Quote :

"The mgm wasn't confusing, but it certainly was big."

Yeah well, the alcohol didn't help

[Edited on July 2, 2012 at 12:19 AM. Reason : ]

7/2/2012 12:19:26 AM

Ballys is fine. Great location, not a bad hotel. Definitely the best value for the centrally located casinos. ballys always caters more to the older people and is one of those slot hotels so its not exactly hip, but who cares. Walk for 8 minutes and use the $200 a night youre saving on entertainment.

7/2/2012 5:47:00 AM

Would not recommend ballys as much right now. Was not aware of all the construction going on around there right now. Imperial palace would be a definite no at the moment.

Also a few clarifications from previous post.

1) the bubble hockey table at excalibur is not one of the classic ones, its a cheaper super chexx. Not quite as fun, BUT both goalies work now. I'm thinking they replaced the table bc one goalie was definitely not fully mobile a few years ago and I'm pretty sure it was a Russia-Canada table.

2). The Luxor pool problem is not that the pyramid blocks the sun, its that the sun reflects off the pyramid which makes the brightness brutal at some angles. Still a good value hotel with a decent location though. Certainly if you're on one end of the strip, that's the end to be on.

7/9/2012 11:53:52 PM

Vegas Hotel Pool 'Death Ray' Burns Tourists

http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/las-vegas-hotel-pool-sunlight-swimming-tourists/story?id=11739234

7/10/2012 10:22:42 AM

Quote :

"Certainly if you're on one end of the strip, that's the end to be on."

So what's the problem with the other end?

7/10/2012 10:26:57 AM

Because the other end is a shithole with the Wynn being the only good place near by to go.

7/10/2012 10:28:51 AM

I have stayed at the Vdara, and been to the pool and the whole "death ray" ting is mostly jsut crap yes it gets bright but you will not bust into flames or die. No worse that the reflection off Mandalay bay!


And Ballys always give me the creeps as a bunch or people died there in a fire when it was the old MGM grand.

7/10/2012 5:13:55 PM

^ no. You won't burst into flames, but it will give you what feels like the equivalent to a chemical burn on your skin.

It burns thru plastic cups and newspaper dude. It's not everyone up there getting it, it depends on your placement and the angle of the sun.

[Edited on July 10, 2012 at 5:39 PM. Reason : a]

7/10/2012 5:36:26 PM

If not Bally's, where's the next best place to stay right now?

7/22/2012 6:04:19 PM

^ [that doesn't cost more than $100 per night (averaging weekday and weekend rates)]

7/22/2012 6:44:16 PM

I was at ballys about a month ago. The rooms were waay nicer than TI, but by no means fantastic (you won't spend much time in it anyway)-- it was clean, the beds were comfortable, and it didn't stink.

Ballys is also on the tram line, and is at a good location.

For the money, it's well worth it.

7/22/2012 10:35:55 PM

Iveenjoyed both my stays at MGM and the planet Hollywood. Stayed in the "West Wing" at MGM not cheaper or more expensive than other rooms, I thought it was nicer than the standard room (but they have renovated their standard room since my last stay in one). At the planet Hollywood the $20 trick worked.

7/22/2012 11:33:59 PM

Stayed at TI in March for 3 nights and was impressed. The room was pretty nice.

We asked for a view and slipped the lady at the counter 20 bucks. She waived the resort fee and gave us a perfect view of the strip about 20 floors up. I had heard things about TI before, but it was pretty nice IMO. I have never been to Bally's, but the room at TI was almost on par with our Augustus Tower room at Caesars.

View:



As far as ranking places I have stayed in Vegas(all in the last 18 months):

1. Caesars
2. TI
3. Rio
4. Luxor
5. Harrahs

But I was pleased with Harrah's as well, especially at ~$25 per night.

20 dollar trick worked at Caesars, TI and Harrah's. Just make sure you have something in mind to request when you make the offer. I usually go for a view because I like to sip on drinks and watch the strip while the rest of my party is getting showered/dressed for whatever we are going out to do.

At the Luxor we booked the cheapest room and tried the 20 dollar trick. They declined the cash but moved us out of a pyramid room and into a tower room for free. I guess thats a minimal upgrade. At the Rio, the guy behind the counter was inflexible. We ended up getting a discounted upgrade for a big suite though.



[Edited on July 23, 2012 at 7:14 AM. Reason : resize]

7/23/2012 7:10:15 AM

Sweet pic. Looks like I'll be out there around the same time synapse is in early Oct. I'll hopefully be staying off the strip, but will def be referencing this thread otherwise.

7/23/2012 10:33:04 AM

booked a room at Ballys for late August. first time to LV


question on the room upgrades/20 dollar trick: if you booked the cheapest room possible through a third party site like Expedia, are they less likely to upgrade you?

7/23/2012 1:46:58 PM

^ how much did you pay?

7/23/2012 2:29:14 PM

I booked Caesars Palace for $600 for 6 day stay. Booked through their website using a deal I found online.

Did the $20 trick, got upgraded to a tower suite...shit was dope had jacuzzi, mini bar, bathroom as big as the room...it was just really nice.

7/23/2012 2:40:05 PM

A friend forwarded me this today, fyi.

http://www2.mandalaybay.com/offers/2012/07_all_access/index.html

7/23/2012 2:48:53 PM

While we're at it, any ideas for the best way to see the Grand Canyon. Looks like a 5 hour drive so should we just rent a car and stay in a hotel out there?

take some bus tour service so we don't have to drive (sounds brutal though)


what other options are there? i'm not doing the small plane thing as i don't have a death wish.

7/23/2012 6:47:53 PM

^ do the small plane its really awesome.

Being couped up in a rundown bus in 116 degree weather sounds awful.

7/23/2012 8:33:50 PM

Quote :

"^ how much did you pay?"

$29/night for a monday/tuesday night stay

7/23/2012 10:54:48 PM

Driving to and back from the grand canyon is a whole day trip no matter how it happens. The first time I drove to and back in one day, the second time spent the night in one of the cabins on the north rim, http://www.grandcanyonlodgenorth.com/

7/23/2012 11:52:57 PM

Who all has stayed at Excaliber?

I can get their "Widescreen Tower Room" for $374 for 5 nights (after taxes), plus $15/day resort, so $450 otd.

Quote :

"Our newly remodeled Widescreen Tower Rooms have been upgraded floor to ceiling and each feature a 42-inch plasma screen TV, a pillow top mattress and a contemporary bathroom with granite counter tops. Choose from one king bed, or two queen-sized beds. Hotel room features high-speed internet access, cable TV, hair dryer, iron and in-room safe."

Doesn't *sound* that bad right?

8/13/2012 9:06:14 AM

Who all has stayed at Excaliber?

I can get their "Widescreen Tower Room" for $374 for 5 nights (after taxes), plus $15/day resort, so $450 otd.

Quote :

"Our newly remodeled Widescreen Tower Rooms have been upgraded floor to ceiling and each feature a 42-inch plasma screen TV, a pillow top mattress and a contemporary bathroom with granite counter tops. Choose from one king bed, or two queen-sized beds. Hotel room features high-speed internet access, cable TV, hair dryer, iron and in-room safe."

Doesn't *sound* that bad right?

8/13/2012 9:08:53 AM

Sounds good.

8/13/2012 10:22:32 AM

do a $20 tip to get a better room...trust me it works.

8/13/2012 10:25:27 AM

Yeah was planning on doing that and asking for a view

8/13/2012 11:04:35 AM

My fiance and I stayed at Excalibur last September. Originally booked the cheapest room, but tried the $20 trick at the counter and were given one of the "Widescreen" tower rooms. If you want a view though I would definitely mention your desire for a view when you do the trick. When I did it, I just asked if they had any upgrades available, didnt specify what we were looking for which was a failure on my part. Room was fairly nice, tv was good, we had 2 queen beds, and the bathroom was really nice. Our view was of the pool, we could see part of the strip but not all of it, so definitely ask for a better view.

[Edited on August 13, 2012 at 2:12 PM. Reason : .]

8/13/2012 2:09:24 PM

Quote :

"CIRCUS CIRCUS"

8/16/2012 10:17:10 AM

I just got back from staying at the Rio. A bit dated, but i had no choice as it was home to the STAR TREK CONVENTION!

The roofdeck club was epically awesome.

8/16/2012 4:46:09 PM

The best way to get to and see the grand canyon (and hoover dam) is to rent a Ferrari or Lambo and drive. There are several rental places on the strip and 99% of the people that walk in are full of shot with no intention of renting.

If you show you're serious, you can haggle a LOT and have a wide range of shit to choose from. Everything from classic cobras to gallardos. And since they are all within walking distance from one another, you can play them against each other on prices.

Also, enterprise rents lotus vehicles in Vegas as a more affordable option.

8/16/2012 5:40:15 PM

^^ Was at the Rio 4 weeks ago for World Series of Poker. The resort definitely needs an update, but it was a fun scene!


We stayed at the Aria and, with the $20 trick, got upgraded to an amazing suite. http://www.arialasvegas.com/hotel/one-bed-aria.aspx

Then, we checked in to the Venetian and did the $20 trick (or sandwich method, as my gfs call it) and got upgraded to a Bella Suite at the Palazzo. http://www.palazzo.com/Las-Vegas-Accommodations/Suites/Bella-Suite/

Great trip!

Then, since my gf and I had a late flight out on Sunday and we wanted to do Rehab at Hard Rock, we rented a room at Hard Rock for $45 (after taxes and fees) ... which included such a significant discount to our Rehab admission that we ended up saving a little money! Rehab is typically $50 per person, but with our discount, it was $20 per person. Not a bad deal, since we also had a place to crash, shower and store our stuff safely.




In the past, I've stayed at the Flamingo and Planet Hollywood. Palazzo is my fav so far, though I spent so much time at the Hard Rock pool (their parties are the best) that I'll probably stay there next time I go.

[Edited on August 17, 2012 at 5:10 PM. Reason : r]

8/17/2012 5:03:33 PM

next time I go, since its for the SHOT show, and is usually attached the palazo I'll probably go there.

8/18/2012 8:50:40 AM

So these are the current possibilities: Excaliber, Rio, Luxor, Imperial Palace, Flamingo. Plz to put them in a list for me

9/5/2012 10:17:07 AM

I'd go:

Luxor
Flamingo (GO rooms only... they're renovated)

And the other hotels skeeze me out a bit, so I hesitate to rank them. Rio is off the strip and a bit icky, but fun if there's an event like World Series of Poker.

9/5/2012 10:27:18 AM

I don't know if a new member can do this or not, but if you are an mLife member(MGM player club - free) you can go to mlife.com and book your stay. When I was shopping for rates at the beginning of the year, the mlife rates were better than the best coupon codes I could find.

Don't forget to compute your hotel budget and go to priceline. I got a nice deal at Treasure Island using what I was going to pay at Excalibur. Once I got to ti, they waived my resort fees and upgraded my room. use http://www.betterbidding.com to find the right combos of locations/stars

9/5/2012 12:35:44 PM

Meh. Mlife was still >$200/night for each weekend night in Oct

9/5/2012 1:03:54 PM

I was in Vegas for the first time a few weeks ago and stayed at Bally's. Booked the cheapest room possible on expedia and it was in the older south tower. We when got there, I was going to try the $20 trick. The girl at the desk told us they were out of rooms with king beds, which we had reserved, so we'd have to have a queen bed but she could upgrade us to the new north tower in a mini-suite (nods and keeps hand with 20 in pocket)


I thought Bally's was great, especially the location and it is connected to Paris, which was cool. The last night we were there we walked out to the south end of the strip and casino hopped back to our place. Twas fun.

9/9/2012 11:44:54 AM

25% off Aria rooms

https://reservations.mgmmirage.com/bookingengine.aspx?pid=930&host=offer&code=AR72HRK

9/24/2012 11:58:42 AM

Looks like I can get the Deluxe King Room: ARIA for the same price as Caesar's Palace Tower Premium Room
Any thoughts on these?

9/24/2012 12:17:26 PM

Haven't stayed at Caesar's, but stayed in a Deluxe King at Aria, can't imagine too many rooms in the older properties being as nice (for the price).

[Edited on September 24, 2012 at 12:28 PM. Reason : .]

9/24/2012 12:26:08 PM

Caesar's and Aria are both great. I suppose the biggest question is whether you prefer a location on the strip. If so, go for Caesar's. If not, the suites at Aria are FAB.

9/24/2012 1:05:49 PM

Isn't Aria (Convention Center) on the Strip?

9/24/2012 2:32:28 PM

Shoot. Not sure why I said that. I guess it just feels kind of far removed. When you're in hooker heels trying to walk from there to other hot spots, it feels like a hassle.

But the rooms are sweet. Prob your nicest option.

9/24/2012 4:24:50 PM

Isn't there some coupon book you can buy for Vegas?

9/25/2012 12:22:43 PM

You can get some mediocre ones for free from the cabbies.

9/25/2012 12:49:28 PM

Aria booked! Staying at Caesars for free the first night. Will be interesting to compare.

9/25/2012 1:24:56 PM

okay I know I am going to sound very dumb, but how well does this 20 dollar tip thing work for the room upgrade? Do you do it when you find out you have a shitty room or just do it from the start? Just walk up, have a 20 spot, show it and say I'd like an upgrade if you could please? I got comped at Harrahs for four nights this Thursday to Monday. My friends were too cool so they booked a room at MGM. We kept my room and then are going to pay for that room split 5 ways. (we want to use the lazy river, etc as Wet Republic is closed for the year) I wanted to do Rehab pool party on Sunday as it is famous for the tv show and looks fun, what others would you recommened? My friends are golfing one day. I literally plan on just drinking from the time i get on the plane till I leave. Sports books recommendations would be welcome since there is a LOT of sporting events going on this weekend. Anything else recommended as well. As long as I have a cool room with 2 beds I don't really care because I know you are never in the room. Any suggestions PM me or on here. Thanks everyone!

10/2/2012 4:43:15 AM

Quote :

"Do you do it when you find out you have a shitty room or just do it from the start?"

Shouldn't you know ahead of time if you are getting a base room or not?

Quote :

"Just walk up, have a 20 spot, show it and say I'd like an upgrade if you could please? "

Yeah, pretty much.

10/2/2012 10:11:00 AM

Lagasse Stadium is the coolest sportsbook, but the food is overpriced and not so good. It's at the Palazzo next to the venetian. definitely worth checking out if you've never been.

other than that pretty much all the nicest casinos have the nicest sportsbooks.

10/2/2012 10:37:32 AM