blonde poker forum

Basic Lowdown on resorts

The cheapovegas site is handy to get a look at each resort, what they offer etc.

http://www.cheapovegas.com/index.php

Here are maps of the 2 main areas of interest to the tourists.

Downtown

http://www.cheapovegas.com/vegas_map.php?map=downtown

The Strip

http://www.cheapovegas.com/vegas_map.php?map=strip


There is a map for offstrip too but you can't check out any of the properties on the site only see where they are in relation to others.

http://www.cheapovegas.com/vegas_map.php?map=offstrip


FLIGHTS

Virgin

Virgin fly from Manchester and Gatwick so giving an ideal point for you guys way oop there to fly direct too.

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com

London Gatwick - Vegas - Daily as below

1125am-1410pm

1640pm-1030am (overnight flight)


Manchester - Vegas - Thursday and Sunday at the times below

1235pm-1450pm

1720pm-1105am (overnight flight)


Thomas Cook

Direct flight from Manchester which leaves on Wednesdays and Sundays

Manchester - Las Vegas

www.thomascook.com (http://www.thomascook.com)

Will probably be of interest to the Scots that the 23rd-30th June flight picks up and stops in Glasgow on the way home.



British Airways

BA also run a daily direct service from Heathrow with a more poker player orientated flight time.

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/globalgateway.jsp/global/public/en_

It gives you almost an extra day in Vegas as you don't have to leave for the airport until around 6pm, the downside is that's when the fun normally starts ;)


1640pm-1910pm

2110pm-1455pm (overnight flight)



For those that don't mind indirect flights and want to save a few quid, just use the Skyscanner link below by plugging your dates in to get every flight leaving throughout that day.



Flights and Packages

www.skyscanner.net

Will give you the best price on flights available in different varieties, both direct and with stops as filtered by you. Easy to use and will make sure you don't see yourself off with price.


www.ebookers.com

www.expedia.co.uk

www.lowcostusa.co.uk

www.trivago.co.uk

You can often find a good value 'Flight & Hotel' package using the above sites. I generally book separately myself as I like to split my trip between hotels. That said you can book a hotel for only part of the trip with Expedia.



ESTA Travel Authorisation

Everyone who goes to the states now needs to fill in an ESTA travel authorisation prior to going. The cost is $14 through the official site and link below so you can't get tucked up by the fraudulent ones all over the net.

Visa forms are gone on flights now so we only have to fill in the customs ones that everyone does.

Regardless we have to do the ESTA so here is the link


https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html?_flowExecutionKey=_c70D6A6A8-9366-B800-EFFA-FAC75E294E8F_boost9887F0-63C6-2389-5C2A-730D695608D1


Hotels


I've stayed most of the strip hotels for varying periods between a couple days and a few weeks so have an idea about most. I can only give you my thoughts and obviously this will depend on the individual as one mans trash is another mans treasure

www.harrahs.com

Harrahs own the majority of the strip and have hotels at every budget level.

You also will not find their rooms any cheaper on an outside website and if you do they'll match it. I've listed their properties in price order generally.

Until this year were free of resort fees, but since March 1st have been charging as below

Quad (IP) $10 p/night
Harrahs   $18 p/night
Ballys $15 p/night
Flamingo  $18 p/night
Rio (off strip) $18 p/night
Planet Hollywood $20 p/night
Paris $20 p/night
Caesars $25 p/night
Nobu $25 p/night

I've stayed at IP, Harrahs, Rio, Ballys, PHo and Caesars

Quad when it was the IP was one of my favourite casinos to drink in or play hammered for laughs, I only stayed there once and whilst I wouldn't again it's very cheap. If you think Premier Inn and paying the same price for the best location on the strip you're somewhere close.

Harrahs I only stayed at once for one night so didn't get to see much of the casino, Carnaval Court is great fun when you're strip crawling, or drink driving a scooter as the case maybe and again location is good.

Rio is out of the way so not really worth considering unless you're grinding the WSOP imo.

Ballys is again ideal, the rooms are very big and you're opposite the Bellagio so great location once again. You're paying a little more though and the casino isn't all that for action so only if the price is right for me.

Planet Hollywood is the perfect party casino, lively with lots of scantily dressed women poledancing or even dealing. A little more expensive but if you're sharing it's not all that bad and you have one of the liveliest resorts on the strip.

Rooms are good quality with big bathrooms and the only downside I would say is they can be a little dark. When you're only there to sleep it's hardly a dealbreaker though and the food choices are good.

Caesars Palace is the flagship property and I stayed there for a week in 2009 in the Augustus Tower. Rooms in the Augustus are very nice and I believe both Palace & the new Octavius are of similar quality.

They also have the new 'Nobu Hotel' inside, priced alongside Mandarin Oriental and only for the real ballers!

Nice property but is a bit aloof for what it is, kind of thinks it's on a par with the Wynn/Palazzo/Bellagio when it's not really on that level. I have noticed that it's pricing is way over what it should be for the property it is imo.


My fave resort is the Palazzo, love the rooms in Palazzo and the restaurants are incredible. Some people don't like the casino as much but I don't punt on table games all that much so it's all the same to me.

Wynn is great and you wake up feeling like a lottery winner in that place... The only trouble is to stay there you also need to be one unless you snag a deal.


You also have the Cosmopolitan which hasn't been open long for the higher end market too. Of late it's been getting some bad press on the customer service side of things which is inevitable I'm guessing when the numbers coming through are as high as in Vegas.

Bellagio is a great property as well and they have recently remodeled all their rooms to get them up to date. The videos on youtube look pretty nice and the apparent Jersey Shore invasion of clientele at the Wynn probably won't have done it any harm in the eyes of those looking for a more relaxed Vegas experience.

Next door to this you have the City Center

http://www.citycenter.com/

Inside you have the Aria, Vdara and Mandarin Oriental.

I don't know much about the resorts as I've not been in, but they're pretty highly rated and I know the Aria has one of the best card rooms.


Some sites you can use to book your hotels, obviously you can use Expedia, ebookers etc. for hotels only too as well.


www.ebookers.com.

www.expedia.co.uk

www.lowcostusa.co.uk

www.trivago.co.uk

Those are a couple but I also think your best bet is to go to Smartervegas or Fatwallet and look up the deals first.

Smartervegas really is the business and by entering the date you want a hotel from it will bring up all promos available to you in each hotel at the time.

Best bet is to check the hotel website for the price and then match it against it once you have gone through smartervegas to see how much you save.

Fatwallet isn't as busy for promos but occasionally it chucks up a beauty so is worth checking.

www.smartervegas.com

http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/travel-discussion/1036400/?start=0


Another alternative if you like a punt is priceline where you can put an offer in on a room at a * level you like and see what you get.

www.priceline.com

Not something I'd do as I like to know where I'm going before I book, for those that want to start the gambling early you can save some money.



Cheap Bites

Ellis Island: One block off the strip (Behind Ballys I believe). Basically it does steaks/bbq pizzas and all similar types of stuff. They have a steak special for $7.99 which includes sides, potatoes and a beer. The Microbrewery sells draughts at $1.75 a pop too WHACK!

Food courts: There are food courts all over Vegas with a variety of foods available. Chinese, Burgers, Mexican, Pizza and just about anything else. Situated both in casinos and along the strip.

Peppermill Lounge: Another diner on the strip located near to the Wynn. Big portions and open 24hrs I'm pretty sure.

Grand Lux Cafe: The nut lower price food venue!! They have one of these in both the Palazzo and Venetian. Lots of variety and big portions.

Hash House A GoGo: Diner style place located in the IP big portions not big prices.

Earl of Sandwich: Rolls/Sandwiches etc. most importantly drunks are persona grata and 24hrs (inside Planet Hollywood)


POKER

All Festivals

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdDhxMUs2V3hxTUdKLTJrTGVtb3NqWnc#gid=0



WSOP

http://www.wsop.com/tournaments/



Venetian DSE

http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Gaming/Deep_Stack_Extravaganza/DSE_III_2013_Schedule_v20130311.pdf



Grand Poker Series @ Golden Nugget

http://goldennugget.com/lasvegas/pdf/gps.pdf



Binions Classic

http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.php



Caesars Megastack

http://www.caesarspalace.com/content/dam/clv/Gaming/Tournaments/CLV-MegaStack-2013-Final.pdf



Wynn Classic

http://www.wynnpoker.com/wynn_classic13.cfm

thanks

Stickied.

Been to vegas before but this guide still looks v useful tytyty!

Awesome stuff Marky!

Last time I went to the US (Late August) they had done away with the forms on the flights, all you have to do is fill out a customs one which even the yanks have to.

Also Earl of Sandwich for a cheap snack ftw.

Incred work mark

I'd def add earl of sandwich @ ph into the OP as longy says! Sad to say its my first stop every Vegas trip

Flights - Thomas Cook still do the old "Airtours" flight direct from Manchester (although stops at Glasgow a few times in the year).  So Virgin don't have a complete monopoly.

500 quid for food and drink :o  I wish ;)

About time they ditched those forms, only been about 3/4 years :D

Not sure how I forgot to add in EoS after staying at PHo this year too....

Added in Airtours/Thomas Cook details




Yeah I do too, that was for guys I know that were talking about a minimum spend if they ate buffet etc. :D

£500/week  ~ $100 a day.

Comp dollars help for cafe-type grub and a few $1 drinks while playing (or pretending to play) can also keep the X's down.

But a proper meal is $100 without trying, and nights out on the lash are $100 before you blink.

For players on a strict budget, drop the fancy meals, nightclubs and titty bars hoover up the freebies and comps and you can definitely do it for less.

I struggle to understand players that nail down the X's that hard tho when they are playing 5 or 6 WSOP events.

Wow spooky, I was thinking of doing something similar for hotel rooms but with a different angle. I go on other travel forums and one of the things we always do is give a quick review but also take pics of the rooms to post for others to see. You sometimes get some people coming on and saying some place is shite despite your recommendation, this way people can see what the room looks like for themselves with realistic pics (rather than grimming hotel website pics) and make a decision themselves about it based on the price they are being offered. If others can do the same and take pics when they go we can get a good database of pics.

So this trip, and in fact the last 3 or so trips I stayed at the Flamingo. I like the Flamingo for a few reasons, the location is perfect on centre strip, there isn't a big trek between your room and the front door of the casino like many places, the poker room is usually adequate for most sessions but there is 3 other decent rooms within a 10 minute walk (Caesars and Bellagio of note) and a few more within 15-20 mins (Venetian of note). Whilst there is no fine dining in the hotel there is at least half a dozen places to get something decent to eat, none of which are particularly expensive.

Also I like the rooms I think they are good value for money, although I do also normally get comped for at least part of my stay now I am a regular customer.

The rooms I normally stay in are not the basic deluxe rooms, they are the 'GO' rooms. I was going to stay in a deluxe room this last trip because with comps the room charge for the whole week would only have been $150, but when I got they they offered me an upgrade for $10 per night so it was no decision really.

You have all the usual amenities plus 42 inch telly, I-pod cable so you can play your own music through the system. The only thing that tilts me about this place (and in fact just about every Vegas hotel) is having to pay for WIFI which is a bit annoying. In fact the poker room has a random wifi connection from elsewhere you can pic up and use but shhhhhhh  :D

(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq167/Andr4w/utf-8BSU1BRzAxMjAuanBn.jpg)

(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq167/Andr4w/utf-8BSU1BRzAxMjEuanBn.jpg)

(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq167/Andr4w/utf-8BSU1BRzAxMjIuanBn.jpg)

(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq167/Andr4w/utf-8BSU1BRzAxMjQuanBn.jpg)

(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq167/Andr4w/utf-8BSU1BRzAxMjMuanBn.jpg)

Haha yeah you look on the sites and a 350sq foot room looks like a massive suite :D

I see they've just remodelled a bunch of rooms too in the Flamingo 'Fab' rooms they're called and come out a bit cheaper than the  Go ones. Looking on the site they seem very similarly furnished to the Go rooms so not sure what they're like exactly.

Yeah saw that too, looks like they will probably be ok.

Awesome information...

24 of us going in September need 13 rooms.

Anybody know the best way to get the best room rates???

mostly couples going so a decent room is required.

Thanks.

Wouldn't have a clue about booking a bunch of rooms in one place. I guess you could look for a deal you think is suitable online and then call the resort asking if they could do a deal on a block booking of 13rooms?

Have a chat with Curlage on the APAT forum. He sorted great rates for us at Harrahs and Caesars this past November through his contacts.

Great info guys cheers for posting.

Good point about worth mentioning the room/tower type too.

"I stayed in Caesars Palace and the room was great"

Quite possibly the case if you stayed in Octavius or Augustus Tower, but very unlikely if you stayed in one of the original Towers.

I had a mini-suite/premium room (they're called different things in different places) in the Palace Tower and that was great.

I would be less confident about the standard rooms in the older towers, but it's not like they just let them rot away - they do occasionally refurbish the older parts of the property.

If you are a fan of ta tas there is a New strippers which opened last year called Larry flynt's Hustlers. One of the best i have ever been to and i have been to a lot!!! Only problem is it says closes at 9am and i think we got kicked out at about 6ish which was a bit tilting, but they chuck you in a courtesy limo which is alright. When you have a slash the girls in the bathroom wash your hands for you, which is a nice touch.

Yeah my bad, I was in the Augustus and will amend :D

keep it coming guys, I'm researching for a potential Vegas/San Fran trip next year.

I need all the info I can get my hands on please.

Over the years I have migrated more off strip and taking a room/suite with a kitchenette (enough to make smoothies, fridge full of cold drinks, toast, juice etc)

As always, it will depend on who is trying to sell the best room at the best price (and to some extent, how my year goes)

The suites that are on the shortlist include the 1bdr at Westgate Towers and wraparound suite at Cosmo, decent offers on both available.

(http://www.phtowers.com/_images/_gallery/onebed-03.jpg)

(http://www.phtowers.com/_images/_gallery/onebed-04.jpg)

(http://www.phtowers.com/_images/_gallery/onebed-01.jpg)

(http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/Libraries/Wraparound_Terrace_Suite/Wraparound_03.sflb.ashx)

(http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/Libraries/Wraparound_Terrace_Suite/Wraparound_04.sflb.ashx)

(http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/Libraries/Wraparound_Terrace_Suite/Wraparound_05.sflb.ashx)


That said, I never say never, and if a ridiculous bargain comes up (say TI for <$50 av or Trump for $80 av) (which have been done in the past) then that would also be very possible.  Trump in particular is a fantastic room, massive bathroom, decent area, fridge/coffee/blender/toaster etc.  The only downside is the short walk offstrip. (Oh, and ofc it has Trump's name on it..)

Quick question... Hopefully someone knows. Does the Luxor have Wi-Fi in their rooms? My Mum and Dad are going tomorrow and wondered whether they should take the iPad.

Google/Trip Advisor seems to suggest no, though wondered if anyone has stayed there recently?

I don't know about the Luxor, but there is a lot of public wifi on the strip so it wouldn't necessarily matter either way

Pretty much all the hotels, I would be highly surprised if they don't but you will probably have to pay for it. You sometimes randomly find free wifi's around town you can log on to.

That is what I've said to them. I've had Wi-Fi in most rooms in Vegas, though they all still have the ethernet cable in the rooms. You have to pay the resort fee, that includes the internet so if it is there they'll get it. It's the first time they've been, not gamblers but will go to shows meals etc and look at the sites. Fingers crossed they like it, my Sister and I have been telling them to go.

I've been to Vegas 7 times and stayed at a variety of places (some of which have now been demolished)

Last year I paid less than £500 for my wife and I to stay in the Venetian for 7 nights and it was awesome.

(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt250/StuJOli/DSCN0019.jpg)

(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt250/StuJOli/DSCN0017.jpg)

(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt250/StuJOli/DSCN0018.jpg)

(http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt250/StuJOli/DSCN0023.jpg)

Maybe this should be in a separate thread, but does anybody have any thoughts about getting a US Sim card? I spent a fortune calling back to the wife last time I was out there - the in room wifi was too poor to Skype, and it would have been a pain having to be there to do it anyway. I've seen various websites selling them, but wondering if anyone had any experience - recommend one where you may be calling UK from US, and be reasonable for incoming calls the other way.

If you can get one with a reasonable data rate while in US, that would be a bonus too. I'm back in the US for 2 weeks in October, with family, so something I can top up for the second trip would be cool.

Vegas with 3 mates end of March - 4 nights at Mirage.

Reading this makes me want to go even more

For the APAT in Vegas last year there was some discussion about sim cards - this link was mentioned but I can't tel you any more.

http://www.simcardguru.co.uk/product/sim-cards-for-the-united-states/t-mobile-usa-pay-as-you-go-mobile-phone-sim-card

FYP

Thanks Mr T. Looks useful, although you have to partner it up with the Rebtel thing to get cheap calls back the UK. Will investigate further though, ta.

Depending on what you want to use your phone for (i.e. do you want to be able to receive normal calls on your UK number whilst out there a lot?) you might want to spend more on http://www.holidayphone.co.uk/products.html?fromCountrySelect=uk&category_id=14 (http://www.holidayphone.co.uk/products.html?fromCountrySelect=uk&category_id=14)

at&t seems to have the best coverage in Vegas, but if people have used T-mob with no probs, and you don't want your UK number for a while, then the sumcardguru option is cheaper.

The Mandarin Oriental is the nut place to stay in Vegas now

Where is that? Didint see it the other week.

Next to Aria/Cosmopolitan - it is $$$$$ though.

I bought a all you can eat US calls & data plus one UK number for £80 from O2. Best money I ever spent.

How does that work? I could do with one of those for my trips elsewhere.

I reserched it while in the UK but had to buy it in the US. They fitted it for me in the shop and made sure everything was working OK.

It lasts for 1 month and allows unlimited calls & data within the US + one free UK number that you have to specify at the time of purchase.

It was fantastic to be able to surf the web any-time, book and pay for things, use google maps, and ring things like hotels and car hire firms, not to mention phoning home for free.

I wrote about it on my diary. See 7th - 26th ish July last year.

We went last year on a 3 nights for 2 offer in a strip view room.  I think we were there a week.  It obviously wasn't cheap, but was cheaper than the Wynn and Encore when we booked.  You can pay more for a decent hotel in Birmingham. 

The service really was exceptional.    I loved the way my 3 year old was running around the lobby, she fell over started crying and they snap picked her up and gave her a cuddly toy.  No fighting at the loungers by the pool.  No dragging my daughter through the snoking areas and past the banks of machines.  Several of the staff remembered who we were, you absolutely don't get that at the Wynn.

...and loved the comedy bank of buttons to control everything in the room.

You are pretty limited for dining options, but it really is a short walk to the Aria, and there are other places in the luxury arcade over the bridge.  The Aria has a decent poker room too. 

I loved the Wynnn, but this was simply better.

They learn after a few months :D

Yeah heard Mandarin is the nuts, might have to check it out next time, would have to be special to get me out of the Wynn/Encore though

I've just flipped my end March hotel booking to the Venetian. Expedia got a good rate, then £50 off, plus 12% cashback on topcashback. Means I get a Bella Suite for £520 for Wed-Sun (direct booking rate is $1156 at the mo). Only £60 more than I'd paid for Mirage, which I thought was pretty decent. Always fancied trying the Venetian. The £50 off thing is only until end Sunday (today) if anyone is interested. Going with 3 mates, so booked 2 of these (separately, to get the £50 off both).

Still not decided on the Sim card thing. Anybody know what the wifi is like in-room at Venetian? May just cross my fingers and hope Skype is good.

Good price you've gotten there nice one, the wifi is solid in Palazzo so I'd presume that it's the same in the Venetian

Hey Marky,

All the flights look around 850ish for WSOP time, is this standard?

You'll save £300 as we won't be able to knock it in at é before I leave if you come out on the 5th :D

Just got an offer for 40% off at V/P

Takes room rates down to ~ $100 midweek and <$150 weekends with no poker obligation, valid Feb-April.....

Yeah I might block them from my emails, it's tilting as fk getting offers through every week when I know I'm not going until June  ;grr;

Hi Guys

We will be releasing the Palazzo packages this week and have several villas this year as well. Our US office is now up and running so we will have staff on the ground for the whole series as per last year. Our rates will be for any day so we know sometimes you can get cheaper days via lastminute etc but we INCLUDE tax, resort fee and internet in our costs and all management of registrations with a guarantee of money back on buy ins that are no shows. We are also offering Bust out Check out on this hotel so if you leave early you get your money back. We are fully licensed and register more players then any group outside the USA.

Please contact Pauline on 01752 231810 if you require any info

Cheers

Daave

If you wanna chuck a few bricks at the craps tables they'll let you stay wherever you want for free :D

Just booked our hotel for Vegas in June.  24th June for 14 nights at the Wynn for £1170 (not each, that's the price for a double room).  This works out at £85 per night.  This deal is available on www.lowcostusa.co.uk

They also have a room at Treasure Island (same dates) for £664. 

Not sure if there is tax + resort fee on that to compare like with like, but TI is available for those dates for £577 + room tax + resort fee

It includes both.

Great deals on Wynncore there and sorely tempted to do my last 4 days at Encore now

Thanks for posting

No probs, you're welcome.  We snap booked it, such a great deal!

That is an amazing price for the Wynn/Encore. Will book this week.

WSOP packages now available via www.pokertraveller.com/wsop Stay at the 6* Palazzo for $90pp inc internet, tax & resort fees http://ow.ly/9bZpX. Villas for groups also available on request.

90pp based on double occupancy, so $180 a night...

Ahh, that's a shame :)  For $90, I was changing my booking....

Always fancied a stay at Red Rock.  Vegastripping are currently offering a 50% deal which I can't find from anywhere else for it, week in June $87/night average (including weekends) pretty good deal, but ofc a fair bit off strip.

poker players should really boycott the venetian palazzo.  The owner sheldon analson opposes online poker and is funding politicians who also oppose it.

I can't miss out on Cut or Sushi Samba regardless

dempsey will have to find a new favourite hotel. His Hotel don't do discounts god damn it!!

The Encore rates are really good on the site that MLH posted up Rich

www.lowcostusa.co.uk (http://www.lowcostusa.co.uk)

I hope those of you who wanted to book the Wynn/Encore at the great prices above have done so.  If you search www.lowcostusa.co.uk both hotel prices have gone up substantially.  Wynn has gone up from £1170 for 14 nights from 24th June to £1889.  Best prices at the moment seem to be via www.trivago.co.uk

Nah I rang up about Bellagio the other day but got cut off and had to go see my Dr so forgot to ring back. I'll have to ring up in the morning to sort it out, if Bellagio is decent I'll book it and if not I'll jump in the cosmo while they're running the 25% off on their site.

plan for vegas this year.....send sharky marky the $ and let him hunt it out. no mention of fat tuesdays itt u donk; unforgivable.

Hotwire are offering Trump for about $76 a night (average over an 11-day stay in June)  (It is as a hot deal, but if it is a 5* North Strip secret hotel, and the facilities include a kitchenette and do not include a casino... its the Trump) + resort+tax.

It's a very good deal at that price imo ~ even though it has his name above it.  Very large room in very decent nick, monster bathroom with separate shower and whirlpool bath.  30 seconds into the side of Fashion Show Mall.  The only negative was that there isn't much to do on property.

It's in a bit of a dodgy area off strip as well, so probably need to factor in the cost of lots of cabs.

Got the tailend of the Wynn deal. Too good to miss that. Wp for pointing it out.

Flights are very expensive though. Virgin and BA both around £800 and can't find a decent broken flight for much under £700. Probably worth holding out and seeing what happens?

Mmmm not sure, I doubt very much if prices will come down.  Have you tried Thomas Cook from Manchester?

Booked Bellagio for £390 for 5 nights, location suits me better too given current circumstances. It's obv an old room so I'll just flick the receptionist $100 at check-in and ask for a renovated lakeview!


The Thomas Cook flights 20th June - 4th July were £514 a friend of mine noticed when he was booking his up last week Chompy

Anyone know why the flights are so expensive this year? The duty isn't going up that much, USA is only band B too

Have you tried booking direct to LA then jump on a Southwest flight?

FYP

Even in the sales, booking direct to LA then flying SW to Vegas was cheaper as you were saving £150+ on the direct flight from the UK.

Flying with Air New Zealo from Heathrow to LA with connections to LV...still up around £650. Absolute cheapest there is I think. Hate paying over the odds to sit on a plane. Meh. BA ftw.

Stayed at the Mandarin for a week last year.

The room was exceptional. Best in Vegas by far.

Bar at the top was very good too.

But v disappointed by the restaurant and room service.

Food options at the Wynn alot better and cheaper.

This is Chompy we are talking about.  When he lands in LA, if there was a Tardis outside that could put him in LV 1 second later for £150, he'd snap-pay it.

Bit the bullet and snapped up BA's incred £820 offer. Better times and Heathrow ftw. Rip off though.

That's steep.  Have you looked at getting a Virgin Flying Club credit card?  We spend everything on ours to accrue the points and then use the points every couple of years to book our flights to Vegas.  This year we used 50,000 points and got 2 economy returns for £800 (taxes and fees).  You can also use the points on the miles plus money deals.

Yea virgin credit cards are the nuts. <3 buying £200 worth of diesel on my amex card weekly.

The amazing prices for Wynn and Encore in June/July are available again on www.lowcostusa.co.uk

Fill your boots!

So far me and a mate are each paying £630 for 14 nights at the Venetian with a poker room discount and getting a direct flight for £682 return. Both booked seperately. Reckon i can do any better than this?

I remember getting the Bellagio with a friend maybe a month before the trip last year and paying about £1100 total, so i seem to be forking out a little more this time when i'm actually booking much further in advance. Any advice would be helpful. Cheeeers.

Think you've got a cracking deal there. You may know already but poker rate only for nights when you've played five hours cash or a deepstack.
I'd try to switch from Venetian to Palazzo if you can. Deepstacks are odds-on to be at Palazzo again. Also, rooms are bit better quality and their Grand Lux has outside windows. Daylight makes a difference if you're doing a fortnight imo.
The resort fee is compulsory at Venetian/Palazzo, which adds a bit on.

£630 each for the room is £1260 total = $2000  (+tax+resort fee)

The V/P are very nice hotels and convenient for the DSE etc, and if you play on playing plenty (poker obligation is per room, not per person) then it might not be much of an obligation at all.  But if you wanted the freedom to play  more in the Rio (or elsewhere) then $2000 would also get you 14 nights in 5* hotels atm with some of the deals flying around with no poker obligation.

Rates are highly variable, so would depend on your exact dates, but you could save money and have no poker obligation switching to Wynn/Aria/Vdara etc.

Ultimately, if you are planning on playing a ton at Venetian, you are absolutely fine staying there at those prices.

Virgin are £701.10 atm - nh.

If you book using the 'Deepstacks code' as opposed to the poker rate then the rate is locked in on the front end and you don't have to fulfill the required 6hours per day to receive discount. The code is normally posted up on 2p2 at the same time the schedule is released and you can then ring through to get it sorted that way. I'll keep an eye out on 2p2 for it then as soon as it's up will post here so anyone not booked can use that.

Also have you thought about using dave1961 for booking the Palazzo on their $180 a night all in rate?

That would come out at $2520 for 14 nights so I'm not sure how that compares against the $2k once tax + resort fee are added. Probably not much difference actually as I think it's 12% tax and then the resort fee so almost the same. Also no obligation with that too which is worth it's weight in gold I find in Vegas where best laid plans often don't play out as intended......

I love the Palazzo and if my mobility was still fine then I'd be staying there again this year, sadly not so I've had to work it around my play and am staying at the Nugget instead.....

Rush Tower is decent enough, no Grand Lux though :(

I think Starbucks >> Coffee Bean  so it's not all bad :D

Fantastic Cosmo offer for those interested.

1. Find the best Cosmo deal you can (use trivago/other search engine /any third party you like,  but watch out for Ts and Cs in the promo later, so no using secret hotels, auctions etc) for the sake of example, 17th June for 5 nights is currently $141.50/av on yeego.com
2. Go to the Marriott website and Cosmo is in their Autograph Collection for $160/av for the dates in my example
3. They have a promo where if you find a better price, they will match it AND take 25% off
4.  Now book with Marriott @ $160, point out the better offer within 24 hours and the new rate becomes $106.13

Hopefully arranging a trip in November for 7/8 guys - probably between 5 and 7 days - any recomendations on accomodation (Villas etc, Expected Costs)
Will probably be flying to LA on Miles with Virgin as Impossible to get reward flights direct (and better lounge at Heathrow!)
Normally don't go with such a big group

1. Economy rewards are pretty much available all through Nov.  But as you mention "impossible to get" and the better lounge at LHR, I assume you are going Upper?  If so, you could currently do 2-7 Nov, 10-17 Nov, 20-28 Nov, so by no means impossible for individuals.  It may be just about impossible to get you all on reward tickets tho, ofc, would definitely need to be a call to them rather than online booking and see if they can suggest anything, but they are unlikely to give away so much of the cabin to reward flights, even via LA?

2. Villa will be very hard to organise for such a short stay - hotels aren't a problem (?) for that short a stay.  There are lots of offer codes for 5* hotels flying around, it boils down to your exact dates, if you all want to stay in the same place, sharing rooms or not? etc but $100 per room per night (+ resort + tax etc) will get you decent options.  If you REALLY want to stay in a Villa together, just be careful as the owner would likely want deposit + full payment up front on a short lease ~ and there are lots of tales of people renting out properties that will be repossessed long before you get there...

Where do I get the offer codes? Have stayed at the Bellagio for what seems like the last 11 years but really fancy a change this time but want somewhere lively, played a lot of Poker at Aria and Ceasers last time but outside of the Casino Aria seemed to be fairly quiet and Ceasers is just a little too old school for me. Probably not expecting to be in the rooms much anyway but always nice to be altogether as a base (connecting rooms or even 2 bedroom rooms) - defo Upper using my Amex Miles and normally fly back in PE (either Virgin or ANZ) from LA - nice lounge there and charge you somethig like 40 dollars (all American Airports I have been to are terrible so need to have the lounge!)

Sorry question I wanted to ask was whether there are hotels (nice hotels) that have 2 Bedrooms and approx costs or cheaper just to get 4 rooms?

The idea of getting a super-balla suite never works out.  The problems include:  a) they are often much more expensive than multiple regular rooms b) they are normally kingsize beds, (1 bed per bedroom) so unless you want to draw for the sofa or don't mind spoons, it doesn't end up balla at all...

The best value 2BDR and even 3BDR deals are at (what was PH Westgate Towers) is now called Elara and is part of the Hilton chain.  Pretty decent suites and the costs weren't bad (at least before Hilton got hold of it) but still more than individual rooms...

Offer codes are a-plenty.  Sites like www.smartervegas.com (http://www.smartervegas.com) have them, and you can sign the guest book of hotels that interest you and get emailed offers.  If you have any action on your players card from previous trips, log into your online account and you will prolly find they are readily reducing room rates on there too (and maybe even offering free nights if you gave them action)

The best deals change pretty quickly, and rates fluctuate massively day to day.  So "what is the best...." will never be a static answer, it is very date dependent and time-sensitive when booking.

Personally, I'd much prefer to fly direct to LV, and am prepared to forgive LGW and LAS for their inferior clubhouses. 

OK thanks for your help Simon

Whilst I would never put anyone off the Venetian/Palazzo on a poker rate, I am using that as a benchmark and I am sniffing around to see what else I can get for the same money (and not have a poker obligation)

Currently, this looks favourite to me, exactly the same rate, full size fridge, kitchen etc, washer/dryer, makes longer stays that much more comfortable.

(https://www.luxurysuitesintl.com/wp-content/gallery/Vdara_Suite/Vdara_Suite_Living_Area_Curtains_Down2929879371716000297.jpg)

(https://www.luxurysuitesintl.com/wp-content/gallery/Vdara_Suite/Vdara_Suite_Kitchen4670981567202721296.jpg)

In my experience if you're anywhere outside of london flying Manchester>Las vegas (every thursday and sunday) is the nuts, so much easier to get to if your remotely northern and way less of a pain, pretty much same money as well :)

Also, mandarin oriental > the encore? Wow, i'm in the encore atm paying $104 p/night and its fucking incred here. room service chunk though, yet to have breakfast for >$40.

with regards to the poker rate if you get yourself pally with the cardroom guy (usually not to hard being in america) then they'll usually just give you the poker rate if they've seen you play a reasonable amount - Simon is right as well, if its during a festival they lock it in.

$104 Encore is a great deal.  As Dave indicates, smartest move you can do is buy yourself a friend in the right places, yet so many people spectacularly fail to get it.

I just booked that suite I posted ^^ also, if anyone sees a better offer for $129/night, pls post!

I could have gotten my last 5 nights at Encore 1-6th July for £370 with MLH's www.lowcostusa.co.uk (http://www.lowcostusa.co.uk) link which is prob not far off with no obligation and no resort fee etc.

I got Bellagio for the same price though and picked that as I want to plot myself up somewhere centrally for convenience and I also want to pick off several of the restaurants there in my last week. I'm only in a base room there so will have to flick a benjamin at checkin to try and snag a remodelled fountain view room.

I don't know if you drive or not out there, but there are some incredible breakfast places just off the strip (even a cab ride occasionally has to be worth it). My favorite breakfast munch stops are cracked eggs and egg works at the moment. Mmmmm I love breakfast in Vegas :)

Vdara?

*looks at link titles*

Thought so. I stayed there for the 3 nights around my wedding. Loved the place and want to stay there every time I go back now.

Yeah it's a Vdara Suite.  A decent jump up from the room but not much extra $ atm on an offer code.  There are other suites that are only marginally better but are quite a jump, (not worth the $) figured I'd book that and see what I can do on check-in, but won't be unhappy with what I have if there is nothing doing.

Vdara suites are nice, a friend of mine was staying in one of the corner ones for half the series, deece but still a bit smaller than i thought they would be because of the awkward layout.

This is why it is my fave, keep out the riffraff like you :)

sicko your abso spot on egg works is amazing. I had the eggs benedict and oh wow it was the best I ever had! Muffin was crispy, bacon nice and soft, properly cooked breakfast potato and finally somewhere that gives you enough hollondaise sauce, EVERY mouthful should have some hollondaise in it imo, and the eggs nice and runny.

Vegas breakfast really is the best. Man I want an eggs benedict right now

Eggs B at the Bellagio at 6am in the morning before going to bed!!!! Shame I can't eat them anymore, damm food alergies

Vdara is awesome for the fact it is really new, very nicely done out inside but expensive in general. No gaming in the casino at all asits a spa hotel though but kinda like that. Its right next to the Aria which has a good card room and you can pretty much walk without having to go outside to bellagio and ceasers and is about 20 mins walk to venetian.  Nice pool area too.  We had adjoining suites in one corner giving 270 degree views of Vegas but only because i had to take the mrs and her mate and a posh suite was part of the deal.  Would reccomend if not on a budget.

I have an offer code which is currently $101/$135 for regular room and $126/$186 for the Suite.

That is more than competitive with std poker rate deals at the better hotels.  There seems to be a few different categories of people going -

those that just want 5* (or their fav hotel) and will pay whatever the rate is
those that would like 5* (open to a selection of hotels according to best offer) and are looking for a deal
those that want budget (and hunt it out and lock down bargain rates)
those that just blindly book certain hotels "because they are the cheapest" and then inadvertently pay very close for the Circus/IP to what could have been a fantastic offer in a much better hotel.

I've shouldn't have any problem with anyone staying wherever they want, for whatever reason they have.  But for some reason, I find the last reason mildly tilting.

I always thought Vegas is one of those weird places, that whilst it is expensive it's very good value (for example I'm paying less for the Encore than I was paying at Park Plaza Nottingham) but at the other end of the spectrum there is some AWFUL value stuff out here as well.

100% agree taking a bit of time to think things through is so crucial here

haha ye I normally go out for breakfast every day out there. So much choice and it's all so good. If you go to cracked eggs get the chocolate chip+banana pancakes. Best I've ever had by sooo much. Damn getting so hungry thinking about it :p #fatbastard

Changing topic a little now guys, but I got myself a neteller+ card to use next month and I just checked to see how to use it and noticed the USA is not on the list ( avery long list too) of countries it can be used in.

Is this correct, a result of black Friday I imagine ?

Never had eggs benedict before and not a big fan of eggs but gonna have to try this now when I'm out there and I guess Cafe Bellagio is the spot  when I get there.



Have you contacted their support to ask?

I'd say that's probably a better bet than asking us lot.....

You can use the Net+ cards in the US for purchases, etc.  I've done so in the past without any problems.

Just don't try to log into Neteller while you're there as they'll shut everything down until you're back in the UK to sort things out again.  I learnt that lesson when forgetting to use the remote login a couple of years ago!

Virgan got a flight sale on atm for April flights. Bassa's have increased Nov flights to £720 though, fkn ridic

Venetian deepstacks up in price a bit for the summer...

http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/2012_Deep_Stack_III/DEEPSTACKEXTRAVAGANZAIIIFINAL3.pdf

Dislike

One stop shop for festivals during the WSOP courtesy of someone at 2p2, will be updated as the new schedules are released for Caesars/Bellagio and if any changes are made.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdEdObUQwSElMelR6UUlkblpRM2hHNlE#gid=0 (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdEdObUQwSElMelR6UUlkblpRM2hHNlE#gid=0)

N1 - very useful to have - do you think you could update OP with it pls?  (so it is easier to find in 10 pages time...)

All done, I've also put each individual festival up as well for those who don't like spreadsheets :)

I'll add Binions when they post it to their antiquated website and also the Caesars when they're up too.

Thks Marky.

For the eggs benedict brigade, Grande Luxe do quite a nice spinach and mushroom benedict as a twist on the norm.  In fact, it isn't really benedict, but that's what they call it and as scrambled egg>poached egg and sourdough > muffin, it works for me.

 ;gobsmacked;

Haha that was my thoughts reading through that and I can't say I have mushrooms with anything but bolognese/risotto or steak.

I'll probably end up eating it like a bacon muffin anyway and will have been better off hitting McDonalds up :D

The mushrooms are really a "mushroom sauce" replacing the standard hollandaise, no need to sweat that you might be getting 1 of the 5-a-day :)

Good mushrooms with steak OTOH...

I'll definitely be swerving that then :D

I just managed to use my miles to get premium economy flights to vegas from gatwick. I looked around a month ago and it was very difficult to get anything useful.  I could even get upper if I was more flexible on dates.

Was 75k miles + £391 taxes etc.

The youngest is still on the steriliser, so we decided it was too much of a pain to bring the family, so this is the first time I have the first, and maybe last, opportunity to do a proper schedule.

Dates are 22nd to 30th June, so I can catch the $1500 PLO8

Provisional schedule

June 23rd Event #43: No-Limit Hold'em  $1,500
June 24th Event #44: No-Limit Hold'em  $1,000
June 25th Event #46: No-Limit Hold'em  $2,500 or $1100 at the Venetian
June 26th Event #43: Pot-Limit Omaha Hi-Low split  $1,500
June 27th $600 No-Limit Omaha
June 28th $600 Pot-Limit Omaha

Not decided about the 25th yet.  Anybody know if the 2.5ks are a bit tougher than the 1k/1.5ks, or a lot tougher? 

Will probably stay at the Palazzo as I have a ton of Holiday Inn points I can use there.

As an aside I asked my oldest whether the Wynn or the Mandarin Oriental was best.  The Wynn was a clear winner as it has buffets, butterflies on the carpet (amazing how much time you can amuse yourself just jumping on butterflies when you are a toddler) and the ferrari shop.  She is 4, is the latter a concern? 

Nice, I've got PE on the way home but just booked economy on the way out as morale is super high anyway and I could sit on the floor happily!

I'm on the same flight, if you want to avoid queuing let me know and you can tag through with my escort both sides. It's not a big deal this side but sometimes as you no doubt know immigration can be a pain in the ass if there are a lot of flights landing.

Can't help you with the WSOP comps as I've only ever played one event and that was 6 years ago....

<3 Palazzo

Some of my fave restaurants in Vegas are there and the rooms are great too!!

Market in LV. Morale will be incred

wiiiiiiiiii Vegassss

I wouldn't want to put you out.  I expect immigration will be a breeze without irritible sleep deprived kids in tow.

I am flying premium economy as I am planning on playing the day afer I arrive.  First time I went out, I arrived a couple of days early and was still in a terrible state for the last 3 levels.  Having said that I upgraded to premium economy a couple of years ago and had a couple of kids kicking my seat pretty much the whole way back.  It was the worst flight I had in years.   

Morale will be high regardless.

Yes it will!

Nah it's no problem at all to me, I have to wait until the plane clears which is normally 5/10 minutes and then I get bowled straight through to luggage and the guy gets me  a cab too so no queuing outside either. A couple years back there were no queues anyway but the first time I went I was an hour at immigration and then 20mins for a cab.

I normally find that if I can stay up until Midnight the day I get there then I'm ok the next day and don't get jetlag at all. When I go out until 3/4 am it sometimes leaves me in a bit of a mess but that's to be expected :D

I've had those kids before so can feel your pain, it's even more annoying when you've upgraded though for sure. I guess the only way to avoid completely is upper, bit out of my price range though :(

First time I flew direct to Vegas with my little un we got put straight through to the crew lane at immigration. Last year when I went they let a parent with a 12 yr old go to the front but not me with my 4 year old, we were almost right at the back too. Took forever to get through.

The 2.5 k buy ins seem better to me you get 3x chips in relation to buy in cost so with 7500 Chips there is a bit of room for error / bad beats than  in the 1 k events

If you  are in economy, look at your booking in advance on their seat map and move seats to nearer the exit.  The best seats are 21-23 (in terms of getting off the plane first at least, as they have to let you off to let the Upper passengers off behind you) and then row 25+  If your seat assignment is more like 65 than 25, then yes, you are in for one bastard of a wait in immigration ~ but it is easily avoided.

That gets you through immigration, obv not much you can do about the luggage :)

Marky*

Haha, I was on Vegas Message Board looking for new clubs at Wynncore :D

awesome thread man, really good.
Gona be my first wsop. Found the stuff pretty useful.

Coupla other things, with regards to getting funds out there. Is it best to take cash $$ with me, if so how much is allowed (if there is a limit at the airport). Can i use visa cards at the cashier there?

Thanks man

Can use visa anywhere- can take any amount as long as you declare it, upto 10k u dont need to declare- can wire casinos direct if its a decent chunk

$10K without needing to declare. Over $10K you need to declare on form you get for immigration. If you're spendiing lots more casino cage wire trfr might be easier

lol beaten to it by Dubai :)

tyty

Yeah, kinda got stuck for that flight as 4 seats together were only available near the back of plane. Did think we would get whisked through by airport staff like last time but just didn't happen.
Went with friend a year ago and had row 23. Meant sod all when luggage was literally the last out, sigh.

just booked to go in a couple of weeks with family and got seats right at the back. Obv plane virtually full so can't change it. Mrs gonna try and blag diff seats though, blaming travel sickness lol

Yeah nothing more tilting than getting there and being caught in a massive queue. Like I said anyone going out on the 22nd let me know if you want a freeroll at security/immigration etc.

I'll say we're all travelling together, I wait on the plane until last but then they'll just bowl me straight through everything and last couple times they even flagged me down a cab too :)

Input required please

Got Flights from Manchester to Atlanta to Vegas on 11th September 2012.

I have 1.5 hrs in Atlanta Airport. Is this enough time??

Flight is with Delta and only £520. is this okay????

It's about as little time as I'd like for a connecting flight, particularly with an Atlantic crossing first.  However, if there's a delay then I'd expect Delta to put you on an alternative flight.  Might be worth checking with them beforehand.  However, if it's an itinerary that you can find directly on their website then I wouldn't worry too much about it.

Price looks fine.  I've just been searching for April and some connecting flights came up as low as £415 so it's in the right ballpark.

One thing I would think about is whether you'll get caught up in any additional security checks, given the date of the flight.  Not sure if they take any additional precautions on the anniversary date.

Very tight imo.  Obv any delay on the flight to ATL is curtains.  It would also require you to make sure you got a near-exit seat to get into the immigration Q rapido (If other international flight arrivals got there just before you -- gg also)  You then need to collect your baggage and re-check in for the 2nd leg, and get through security too.

IMO - it is quite likely you miss the internal as it is quite a lot of elements to fade ^^ that can go wrong.  In your favour, everything seems pretty relaxed on internal flights and they will accept luggage at the check-in very close to the off.

If you aren't that worried about missing the internal (i.e. you just wait for the next flight behind it) I have done this before and not been charged.  Obv if there is only 1 flight a day or you are looking to get the last flight of the day, you might want to leave a bit more time for the connection.

As Simon said, very tight if you any delays whatsoever. I did have a 2 hour Q at dallas once and missed the connecting but AA had loads of flights to Vegas and just put us on the next one an hour later.
From recall security was very quick at Atlanta. Delta defo one of the better US carriers IMO

Took 90 minutes getting through Immigration  in ATL in 2005. My connection to LV was timed for 4 hours and I wouldn't be happy without that sort of "wiggle room" especially in view of the "date" you're flying?

check the charges first - I got charged $50 on $1k plus 4% by processors.

You can always get one of these Marc if you don't want all cash

http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/prepaid-cards#overseas (http://www.moneysavingexpert.com/cards/prepaid-cards#overseas)

Anyone been recently know of decent tournies upto around the $150 buyin? going on the 10th for a week.

Aria is good - when I was there it was a 125 in the afternoon and a handy 175 in the evening when you bust (then on to CP for their evening 1 re entry)

Pay the extra and go direct, not even close for whether it's value or not.

Caesars is about 175 best tourney room in Vegas too IMO away from them frigging slot machines and their noise

The Wynn has a 35% off offer on its website.

When I am there, the prices are $161 or $168 at the weekend and $116 midweek.

You have to add the resort fee to that, so works out at about £100 a night average.

Decisions/decisions.   

Haha I've got Bellagio booked for the last 5 nights 1-6th July and it came in at £380. I can also get Wynn/Encore for the same 5 nights for £365 now so am in a bit of  a dilemma, all I will be doing for the last 5 days is drinking really so am probably better off where I am centre strip. I do love Wynn though and they have some sick restaurants between the two of them.

booked the flights a little while ago,going on 22nd sept for 7 nights.
is it too early to be looking at hotel deals?
was wanting something pretty central to give my wife and daughter options to walk either way while we play poker!!

Never too early to look for deals.  Particularly for special deals direct with the hotel, you lock up the rate.  If the rate goes up, you have your price already.  If the rate goes down (or a better offer comes along somewhere else) you can no-quibble cancel and re-book.

booked the wynn.  They needed the full amount as deposit, so guessing that I can't cancel...I did click on terms and conditions and it came up blank. 

You can get the offer through here http://pages.wynnlasvegas.com/Falloffer/ (http://pages.wynnlasvegas.com/Falloffer/)

After paying tax, and assuming I pay the $25 resort fee, it comes to $175 a day.  That includes 3 weekend days. 

They fixed it.  Non-refundable.

All Summer schedules are out bar Caesars now, I've added them to the OP as well

Poker

Spreadsheet of all 2012 Festivals

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdEdObUQwSElMelR6UUlkblpRM2hHNlE#gid=0 (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdEdObUQwSElMelR6UUlkblpRM2hHNlE#gid=0)


WSOP

http://www.wsop.com/2012/ (http://www.wsop.com/2012/)

http://www.wsop.com/tourney/tourneydetails.asp?groupID=887 (http://www.wsop.com/tourney/tourneydetails.asp?groupID=887)


Binions Classic

http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.php (http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.php)


Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series

http://www.goldennugget.com/LasVegas/pdf/grand_poker_2012.pdf (http://www.goldennugget.com/LasVegas/pdf/grand_poker_2012.pdf)


Venetian

http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/2012_Deep_Stack_III/DEEPSTACKEXTRAVAGANZAIII.pdf (http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/2012_Deep_Stack_III/DEEPSTACKEXTRAVAGANZAIII.pdf)


Caesars Megastack

12pm NLH Tournaments

http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/casino-misc/poker-mega-stack-summer-2012-noon-detail.html


4pm Turbo NLH, PLO/08 Tournaments

http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/casino-misc/poker-mega-stack-summer-2012-4pm-detail.html

Marky you are a legend....keep an eye out for any corking hotel deals similars times to when you are there, ill knpow abouu contract next week and if its a goer going to book two weeks in

I'm on that lowcostusa website checking out for when Encore goes <400 for my last 5 nights again and I think I'll change to there if any Blonde heroes are going to be plotted up the first week in July.

I presume you want Palazzo/Venetian, Wynncore, Bellagio or something like that if it's just for a couple weeks?

Once you know the coup with work let me know and I'll keep an eye out for something suitable.

Caesars Palace have now announced their Mega Stack Series schedule, running from 25th May to 15th July inclusive.   See linky thing below for details!  I think they will get a lot more runners for these than last year due to the Venetian putting their tournament buy-ins up.  Caesars have some very decent structured tournaments in their schedule for buy ins starting at $130.  What isn't clear is the tournament clock, but I'm guessing it's 30 mins as they are all 1 day events.

http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/casino-misc/poker-mega-stack-summer-2012-detail.html

Didn't they used to play the final table the next day ,last year Michelle ?

Friend of mine put me onto a site expat holidays for hotels booked mine yesterday pleased with the deal , worth a look IMO

Only trouble is looking at it  is you're paying the whole lot up front so there is no scope to get any comps, I just checked your dates and it's actually more expensive to book through the site than it is to go direct with GN.

If a better deal comes up when you've booked direct you can cancel at no cost and book under the better rate or other hotel, whichever it may be.

Just something to bear in mind :)

Excellent info.
I stayed 26 nights in Imperial Pallace last year. Filght and hotel was £1500 which I considered good value.
After booking I read the reviews and nearly cancelled. However the rooms, though basic, are spotless and are cleaned and replenished every day. Yes the public areas are tatty but rooms are not. At least mine wasn't.
I Would stay there again as it is idealy located on the strip.

Not sure, I never got past level 6 at Caesars last year (only played 2 comps there I think)!

Lol same here

You're 100% right about there being so many ways to go that it can send you round the bend, that's primarily why I made this thread for KK and here.

That's why I did the donkey work for you before you booked and posted all the prices in the thread so you didn't see yourself off :)

You saved $30 when you booked it and if you're never gonna switch if something else pops up better then it's all gravy. For the few minutes it takes to compare though it's always worth doing as now it costs more through the 3rd party and you pay upfront.

Only 2 months to go thank fk as I need a holiday  :tikay:

If we are going on the pi55 out there you'd better pack some aspirins  8) 8)

I'm 31 and crippled Tony so a headache is the least of my worries :D

Sooooo looking forward to this this year.  Bring it on.

I'm 53 fat old n ugly think you've got problems

Looking at booking for mid June - mid July...basically a month give or take a few days.  Rang up the Venetian just now and got told can only book 21 days wtf?  Anyway are there any deals atm?  Seens Palms and Ballys for like just under 2k for over a month but are those decent places? 

Stayed at the Rio last year and not again...

If you're staying for a month then you want to be moving about a bit imo, one hotel room for a month is insane and would send me round the bend. I normally do 2 hotels for 2 weeks and when I was there for 2 months did 5.

If you give me a budget I'll put together a couple packages for your tomorrow if you want, 2 hotels 2 weeks a piece or 3 hotels for 10days or something like that and see what you think.

wow yeah so helpful!  yeah that would be great....and makes a lot of sense to move around :)

Yuh, agree with that, two weeks in one hotel is plenty. If you're thinking Venetian, I'd go with Palazzo instead, as that's where all the tournaments are being held, same as in February. Also the rooms are slightly better than at the Venetian for the same price.

Are there any particular WSOP events you're looking to play at the start of the trip?

The Venetian are all holdem anyway so it won't make a huge difference with dates, there is a $3k PLO on the 12th June and a $2.5k 4max on the 14th June if you wanted to be there for either of those.

No real plans to do any WSOP events other than the main.  Maybe the odd one here or there.

Schedule is mainly gonna be Venetian Deepstacks/Caesers/cash.

Gonna be sharing with a friend so a queen room is needed!

Thank you very much for your help...there's too much choice!

When there is too much choice - set the bar at 5* (or wherever) and it doesn't take long to sniff out the best price available.  And then just stay wherever that is!

Ok cool, I'll have look at the deals/promos and then post them up as I go, I'll do 2 weeks at 2 hotels first and see what that comes out at with 2 weeks at Palazzo.

I'd suggest going through the guys at livingitlovingit who post here 'Dave1961' as they have a rate of $180 a night all in for Palazzo which includes the 'Bella Suites' which are $30 more per night when booking direct.

I looked at the Palazzo 'Deepstacks Rate' which when all is said and done still comes out more expensive than the $180 they're offered at by Dave's company. The downside is paying on the front end you can never get comped for your rooms through punting. I don't gamble on the tables at any level myself so never worry about that and unless you've got a degen rooming with you there is no need to worry.

2 weeks there will come out at $2520 which is about £750 pp and great value for what is one of the best resorts on the strip and my favourite standarm room.

I'm about to start work now but will have a look at the other 2 weeks later on

Ok sorted, you can get 35% off at the Wynn/Encore on a deal which Doobs used earlier in the thread which is incredible. The problem is you can only book 9nights per person and can't book consecutively.

Deal there with promo code ONLFALL

http://www.smartervegas.com/hotels/wynn/promotionalcodes.aspx (http://www.smartervegas.com/hotels/wynn/promotionalcodes.aspx)


Easily sorted though if one of you books the first 9 nights and the other the 2nd 5-9 or however long you need. For 14 nights it comes out at $1961 including taxes but not resort fees, with resort fees you're looking at exactly $2311

Both resorts for a month for under $5k which to me is a bargain and what I would book every time :)

The Wynn deal is pay upfront too with no refunds fwiw

Am going end of August. Would like to spend a day on Lake Mead doing watersports/ hiring a boat etc. Does anyone have any good links / recommendations?

Cheers.

wow thank you very much :)  yeah neither of us really punt that much.  maybe the odd 100$ on roulette but I doubt nothing that would get us any great deals.

No worries, The Wynn may vary slightly dependent on where the days fall with regards to weekends etc.

Need some new golf shoes.  May as well buy them in Vegas.

Need a new 3wood (the last one was 'naughty'.  May as well buy one in Vegas.

Fancy playing craps.  May as well do that in Vegas.

Need various new clothes.  May as well get them in Vegas.

Looks like Vegas fever is starting to flow already, wish it would hurry up and turn June.

Where do you buy your golf stuff in Vegas?

http://www.lvgolf.com/ (http://www.lvgolf.com/)

There's also a shop on Paradise and Flamingo.  And sometimes just driving around I just see a store and take a look.  Even at golf course, the pro shops sometimes have something decent, and at $$ prices are pretty reasonable.

There might be better bargain hunting to be had idk.

Thanks

couple more for you (disclosure, I am involved)

Poker Traveller exclusively brings you Luxury Home Rentals available during WSOP - If you are interested in any of these options then we can forward additional photos and details. Please call us on - 01752 231810

http://pokertraveller.com/media/503432/wsop_luxury_home_rentals__3_12_12_.pdf


WSOP 2012 - The Best Possible Rates at The Golden Nugget Las Vegas!

Rooms from $49.50 per person per night (based on double occupancy). 'Bust Out, Check Out' available exclusive to Poker Traveller.

01752 231810 - http://pokertraveller.com/wsop/

Are those rooms at the Nugget in the Rush Tower Rich?

Finding out for you

Answer is no marky, about $40 per night more

Is it really per person Richard or per room? Doesn't seem that cheap to me, all the midweek rooms are pretty much that per night rising to roughly what you quote at weekends give or take a bit.

It's based on two people, so double the prices for the room.

Ok ty, cheaper to book direct then, need to add tax to these prices which is around 7% I think?

(http://i444.photobucket.com/albums/qq167/Andr4w/gn.jpg)

Yeah I've booked 9 nights in the Rush Tower at the Nugget which includes 2 weekends and it's $1.1k, you can't share those rooms though as they're 1 bed only. The Carson/Gold towers are cheaper by someway direct and you can chop those as well ofc making it cheaper again.

I might use the Palazzo one for a couple nights though as I'm staying for the UFC now and need an extra hotel. Depends what I can swing with Bellagio where I am until the 6th.

Ok, what stuff u planning on playing? Got links to any of the smaller series around town? I haven't researched too much yet.

That's everything on in Vegas bar the Wynn/Bellagio, I'm gonna splash around at the Nugget in their comps and the $1k at Binions too. Then I will get properly on it and drink drive my scooter around the strip when I move up there on the 1st of July :)

Poker

Spreadsheet of all 2012 Festivals

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdEdObUQwSElMelR6UUlkblpRM2hHNlE#gid=0 (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AoMaiIIMBl1zdEdObUQwSElMelR6UUlkblpRM2hHNlE#gid=0)


WSOP

http://www.wsop.com/2012/ (http://www.wsop.com/2012/)

http://www.wsop.com/tourney/tourneydetails.asp?groupID=887 (http://www.wsop.com/tourney/tourneydetails.asp?groupID=887)


Binions Classic

http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.php (http://www.binions.com/gaming/poker_classic.php)


Golden Nugget Grand Poker Series

http://www.goldennugget.com/LasVegas/pdf/grand_poker_2012.pdf (http://www.goldennugget.com/LasVegas/pdf/grand_poker_2012.pdf)


Venetian

http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/2012_Deep_Stack_III/DEEPSTACKEXTRAVAGANZAIII.pdf (http://www.venetian.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/2012_Deep_Stack_III/DEEPSTACKEXTRAVAGANZAIII.pdf)


Caesars Megastack

12pm NLH Tournaments

http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/casino-misc/poker-mega-stack-summer-2012-noon-detail.html


4pm Turbo NLH, PLO/08 Tournaments

http://www.caesarspalace.com/casinos/caesars-palace/casino-misc/poker-mega-stack-summer-2012-4pm-detail.html
[/quote]

Cheers for that mate  :)

No worries and hopefully see you there m8, I booked it up for myself and was just gonna splash around on my own then go up the strip to eat with mates etc.

Now about 1/2 a dozen mates have all booked up to stay there too, change of scenery and I'm sure a week on the strip will be enough for me to punish my liver :D

Being downtown has never stopped me doing that  :-X

I've only stayed there for a couple days last year when I was playing 2 comps downtown and other than that when we ate at Firefly a couple years ago. I also have to drive now so I'm always careful how much I drink ;)

Venetian/Palazzo are now on offer pretty much all of June/July for $109x5 and $169x2.  With "$1k's worth of benefits" (that you prolly don't want) still better than the poker rate, must book by 17th May.

Offer code is EV1MY2

Do you have to book this deal via the telephone?  I just checked out their website and could not find a spot to input the code to get this rate.

Here's the dates.. if anyone wants to make a booking based on those dates PM me your email and I will fwd the promo, maybe it can be clicked on from there.

(http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x316/SimonG_03/June12.jpg)

(http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x316/SimonG_03/July12.jpg)

Blimey - what's happening the last week in June?

Thanks - clicking and booking from the email forwarded works fine.

I've just switched over to Palazzo when I move back to the strip as the lure of the restaurants was too much. I managed to switch over with lowcostusa as they had it up for almost the same price as I paid for Bellagio and they only charged me a £25 admin fee.

Not sure where I'm gonna stay for the last 2 nights over UFC weekend now I've extended, think I might dive into Flamingo for a couple nights. I can get a GO for about $250 so will probably do that. I don't have to worry about check in lines or anything so it's just a case of bowling in and getting the room.

Not stayed there before either so should be fun, will probably be well under it by that time and end up in the tunnels :D

We've decided that we wanna stay at the Rio for the last few days as we're gonna be playing a few events there.

Best place to get a deal at the Rio?

Encore proces on lowcostusa are just insane at the moment - looked tonight, 14 nights from 15th June - £1250 inc resort fee, never seen it that cheap

http://www.smartervegas.com/hotels/rio_suites/promotionalcodes.aspx (http://www.smartervegas.com/hotels/rio_suites/promotionalcodes.aspx)

That's probably the best way to go, if you just try each one with your dates and compare the prices. Shouldn't really vary all that much I wouldn't have thought and will only take 5 minutes to get through them.






Coming out about £150 more exp to split them, abso golden, for me to do 2 weeks there it's almost 2 bags :D

Marky the info and especially your tournie spreadsheet of events info for anyone going over to Vegas for the WSOP has been pretty awesome in this thread mate. WPWPWP

Ive used lowcostlasvegas site for last 7 years and they take some beating. Some good deals on there at mo especially for the upper market hotels

I got 14 nights at the Wynn from 24th June for £1170 about 2 months ago!  Absolute bargain!

Thanks m8, the info I put together myself, that spreadsheet however is way beyond my excel skillset :D

Yeah Michelle put us on a winner there, I've used them for Palazzo and got 5 nights for £75 a night. I'll definitely be using them next year for hotels too.

They don't do much for the lower end, Harrahs obviously you struggle to touch anyway and the nut hotels  are where you save money so we're golden!!

ok newb question


£Uk to $us what is the nut way?

wire transfer?
cash?

if cash, wheres best?

tyty

Bank of Dempsey for large chunks of cash I believe and I'd say Flushy or Lil' Dave should be able to point you the right way for wiring

I just get cash from wherever has the best exchange rate on moneysavingexpert delivered to the door, I never need more than $10k as most of my grinding is done at the OG

tyty.

Hi

I see many prices quoted on this thread don't mention the 12% tax that is on top and the resort fees. Or the fact that internet is charged at a crazy rate at some properties. No matter who you choose please ensure you have the full information before booking.

$109*5 + $169*2 = $914
Tax for that          =$109.68
RF + tax               = $156.80

Total bill: $1180.48

For the avoidance of any doubt, that is per room, not per person per night.  For triple+ occupancy, there is a further charge.  If you pay the triple+ charge, or the RF for that matter, (some might say even the room) you aren't doing Vegas right.

For the avoidance of any further doubt, any prices I post are "tips" for people to investigate if they so wish.  Everyone should of course make sure they are comparing like with like, whether that be bust out-check out early options, (no value in Vegas if you have booked direct, you can do this anyway) cancellation options, upgrade options, comp options, hotels with no RF, or anything else.

:D

OK, nits gonna nit.

USA SIM card.  Last year was a real ballache, I had a USA phone (crap basic phone) and it took me hours to reactivate, time driving to buy top ups and was tilting.  This year, I want to use my own phone and have the USA SIM in my hand before I go.  I'd like a fixed price plan with plenty of roaming data being the main priority, calls/texts within USA needed, calls/texts to UK nice to have.  UK mob number auto-forwarded to US SIM nice to have.  My phone is unlocked.

So far, I'm looking at £90 (http://www.holidayphone.co.uk/products.html?fromCountrySelect=uk&category_id=14)

Anyone have better suggestions?

Last year I got free US calls, one free UK number and unlimited data for one month. $80 from O2

Ty - was that as an existing customer (I am not) or as a "walk in" deal?  Will try and google it, if you have a link that would be great.  On a recent O2 store visit, they had no clue.

I might try and get an american phone or something again this year as my phone bill was just under £400 last year ;grr;

I didn't have whatsapp last year either which obviously should bring the cost down significantly anyway and I have Skype too now.

I used http://www.thomasexchangeglobal.co.uk/ in the past and would really recommend their services. They'll give you a much better rate than the bank/airport etc. and are good for large amounts. You need to scan/send in a few documents but they're pretty efficient and fast at confirming them. You then bank transfer them the money in £ and they send the $ in the post to you next-day delivery with insurance. Also they have a good buy-back scheme in-case you don't punt it all off in strip clubs etc.

If you have a car out there/living off the strip I'd still say buy a total budget phone for calls/texts only. Worked out pretty cheap for me and you can still update twitter if doing tournament updates by sending a text to a twitter number. I also took my iphone around for photos/notepad/games/music etc. and for internet as venetian and rio did have free wifi although it was a little dodgy at times

Yeah the burners normally cost about $50 and they're good for a few weeks calling/texting each other. We had them last year, but I got tilted trying to set it up and just threw it in the bin.

I'll be in hotels only and think I'll just make do with my phone using whatsapp/skype. I never play poker really anyway, when I do I'm not bothered about updates stripclub updates might be a possibility though :D

Hogs n heifers looks a good place to go too

Phones - there's a good post in my Vegas thread, either here or APAT. I'll dig up the link, give me 6 mins...

Bollocks, can't find it.

The gist of it was that you can go to at AT&T store or a T-Mobile store and buy a SIM on a pre-pay 30 day contract. Think the T-Mobile deal was better...

Ty, altho I like the idea of having the SIM in advance, to give out the number to others and so I don't have to muck about sorting it whilst there.  So if it isn't a very good saving, will be looking to get something sorted at this end.

Does the sim fit an Iphone?

Could you take an old phone and put a " local" sim in n use it ? Then if a few of you do it swap numbers to stay in touch ?

The aren't big on selling SIM cards out there.  It's not like walking into the local corner shop and buying a Lebara SIM.  The all seem to want you to sign contracts to get your SIM, which may work out financially better, but is a ballache I could do without.

Basic:  Go to wallmart and buy a $10 phone and load it up with credits - throw it away later.  Pros:  easy enough, cheap.  Cons: just going to be USA domestic voice and SMS.

Intermediate: Go to Tmobile store, sign a contract.  Pros & Cons:  don't know much about it, but when I tried in the FSM last year, I gave up 30 seconds into the sales pitch.

Advanced:  Buy a SIM in advance.  Pros: you have a USA #, call fwd from UK #, data included, use your own (hopefully better!) phone, allowance of UK calls. Hassle free.  Cons: £90

Lazy:  Just take your phone and come back and see what your bill is.

Really?

All I did was go to the nearest AT&T store and ask for a SIM only deal I'd seen - 30 days no contract just top up $60 credit if i wanted to use it after 30 days was up and it'd restart the deal.

Fair enough ~ you found something I wasn't able to.  I will have a sniff online for the AT&T deal, but it pretty much looks like I am going to cough for the hassle free "all sorted before you go" deal.

the holiday phone looks like the nut package IMO. mainly as calls to UK are included/auto redirect and also free calls to other holidayphone users...just no hassle and a fixed rate fee...

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/monthly-4g-plans - I would recommend either the $50 or $60 dependent on how much data you're likely to use, then ask for the $10 international bolt-on.

AT&T have changed theirs, if you have a smartphone you have to buy data separately.

I think I'll just get Vodafone to call me if my bill is going mental and try to be sensible with my phone.

I went in April and bought a T-Mobile SIM for my unlocked iPhone.  There's a T-Mobile stall in the Boulevard Mall which is 5 minutes from the airport and also a Best Buy store in there who can both sort it.

T-Mobile have a $2 pay per day tariff, which has unlimited calls, text and data.  There's a $3 4G option, but most UK phones won't get this speed on T-mobiles US bandwidth, so not worth it.

For calling the UK from the US$ phone, sign up to Rebtel and use that to make calls.  Basically, all your contacts will be assigned a local US number, so you then get to call for free on your tariff.  Rebtel charge <1p/min for landlines and ~10p/min to UK mobiles.  I deposited £7 with them, made around 2hours of calls home on the trip and still have £4.94 of credit left!  I also used WhatsApp to text home, which all came out of the data usage and cost nothing.

The only downside is that the data speed isn't as fast compared to normal UK use, but could still use the web from the phone without much hassle.  Just don't go downloading apps on it!

I think you can buy the SIMs in the UK via Ebay, but it'll cost much more than the $5ish cost buying locally.  Depends what you prefer doing.

http://prepaid-phones.t-mobile.com/pay-by-the-day-cell-phone-plans

Can't be having this on page 2...

Fresh unlisted room offer codes are out today.  Some of them are only valid for a couple of days.  Enquire within.

NB remember to compare like with like.

Etc.

It's probably posted on here somewhere already but must admit I knew about the wsop, Venetian, Binions and Nugget series, but didn't know the Wynn were running a Summer Classic too.

http://wynnpoker.com/wynn_summer_classic.cfm

I doubt we'll be struggling to find a tourny to play. Do they do this every year during the wsop as if so I've completely missed this in previous years.

I am pretty sure the Summer Classic is brand new, at least it hasn't been at this time before.  They were doing $200 or $300 crapshoot rebuys at that time last year.   Year before it was $100 lunchtime tourneys.

Please message me if you have currency needs, i would be very surprised if we can't beat any other rate you get offered and i can guarantee you less hassle.

Don't worry I got in first and sent him your way, I'll take my comm in dances next month ;)

It's all a bit topsy turvy.  "Low" season can actually be high season.  For example, hotels (deals a-plenty) are really cheap in July and August and in December.  Early July, poker would be immense.  As soon as WSOP leaves town, Vegas has its worst month of the year for poker, very very slow and dusty.  December the week before Christmas is probably the cheapest hotel rates of the year.  Again for a reason, it will be (relatively) quiet.  Early December is Rodeo time, some great casual poker traffic, but hotels know Rodeo sells rooms so deals are harder to get (but by no means impossible) and rack rates are higher.

I think the best way is to get a leg down with the flight to start with.  This usually means catching the sale fares.  Not many flights to Vegas get cheaper at the last minute, so lock it up when able.


If you want pleasant weather in the mix for pool parties etc. try and pick May, early June or September.  If you sleep all day and party all night, any old week will do.  If the poker grind is more inportant, don't pick late July+August.

Cliffs:  Go during WSOP.  Weather is good (but gets a bit too much into July+) partying is unlimited.  Cash action is about as juicy as it gets.  Flights at the moment aren't great (£800 direct when you could scoop £500 with planning) but hotel deals are plentiful.

OR -on budget  just get the cheapest flight at whatever time of year that happens to be.  There will always be bad players in the 1/2 ~ 1/3 games everywhere.  If there are hotel deals great, if not, just stay somewhere a little worse so that it is in the right price bracket.

A refitted plane is in action now, not sure how many planes are in the fleet, but a chance of getting on it if you are running good

http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/offersandnews/latestnews/newinflightentertainment.jsp (http://www.virgin-atlantic.com/en/gb/frequentflyer/offersandnews/latestnews/newinflightentertainment.jsp)

This any good? Micro sim for iphones available as an option

http://www.simcardguru.co.uk/product/sim-cards-for-the-united-states/t-mobile-usa-pay-as-you-go-mobile-phone-sim-card

Thanks Karl, that would have done it.  Past tense, as I already paid £89 for the holidayphone jobbie this time.  Unless I get a lot of extra use out of the additional services (unlikely) I will be using the £26 one next time.

Gotta love this guy... enough is enough.

http://www.vegastripping.com/news/blog/4619/the-video-where-the-guy-dumps-the-u-haul-on-the-strip/ (http://www.vegastripping.com/news/blog/4619/the-video-where-the-guy-dumps-the-u-haul-on-the-strip/)

I won't use up a one time, but it would be nice to run well from the off



Cheers Karl, that might save me a lot of money!!

Am torn between the 2 tbh, not sure which to get. Faster speeds, uk call forwarding but more expensive and data capped at 2gb which you can't pay for more of if you run out

You can, (I think) the 30-day extension for £69.90 gives 2 more gig. (assuming you are there for 30days+ in the first place)  If you are not streaming vids etc, just surfing and emails, 2G should be loads ?

OK so which non-WSOP events are people playing when over in Vegas this year?  Venetian have increased their buy-ins quite a bit.  Caesars structure isn't that great.  Wynn Summer Classic looks good, as do the daily tournies at the Rio.  Downtown both Binions and the Nugget have some decent tournies on and the Aria are having their usual $125 daily tourney twice a day!  So much to choose from.  Looks like I'm not seeing the Wynn pool again this year!!

Arrive Friday for 16 days and playing most of the non holdem Golden Nugget events plus a few Binions and a trip to Rio for WSOP HORSE event on 13th June

I get there on the 22nd, but plan to mostly be drinking for the first 2 days and will start trying to freeroll the trip from Sunday.....

24/6: Wynn $340 PLO8

25/6: Binions $200 6Max

26/6: Binions $1k

27/6: Celebrating winning the $1k

28/6: Nugget $230 PLO/HE

29/6: Nugget $225 NLHE

30/6: Nugget $1090 M/E

I move up to the Palazzo after that and will probably spend most of the next week or so in a drunken stupor. I might flick in for the $400 on July 4th, but again that's all dependent on the previous few days  :P

right im planing on going on the 30 may 2013 for 10 days is it better to book flights then book hotel or book it all at the same time i thinking of stopping at the flamingo or the mirage there will be 4 of us so wanting two rooms also wanting to fly direct from manchester
also how much does the exchange rate differ from the uk to the usa im not want to take loads out like i did last year and take even more back to the uk the exchange rate so bad when u change them back in the uk
any help would be great thank u

Book flights sooner rather than later (especially look out for sales that BA/Virgin will do) - no rush on hotels.

The exchange rate hasn't moved very much recently, but if any of us knew how it would change between now and next May we wouldn't all be playing poker.

Yeah just the 11 cents this month..............  :(

LOL - I knew it had bounced around between 1.54 and 1.6 for about 6 months - hadn't checked recently.

I only noticed because I bought some at 1.6, but only got 1.5 when I topped up last week and then I saw the graph lol

unable to message you, hav emailed the email on your profile, hope thats current ta

when do ba and virgin have there sale does any one know tar for the info so far u lot keep it comming

If anyone is looking to book a hotel room in Vegas for early July, I have a room available that I'm looking to sell.  It's at the Wynn for 6 nights (3rd-9th July).  I won it as part of the ipoker/Genting WSOP Experience I won in a satellite last night.  Genting are valuing it at $1290, however I'm willing to consider reasonable/sensible offers for it!

Michelle

I have the pallazo for most of my stay in Vegas but looking for a budget hotel for the first part.

Anyone stayed in the riveria/Imperial Palace- it'll only be for 5 nights so not too bothered but wanna make sure I'm not gonna be in a total shit hole

Have stayed in the IP

Great location is a positive

Room was tired but spacious, perfectly fine for a few days if on a budget

Cheers Tighty.

If it's between those 2 then do not stay at Riviera, if you're going to be playing at Palazzo I would probably invest a few extra $$ and stay at Harrahs instead m8.

Given all the construction going on I would probably stay away from the IP anyway, what are the exact dates you're looking for George?

I'm staying at the Palazzo from 6th-16th

Would be staying at the budget hotwl from 1st-6th.

Wanna keep costs down as much as poss. Is the Riviera that bad? Any recommendations on budget hotels?

ballys is fine and perfect location

Thing is Bally's is 220 for 5 nights- Riveria 130. Think I'm just going to book the riviera. Can't be that bad and it's not too far from venetian/Rio

Give me 5 minutes m8, don't book Riviera

Ok mate- lemme know soon tho as looking to be before I leave for DTD!

You can get the IP for $176  including tax using IIBOT promo code (You also get a free bottle of vodka:D)

The location is infinitely better, you can cross the road to go play Caesars/Bellagio and you can cab it to Palazzo

Who's this through mate?

u on skype/facebook?

Yes m8 marky147

You would do your net on cabs from the Riviera and it would probably end up costing more than the Palazzo for another 5 nights :D

http://web.archive.org/web/20051212153004/http://www.cheapovegas.com/vegas_map.php?map=strip (http://web.archive.org/web/20051212153004/http://www.cheapovegas.com/vegas_map.php?map=strip)

Prob too late now but Flamingo another place I would recommend.

As you're looking for budget then stay at the Harrah's properties - only strip hotels that don't offer a resort fee.

Forget that. Looked on Expedia and you can get the IP for <£120. Assuming all the room is for is to shit/shower/shave then just stay there.

hi there u lot i know it not for this year but he goes, i can get some flights from manchester to vegas from the 29/5/2013 for 11 nights for £650 each does this sound like a good deal and there direct
also any one know what going on the weekend 8/9 june  next year price goes from $155 a night over the weekend to $295

Seems decent enough, I think the Manchester flights with Virgin were never lower than £700 this year. That will probably be the EDC 2013 at a guess, it's just happened this year and is basically a massive rave over the weekend.

I wouldn't worry too much about hotels this early anyway, you can just keep checking as you go along and then book any good deals you see.

flights with thomas cook

I've no experience with them, but a couple of my friends are flying out with them Wednesday so I can let you know what they thought on Friday when I get there. They only fly Wed-Wed at present, with Virgin you have the choice of Thursday or Sunday making it possible to have a bit of flexibility with time spent instead of 1 week or 2 weeks.

if u could please, they must be changing there days buddy because we fly out wen and then fly back in sunday 11nights thought it was a gud price think virgin going to be £805 each so what price will i pay for the hotel rought price would be ok

That's good then and definitely a lot better than it worked out for the lads I'm meeting up with.

What hotel are you looking at, or what kind of budget are you working with and what are your exact dates if you know them?

The price can vary massively dependent on dates and what's going on in Vegas at the time. You can get rooms from £20 a night upwards dependent on the resort.

looking at the flamingo in a fab room dates are may 29th 2013 to 9 /6/2013 11 nights
also what exchange rate u getting out there at the mo buddy just wanting to now the diffrance between vegas and england
thank for the info

I wouldn't worry about the hotel this far in advance, leave it a while and then start looking late in the year. Rates fluctuate daily and even over the last month or so have moved over 10 cents. This site  http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/holiday-money/#results (http://travelmoney.moneysavingexpert.com/holiday-money/#results) will tell you the best deals available to you for buying money.

thank for that m8 good rates there are u out there now

No worries, unfortunately I'm sat in my office working as I type this and not out there..... I will be in a week though :)

how long u out there for

Any news on what the Thomas cook flights were like?  They're a fair bit cheaper than virgin but not sure about luggage allowances, in flight entertainment , meals etc.

Cheers

They charge extra for any hold luggage, meals and preferred seat.  Also always check the time of the flight as 3 or 4 times a year the flight stops in Glasgow to pick up.

Booked to stay until the 8th, if I'm winning or win a seat to main (likely [ ]) I'll stay for that too



Some mates I'm meeting there are flying out with them Wednesday, I'll ask about their flight and relay the info here

any news yet buddy

I'm flying out tomorrow m8 so will speak to them once I'm there ;)

any news marky with them flights

I only got here yesterday afternoon m8, I'm meeting everyone tonight and will be sure to post tomorrow with their thoughts :D

Last Minute

VS43 5th July 7 Days

Aria £1085 MGM £1050

Palms, Mirage less than a Grand

Palazzo £1250

Golden Nugget/ Luxor £870

Look like great value when the flight is £750 on the Virgin Website

Regards

M

Dont post much.. But can i thank Marky147 for posting this, his links and info have saved me a sizeable amount of money on hotel costs..
First time ever trip to Vegas going in October staying at the Flamingo...looking forward to it so much.. Money saved on hotel means we will now fly direct ..
Makes sense..

hi there buddy what sort of saveing have u got if u dont mind me asking im in two mind what to do at the moment i can get flghts for £650 each but i can also get hotel and flights for around £1100 each what shall i do

No worries got the flamingo for about 380 for 8 nights the online discount was 30% through smarter vegas , and looked into all manner of flights, with my favourite choice being flying via san franciso with a short connecting flight to vegas against the long connecting flights from the eastern seaboard that i think was with United for about £1180 return...However the wife won with the direct virgin flights...so that as they say was that £400 extra or £100 each each way...

Glad you managed to save some money m8 and I hope you have a great trip!!



They said the flight was fine m8  ;)

£1100 each seems a bit excessive to me mate, unless you're staying at the wynn for a week or so anyway!

What dates are you looking at and how long for?

I'll have a look for you while I'm watching us hopefully nick this match against Italy....

if u get time i coming over on the 29 may 2013 next year for 11 nights stopping at the flamingo in one off there fab rooms buddy

whats the cheapest month or cheapest few months to go to vegas im thiunking november time?

what do people think for poker now november 9 has moved?

Poker now is the best time to go imo, when the series is going on.

Cheapest months to go are summer as the weather is too damn hot. Though if you wait for the Jan airline sales that may prove to be the cheapest all round, I flew to LA for £350ish last Feb which is crazy cheap with NZ air which I was very impressed with.

any luck marky

I wouldn't be worrying about booking it up just yet as it's still a year away and I don't think the rates will be too preferential that far in advance.

Leave it until later in the year and then start looking again. The flight offers might pop up sooner though, I'm not 100% and Simon Galloway is your man for that :)

im booking with thomas cook so that ok

Yeah I'd leave the hotel alone if it were me and book them up later in the year when deals start becoming available. £1100 for the flight plus Flamingo Fab doesn't seem too clever.

ok mark will do that buddy

12 day BA sale on their website.

just looked for next year and thomas cook aqre cheper from manchester so no gud for me

I wonder if anyone can help with an idea or suggestion.

I’m in Vegas from 7th to 15th July with my wife and it’s our wedding anniversary on Saturday 14th, so I’m looking for something to do out there to mark the occasion.

It doesn’t have to be particularly special or expensive (but it can be), but it does need to be in line with a tradition we established  a few years ago based around wedding anniversary themes.

For example,;

For our 6th anniversary (Iron) , we spent a weekend in Ironbridge, Shropshire
For our 7th anniversary (Wool) , we went spent a weekend in Poole , Dorset and visited a nearby village called Wool. We have a photo by the village sign.
For our 8th anniversary (Pottery) , we spent the weekend in Stoke on Trent
For  our 9th anniversary (Willow) , we didn’t go away for a weekend but I found  a restaurant in Southgate called Willows
For our 10th anniversary (Tin) , we thought of visiting a Cornish tin mine, but I didn’t organise it in time, so we visited the London Metal Exchange and had lunch nearby.

Different lists have different themes but the one we use has this year’s theme as Steel. If we weren’t going to Vegas, I’m pretty sure we would have spent a weekend in Sheffield.  Given we’re in Vegas on 14th I’d like to find something connected with “Steel” It doesn’t matter how loose or tenuous the link is ,as long as we can see a connection. It’s a tradition and  a bit of fun really and something that allows us to remember what we did each year.  

Any ideas welcome

Sit her down at a $1/$2 and steel her blind?

Will have a think...

http://www.curtissteel.com/ (http://www.curtissteel.com/) Take her to the sales and showroom on Wynn Road.  I've no idea why... but it's in keeping...

Helicopter over to see this

(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BqGK2vXYc9w/Su2-9deFnzI/AAAAAAAABaY/lqTT7-XkdxY/s640/Hoover+dam+8.)

Probably best to drop the Steel theme for lunch... but this might work

(http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m1ygniyXkz1qik4cn.jpg)

More steel here

(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/Fremont_Street_Experience_canopy_of_lights.jpg)

Dinner in Hugos while you are down there.

GL  :o

Steel Panther playing on the 14th

Should have "tinned" her on the 10th... wouldn't have this problem...

Steel-cut Oatmeal @ about $10 a bowl. Cheap and topical. Put the rest on no.19, never fails.

This.

Ask Barry Neville to recommend some nice restaurants in Sheffield.

Thanks Simon - What restaurant  is in the second picture please?

Thanks guys.  I think it would certainly qualify as being something different that we'd remember!

Eiffel Tower restaurant @ Paris.  Romantic setting, Bellagio fountain view.  Can't really get turned over on the lunch menu, general opinion was that the dinner menu wasn't worth the $$$$

For those that would like to speed up US immigration process... the old advice was always:

a) travel in an upgraded cabin for priority disembarkation
b) pre-select a seat as close as possible to the exit (i.e. don't sit at the back)
c) Have your stuff all up together for a swift exit

Coming soon, a new option to fast-track the immigration lines, not the worst money you can expect to spend on a trip to Vegas... Global Entry (http://www.globalentry.gov/)

BA are adding 3 flights a week to Vegas from Gatwick starting late October Mon/Wed/Sat.
Hopefully it goes to daily and the competion with Virgin keeps the prices down.Departure times are very similar to VA.

Now if they could be 747 planes rather than the crappy 777 planes, everyone's a winner! ;)

Flights back from LV now depart from Terminal 3. My travel docs said terminal 2 as the new terminal changes only began operating last weekend.

How did you enjoy staying at The Nugget Phil, did it live up to my hype?

Bit disappointed with T3 to be honest and was gutted to not be able to have a farewell Burger King last week :(

Did anyone try the US sim cards mentioned earlier in thread? Were they worth it/good value

Planning on going again late Nov/Early Dec for rodeo anyone been then have any tips?

Yeah that simcard that Karl posted up was ideal, cost me £26 for the sim and lasted the whole 2 1/2 weeks with a $25 top up.

Just got my uk phone bill yesterday and it was £160 down from the almost £500 I think it was last year

I bought a sim card n a new mobile from t mobile which needed some fancy code which I didn't know so I never used it 50£ up the chute ,unless I can b bothered to send it back

2 weeks at the nugget ,I really enjoyed it down there won't stay anywhere else now

I thought terminal 3 was pretty good ,virgin texted me to let me know my flight was going from there
It has a burger place in , burger king there but yet to open
Free wi fi
Nice pub/ bar
Slot arcade near gate 1 where u can smoke inside
Pretty well all u need

I had the holidayphone card.  Voice side was good, phoning home from anywhere for long-ish calls and not having to trapse back to the room was ideal.  US calls/texts all fine.  Data side didn't work so was resorting to wifi for that (admittedly I didn't try too hard to fix it)

But imo, £26 from t-mob ftw.

Top tips for Vegas following our recent trip!

1.  Take some earplugs but make sure you hide them from the maid so she doesn't throw them away!
2.  Make sure the taxi driver tells you his route before you head off anywhere.  They continually tried to rip us off by taking the freeway when it was much cheaper to go either on the strip or behind Bally's/Venetian.
3.  Visit Town Square on the Deuce bus (south of Mandalay Bay, adjacent to the airport).  Great outlet with fabulous sales on in every shop inc Abercrombie and Hollister.  Make sure you make use of the many happy hours (actually 3 or 4 hours in most cases!) from 3pm onwards in Blue Martini, Double Helix and English's.
4.  If you're buying in to a WSOP event don't do it on the day of the event, the queues will be ridiculous.  Buy in the evening/night before!
5.  If you have a dinner break at the Rio walk across to the Gold Coast casino which is much quieter to eat.  They have a TGI Fridays and if you ask for quick service you'll get it!  You need to cross the road near the shuttle bus stops and head across to the lower level of the Gold Coast car park.  You can walk through the car park to the casino entrance.
6.  Palazzo Shoppes have a couple of good places with happy hours from 3pm Mon-Fri - Double Helix and Table 10.
7.  Fancy one of the best steaks in Vegas without having to pay the world?  Charlie Palmers at the Four Seasons Hotel have a Cut of the Week menu for only $48 per person.  3 courses and bottomless wine included, absolute bargain.  Their website is updated weekly with the menu - http://www.charliepalmer.com/Properties/CPSteak/LasVegas/Menu/
8.  Try breakfast and/or lunch at the Terrace Point Cafe in the Wynn.  Superb and great value.
9.  If you buy into a Venetian Deepstack event, rather than collecting yet another cap or t-shirt, ask them for the $10 food credit instead!
10. Try Earl of Sandwich in Miracle Mile Shops.  Best sandwiches in the world!

Hope this helps!

Michelle

I loved the Nugget, stayed there for a couple days last year when playing the 2 $1k tourneys downtown. Was booked in for 11 days this year in the Rush tower and ended up staying 14.  Absolutely loved the place and will be staying there again next year too, great drinking atmosphere downtown and the people are com!

I used to tell the cabbies to take me the freeway when came/went downtown, it's much quicker and I can live with a couple bucks more to not be sat in traffic :D

Yeah it's quicker/cheaper to go downtown via the freeway, but we were taken on the freeway from Aria to Wynn which was ridiculous.  Most of the taxi drivers seem to want to rip you off, it was constant.

Love the trip from the airport to the wynn, probs done it 10 times now,  complete randomness on the pricing/route.

Am pretty sure some could do you for $30 airport to the Aria.

The term for taxi rip off is "long-hauling"

Hot topic at the moment.

 http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2012/jun/29/authorities-trying-new-ways-curb-taxi-long-hauling/

Regards

M

We always ask the driver to/from the airport not to take the tunnel/freeway and instead take Swenson/Tropicana.  It shouldn't cost more than $20.  If you are long hauled, when you reach your destination you can give the driver what you think the journey should have cost.  If he doesn't like it, he can call the taxi authorities or the police.  If he long hauled you, he won't!

Rodeo time brings a lot of people into town,I think we caught the beginning of it on the APAT trip.Mid tier hotels prices are on the high side but some do packages.I would book something early that you can cancel if you find a better deal i.e direct through the hotel.

I've been at this time of year around 3-4 times and suggest you stay/play in the Excalibur for the simple reason that loads of rodeo guys/cowboys play the cash games in there. Without wishing to sound like a mirrion others, they are some of the softest games you will find in Vegas for the duration of the rodeo, dates for this year are on the link below.


http://www.razorgator.com/tickets/sports/rodeo/national-finals-rodeo-tickets/

Hi Ralph, I didn't stay there in the end, they messed me around when I got there so I snap cancelled it and ended up at the Monte Carlo via the Aria which I intended to stay in after the Nugget fiasco. I decided that the 800 bucks more for the 11 days there was daft as it took about 7 minutes to walk from the front desk at the MC to the Aria.

I spent most of my time in The Mirage and will prob stay there next time unless anyone has some horror stories.

Cheers...went at rodeo time 2 years ago. Was incredible fun in cash games mainly downtown that time though!

does anyone know if the only English player remaining in the main event sam holden is the same one who final tabled last year???

yes 'tis him

good on him...great to see him do it again then

Wow that's a shame, what exactly happened Phil?

This might sound a bit Diva ish but I had just done about 16 hours all in to get there. I got into the room and the aircon was so loud, I rang the front desk and the girl could actually hear it over the phone so she arranged to send an engineer up to look at it. So i sat there for 30 mins, couldn't have a shower or a kip, in case the guy knocked on the door. When he came he took the cover off, played with a few switches and turned it back on again and it was fine, the prob is he then left and by the time it had fully wound up again it was making the same noise, so basically he had turned it off, then back on again and said it was fixed.

I then rang the desk again and the girl said she would move me to a different room and get someone to bring the keycard to me. So I sat there for another 30 mins waiting for the guy to turn up. I went to the next room, the only thing I had specified on the room booking was not to be next to the lift, this room was next to the lift and when I opened the curtains the view was of a brick wall about 2 feet in front of the window so was dark even with the curtains open.

Was enough messing for me to just go elsewhere.

Nah that's fair enough, not a difficult request to service in reality and a shame because it's a great hotel. There were 7 of us staying throughout the three towers and everyone absolutely loved the place.

First impressions and all that though....

I actually got a cab down there about 4 times in the first week and did enjoy the place, the comps in the festival were really good for the buy ins. Binnions comps were v good too, tho I did pure bubble in the one I played in after playing for 7 hours which was  bit annoying. Thewwy and I had 4 bb left at the last break with 13 left, I missed the money by one and he was chip daddy when they chopped it up 4 handed!!

The funniest thing that happened was on my last night at The Mirage, the power went off as I sat in a 7 handed cash game and the reserve generators didn't kick in until about a minute later. There were alarms and fruit machines buzzing everywhere when the back up power finally came on. I looked round the table and all the players were sat with their hands over their chips and the dealer was laying arms folded across the chip tray in front of him. I't was like a scene from Oceans Eleven, I half expected Brad Pitt to turn up dressed as a doctor.

I've always stayed Palazzo, Wynn, Caesars etc. for the last few years and only did a couple days down there last year, but I am a convert now. The poker room is good, players bad and I the same as you pure bubbled one of the comps I played there too which was about the sum of the trip.....

Haha I've never played at the Mirage, some mates stayed there last year and really liked the place though. Dealer was obv  expecting the place to get turned over for poker chips :D

Stayed at the Mirage in 2005.  7 nights with direct Virgin flights for £650 each (those were the days!)

No horror stories but the room was more 'standard' than the other big Strip hotels as you'd expect.  Obviously, given the price, we had the most basic rooms there and no complaints other than no 'wow factor'.  Great location though and the poker room at the time was 2nd only to the Bellagio (this was when limit holdem was the main cash game in town and no limit was still the exception to the rule).

Soft spot for the Mirage too.  card room a waste of time now.  Pool decent, if a little over-crowded.  Rooms are recently renovated, standard rooms bathroom a little small, Tower Deluxe rooms bathroom better sized and separate lifts so you don't stop on every floor.. OK basic food outlets, nothing really great at the top end though.  Decent location too.

Stayed a couple of years back, 3 nights Penthouse for $240 with a $200 dining credit.  Needless to say, a rare find on the discount sites, but they do pop up sometimes...

(http://i182.photobucket.com/albums/x316/SimonG_03/random/060.jpg)

Taxi drivers get worse every time I go Vegas.

Last time I went in April asked the driver to take Tropicana and not the tunnel (as they always go the tunnel if you don't state) and had the driver try to start, saying I was rude for telling him how to do his job. He defo got both barrels and a complaint to the TA

Had to activate the data by downloading something via wifi 1st on my iPhone. Was in the instructions, once done the data worked really well and was the main reason I'd get this again

How was your experience calling uk numbers? How often did it work by calling the number direct and how often did you have to go the more convoluted route of ringing a given US number 1st before the uk one?

Ha, we had the exact same situation getting a can from Aria to Wynn. He told me that the strip would be very busy and was it ok to go a faster route. I'm usually pretty good at directions as I rent a car every year but around the back of Aria is one place I wasn't sure on the best way to go (pretty sure it's down Harmon then left on Koval) but I mistakenly said yes. His idea of a faster route had us going south on Polaris and looping back north on I15 surprise surprise taking us past a "club" he thought we might want to try. He did floor it down the freeway probably because he wanted to justify his "fastest" description of the route

I refused to tip when we arrived as I told him he'd taken us the long way and he didn't put up too much of a fight. Didn't think to give him less but then I hadn't taken a cab between the 2 before so wouldn't be sure what the fare should have been

Once or twice the call wouldn't connect, but for the most part, it worked fine first time.  Obv I should have followed the instructions, but I was ill for half the trip and in the room, so it hardly mattered.

Thanks very much for the information on this thread it really helped with my trip to vegas cheers

taxi fares airport to aria $28,aria to airport $21

aria to nugget $28 nugget to aria $22

Im sure they just make em up

http://www.lasvegas-how-to.com/taxi-fare.php

So yeah if your cab fare is over $20 from McCarran you have got done, one way or the other.

Got a limo from Monte carlo to airport. Concierge who arranged it all told me no more than $90. Gets to airport guy asks for $110. Maddening thing i'd already tipped guy at hotel $10 Fkers

Anyone stayed in Ballys recently?

$90 not uncommon rate to be asked (= limo for an hour) but 2 minutes online = $65 (+tip)

Yes, a couple of times actually. What would you like to know?

Just if its decent enough. Stayed in Tropicana last year and it was good but Bally's location is better and its really cheap.

Going with the wife so the room has got to be ok and she will prob want a decent pool.

Other option is Excalibur possibly

I would put it in the same tier for vegas hotels as the 2 you mentioned and would personally choose Bally's over the other 2 due to location. It certainly has no "wow" factor like the classier hotels but it is functional and clean.

What I have done is take the cheapest room (south tower) and then $20 trick at check in. I am 3/3 with it and have got a room in the north tower, which are sizable and certainly in line with 3* hotel quality. Also there is no resort fee here or any other caesars properties.

I know nothing about the pool apart from its location which is near the underground shopping arcade.

http://blondepoker.com/forum/index.php?topic=56443.0

Here is a recent thread with other opinions.

Thanks Longy

With WSOP 12 done & dusted, just wanted to thank Marky for this thread, it was invaluable.

I just looked at it every morning & was able to see what was on around Vegas, where & what I could go play that day, all nicely sorted in one place, job done.

Was a bonus to share Tables with you in that Nugget comp, too. All part of a collection of lovely memories from Vegas 2012.

Now, one more favour....

I am considering going again in October/November. Someone sent me the Venetian's shedule for Oct/Nov, do you have any idea who else will be running Fessies @ that time, & if so, when will their schedules be published?

If you did a new Oct/Nov "Mini-Schedule", I'm sure we'd all much appreciate it. ;)

No worries, I'll do an updated version next year as I know that there will be some new flights to add in amongst other things.

The google doc was way beyond anything I could muster, I work with excel everyday and I have to rely on my father for help with it :D

Was nice and at least you took a good portion of my stack rather than me giving it to others I didn't know, I just couldn't give you an 8 there :D

I have to learn to stop showing up with 2nd best so much at showdown.......

This has been the first time I stayed downtown for almost the whole trip and I didn't miss the strip one bit. I didn't even go to the strip until the 1st of July when I had to check in to my room at the Palazzo and I got a cab straight back downtown until I left the Nugget on the 4th.

I did post updates in our 'Vegas Thread' at our forum and it's certainly encouraged a few to come out next year. We're just finialising a thrift club of sorts which starts next month and we have 20 committed already. Everyone gets their flight money in February and there will be a mini 4 tournament stt series between 2 groups of 10.

The £100 a month that is put in will ensure that  5 from each group will play a $1k event in Vegas and the others will all have a share. All 20 will be going to Vegas though and most likely at the same time which should provide some hilarious exploits!!


No problem at all with that, I will keep my eye on the sites and 2p2 to see if anything pops up, as far as I'm aware only the Venetian and possibly Caesars will have anything at that time. Anything that does crop up I'll be sure to link up so that you can plan away  :)up

Thanks Marky.

That 8 - you should know - I ALWAYS have it!

I do like that idea of a "Thrift Club" (what an old-fashioned term that is!). Be rather nice if blonde did something along those lines, but I can't really see it happening.

As you know, one of the reasons for my annual WSOP trip is to help host the players they send next door. In my experience, it is the "newbies", the regular guys who play small money poker who get most enjoyment out of Vegas @ WSOP-time, they get a real wow-factor, & the more of those who are able to get there, the better. If we could get a bunch of blondes there WSOP time, it'd be quite something.

Haha quite :)

Yeah our forum is quite a bit smaller than Blonde, I'd estimate there are probably under 100 regular members (I could be  off by a bit) so it's pretty amazing to get 20 like that. It's such a big place you can go weeks without bumping into people, I had a few beers with Mitch, Keys, Alex, Stato and Mr Linton one night, but other than that I didn't see any other Blondes apart from yourself the whole time I was there.  Granted I was isolated being Downtown  the whole time, but still it's a pretty unique place in that respect.

Yeah, I'm not sure I could manage a working trip to Vegas... A couple years ago a few of the lads came out for the first time and they were still in shock at the place when they went home a week later. I'd guess without checking that at least 6 of the people in this little setup are total Vegas newbies and I can't wait to see their reactions when they get there :D

Basically the ppl pay in £110 a month, every month starting at the end of July.

In January/February everyone gets money back to book a flight, £650/700 which leaves a small amount in the kitty.

At some point between then and April/May there will be a tournament series of 4 stts over a couple weeks which will decide who goes.

To keep the people who don't have great results interested the seats will be allocated 3 on performance and 2 by draw. This will mean that even if someone has a schocker in the stts they can still bink a place in the $1k.

It's more about getting people there than everything being based on poker, you still get a sweat of a couple guys in some tourneys and most importantly everyone is out there having fun.

No doubt there will be some more mini festivals run amongst ourselves where 6 of us put in £100 each and play a 2/3 game series to see who picks up a $1k seat as well. Nice and easy, plus it saves playing super sats out there too so more time can be spent at the bar ;D

We've got 20, but you only need 10 to make it run and get 10 out there....

hope u doing one of thers for next year im booking my flights sat morring lol

just looking around to book for september, 7 nights at Monte Carlo for £465 (incl resort fee) seems a good deal to me.
should we book now or hold on longer?
presume Monte Carlo is ok?
got to pay it all up front,but thats not a problem.any negatives b4 booking?
BTW its with lowcostusa.co.uk who i assume are ok

I've never stayed at Monte Carlo from what I've seen online etc. it's fine, Bobby1 stayed there this summer and can probably give you a better idea than myself.

I'd have a check on www.smartervegas.com (http://www.smartervegas.com) there will be some promo codes, you can compare them against the price on lowcostusa and see which is better.

lowcostusa are fine, I booked the Palazzo through them this summer and it was all fine. I even managed to change my room to a twin with no problems even though that should have been $30 a night more

Simon Galloway will be able to confirm, but I think the only downside to booking through a third  party is that you can't then get the room comped as you've paid up front. Booking direct obviously leaves it open to be comped should your play be adequate, I don't gamble much so it's never something I worry about.

I've stayed in Monte Carlo and it's fine, with the exception of rather loud plumbing. You'll know when anyone within 5 rooms of you flushes the toilet.

thx for the quick reply Marky.
smartervegas.com works out at £472 but then got to add on the $20 per night resort fee,so its a cheaper deal.

No worries, if you punt quite a bit then the direct deal might be worth taking anyway. You pay an extra £100 in theory, but if you're betting at a high enough level for long enough over the trip (I don't know what that would need to be)  then you may get the stay/part of the stay comped.

I don't play table games much so don't know too much about this, if they comped for alcohol consumed and money spent in restaurants I'd be golden :)

Harrah,s casinos are VERY good value, perfect location and NO RESORT charges. I am going in september staying at flamingo go room avg $100 a night. Rooms start at about $30-40 a night. Book direct www.caesars.com
hope this helps

too late Doc, just booked thro lowcostusa at £966 incl taxes and resort fees for the Monte Carlo.
just got to try the $20 trick at check in to get a strip view room.

Might want to log into your own account dad, ty for the post count though!
and VEGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!!!!!111

logged into my own account now.....

anyone used these

http://www.allgrandcanyontours.com/body.asp?tour=LAS-H0026&page=TourDetails&tab=tourhotels#Htl

gonna do the tour if i can drag Adam off the poker tables,and it does get me in the good books with mrs peejaytwo and my daughter.
iheart radio festival on the weekend we are there, aerosmith,green day,rihanna,bon jovi et all but already sold out. dunno how much the tickets were but may give that a whirl.(depending on black Market prices)

Monte Carlo has a cheeky fast food court in it, with all the necessaries, including a 24 hour subway (for when the comp finishes).

It also has a direct link to Aria (best cardroom in Vegas IMO), which has a $125 comp twice a day, every day. Don't even have to go outside.

Ah i practically lived in that subway some days, breakfast/lunch/dinner!

My favourite thing about it was that the omelets section listed all the options as "...and egg":

Cheese and egg
Ham and egg
Bacon and egg
Steak and egg...

If you go, please ask for it without the egg and see what you get!

Booked Bally's after some Guidance and Help from this Thread.

£362 for a Room in the South Tower but will be using the Simon Galloway Charm  :)up and $20 to increase my chances of impressing the Wife.

Love this thread and appreciate everyone who contributed to it and Marky..

marky are u doing one of thers for next year as iv just booked my flights from manchester for around £1300 for me and the wife all i need now is the hotel hoping not to pay more than £2000 total i wanting to say at the flamingo and im  going from the 29 may to the 9 june

Yeah I said before I'll do a new one next year, I'm not gonna do it now though as we're not even through summer of this year.....

Should be able to sort out a hotel room easily enough without a new thread ;)

I wouldn't think you've got much to worry about with regards to paying more than £700 for the Flamingo those dates as long as the EDC isn't on the same weekend again. Bit of luck they'll have some form of promo on that you can book up before it's announced anyway and won't have to worry about the ridic pricing for that weekend.

Do you know dates confirmed for EDC so can avoid next year? (Didn't cost me much extra but had to slum it at LV Club for 3 nights!) Never again! :)

im sure it on the last weekend im there, there rate goes from $155 a nite to $275 a nite so i think im going to struggle to get it for £700

My inertia to go with the pre-pay sites is because:

1. You are locked in - if a better deal comes up for the same hotel or another hotel, you can't take it
2.  As above, no cancellation rights or ability to change dates usually
3.  If you do give them action, they can't comp your stay on a 3rd party travel voucher...

No idea, not sure when they announce it either as it doesn't interest me anymore. I'd just have to suck it up if it was end of June again and pay though......

Stay at the Nugget if you have to stay downtown, great resort and like being on the strip in all but location. I'll be staying there every time I go now for the majority of my stay with a quick stop at Palazzo at the end of the trip.



They moved it forward two weeks this year, so might move it back again next and I guess we'll just have to wait for them to announce it. Worst comes to worst you could go downtown for the last 2 nights of the trip if the rooms are too expensive.




Yeah I was right then, I don't worry about the comps aspect because I never give enough action to even get a buffet and definitely not a room :D

hope they do change it at the mo the flamingo saying friday7 and sat8  of june are the dates of it but im an going on the rates for all the hotels on the strip are a lot more that weekend i may stop down town or the luxor when do they release the dayes do we know

Calm down m8 it's over 10 months away lol

ok buddy it just iv never booked a holiday like this befor al way book a package holiday

Anybody get a Limo from the Airport to the Strip.

What are the costs.

(Thinely Veiled)

I think the norm is around $60 - 70 an hour (with a minimum of 1 hour) (pre-booked) for a proper stretch jobbie....maybe more [PLUS TIP]

A 'town car'...basically a large saloon (big Merc for instance) more like $50 an hour (again, min 1 hour)

Deals might be available on the spot...subject to your negotiation skills.

YMMV.

Marky.

The Autumn Venetian Schedule has been out for a goodly while now, see....

http://www.palazzo.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/DSE_IV_2012_Schedule.pdf

...but have you any idea if or when the other rooms - Caesars, Golden Nugget, Binions, Palms etc will be publishing their schedules?

I saw it was released a while back, I'm a selfish little blighter though and never bothered looking into other festivals as I'm not going :)

I'm off for my monthly top up at the hospital shortly, so will see what is on while I'm in there as long as they leave me in peace!

There's usually a WPT circuit event on at Caesars which overlaps the first week of the DSE.

Binion's has a decent tourney on Sundays but seem to have stopped putting on their fall festival which was "The Open" IIRC and the Nugget doesn't usually have anything apart from the regular card-room schedule and the juicy $1/$2 cash-games at that time of year.

Heartland Poker Tour is on at the Palms according to THM, but no schedule released as of now.

http://www.hptpoker.com/eventinfo.php?yid=2012&eid=23 (http://www.hptpoker.com/eventinfo.php?yid=2012&eid=23)

http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/festival.php?a=r&n=10602 (http://pokerdb.thehendonmob.com/festival.php?a=r&n=10602)

Good luck if you head out, I'll be making do with Sheffield at the end of November...........

Orleans offering 5x$28 and 2x$64 on a code.

Pretty good value if you are price-sensitive.  Could easily rent a car on top to compensate for location and still be well under strip rates.

Looking at going for 10 days.

My sister is coming with me for shopping etc.  I'm ofc paying for her hotel.  Any deece places that do 2 bed suites or should I just go for 2 rooms @ Caesars/Venetian etc.  Had a brief scan of prices and they seemed more expensive than the summer!

I'm up in Yorkshire on a work course until tomorrow m8, if you chuck dates up I'll get on it when I get home tomorrow night and see what's about.

2bed suites are usually way more expensive than 2 really nice rooms.  Elara (what was PH Westgate) might be worth a look, otherwise 2 rooms anywhere you like will probably be less than a 2BDR suite in an average hotel.

Obv dates are very important as rates vary so much.

Just taking a random week in November, a 2BD Tower Suite in Mirage is $500/night.  a 2BDR in Elara is $368/night*, not using any codes. (That's not including tax, resort fee etc etc for all the hotel re-sellers out there..)  You could get 2 rooms in the Mandarin Oriental or Cosmopolitan for the same, or even 2x 1BDR suites in Elara for pretty much the same.

If you didn't want to spend that much, then its pretty much definitely going to be 2x regular rooms somewhere.

* advanced purchase, plus tax,  no mention of resort fee.  If you get on well with your sister(!) that's not a bad deal for a decent suite in a decent location.

Obv you get the master bedroom if you are paying...

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OnPcu3njiI8

ah ok cool thanks didn't realise!

looking for the 27th October until the 7th November but flexible a couple of days either side.

And price guide?

1.5 to 2k£ ish for the 2....thanks :)

Just had a look myself and the MGM Grand is 694/room for 10 nights from the 29th.

Never stayed or even been to the MGM.  Decent hotel? Location isn't as important as the summer as long as it's on strip and the area near the hotel is safe.

difficult to describe how big it is.  It's big.  Too big.

However, it's perfectly decent, lots of restaurant choices, bars etc and not that far from centre strip.

Not sure what tax/resort fee etc is in your price, but £800 could get you one of their new king rooms (rather than a very tired old room)

http://www.mgmgrand.com/hotel/grand-king.aspx

Or the Orleans tip ^^^ would save you a lot compared to this.

cheers for that.  MGM looks like the front runner so far.

if it was just me then I'd go for Orleans but with my sister with me want something pretty central so she can do what she wants easily.

will be booking in a couple of weeks so will keep looking around tho.

thanks :)

MGM is a fine place to stay - I generally stay in the West Wing rooms as the poker room is (or was when I was there last, think they've moved it now) by the West Wing lifts. Plenty of decent places to eat.

As Simon said, it is massive though (because it's all on one floor, as compared to somewhere like Venetian where the shops are on top of the casino floor)  - if you want to use the monorail to get about, be prepared for a lot of walking to/from the station.

They've just refurbed all the rooms at MGM too Ryan, so it will be nice and fresh for your arrival if that's the chosen resort....

I've just got back home about an hour ago and am fked after the drive. I should have a couple hours before I start work tomorrow afternoon though and will see what I can find for your dates :)

I personally would advise against the West Wing.  The only plusses  afaics is that it is a shorter walk to the cardroom and a shorter walk to North strip by exiting via there and cutting through Subway/Grand Canyon souvenir shop.  The room itself is very small, they have painted all the corridors battleship grey just to get the setting right for you as you traipse back to the room having done your niags and even the walk to the elevator is a bit like walking to the carpark at the old Luton casino..

I stayed there a few nights and (I should have changed rooms obv) by the end of it, I was walking to the main tower and down the West corridor of that to get to the West Wing room (yes, it was that bad..)

Just had a look on Smartervegas and you can get 10 nights in the new room for $1190 using the promo code GRANDR25

It's around Halloween which I'm guessing influences the room rates to some degree as there don't seem to be many great deals around.

Flamingo GO is $945 using IFRT1

PHo comes out at $1053 using IMNYR

Elara is $1110 Adv Purchase

The benefit of going on the Monday as opposed to before the weekend, is you save a little on the hotel by only paying for one weekend over the trip. I'd say it's between PHo and MGM and not really close with regards to the others. I would go for PHo personally as I  think the resort is good in all areas overall.

Average cost of a trip

I would say that for each week you are spending in Vegas I would allow £500 for food and drink. This gives you a couple nice meals a week, few nights on the pi55 and other incidental costs.

A hotel can cost you from £250 approx for the Imperial Palace, to £1000 approx for the Wynn

Poker money required is all down to the individual, you need as much as is required to play the tournament/ring games you wish to play.

There are tournaments and cash games for every bankroll up and down the strip, so it's never gonna be a problem to get a game!

Capping off I would say that for a week in Vegas you are looking at costs of:

£500-700+ Flight

From £300+ centre strip hotel halved if sharing

£500 food and incidentals money you may find you have some left over and is all dependent on where you're eating/drinking.

£xxx hookers and blow

It's really hard to gauge exactly what it would cost to get out there and do what you want. I'd say it's all down to the individual and what they want to be doing. I will say it's not the place to be when you're skint, I was the tail end of my 2 months in 2008 and ate Panda Express most days

You can have fun for not a lot of money and also you can spend whatever you like if you want to as well. The city that caters for everything at every price level!!



while i agree, whatever you think that you are going to spend, take a lot more because you will definitely overspend. Vegas is a wonferful yet cruel place that will suck you dry if you let it. Is also the scenes of some of the best nights ever though... just have to be cautious and not unrealistic with how much things cost.

Yeah I originally devised the thread for another forum I'm a member of and the guys who asked me to do it are all a little more responsible than myself....

The figures there are also from 2011, so somewhat dated to a degree and when I do another next year will have to update some parts.

I always take more than I intend to spend, but do the lot in with more and end up under it for a couple months when I get back :D

there is a weird balance to be had with that, you know you have to take more bc you will spend more, but cant take too much bc you will end up spending more than you planned and thenbe short again.....stupid vegas and its stupid expensive lures ;)

There is a festival at the Venetian/Palazzo during that time, if you're not that arsed about spending too much on hotels I'd say save on cabs too and stay at Harrahs.

http://www.palazzo.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/DSE_IV_2012_Schedule.pdf (http://www.palazzo.com/uploadedFiles/The_Venetian/Content_Blocks/Gaming/Deepstack_Extravaganza/DSE_IV_2012_Schedule.pdf)

Heartland Poker Tour too at the Palms

http://www.hptpoker.com/eventinfo.php?yid=2012&eid=23 (http://www.hptpoker.com/eventinfo.php?yid=2012&eid=23)

Harrahs is almost centre strip, no resort fees and you have plenty of cheap food options around you too.

Book direct with Harrahs, you'll not get it cheaper anywhere else and can always get a good discount through www.smartervegas.com (http://www.smartervegas.com).

Also if you do a bit of punting while you're there you might even get some of the stay comped on checkout and you can't get that booking with third party sites.

Marky absolutely loves Vegas. If I ever win 150m on lottery I'll sort you out massively in Vegas, own table in the rhino named engraved, the works.

Haha I do indeed, I hate people seeing themselves off orgetting stung unnecessarily before they go. Especially when there is plenty of hustling done once you get there :D

Own table sounds good though <3

Its difficult to say "no flea pit" and "Excal" in the same sentence.  The newly remodelled widescreen rooms (I have been told) are perfectly fine, the old rooms are pretty meh.  But regardless, it is still a flea pit downstairs with nowhere that you will particularly want to eat, drink or hang out.

With a few grinders, I thought it had "Venetian poker rate" written all over it.  $129x5 and $179x2 for the room.  $20/night resort fee, so that's $75pppn midweek and $100pppn weekends.  It can't be any more convenient and whilst it might be more that the Excal, the difference is chalk and cheese in terms of standard.  For anyone that has ever paid £65 on a Saturday night for a Travelodge somewhere, that has to be decent value.

With cash grinders splitting the requirement, you should meet the obligation easily, but if one guy is grinding a ton, a little bit of Grazie card roulette will make sure both rooms are covered.

If that doesn't appeal, then let us know your dates, flexibility on it, preferences (i.e. not sharing rooms, max$, must be near Wynn..etce etc) and if Marky doesn't get there first.. I will find a couple of possibles for you.

Yea Excal and Circus are holes. I wont even walk in the door let alone sleep in a room.

PH for location and price is the nuts imo.

Just a quick heads up guys. I'm sure some of you are already aware, but the Virgin Atlantic flight sale is on at the moment.

Managed to get flights for June 2013 (Manchester - Vegas) for £568.14 (direct/return); which is less than I paid when I first went over 6 years ago.

Sale ends mid September I believe.

What dates in June did you get these flights for mate?

I thought Venazzo, but the 'other 3 keeping costs minimal' led me to discount it :D



PH is really good, but not great location if you're grinding the deepstacks and I know you aren't walking that badboy!!

Also the price fluctuates pretty heavily and sometimes it's pretty damn expensive!!

it pissed me off whwn i saw it because i justed booked it wiyh thomas cook lol

 ;hattip;

Can't knock a bit of premium economy for under a bag!!

flamingo is a good hotel and close to it all

I always recommend Flamingo if you're playing Bellagio/Aria/Caesars on a budget and Harrahs for Venetian/Wynn.

Mate, I wont walk from Bellagio to Ceasars! taxis there for a reason.

I've got an excuse now for that though ;D

16th for two weeks, flying back on the 30th.

Circus Circus hate is fine - it is a dive - but don't let it put you off going to the steakhouse there - went in March with 3 mates and it was absolutely superb. Not cheap, but not stupid-Vegas-expensive either.

IIRC it was recommended by Simon - so a very belated thanks for that :).

Just looked up flights for next March - miles+money in the sale is giving me prices as low at £543, we paid £630 last March. Chance of getting another trip past the wife so soon - slim.

As well as being a dive Circus Circus is a bad location to base yourself. It is a fair walk to get to the Wynn which is the nearest decent casino on the strip and therefore even further to get to the mid part of the strip. The area round it, is not the nicest and all the casinos (stratosphere, rivera etc) look ready to be demolished any minute, in fact that fate befell the Sahara earlier in the year.

If you insist on going on a budget go to IP at least you are near all the action there.

Oh by god yes, I'd never stay there, it's just in the middle of a wasteland at the moment - I was just recommending the restaurant!

Has the Sahara been demolished? Last I heard it had been earmarked for remodelling  ala Plaza or Trop?

Not really sure what the objective is now... seems to have gone from "won't stay in a flea pit" to "which is the best out of the shit-holes"

Well, the shit-holes are much of a much-ness.. all pretty shitty.  You can choose which one you like based on exact location, or you can let the $$ decide.

5th Dec for one week, IP = $20x5/$42x2.

I'd consider Bills ($35/$70) and Ballys ($54/$104) and you will also find rock-bottom prices available for Excalibur and possibly Monte Carlo.

As for the poker rate.... I really don't see the point.  I can't see you grinding in any of the hotels ^^ ??

Sure, if you are going to grind Bellagio / Venetian / Wynn / Aria then it makes sense to take a poker rate and stay there.

But if you choose to stay at IP for $20... not much point in taking a reduced rate (not sure there would be a rate reduced from $20!!) and having an obligation to play 6 hours/day there.  You'd just pay your $20 as somewhere to leave the bags, then you have the freedom to go and grind any cardroom you like?

Sahara still there - all boarded up awaiting renovation.

Has The Fontaineblue(sp?) been completed yet or is it still a half-completed project?

Half the decor ended up refurbishing the Plaza. 

Any hints/tips on Grand Canyon helicopter rides?

Any hints/tips for shows? Vegas is busy when we are there, with a huge music festival. Whats the best way to go around getting tickets for the shows? Any advice on shows for 18y/o sister and mum to see whilst my dad and I grind? cheers guys

Following on from Adams post re grinding, are there any cardrooms to avoid?
Do they all rake  the same or do some rape you?
Action good in them all?
Same standard or are some busier with tourists/recreational players?
I'm aiming to play a lot at the weekend,and have family time after. fly on 19th sept and can't wait

Assuming you are talking about 1/3 or 1/2....

It depends. You can walk into mandalay bay and it be empty, then Tropicana and it be a real shortstack infest. That doesn't mean that's how those cardrooms are and to never come back. Next day, 5 drunk rich kids might be in Mandalay and its the best game in town.

Quite simply, if the game you are in isn't great... Move!

Maverick are the compant we've always used.

You might want to consider TI (http://www.treasureisland.com/special_offers/)...basically opposite the V.

They have a deal on at the moment...from $69 midweek  (https://reservations.treasureisland.com/cgi-bin/LANSAWEB?procfun+rn+resnet+res+funcparms+UP%28A2560%29:;79TV;?/)ranging to $140 for Fri/Saturday with NO RESORT FEE (usually $20+).

Includes...


I plugged in 15th November for 10 nights and got less than $1000 (before tax).

[EDIT:] 6 nights from 5th December - $544 + tax.

Otherwise, Harrahs is your best cheap option...5/10 minutes walk to the V and cheap as chips and NO RESORT FEE

A lot of posts missing the point imo.

"IP is the cheapest"
"Harrahs is the best"
"Can't go wrong with Ballys"

IT DEPENDS!! 

If it is only $$ that is of concern, the rates are so date-dependent that you HAVE to plug the dates in and see what comes back.  For example, I had this exact convo with a guy who was "I'm staying at IP coz it's the cheapest" at the bar in Venetian.  The fact that I was staying in a suite in Mirage for less $$ than he paid didn't seem to dampen his enthusiasm.

If it isn't only the $$ that is a concern, then the list of $20-$50 hotels is very subjective.

My list would be something like:

TI - where possible
Ballys North Tower
Bills
Monte Carlo
Tropicana
Luxor
Harrahs
Flamingo
Excalibur
IP.

Lots of others have more love for Flamingo than I do, and it is a pointless debate unless it is purely on $$

Virgin Atlantic sale has started today with direct flights to Vegas from Gatwick and Manchester included up to December!  Looking at £570 return inc tax for 1st - 11th Nov for example or £542 plus 2,000 flying club points.

Not 100% sure here, but iirc if you used 2k points here to save £28 you wouldn't actually be awarded any points for flying.  So it wouldn't just cost 2k points, it woudl cost 6k points (or whatever you get) in lost earning.

code MYTIBG looks a smidge cheaper still, even allowing for the $25/day resort fee if collected.

Is that one still going?...nice. I used it for 3 nights in mid-Dec (M-T-W) for $45 a night.

Yup (and welcome to the forum btw!)

They are using that code atm to promote FB/Twitter and is meant to be 55% off rack rates.

Downtown news - the Golden Gate (the first hotel/casino in Vegas) has just had a refurb so might be worth a look at for anyone who wants a non-Nugget Downtown option.

http://www.allnewswire.com/las-vegas-original-casino-completes-first-major-expansion-in-50-years/

As i got so much help from this thread i thought i'd do a trip report hoping it may help someone.

Flew Thomas Cook from Manchester,and the check in was quick and speedy both ways. very tilting that we had to stop at Liverpool on the way back as there were so many flights 'stacked',caused a two hour delay but guess thats not the airlines fault.
stayed at the Monte Carlo booked thro LowcostUSA. our requirements were rooms close together with two queen beds which the front desk did quite easily,and she said to keep the $20 and put it in the slots. rooms were clean if a little tired,but free wifi, and water bottles every day.view was over the (huge) pool area and adjacent hotels.
cardroom at the MC is small $50 dollar tourneys run prob 4 times a day,but there was a $1/2 cash table running most of the time,frequented by tourists who want to limp every pot and never put you in a tough spot. as i love poker even more when i'm winning i split my time between here and the MGM, where there are more games but also some better players among the drunks. the atmosphere/banter at the table was diff class here though.
i intended to play some tourneys while i was there but just couldn't pay the rake!! MGM was $100 + $25 and Caesars was $110 buy in but didn't stipulate the split between prize pool and rake.when i asked he said rake 'was about $30'. Cash game rake was 10% capped at $4 in both rooms and lower short handed if you asked.
did the Gran Canyon with Maverick for just over $400 per person. very slick and efficient,pick up on time etc,you may get cheaper but they are very good.
Dunno if Adam (rfgqqabc) has anything to add but i had a blast and cant wait to go again,and thanks for all the contributions on this thread that helped along the way.

Think dad summed it up well. Possibly a little harsh on the rooms though. Thread helped a great deal. As far as the poker rooms are concerned it pays to be up to date. Mgm are moving to 4+1$ from October for a high hand/jackpot, but would definitely recommend the room overall, really enjoyed the experience there overall.

We also saw love, andpersonally spent the hour and a half with my mouth open, fantastic

For all those EoS lovers... Look what I found today ( if my phone let's me)

http://db.tt/bDWLaj8V  (http://db.tt/bDWLaj8V)

Mate works up London and sent me a pic of it the other week. So incred. Can't wait til I am next down that way. Decent reviews: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d2091722-Reviews-Earl_of_Sandwich-London_England.html (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g186338-d2091722-Reviews-Earl_of_Sandwich-London_England.html)

Finally a place in England that can do a decent toasted sandwich !

Was chatting to Cos earlier and he said to speak to Marky147 about Vegas on where to eat etc....So any help from Blondeites on the trip would be helpful, Im going with John Burberry and staying in the Imperial Palace first week, Trump Towers and Wynn 2nd week...I plan to play 6 tournaments in the first 7 days and then 4 in the last 8 days Mainly the Venetian Deepstack but catching one at Caesars palace ($150 turbo deepstack) and the Wynn Fall Classic $300 too!

Pete I have moved your post on Vegas questions here

More people will see it

tx Tighty....and help or advice on the Vegas trip would be appreciated flights booked (VIRGIN) Oct 23 - Nov 7th

Sounds like you've got most of the important stuff sorted and it's only the extra curricular activities left to plan.....

If you're around the Venetian/Palazzo/Wynn then you're spoilt for choice food wise whilst there, the only thing I wouldn't do is eat at the IP.... Though saying that, the Burger Palace is ok at 4am when you're blind drunk :D

If you say what kind of restaurants you're looking for along with budget pp and there will always be something suitable at close quarters in Vegas.

IP - don't eat there (in fact, don't stay there...)  some people like Hash House A Go Go there (relatively inexpensive, large portions, 10kcals+ fayre)

Trump - there is nowhere to eat there (apart from Trump's self-named high end restaurant) but you can cross the road, dip into the fashionShow Mall through Nordstroms and it brings you out at California Pizza Kitchen which apart from very tasty (and unusual) topping combos, also offers good pastas, salads and various small plates which are useful when you get tired of pizza& pasta)  There is also a Johnny Rockets (don't do it..) as well as coffee joints and an Italian deli/sarnie bar.  At the other end of the FSM there is a food court if you have a particular hankering for junk and also Stripburger (much better than Rockets, but still not the best in town)  I should point out.. this is all closer to your room than it would be staying in say MGM and popping downstairs...

Wynn - obv no bargains, but all decent stuff.  Be prepared to walk thru the tunnel to Encore also.

For more detail than that, as per Marky - spell out what you are looking for.  Eating as cheap as possible? As tasty as possible?  Particular type of cuisine?

Hi Pete,

Recommended places to eat:

- Grand Lux Cafe in either Venetian or Pallazzo (Pallazzo tends to be quieter)
 - Noodle Asia (next to Venetian cardroom)
**when you buy in to a Venetian Deepstack event you can use your ticket to purchase caps, t-shirts etc. You can also request a $10 food coupon which can be used towards food in the 2 above places (amongst others)**
 - Postrio in St Mark's Square in Venetian
 - Charlie Palmers at the Four Seasons Hotel (south of Mandalay Bay) - they have a cut of the week deal (3 courses and bottomless wine) for $48 per person, which is an absolute bargain and it's very very good.  Menu changes weekly - see http://www.charliepalmer.com/Properties/CPSteak/LasVegas/Menu/
 - Breakfast or lunch in the Terrace Point Cafe in the Wynn (sit outside for views over the Wynn pool)
 - Le Burger Brasserie (between Ballys and Paris indoors)
 - Earl of Sandwich in Miracle Mile Shops!

Excellent happy hours from 3pm Mon-Fri in Pallazzo shops at Table 10 and Double Helix

Have fun!
Michelle

Breakfast. Two words: Bellagio...buffet.

Apian leg-bending on a grand scale.

Will do you til the evening.

Ballys steak house is good as is the one in bills gambling saloon

Ballys Sunday brunch is good too 80$ all u can eat sushi crab claws lobster tails bottomless champagne ( Perrier jouet) good selection of desserts starts noon till 4 pm ish book it
It's not so warm then n the pools are closing I believe
I've been 3/4 times in November

There are other locations in the us other than vegas for people's info. I was recently in the atlantic city location.

Fwiw anyone thinking that AC might be a good Vegas alternative don't do it! If you want to play poker on the east coast go to Foxwoods.

THE best buffet in Vegas, ceasars palace. awesome

Would love to go next year for the first time.

Few simple questions first:

Where would be an ok place to play $1/2 cash to find my feet?
Is there such a thing as a beer for under $5?

I like the look of The Orleans hotel from research, am I better off staying on the strip?

To find your feet, enjoy walking round, truly is best to find your own answers.  If you like the casino and sit in a great game, that's your game.  If you don't like the place and the game is rough - get up and find another one.

Beer = $1.  Standard tip (per drink) whilst playing in a casino.  Sit by some cheap sluts slots and play very slowly and order beer, the drink is free, the service isn't.  Or play a table game if you trust yourself to play sensibly and not shovel the lot in when the beer starts to work.  Later on in proper bars etc, beer is going to be > $5 anywhere decent.

Orleans is good value normally, but don't be too quick to narrow it down.  Wait until you know exact dates and then see who is doing an amazing deal.  If you could get the Wynn for less than the Orleans that week, you wouldn't want to stay in the Orleans any more..

Also, for first visit, I'd say stay fairly central on the strip, variety of budget choices to suit all pockets.  It makes it so much easier to explore, Orleans is not really walkable, cabs/shuttles mean apathy usually rules when it comes to doing stuff.

Golf help please ,

A group of 16 of us are in Vegas at the beginning of may 2013,  3/4 are interested in a round of golf or 2. Out of the few of us in the group that have been to Vegas previously none of us are golfers.
 
Can anyone give some suggestions, pref close/ish to the strip, I've tried the google route but it means nothing to me.

Thanks.

"Close to the Strip" is usually very expensive unless you get comped.  So for any reasonable cost prob about 30mins+ by taxi.  I played Rhodes Ranch last time I was there, it cost about $100 for golf, buggy and club hire.

Here are a couple of sites where you can check out location and prices.

 
http://www.lasvegasgolf.com/

http://www.golfnow.com/lasvegas

Thanks ill pass that on.

Haven't eaten here.. but would definitely give this a spin:

http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Las-Vegas/Restaurant/28389 (http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Las-Vegas/Restaurant/28389)

Just booked today from the 23rd for a short break.  Any other blondes there during that time?

Anyone see any deals for New year in Vegas?  Around 27th-3rd Im thinking.

Prefer to fly from Glasgow but can probs get to most other airports in UK

Really expensive for over ny. Have been looking at maybe going out b4 xmas and back on nye itself as there are good prices if you do that, I can get drunk any night there I don't need to be there for nye itself. £540 I've seen for that from London and Manch.

I love food in Vegas, it's probably my favorite place to eat because there's just so many good quality restaurants everywhere. Below is my list of my fav restaurants, some are off-strip and some on-strip. Might be worth googling some as they are normally all worth the journey.

Best breakfast:

I love breakfast in Vegas, it's probably my favorite meal and I've been to most breakfast places in the city. My favorite by some margin is "Cracked Eggs". However, it's a little drive off the strip so might not be realistic if you aren't renting a car for your stay. Saying that it's never disappointed and the menu is incredible.

Random restaurants that stood out to me as being a lot better than their competitors:

Musashi, Sen of Japan, Lotus of Siam, Mint Indian Bistro, Monta, Goyemon, the original Firefly, Todd's Unique Dining.

finer restaurants to visit:

jaleo (spanish fine dining @ cosmopolitan)
picasso  (bellagio french style)

Carnevino (palazzo hotel, italian & steak)


try Alize * (Finer dining, Aria) and Milos * (greek food cosmopolitan)


-------------------------
casual dining

buz bbq (my friends rated it higher than me, but I don't have a lot of experience with American BBQ to compare. We did go to 'Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ' which I thought was much better (they have their own smokery and slow-cook all the meats over 24-48 hours super delicious) but it's a little further out near the Green Valley Ranch

fukuburger truck

fuddruckers burgers

bachi burger - a little more expensive but v good (I preferred holsteins)

holstein burger is a must (gold standard burger prob the best)

cheap auce sushi at sushi house goyemon <--- delicious

settebello best pizza

tableau at the wynn for sunday brunch

monta noodle house voted best meal under $10 (pork belly bowl)

Cosmopolitan got voted best buffet (in the world?) last year however I haven't tried it yet.

Also in terms of really nice fast-food my favorite by some distance is Five Guys (one on south Las Vegas Boulevard near the fashion mall off the strip) followed by In'n'Out burger (if you order here get the double-double and ask for 'animal style' on the burger+fries from their secret menu).

I also always make sure I take a trip normally at least once a week out there to "buffalo wild wings" which is a big sports bar next to Five Guys offering some of the most delicious marinated chicken wings. Great place to watch sport/drink beer/chill with friends if you want to get away from the casinos for a while!

+1 the chicken thingys that come in a shoe are pretty lol

Did it once, about 10 years ago.

Rooms were ridiculously expensive, but the craic was great.

Games were amazing too, but then again the games were almost always amazing back then lol

2nd pretty much all of this though I like my fries regular at in n out but the burger animal style . Also a Buffalo Wild Wings fan it is like hooters but does everything better.

Can't argue with a lot of this, so will just make a couple of comments:

The off-strip picks are very good, been to about all of those, but I haven't been to Goyemon as I don't like Sushi, but rumoured to be pretty good AYCE for ~ $30

Breakfast - Add Tableau and the Country Club very good breakfast choices in Wynn if you have plenty of time and don't mind $$$

Finer Restaurants:  Alize is in Palms iirc and over-priced by a fair margin.  Milos does a $20 lunch deal which is exceptional value (dinner less exceptional value..)

Yet to see the burger truck, but heard good things.  Holsteins is the best burger bar I have been to in Vegas by far (although Carnevino and Delmonico both do an excellent burger on lunch menu reasonably priced)

Sunday Brunch - Country Club @ Wynn for their Jazz brunch imo.

Best buffet nowadays is reported to be Bacchanal @ Caesars ainec.  I'm not a buffet fan, but will defo try it out next visit.

Because in'n'out (and 5guys) use fresh potatoes to make their chips rather than say McDonalds that have them bought in frozen and so double cook them. So sometimes at In N Out if you want that mcdonalds crunch you can ask to get the fries 'well-done' and they'll happily oblige. Tricks of the trade! #teamfatbastard :)

I found wild wings tilting. A load of college kids not watching the game screaming "fuck yea", "duuuuuuuuude" high fiving each other when they happen to find out something had happened. Sick wings tho.

Tough to blame BWW's for that :)

However, I do blame them for advertising their "Blazin" wings as the hottest sauce they have ~ they were about a Nandos medium :(

WTF you talk about going to all these nice places in Vegas , then you admit to going to Nando's...........  :-X

Guess I like eating a lot :D

Can't knock Nandos ;)

Has anyone used Expedia to book Vegas with?

Just done a search and 7 days @ Harrah's including flight comes in at £950 (Virgin Atlantic Direct 17 - 24 March next year) is this reasonable?

Booking them separate with Virign and Harrah's is more.  How come Expedia can do it cheaper?

Never been to Vegas before but this looks ok to me.  Thoughts?

Looks ok, you might just want to check direct with the hotel too for reference.

I just looked and I make the current cost about £983 - that difference could easily be done from Expedia hedging against currency changes.

They also offer $25 off for people who have total rewards cards and you could save £40 just by changing the dates of the flights - it's not necessarily a bad price, but it's not particularly a bargain either

Occasionally you can scoop some very nice deals through third party sites and I myself used lowcostusa for part of my stay as it was cheaper than going direct.

Harrahs price match, so if you can find the room cheaper than their price anywhere they will cut theirs to match and you still have the ability to gain comps through play.

The only thing I advise generally is booking flights early if possible as they generally go up, this obviously is not the case when there is a sale on like last month.

well im in 2 mind what to do, im going to las vegas and stooping at the flamingo hotel from the 29/5 to the 9/6 just looked on there website and the price has gone down $300 should i booked it know or leave it and hope the price dont go up