2011 Vegas advice and tips please

[Junior Senior]

Hi all, I am going to Vegas in June - not been since 2005 so need to know from any Vegas regulars what has changed in the last 6 years (i.e what are the best value places to stay, play poker etc.) Looking for somewhere on strip and pretty nice as the wife and a mate are coming with so can't be a crap hotel. Bellagio looks to be doing some good deals - presume this is still a great place to stay? 
cheers

[Simon Galloway]

The poker will be a shock - cash action has tightened up incredibly since 2005.

Hotel - assuming you don't want a poker rate somewhere and the obligation that brings.

Bellagio (as you mentioned it in particular) - getting old now.  Nice casino, ok hotel.  Still one of the better ones ofc, but not as good as it once was.  Rooms need a remodel.  Without a poker rate there, you could prolly do better for the same money elsewhere now.

As for other hotels, I would wait until I had dates in mind and plug those into the usual sources and see what comes back.  Venetian/Palazzo, Wynn/Encore/, Mirage, Trump (with a little walk) Signature, Bellagio.  All of those would be fine for other half.  And one of them will be doing a decent deal for your dates - I just don't know which one.

[Woodsey]

I quite like the Flamingo GO Luxury rooms with a view over the strip. Are newish and normally pretty decent value for the money. All the main poker rooms are on your doorstep too.

Go and take your wife to see a cirque du soleil show too. Do a helicopter trip to the Grand Canyon if you can afford it.

[Skgv]

A Show is a must ! Jerseys boys at Palazzooooo is absolutely fantastic

[SirPerceval]

Blue Man group at Venetian is a great show and cheap or free tickets are pretty easy to pick up.

[Marky147]

I think the Bellagio rooms whilst a little dated are still very nice rooms and the tube tv thing isn't really a big deal. They've also said that they will be remodelling rooms in 2011 so you might be able to bink an upgraded room at checkin should they have started before summer.

That link will get you a discount up to 20% depending how far in advance you book on your room.

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?pid=190&host=offer&code=B20MAR

Wynn is also remodelling all it's rooms at the moment and they hope to have it completed by summer too. The only code I know for the Wynn atm is EARLYBOOKING and that doesn't always work out that cheap anyway.

www.smartervegas.com and http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/travel-discussion/1036400/ are both always worth checking out as they have some great deals for hotels which are updated all the time.

The Mirage has just undergone a renovation and the reviews I've seen have been mostly positive. I think there are often promotions for them too through the year.


I think if you're going with partner then as was advised you don't want to tie yourself into a poker rate. I'd just keep checking and see what rates pop up for sites. I stayed at both Wynn/Palazzo last year and loved both of them except the cost. You get what you pay for though and they are both great resorts.

There isn't such an atmosphere in Palazzo as it's a more subdued resort but the restaurants there are pretty great.

The Wynn is well it's the Wynn and the little touches just make it special. If $$ isn't too much of an issue I'd stay here every time as the whole feel of the place is just incred. The trip costs grow considerably if you're lazy like we were and just eat/drink in the wynn all  the time lol.

I saw Le Réve and Terry Fator last year and highly recommend both especially Le Réve it's sick

[Royal Flush]

Wynn/Encore is not close when you can get the poker rate without even playing lol

$119/$199

No need to look elsewhere imo

[Junior Senior]

thanks all - would slipping the check in clerk some $$ bink me an upgrade or is that a myth?

[Delboy]

thanks all - would slipping the check in clerk some $$ bink me an upgrade or is that a myth?

The famous $20 sandwich trick

Its hit and miss really. more a hit though according to this thread


http://www.fatwallet.com/forums/travel-discussion/529706/?start=0

other details here

http://www.frontdesktip.com/

[Simon Galloway]

Poker rate (without the obligation) minus a bit of grease is better than $20 at the front desk.

I can't emphasise enough how much it pays to scour the net for your dates.  I got 3 nights in a Mirage Penthouse a couple of years back for something obscene like $80 a night (and with lots of credits and two-fers as well, it was more or less free.)  At the same time, a standard Mirage room was $96 a night.  Most people would just book the standard $96 and not think/be bothered to look.

[mouth]

I've been offered a chance to stay with some friends from June 25th:they've rented a house. I've never been so would appreciate any advice on best flight deals for around that date? I heard Virgin are flying form manchester soon, I'm in the north but not really bothered where I fly from.

Thansk in advance.

[Marky147]

thanks all - would slipping the check in clerk some $$ bink me an upgrade or is that a myth?

At the Wynn most likely not as it's something Steve Wynn is hardline with from what I've read on forums. The longer you're staying the harder it is to score an upgrade as they obviously are locking rooms up for the duration of your stay.

I used $100 at Caesars back in 2009 for a 9 day stay and got moved from a Classic to an Augustus Tower overlooking the Bellagio fountains. If you were paying for that upgrade it was probably in excess of $50 a night, I think $11 a night is fine for that and would rather pay than have a higher risk of ending up getting knocked back.

It's Vegas and I think the 'You can get this by asking nicely' brigade are being a bit hopeful now in reality. As someone who works for the casinos said in one of the tipping threads 'What do I get out of someone asking nicely?'.

I think it's a moot point if you can get the poker rate with no obligation anyway as the Wynn>>>>> Pal/Ven, Caesars, Bellagio.
Might be worth trying the 'it's our wedding anniversary is there anything you can do?'  as that's an angle that has been known to work.

[Doc Bok]

Wynn/Encore is not close when you can get the poker rate without even playing lol

$119/$199

No need to look elsewhere imo

How do you get the poker rate without playing ?
has anyone stayed at Harrahs , great position on the strip and room prices look good.
Last time stayed at Wynn with poker rate but it is still quite expensive for mere mortals
thanks in advance

[outragous76]

I've been offered a chance to stay with some friends from June 25th:they've rented a house. I've never been so would appreciate any advice on best flight deals for around that date? I heard Virgin are flying form manchester soon, I'm in the north but not really bothered where I fly from.

Thansk in advance.

I think Virgin start from Manchester next month

Budget 700 for a flight  - it wont be less than 600 if flying direct

You can save circa £100-150 if you dont fly direct

[AndrewT]

I've been offered a chance to stay with some friends from June 25th:they've rented a house. I've never been so would appreciate any advice on best flight deals for around that date? I heard Virgin are flying form manchester soon, I'm in the north but not really bothered where I fly from.

Thansk in advance.

Virgin are doing two flights a week to Vegas from Mancester from April (Thu & Sun). Other direct flights are Virgin from Gatwick and BA from Heathrow.

If you book up now then you prob won't be paying much extra for direct as opposed to non-direct and it saves pissing about in somewhere like Dallas or Chicago waiting for a connecting flight.