First Vegas Trip Suggestions

[AdamM]

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

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

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

[StuartHopkin]

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

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

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

Are you going to spend any time at the pool?

[KarmaDope]

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

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

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

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

[AdamM]

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

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

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

[StuartHopkin]

The pool at Planet Hollywood is truly awful.

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

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

Mirage
MGM
Mandalay Bay
Luxor

[Marky147]

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

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

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

[AdamM]

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

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

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

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

This is hard.

[AdamM]

Just going to have to win the Goliath

[KarmaDope]

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

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

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

[KarmaDope]

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

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

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

[AdamM]

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

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

[Marky147]

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

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

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

[Chompy]

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

[Marky147]

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

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

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

Especially with the new cardroom being open then, too.

[AdamM]

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

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

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

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

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

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