you're booking in advance I'd go with JCS.Great location, quiet, amazing rooms and no resort fee. Vegas's best kept secret.

Stop it!

It's their first trip to Vegas! You cant send them to the Jockey Club!

Without knowing budget and what they are into it's hard to recommend.

I would suggest trying to plan it as downtown first for a couple of nights then move to the strip.
I personally prefer Downtown now but that's because I have been a lot of times, you don't want to feel like your downgrading for the last couple of nights, better to upgrade after the first couple of nights. Freemont definitely isn't for everyone.

Main recommendation would be keep the tournaments to a minimum, fill in blank time with playing cash, but concentrate on exploring and having fun with Mrs M as the poker is no different to anywhere else.

Flights - air miles for the win, depends on your situation but you can rack them up pretty quick with Virgin or BA if you get the credit cards and can funnel any spend through to hit the bonuses.

Hotels - if you have time you might be able to get some free nights via My Vegas or the Wynn Slots app, if not then have a look around, might be best to book direct if you are going to do none poker gambling

Give us an idea of budget, what you are looking for, what you enjoy and we can probably throw out some specific spots to visit.

BAN

It's a 50th Birthday with the wife, not nitting up with pot noodles.

Resort Fees are a false economy, and it's stupid to avoid places to save not paying them.

Wynn Slots it's going to cost $200 p/p to get 2 nights on the app now, and weekends are way to expensive. No point getting involved in that anymore.

I'd say myVegas is still a goer, but with occupancy being so high it's only weekdays 99% of the time. Still a goer for a RF only night or two, but not sure how many properties new joiners have available.

Stewards' enquiry!

JCS is my new favourite haunt. It's basically inside the Cosmo and the rooms are the nuts.

I'd swerve downtown now if it's a poker trip tbh. Only the Nugget now Binion's have given up.

Downtown a beer is $6
On the strip it’s $15
That’s all you need to know
The strips become more n more expensive
Lot of value downtown
Plenty of places to stay at
We are trying the California next time we go ,we was in there recently nice casino ,decent bar ,just away from Fremont st behind binions
Fremont st gets worse every time we go or so it seems but that said there’s some decent not too expensive places to drink n eat at
Mainly pokers up on the strip though

I know of it, and suggested it to a mate that was looking for something half decent centre strip.

For poker trip, certainly.

A 50th, with the wife? No!

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

The spec has evolved a bit, because we're being joined by a couple of friends. We're going to day/evening trip Downtown, but stay on the strip for 7 nights.

We compared booking hotels direct, with third parties and as part of packages. We surprisingly found the cheapest way to to do it was with a package by some distance.

We don't really have the budget for Wynn, Venetian, Ceaser's, Cosmo, etc. We could just about stretch to Bellagio, but having weighed up all the reviews, decided against that in the end too.

We've actually almost settled on Planet Hollywood, based on central location, much more affordable. Holding off booking for a couple of weeks though, just in case I win the Goliath, in which case, we take another look at the five stars :)

We'll certainly do plenty of non-poker stuff (a show, Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam trip, drinks and dinners), but MrsM is also totally on board with me getting plenty of poker in. I'm going to try and get short sessions in at multiple card rooms, rather than long sessions in one or two.

I wouldn't. PH rooms gone massively downhill over the last couple of years - they're due a refurb.

I had a very quick look for the last week of April (Saturday 22nd to Saturday 29th) at hotels on Expedia.

PH was £1573 for that week.
Vdara was £1731
Cromwell was £1313
Ballys was £1242.
Paris was £1932
Bellagio was £2450
Aria and Cosmo were north of £2750.

That's pretty much everything center-south Strip. With those prices, and what you've said already ITT, I'd rate them as Vdara > Cromwell > Paris > Ballys > PH based on price/rooms. Not sure what others would suggest. Vdara is non-smoking/not a casino hotel if that is an issue though.

dates are actually Wed 26th - Wed 3rd
Virgin package prices per person, including basic flight (we'll do a bit of baggage adding and maybe a bit of upgrading there)

PH - £1160
Cromwell - £1214
Paris - £1202 (MrsM not keen at all)
VDara - £1371
Bellagio £1503

What we thought PH had going for it was as it has a lower base price, getting an upgrade (pre-planned or $20 trick) could mean Bellagio fountain view.

Are you going to spend any time at the pool?

Yeah I think for that price you can't really turn down PH.

I will spend a bit of time by the pool, but MrsM will definitely be wanting some poolside or room snoozing, while I get some of my cash sessions in.

While MrsM and our friends may dip their toes in 1/3 cash, they're much more likely to want to have a few blackjack / slots sessions while I get my poker in. For that reason, a casino hotel is preferred really, although we did consider some of the non-casinos.

There's a good chance I'll go again solo in the future for more poker-focused trip, and may go down some of the other suggested routes when I don't have other's to consider so much.

The pool at Planet Hollywood is truly awful.

Based on that list Paris would be my first choice, but if MrsM isn's feeling that then the Cromwell.

Any pricing available for or have you written off...

Mirage
MGM
Mandalay Bay
Luxor

I''d probably throw the extra in and go Vdara. You're a couple mins walk to Aria or Bellagio. Barring that, I agree with Stu.

Park MGM is another option. Has the benefit of being non smoking, and easy access to everywhere on the strip.

If you're going to be at the pool at all, you definitely don't want PH.

Ok, that is interesting then. I will put that to the boss. The photos of the PH pools look really good. Are they really that bad?

I'd heard there was a good chance Mirage wouldn't be there by the time we go, being replaced with a Hard Rock?

Luxor is second cheapest on the strip for those dates at £1039, but had considered it too far south strip.
Mandalay Bay up at £1600, and again, thought it was too far south.
MGM Grand and Park both around the £1300 range, and our friends have been to Park before and loved it. The idea though was to be as close as possible to the places I wanted to be sure to get some poker in (Venetian, Caeser's, Bellagio, Aria, Wynn) that MrsM could nip back and forth from where we stay, which is why the MGMs dropped out of favour.

Based on the above, perhaps I take another look at Cromwell.

This is hard.

Just going to have to win the Goliath

Any chance you can do the day before - Tuesday to Tuesday?

Reason I ask is that for the time you're looking at, it's normally about 650/700 pp for the flights and that is priced into the quotes you've been getting above.

However, currently, flying 25th April to 2nd May is coming in at 511 each on the direct from Gatwick to Vegas, booking direct with BA. This could free up more hotel cash and you could potentially go to Aria or Bellagio.

In fact, looking at BA Packages, those dates are coming in as:

Bally's - £955pp
Paris - £987pp
PH - £988pp
Cromwell - £999pp
Vdara - £1127pp
Bellagio - £1315pp
Aria - £1588pp
Cosmo - £1736pp

At those prices, compared to above, I'm booking Aria as quickly as I can.

we were initially looking Tuesday to Tuesday, and the prices between BA and Virgin were almost identical (both Heathrow, didn't see Gatwick prices) We found at the time that Wednesday to Wednesday was cheaper with both, and also direct with hotels.
The prices are going up and down quite a lot day to day.

We did like the look of Cromwell rooms, but it was £50 per person per night different, which obviously over a week adds up. £700 extra spends :)
But advice about pools taken on board, we're going to take another look post-Goliath (genuinely, a decent cash changes the plan)

I'd booking Vdara at those prices. I wouldn't say Aria is worth £900 more.

I love the place and just did 8 nights there this summer, but if it was those were the prices I'd be booking Vdara for myself.

5-10min walk to  ellagio & Aria, and ~15 minutes to Caesars.

Bally's for me by a mile at those prices. The refurb will have been done by then and resort tower rooms are very good. The new poker room will have at least 18 tables by all accounts, likely more. There's also a kebab house out front, which is the nuts.

Chompy, he's going with his Mrs, not a lets chop it at 3 tables left poker trip :D

Now, when he goes back as planned for that, I'd certainly agree with Ballys being a prime spot.

Especially with the new cardroom being open then, too.

Took a fresh look at it last night based on recommendations so far.

MrsM is really keen on a Casino Hotel so she can dip in and out while I have longer sessions. Vdara out for that reason, and also because it seems from the videos and pictures like a conference hotel vibe, rather than a holiday destination. Would 100% consider for my own return trip though.

Took another look at Paris, and while the Trip Advisor ratings are reviews are absolutely horrible, the 'honest' YouTube reviews do seem ok. The location is killer, with easy access to most of my poker targets, and certainly has some MrsM-friendly charm to it. Paris surprisingly now top of the list, and by moving back to Tuesday-Tuesday, and looking at BA instead of Virgin it comes un under a grand pp. may put a small deposit on that this weekend, with a view to being happy to lose that if I bink the Goliath and take a suite at a 5*.

Park MGM also came back in to the shortlist for ease of access to at least Aria, Bellagio, mid-strip via tram. We also took a first look at New York New York, which might have a more fun vibe to it than we'd first thought.

I looked at Bally's too, but there seemed to be issues with pools and restaurants being closed. There's a rebrand coming soon isn't there, and the concern is we turn up to a construction site. Same reasoning for avoiding Mirage > Hard Rock.

Appreciate all the suggestions. once destination is sorted, I have follow up questions for poker/money, but for now, good to focus on where we're staying.

Aye, fair point marky. Even then I'd go with Bally's. Everything will be finished by December, so next April will be fine.

Paris buffet is gone never to return, but Cosmo is only a five-minute walk. If the missus has gone full circle on Paris I'd just about favour it over Bally's.

I'd only ever stay at Ballys solo, never with a better half, and I like the place.

I've actually got a week booked there if I go out in December, and will likely throw a week in next summer, too.

I stay at Nomad a fair bit, which is part of Park MGM and I really like it. Great location, really good food options, and a Starbucks as you walk out of the elevators.

Stayed at Paris in December, and I really liked it, albeit it's a bit expensive for what it was, and they're still undecided as to what restaurants are coming back etc.

Rooms are nice, and you can usually grease for a FV/Eiffel tower upgrade, or pay $25 a night to get one. Harder via a 3rd party, but not impossible, and I've managed it at Cosmo when I used to book their through HolidayUSA.

Given all you've said, I'd go with Paris, and you've got the Benefit of being able to get to the 'Horsehoe' poker room without even going outside. That as wel as being across the road from Bellagio & Aria.

The walk from Vdara to Aria is like 5 minutes max?   Don't think it is longer than Wynn to Encore.  I didn't really like Vdara, but definite upside was not having to walk through the casino.   

Would go for Paris over ballys, air was proper smoky in Ballys, and Paris definitely felt nicer.  Never stayed in either.

Good news! I think Paris is probably best based on everything you had said, apart from your wife not wanting to go there!

Good pool
Good casino
Walk through to Ballys for poker
Not that your limited to onsite food, but Mon Ami and Hex are both good, and you can take the Mrs up the Eiffel Tower for tea if you do some wins.

Sure Marky will confirm that on VMB there are many well seasoned Vegas travellers and you don't hear many bad reports about Paris other than it being part of the CET group.

Only reason I discounted Paris at the start was Mrs M hating it :D

I would stay there again no problem, and thought it was a really nice resort.

Food options weren't great, but they were struggling with getting everything reopened last year, and I think that's steadily getting back to 100% now.

Def pretty well liked next door, as Stu says.

Martha's smashed baked spuds are incred allegedly....

Looks as expensive as GR Steak, so I'll give that one a miss :D

Thanks all, really appreciate the input.

The only hurdle now is our friends are very put off by the terrible Trip Advisor reviews for Paris. Wonder why they’re SOOOO bad, when not only your advice, but a lot of honest pros/cons YouTube videos say generally pretty good things.

The friends are more keen on Park MGM, which was our most recent fall back choice if Paris sells out before we book in a couple of weeks. We don’t have to stay in the same place though. Looking 90% Paris, 9% Park, 1% Venetian/Ceasers.

Didn’t make day 2 of Goliath on my first bullet, taking another shot Day 1E.

Had a lovely catch-up with Maria “Chili” Demetriou though, and a bit of live “whatever happened to…” Maria made day 2 with 250k.

Park is good, too. Paris is a little more quirky a resort, with the themes etc. What were the bad reviews about Paris?

If it was late last year, and early this year I'd understand, as I  think most of the hotel was shut or operating real skeleton hours, and likewise Ballys :D

I stay at Nomad most trips, which is a hotel within Park MGM and I love it. Plenty of food options, and you have Eataly connected to the casino, with tonnes of options.

You also have the added bonus of Park being non-smoking, if that's a box to tick. Not that smoke is a problem in most resorts anyway.

You can walk out of the Nomad doors and cross the street to NYNY and the T-Mobile bars/restaraunts, or through an indoor walkway to Aria.

Just read a lot of really bad reviews for Paris on TripAdvisor. Even discounting for petty peeves, the complaints are justified and I’d steer clear until I read about significant improvements

I read through the first few pages. Most seemed to be about check in, parking, pool capacity (August, half pool closed), some niggles about rooms, and some about noisy neighbors or thefts from rooms (surely very isolated experiences).

Not sure.

Didn't make day 2 of Goliath, so decision time

In fairness, there were plenty of spotty reviews. However, I don't take mine from Trip Advisor, and if there is anything wildly wrong with a property, it will be all over VMB, and quickly!

None of that would put me off staying there again, but understandable it can be offputting. All that said, I would pick Park over Paris, anyway. It doesn't have the 'theme', but is a better resort, for me.

I hope you bought dollars a while ago as the rates gone terrible 😢

No I haven't sorted anything like that yet, but it does lead onto my next topic, cash/bankroll.

As I said, trip will be a broad mixture of poker, other gambling (not fussed myself, but the friends will want to hit some blackjack and slots), sight seeing, drinking, a show, etc.

In terms of poker money, am I best to take cash, e-wallet, blend? As mentioned, likely buyins will be on the low end for Cash, $1-$3 most likely. If there's a single good tournament somewhere around the $1000 mark, I'll carve out a day in the calendar.

Also, that tax form I see mentioned, do I need to do that in advance, or if I bink a $1k Seniors tournament for 5 figures, can I do it at the time?

My God! I can't believe you're a senior.

Come to think of it, I can't believe I'm a senior.

Ha, I get this too.  You do realise super senior is 60?  The fear is real.

On the tax number/form, some places will do it for you.  The WSOP adoes it for you AFAIK.  The Golden Nugget flat out refused for me.  I spoke to the Wynn after my win, and they indicated they would have been happy to help if I had cashed there.  Pretty sure the Bellagio used to help back in the day too.  Think it is more likely that the Golden Nugget is the outlier rather than the WSOP?

OMG! I'm heading for super-duper senior.

I put all my meals and stuff on the room and then charge it to my Halifax Clarity, as that's almost matched at spot with XE.

I'm there a month, so take 1/2 my intended spends as cash, and some loaded on a card. For a trip that length, I'd just be taking all my poker/spending money in cash and then throw it in the safe.

Are there any big poker comps on while you're there? As long as you don't win a lump at the Golden Nugget, you should be ok for the tax forms.

Cash is definitely easiest!

As it gets closer I'll look at the schedules and see what i can find. The reason I mentioned seniors is I had noticed a few months ago when I was first looking into this, there was I think a $1100 Seniors event at Venetian and I really liked the idea of celebrating my 50th with something like that.

I'd like to play a lot of short cash at a variety of iconic places, and maybe just one or two 'proper' sessions/tournaments

They'll have decent seniors MTTs as part of big schedules, so just worth keeping an eye out for the Venetian/Wynn festivals around easter time, and a bit of luck they'll have something on while you're there.

We take cash some dollars from tesco but now we no longer get points on our purchases of t foreign currency im not sure and rest in sterling
Ask at cashiers cages for their exchange rates as they can vary wildly
I allow $500-800 per day if I blow out its beer time never start on tomorrows money
Put meals and drinks on room in case of comping
Obv you need a players card and you must have a passport to get one
Vegas.com is where we book our show tickets or the concierge at your hotel

Best of all enjoy it
What happens in vegas can go on here lol 😂

I can.

Luxor helped with an ITIN, which I now have, following a win on a puggy in there, which was above the $1,199 limit for tax. Paid the full amount too and were very friendly with it.

Was lucky enough to win a nice amount again in the Venetian and they withheld 30%, which was like a kick in the baws.
This was despite me showing them the 'pending' ITIN from the Luxor.
Said they are under new management and can't help anymore.

Didn't play in the WSOP but took a walk round and did see many tables offering to help non-US citizens with tax issues following any large win.
Not sure of the cut they would take but made me think the WSOP themselves were withholding tax from European winners. 

They were this year. Something to do with licences to issue ITIN's and the WSOP's move from the Rio to Bally's meant they didn't have the right licence.

Hopefully they will be able to sort it out in time for next year.

The Vegas trip  is finally here,we fly on Tuesday 25th.
Life’s thrown a few curve balls at me since booking the trip, not least being made redundant after 17 years at the same place. When I come back I’ll be setting up a business, so this holiday is a much needed break before the hard work starts.

Got a Grand Canyon trip planned for Wednesday, shows Thursday and Sunday (Penn & Teller and Zombie Burlesque), Fremont Street Friday,,Cosmo Buffet Saturday, Dinner somewhere nice on the Monday, then weave in some cash sessions at Horseshoe, Bellagio, Venetian, Caesar’s, Golden Nugget, and maybe Wynn if I can find a reason to be up that way.

I’m usually a tournament player, but I can’t really find a slot in the itinerary for one in Vegas, so multiple cash sessions is better. Perfect timing for DTD to be putting on their cash game week before I go. I’m heading out today and tomorrow to get my eye in a bit before Vegas.

Have a ball and be lucky.

Have a ball Adam.

What a well timed bink you had a couple of weeks ago.

Certainly was.

Perfect warm up at DTD :)

Have a great trip, Adam!

Congrats on the bink and good luck in Vegas

We had a great Vegas trip.
Played poker at Horseshoe, Caesar’s, Venetian, MGM Grand and Golden Nugget(plus made it to the waiting list at Bellagio). For $1/$3 & $1/$2 I have to say, Horseshoe was a stand out favourite. Dealers and Floor staff were excellent, games were friendly and fun, waitresses never far away. Venetian and Caesar’s were all business, and Nugget was a fun but rough game (nearly a fight on hand 1 of a new table). Mixed in some table games and slots at the above, plus Flamingo, Cromwell, New York New York, Paris and Rio.

Didn’t eat fancy, but good eats at Off the Strip and Favourite Bistro on Link Promenade, Britannia in Venetian, Cabo Wabo and Beer Park on the strip, and Cosmo Buffet.

Penn & Teller was great, and Zombie Burlesque was silly.

Grand Canyon was a great day out. So hard to comprehend the scale of it, even when you’re looking at it.

Squeezed in the new Punk Rock Museum on the last day, including a chat with the boss, Fat Mike.