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Author Topic: Vegas Trip Information for anyone looking to go this year.  (Read 952229 times)
vegaslover
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« Reply #675 on: January 28, 2013, 06:05:11 PM »

No probs. If there for longer and have a car desert springs is a must visit for kids. It's a science/education centre that uses renewable energy/recycling. Google it if you're intested
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Graham C
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« Reply #676 on: January 28, 2013, 06:25:19 PM »

www.springspreserve.org - that place?  That maybe better, we'd have done the theme parks already in LA/SF so a change would be good, we'll have a car so it's no problem getting there.
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Simon Galloway
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« Reply #677 on: January 28, 2013, 08:18:52 PM »

If you are open to suggestions on hotels, I'd let the dates decide.  Plug the dates in and see what comes back on the offer codes.  What time of year are you going?

I'd choose as nice a hotel as you can, with good code searching you can probably keep it reasonable, but Bellagio seems an obvious pointer.  Stay there, see the show, pool area is great, card room for you to sneak to, good spa..

Would agree AdventureDome is a good day out at a limited cost, just don't go on this ride...

 Click to see full-size image.


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Graham C
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« Reply #678 on: January 28, 2013, 08:25:09 PM »

lol, is that before or after, doesn't look great either way Cheesy   I'm not sure they're my cup of tea either, I can't handle them that well anymore

Our first night is Sunday 21st July but that's only 1 night, could be anywhere tbh, but nicer preferred to crappier of course, but sensible pricing.  Last two nights are 31st July and 1st August, the 1st is when we see O.  Bellagio would be great if there's a discount code or two.  I'll get searching on smartervegas to see what we can come up with.   With the codes, do you copy them from the SM site and use on the hotel direct or do you go through SM?
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Simon Galloway
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« Reply #679 on: January 28, 2013, 08:52:41 PM »

I'd recommend signing up with them and you will also get some unlisted offers.  I normally just click through their link, but sometimes links fail and/or it only works to c+p the code.

Few thoughts.

Sunday in July .... not sure what "reasonable" is for budget, but you are in a perfect slot to get an incredible bargain.  Sunday is a cheap night, July is a cheap month.  Expect to get a lot of room for your $$.  I'd also say depending on where you book, a well aimed $20 might be an idea too.

Next up, ofc it will be fkin hot.  Get a really nice pool.  Lots of decent shade, good drink service.  Some pools are a bit sparse when it comes to sunshades, cool plunge pools etc.  Encore, Bellagio would defo fit the bill.  For more "reasonable" then pool at MB or Mirage.  Will be a plethora of offers tho, so can see what else comes back on a crazy priced room deal.
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Simon Galloway
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« Reply #680 on: January 28, 2013, 09:05:50 PM »

Was looking through some old photos of some suites I stayed in.  Some were a bit of a rip-off, some were a complete steal.  But found this old chestnut.  While it is laughable, just goes to show that there are pricing ricks.  Some of the suite deals I found were cheaper than a basic room deal in the same hotel at the same time, but people didn't think to look.

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Graham C
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« Reply #681 on: January 28, 2013, 10:00:53 PM »

Thanks again Si,

re the $20 trick, do you just literally say "don't suppose you there's any chance of an upgrade is there?" whilst handing it over? 
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Marky147
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« Reply #682 on: January 29, 2013, 12:17:40 AM »

Thanks again Si,

re the $20 trick, do you just literally say "don't suppose you there's any chance of an upgrade is there?" whilst handing it over? 

When looking for upgrades, it's best to have done a little research and know the room/suite you want before asking.

You'll find that some staff will say 'certainly sir, let me just arrange that for you' and all you get is a room with an ice machine outside the door instead of along the corridor...

Obviously that doesn't happen every time, but if you ask for 'A room in the Octavius Tower' that avoids you getting lumbered with something in the old tower.

They'll have to inform you if it's not possible and offer alternatives if they're still looking for that tip money.
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vegaslover
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« Reply #683 on: January 29, 2013, 04:47:13 AM »

www.springspreserve.org - that place?  That maybe better, we'd have done the theme parks already in LA/SF so a change would be good, we'll have a car so it's no problem getting there.

Yep, thats the place. Well worth it imo, decent restaurant/cafe there too.

At the Adventure dome I get the mrs to go on the rides with my son, I would look like Simon in that photo before I even got on one of 'em
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Jon MW
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« Reply #684 on: January 29, 2013, 05:55:04 AM »

Thanks again Si,

re the $20 trick, do you just literally say "don't suppose you there's any chance of an upgrade is there?" whilst handing it over? 

When I tried this at Caesar's Palace I used the $20 as a bookmark in my passport for the page where your photo is, and asked them if there were any free upgrades available when they asked for my ID. I think including the word 'free' might be helpful otherwise they could say - yes there is, and it'll cost $500 a night Cheesy
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« Reply #685 on: January 29, 2013, 09:43:19 AM »

 The adventure dome was good for my nipper, and the queues were way easier than at Disney.  I think the air conditioning struggles and it is pretty warm in there in the middle of summer.  Mine is a bit younger (was 4) but she loved just going to the fashion show mall over the road, the pool and the Wynn buffet.  She'd be pretty happy alternating between those for a few days but also loved the Venetian and fountains at the bellagio and M and Ms world. 

Only thing we did she didn't really like while in vegas was the secret garden behind the mirage.  Was a lot of grumpy big cats in small enclosures and hot enough to make my daughter just as grumpy.   Think you can enjoy an encounter with some equally grumpy dolphins there. 

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Simon Galloway
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« Reply #686 on: January 29, 2013, 09:49:49 AM »

Thanks again Si,

re the $20 trick, do you just literally say "don't suppose you there's any chance of an upgrade is there?" whilst handing it over? 

There's an awful lot written on this subject, and most of it is bunkum.  Obv YMMV and the ultimate plan is to get a much better room without paying for it (apart from the $20 obv)

There's loads of stuff written about which clerk you should target, what you should say, how you should present the $20 etc etc.

My advice would be:

Do a little research ahead of time on the hotel.  Are the rates still on offer?  If so, probably not high occupancy and you have better odds.  Are you staying 4 weeks or one night?  4 weeks is obv a tough nut to crack with $20.... one night (and not a Fri/Sat) all sorts of upgrades have been handed out.. alll the way up to the Penthouses.

My advice is not to offer a $20 sandwich with your ID and CC.  Just simply ask if there are any complimentary upgrades available to you, whilst mentioning that you "love to tip for great service."  It is as simple as that.  They will know that you know that they know that you know the drill.. they will do what they can for you on the understanding that a $20 is going to be forthcoming.

So let's throw a hotel into it as an example... the Mirage.

Let's say you are booked into a Resort Queen room.  Your upgrade possibilities are to a Resort Room (Pool View/Volcano View) Tower room (bit bigger bathroom, separate shower) and then to a Mirage Suite/Tower Suite/Penthouse Suite.

My advice would be to have already looked on the website to see what each of those are like.  Then when the clerk asks you what you had in mind, or spouts off the name of a room to you, you insta-know how much of an upgrade is on the line.

Personally, I wouldn't pay to get a Volcano room, but if you are with family and they really want that, then no problem.  But they have to put you in some room or other, usually with a pool view or a strip view anyway.  If they really dislike you they can dump you in a room on floor 4 with a view of the catering dustbins....

All the rooms in this hotel have been recently renovated, so that doesn't come into it, but elsewhere, you could definitely;y ask for a "renovated room" if that hotel had some new rooms and some old rooms.

So, back to the check-in.  (You may have already got a deal on a suite from an offer code so this would be redundant..)

"Hello, checking in for 1 night, I'm booked into a Tower Resort Room but I am with my family and wanted to see if there are any complimentary upgrades available to a Tower Suite please.  I love to tip for great service."

The clerk is now going to say:

a) We are busy, here's your Tower resort Room key  b) Certainly sir, let me make a call (and get your $20 ready, give it to them AFTER fixing you up) c) Can't get you into a Tower Suite, but I have a hospitality suite that you could have.  d) I can get you a pool view.

Obv for c) the wrong answer is... "hmmm what does that look like" or "can I take a look at the room first before deciding" and the correct answer is.."YES" as you will have already taken the virtual tour online pre-trip and know that it is a very decent upgrade.

Obv for d) it is up to you, but I wouldn't be parting with $20 for it.

Typically, it will be hard to get upgraded more than one level, but it can and does happen on occasion.

Even if you aren't really getting a lot of co-operation from an arsey clerk, you can still normally make something happen.  Let's say they have countered with a Volcano view, which the missus is fairly keen on.  Before coughing up the $20, I'd still say something like how you are only here for one night and have a packed schedule, would it be possible to write out a few line passes...  These will get you into the casual food outlets (buffet/cafe/deli etc) in the Invited Guest entrance and therefore save you a long wait in the regular line.  Writing out a line pass doesn't cause the clerk any hassle, and if he knows it is the clincher for a $20, your odds are pretty good.

Hope that helps... ultimately the worse that can happen is you don't part with $20 and you get the room you originally booked... so ask away!
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« Reply #687 on: January 29, 2013, 01:43:25 PM »

I must say that the effort Simon and Mark put into their replies in this thread are amazing and very much appreciated. Thanks Guys.

p.s Is that you in the photo on that ride Simon? If so ,you look totally different to how I imagined.
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Simon Galloway
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« Reply #688 on: January 29, 2013, 02:15:11 PM »

I've lost a few stone since then... but yup, that's me.  That ride about finished me off.  I got put on the rollercoaster there as the 'canary in a cage', came off a bit wobbly and wouldn't let my daughter go on.  Then she took a liking to the pirate ship, which is fine once or twice, but about 12 straight rides on it later, I was definitely going green at the gills.

Been looking through the photos of that trip, was a really good trip and the tables were very kind to me that week.  We used to have fun all day and then everyone went to bed about 8pm, then I would slide out at about 1am and sit in the juciest 30/60 game imaginabl, until they called at about 7am wanting breakfast.  So we did a lot of things that were a little excessive, but even then, there were a few things we did that we definitely could have been smarter about.


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MLHMLH
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« Reply #689 on: January 29, 2013, 02:22:46 PM »

Do you both work in the travel industry?
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