Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.

[vegaslover]

You will get the virgin points regardless of who you booked it with.

If you haven't already done so, get someone to refer you to the virgin reward scheme. You will both get a bonus and then you refer your friend, so more bonus!

Another tip with Virgin. You have to pay £25 to allocate your seat. However, they often randomly assign you seats. Once they do you can change to preferred seats for free!

[Omm]

The Mirage is a good deal.  I'd just book that.  Nice rooms and a great location. 

Cheers mate, just the sort of clear and concise comment I was looking for. Gonna book it tomorrow.

[scotty77]

my dad has found 10 nights at Gold Coast i think, 11th-21st June with flights from london for £980 i think. seems too good to be true. thoughts ?

Yeah sounds excellent as well.  Gold Coast is 5 mins walk from the Rio.  For your 1st WSOP it's perfect, can just wonder over and get in as much poker as you can.

[AlcaPwn]

my dad has found 10 nights at Gold Coast i think, 11th-21st June with flights from london for £980 i think. seems too good to be true. thoughts ?

At first look that sounded expensive to me as got 10 nights at Aria last year inc flights for less around the same time.  However as has been said 19th-21th is EDC weekend and that will push prices up. 

Also pushing prices up is that your dates include two weekends.  I also usually do 10 days but Tuesday to Thursday which brings the price down considerably.  If you were flexible and could do 9th-18th your hotel availability would widen greatly for that price including Palms @ £876, Rio @ £894, Caesars & £955 and MGM @ £988 (all Expedia with flights direct from London and excluding resort fees).

[doubleup]

Any northern blondes - there seems to be a direct flight from Glasgow (thomas cook) leaving 01/06 coming back 22/06 for £540.

[scotty77]

One essential thing that everyone should do before they head off to the US is to get a three SIM card.

You can get a PAYG SIM, load £20/30 and then use data in the US plus also call back home to the UK using your allowance.  Don't know the exact details for PAYG, so go into a shop or give them a ring.

I'm on three and have used it in 4 different countries without any issues at all.  Don't need to change your settings, just keep using it like you would at home.

While WiFi coverage is ok in most poker rooms, just makes everything so much easier having the 3G option too.

http://www.three.co.uk/Discover/Phones/Feel_At_Home

[Kmac84]

Any northern blondes - there seems to be a direct flight from Glasgow (thomas cook) leaving 01/06 coming back 22/06 for £540.

Virgin are supposed to be starting a direct flight from Glasgow in September. 

Also sure I seen on facebook a few Glasgow based played going around those dates you mention but seem to be paying ott for a stint at 4 Queens.  Weird one.

[pokerplayingfarmer]

I feel the need to point something out for the lowrollers here. This doesnt apply to those who are balla.

It concerns flights.  This will mainly be beneficial to those who live up North.

You can save serious amounts of money by starting your journey in Dublin.

As an example, I have just gone to the BA site and plugged in an economy return, for one person, leaving 22nd September and returning 2 weeks later, flying from Manchester Airport. I have specifically chosen this date as it is a random midweek day when the kids are back in school. My route will be Manchester - London then London - Vegas. The cheapest flight leaves Manchester at 6.45am and I have an 8hr wait in London outbound. This costs £750, which is about right for a direct flight from London itself.

NOW...I go to Kayak.co.uk. I specifically ask for a Multi-City flight, leaving Dublin to Vegas on the same dates as above, and returning from Vegas to Manchester. I then filter out all the other connecting cities except for London.

My flight leaves Dublin at 1pm, lands at Heathrow at 2.20pm and we're on the same flight to Vegas as above. My return flights are also the same as the ones quoted by BA. Total cost of flight? £565.

So I've saved myself £185 just by flying from Dublin. But...how do I get to Dublin? That's easy.

If you book well in advance for Vegas - wait for Ryanair's £9.99 sale. Add on one hold bag for £25 and you've spent £35 going to Dublin. Flight leaves Manchester at 7.50am and lands at Dublin at 8.50am. You leave slightly later than you would if you were flying BA and you've saved £150. That's a buyin for a cash game or a couple of tourneys.

Well worth it IMO.

Could you do that, and just be a no show for the dublin flight?  Training it to London instead?

[KarmaDope]

I feel the need to point something out for the lowrollers here. This doesnt apply to those who are balla.

It concerns flights.  This will mainly be beneficial to those who live up North.

You can save serious amounts of money by starting your journey in Dublin.

As an example, I have just gone to the BA site and plugged in an economy return, for one person, leaving 22nd September and returning 2 weeks later, flying from Manchester Airport. I have specifically chosen this date as it is a random midweek day when the kids are back in school. My route will be Manchester - London then London - Vegas. The cheapest flight leaves Manchester at 6.45am and I have an 8hr wait in London outbound. This costs £750, which is about right for a direct flight from London itself.

NOW...I go to Kayak.co.uk. I specifically ask for a Multi-City flight, leaving Dublin to Vegas on the same dates as above, and returning from Vegas to Manchester. I then filter out all the other connecting cities except for London.

My flight leaves Dublin at 1pm, lands at Heathrow at 2.20pm and we're on the same flight to Vegas as above. My return flights are also the same as the ones quoted by BA. Total cost of flight? £565.

So I've saved myself £185 just by flying from Dublin. But...how do I get to Dublin? That's easy.

If you book well in advance for Vegas - wait for Ryanair's £9.99 sale. Add on one hold bag for £25 and you've spent £35 going to Dublin. Flight leaves Manchester at 7.50am and lands at Dublin at 8.50am. You leave slightly later than you would if you were flying BA and you've saved £150. That's a buyin for a cash game or a couple of tourneys.

Well worth it IMO.

Could you do that, and just be a no show for the dublin flight?  Training it to London instead?

Nope.

I dont know the exact ins and outs but if you miss the first flight they cancel the lot of them.

[KarmaDope]

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club-446/ has more details - albeit specific to BA.

[vegaslover]

What is the best way to go about hiring a car in vegas?
Looking to hire one for a week in April.

[KarmaDope]

What is the best way to go about hiring a car in vegas?
Looking to hire one for a week in April.

Hire it over here before you go for insurance reasons.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=64155692&postcount=10 is a good starting pointer.

[Tal]

Is anyone able to recommend a hotel near Manchester airport, please? Walking distance from departures ideally.

[KarmaDope]

Is anyone able to recommend a hotel near Manchester airport, please? Walking distance from departures ideally.

Meh, stay at the cheapest. They probably have buses to/from the airport.

Or...dependent on your flight time, stay at home and get a train direct to Manchester Airport.

However, there is a Premier Inn smack bang in the middle of the complex.

[Marky147]

Premier Inn it is then, as long as Lenny isn't in town